What do oxygen, chlorophyll-a, and light all have in common? They are important indicators of water quality. Our network monitors estuaries along the coast for these and other water quality indicators. Take a quick dive into the data behind park management decisions.
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Fire Island National Seashore
Article 1: 2021 Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment Status Report: Fire Island NS
Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) is a 7,810 ha park on the South Shore of Long Island, New York. Approximately 46% of this area is submerged estuarine land in Great South Bay and Moriches Bay. Although FIIS owns only a minority portion of the submerged land in these bays, the area in park ownership is, nonetheless, extensive. Read more
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Cape Cod National Seashore
Article 2: 2021 Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment Status Report: Cape Cod NS
Cape Cod is a large glacial moraine peninsula that extends 96.5 km into the Atlantic Ocean from the coast of Massachusetts. Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) is located on the outer portion of Cape Cod. Almost all the estuarine habitat at CACO is associated with two large coastal lagoon systems, Pleasant Bay (PB) and Nauset Harbor/Marsh (NH). Due to restricted flushing with the ocean and residential development pressures outside the seashore boundary... Read more
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Gateway National Recreation Area
Article 3: 2022 Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment Status Report: Gateway NRA
Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) consists of 10,783 hectares of coastal uplands, freshwater ponds, marshes, bays, beaches, and mudflats. Established in 1972, it is divided into three geographically separate units: Jamaica Bay, Staten Island, and Sandy Hook. The Jamaica Bay Unit encompasses almost all of island uplands and wetlands within Jamaica Bay. Thus, estuarine resources of GATE are fully contained within Jamaica Bay. The target population for estuarine... Read more
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Colonial National Historical Park
Article 4: 2022 Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment Status Report: Colonial NHP
Colonial National Historical Park (COLO) consists of two significant land holdings, the Yorktown and Jamestown Units. These are connected by a narrow traffic corridor, the Colonial Parkway. COLO estuarine sampling area is divided into two strata. The first, a tidal creek stratum, includes all estuarine resources falling inside park boundaries. This includes small tidal creeks that drain off park wetlands, the small regions of park ownership where the Colonial Parkway... Read more
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George Washington Birthplace National Monument
Article 5: 2021 Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment Status Report: George Washington Birthplace NM
George Washington Birthplace National Monument (GEWA) is located along the tidal reaches of the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Virginia. The Potomac shoreline delineates the northern boundary of the monument, where three small sub-basins drain into the Potomac. The largest and most significant estuarine resource is Popes Creek, which has restricted flushing with the Potomac and is closely linked to GEWA resources. The monitoring area covers all tidal portions... Read more
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Assateague Island National Seashore
Article 6: 2022 Estuarine Nutrient Enrichment Status Report: Assateague Island NS
Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS) is a 60km long barrier island off the eastern coast of the Delmarva Peninsula, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. The northern two-thirds of the island is in Maryland, while the southern third is in Virginia. ASIS one of two NER coastal parks with a highly developed water-quality monitoring program, through a joint effort among many federal and state partners. The park boundary encircles the NPS holdings... Read more