An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments known as ecotone. Wikipedia Brackish water is water that is slightly saltier than fresh water, but not as salty as sea water. An "ecotone" is a transition area between two ecological environments--a transition zone, in the case of an estuary, between salt water and fresh water.
Estuaries are known as the "nurseries" of the sea because they provide shelter for many species of fish and a resting place for migratory birds.
Estuaries are the most productive areas on the planet for organic growth and repositories of carbon dioxide--keeping CO2 locked in and restricting global warming.
Without estuaries providing shelter for thousands of fish, mammals and birds, our food production would be greatly reduced.
photo by Nannette O'Hara
From www.epa.gov: "National Estuaries Week, which first began as National Estuaries Day, was founded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1988 as part of Coastweeks. While Coastweeks was a broad celebration of our nation’s coasts, National Estuaries Day was created to specifically focus on estuaries, with a mission to encourage citizens to explore and appreciate their local estuaries. For many years in the 1990s, NOAA and EPA hosted National Estuaries Day events both locally and nationally. But when federal support declined, the event disappeared for some time with no national effort to hold it together.
Around 2007, Restore America’s Estuaries (RAE) saw the opportunity to revive National Estuaries Day. RAE partnered with organizations like the Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP), the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association (NERRA), and NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (NOAA OCM), to grow National Estuaries Day, soon overtaking its original reach. It became clear that one day was not enough time to host celebratory events, and many organizations expressed disappointment over not be able to participate. National Estuaries Day became National Estuaries Week in 2013 to provide more opportunities for activities and celebration. Celebrated every third week in September, National Estuaries Week continues to be a unique opportunity to come together and raise awareness for our estuaries and coasts."
Estuaries are an absolutely essential part of our ecosystem and saving them should be important to everyone on this planet, Earth.
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