National Estuary Program
National Estuary Program
In 1987, Congress established the National Estuary Program (NEP) to protect estuaries threatened by the degradation caused by human activity. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers the program, provides financial and technical support to NEPs.
NEPs are collaborative, community-based entities that address issues facing the estuaries with specific environmental protection actions. Each NEP develops and implements a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for the designated study area. CCMPs must carry specific actions that will address priority problems, identify parties to implement the actions, develop a plan to ensure implementation occurs and funding for each action.
Three of the 28 nationally designated estuaries are in Region 10: Puget Sound, Lower Columbia River, and Tillamook Bay.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound was one of the original NEP programs. The first CCMP was approved in 1991. In 2007, due to persistent threats to our valuable ecosystem, Washington State created the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) to reinvigorate efforts.
In 2008, PSP released an Action Agenda that describes a set of actions and priorities to restore and protect Puget Sound by 2020.
The Action Agenda identifies the following threats:
- Habitat Alteration and Land Conversion
- Pollution
- Surface and Groundwater Supply
- Invasive Species
- Artificial Propagation of Species
- Harvest
Actions identified were organized around five priority strategies:
- Protect Intact Ecosystem Processes, Structures, and Functions
- Restore Ecosystem Processes, Structures, and Functions
- Prevent Water Pollution at its Source
- Work Together
- Build an Implementation, Monitoring, and Accountability Management System
Related
RELATED ARTICLES
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A 2023 report from the University of Washington Puget Sound Institute synthesizes past Watershed Lead Organization Program grants to support the EPA-funded Land Development and Cover and Floodplains and Estuaries Implementation Strategies. The report offers lessons learned from the habitat restoration and land acquisition-focused grants.
A boundary spanning system supports large-scale ecosystem-based management
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A review of Puget Sound marine and nearshore grant program results, Part 3
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A review of Puget Sound marine and nearshore grant program results, Part 2
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Snohomish Basin Protection Plan
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A review of Puget Sound marine and nearshore grant program results, Part 1
A 2015 report from the University of Washington Puget Sound Institute summarizes and reviews 14 EPA-funded projects focusing on Puget Sound's marine and nearshore environments. The projects were conducted between 2011-2015 with support from the EPA's National Estuary Program.
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Guiding growth-healthy watersheds: McLane Creek Basin water resource protection study
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Guiding growth-healthy watersheds: Black Lake Basin water resource protection study
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Shellfish restoration and protection in Kitsap Public Health District
A 2014 report by the Kitsap Public Heath District describes the goals and achievements of the Shellfish Restoration and Protection Project including: increasing harvestable shellfish growing areas, establishing a routine shoreline monitoring program, improving water quality, and increasing education of water quality and shellfish protection.
Development of a stormwater retrofit plan for Water Resources Inventory Area (WRIA) 9: Comprehensive needs and cost assessment and extrapolation to Puget Sound
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Comprehensive watershed plan for sustainable development and restoration of the Gorst Creek watershed
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Suspended-sediment concentrations during dam decommissioning in the Elwha River, Washington
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