\r\n These highly dynamic systems, where rivers meet the ocean, provide\r\n many important ecosystem services. They provide essential habitat for\r\n a wide range of species, including fish, shellfish, shrimp, and crabs.\r\n Estuaries have also been significantly altered and degraded by human\r\n activities. Many along the West Coast are in poor condition or have\r\n lost significant habitat.\r\n
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\r\n This viewer allows you explore estuaries along the coastline of\r\n Washington, Oregon, and California. Learn more about estuaries and\r\n their role in providing habitat for key species. Get involved to help\r\n restore these important ecosystems.\r\n
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Learn more about estuaries...
\r\n\r\n This application enables you to \r\n compare estuaries to each other along\r\n the coastlines of Washington, Oregon, and California. You can combine\r\n dynamic filters and an interactive map to find specific estuary types\r\n you are interested in, such as large river delta estuaries which often\r\n have extensive diking; small, riverine estuaries that are at the\r\n lowest risk to fish habitat degradation; or estuaries contain species\r\n that interest you. Only want to compare estuaries in a specific area?\r\n Simply zoom the map in to that area, and the filters automatically\r\n update to show you the number of estuaries in that area that meet\r\n different conditions.\r\n
\r\n\r\n You can also \r\n explore\r\n estuaries in more detail to find a specific estuary by name or\r\n location.\r\n
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\r\n Click on an estuary in the map for more detailed information.\r\n
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\r\n Estuary data were provided by the \r\n
\r\n Estuaries and nearshore habitats are ranked among the world’s most\r\n productive ecosystems, providing social, ecological, cultural and\r\n economic benefits as well as a full array of ecosystem services. The\r\n constantly changing water chemistry, water level, and sedimentation\r\n creates unique challenges and opportunities for the organisms that\r\n make their homes in estuaries.\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n The Pacific Marine & Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership (PMEP) mapped\r\n the current and historic extent of estuaries using models of extreme\r\n high water levels and high resolution elevation information. This\r\n allowed PMEP to determine areas that are inundated by the highest\r\n annual tides. PMEP then used the National Wetland Inventory, local\r\n knowledge, and other information to refine these boundaries. These\r\n estuary boundaries encompass all tidal wetlands, and they extend from\r\n the ocean to the head of the tide, including the freshwater tidal\r\n zone.\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n PMEP mapped habitats within the estuary boundaries based on the\r\n dominant vegetation type for a given area, using information from\r\n the National Wetlands Inventory and NOAA's Coastal Change\r\n Analysis Program. These habitat types are based on the \r\n
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\r\n For more information and data downloads, please \r\n
\r\n Thousands of species of birds, mammals, fish and other wildlife\r\n depend on estuarine habitats as places to live, feed and reproduce.\r\n Many marine organisms, including most commercially-important species\r\n of fish, depend on estuaries at some point during their development.\r\n
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\r\n In 2014, The Pacific Marine & Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership\r\n assessed the nursery habitat potential for 15 ecologically and\r\n economically important fish and invertebrate species within \r\n
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\r\n These species were selected to encompass the diversity of life\r\n histories, habitat use, and ecological roles of species found in\r\n estuaries along the West Coast. This assessment compiled information\r\n on the presence of juveniles or the species in general within many\r\n estuaries along the West Coast. However, the estuary boundaries have\r\n been refined since that time, which means that species were assessed\r\n for somewhat different boundaries than those shown in this tool.\r\n Some records were based on large estuary systems that have since\r\n been mapped as smaller units. Not all estuaries were inventoried for\r\n species, so the absence of information about a species in a given\r\n estuary cannot be taken to indicate that the species is indeed\r\n absent from that estuary.\r\n
Focal fish species:
\r\nFocal invertebrate species:
\r\n\r\n Estuaries and nearshore marine environments have been significantly\r\n altered due to human development activities. Projected increases in\r\n human population and activities in and around estuaries and nearshore\r\n areas, including watersheds, threaten the future of these important\r\n habitats. In addition, new stressors are emerging due to climate\r\n change, including ocean acidification, rising sea surface\r\n temperatures, increased storm intensities and extreme wave heights,\r\n rising sea levels, expanded hypoxic zones, and changes in sediment\r\n transport.\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n Many areas of vegetated tidal wetlands have been lost to agriculture,\r\n development, and other land use changes. PMEP recently assessed\r\n vegetated tidal wetland loss by comparing the current extent of tidal\r\n wetlands in the{' '}\r\n
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\r\n Where information is available, this assessment includes details about\r\n vegetated tidal wetlands that have been restored.\r\n
\r\n For more information about tidal loss and restoration, please see the{' '}\r\n
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\r\n In 2015 the National Fish Habitat Partnership assessed the status of\r\n fish habitats across the United States. This assessment analyzed\r\n disturbance factors that impact the quality of fish habitat,\r\n including:\r\n
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- \r\n River discharge: flow magnitude, duration of pulses, and density of\r\n dams\r\n \r\n
- \r\n Pollution: density of point solution sites, including Superfind\r\n sites and mines\r\n \r\n
- \r\n Eutrophication (excess nutrients in water): measures of chlorophyl\r\n content in the water, algae blooms, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient\r\n levels\r\n \r\n
- \r\n Land cover: percent cover and trends of urban, agriculture, and\r\n wetland land cover\r\n \r\n
\r\n These factors were combined to create an overall index that shows risk\r\n to fish habitat degradation. Not all factors could be assessed for all\r\n estuaries; in this case at least three of the four factors were used.\r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n For more information about this assessment, please see the{' '}\r\n
\r\n The Pacific Marine & Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership (PMEP) works\r\n with partners to protect, enhance, and restore ecological processes\r\n and habitats within estuaries and nearshore marine environments. PMEP\r\n focuses on enhancing juvenile fish habitat, water quality, and water\r\n quantity in nearshore marine and estuary habitats, and also on\r\n connectivity between tidal and nearshore marine areas. These efforts\r\n prioritize healthy native fish communities and sustainable human uses\r\n that depend on them.\r\n
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\r\n To get involved and find out more about PMEP, available funding\r\n opportunities, and projects supported by PMEP, please \r\n
\r\n The North Pacific Landscape Conservation Cooperative (NPLCC)\r\n collaborated with many partners to put science to work toward more\r\n effective, landscape-level conservation. The NPLCC prioritized\r\n identification and sharing of information about natural resources\r\n throughout the region.\r\n
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\r\n To access and collaborate around geospatial data within the NPLCC\r\n region, please visit the \r\n
\r\n This application was created by the \r\n