File:Estuary-mouth.jpg

Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services. They are also among the most threatened ecosystems, largely as a result of rapidly increasing growth and development. About half of the U.S. population now lives in coastal areas and coastal counties are growing three times faster than counties elsewhere in the Nation. Overuse of resources and poor land use practices have resulted in a host of human health and natural resource problems.

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