Estuaries and Nearshore Habitat Sample Clauses

Estuaries and Nearshore Habitat. The estuarine areas of Xxxxxxx Bay, Skagit Bay, Samish Bay, and the Swinomish Channel occur immediately adjacent to the Coverage Area boundary and may be indirectly affected by agricultural actions. An estuarine habitat is defined as a body of water adjacent to fresh water where salt water mixes with fresh water. The upland boundary of estuary habitat can generally be delineated by the dikes at maximum high tide occurrence. Following the convention set forth in the House Bill 1418 Report (Xxxxx and Xxxxxx, 2005); the upper extent of the estuarine habitat is equivalent to a 13-foot tide. For the Skagit River, the upper extent of estuarine habitat occurs at the confluence of the North and South Forks. Estuaries provide a critical transition area between fresh and salt water for anadromous fish species; physiological transitions occur within the estuary. Estuaries serve many functions in the life histories of salmonids by providing habitat for smoltification, rearing, migration, and refuge. Estuaries also contribute greatly to ecological processes such as detritus cycling (Xxxxx and Xxxxxx, 2005). Detritus, generated through the decay of plant material, provides a major source of food for small invertebrates. These invertebrates can be a primary food source for many juvenile salmonids and forage fish species (Xxxxx and Xxxxxx, 2005). Nearshore habitat is defined as a marine area distant from major freshwater sources. It serves as the interface between marine and terrestrial habitats (Xxxxx and Xxxxxx, 2005). The nearshore habitat adjacent to the Coverage Area occurs in Xxxxxxx and Samish Bays. These areas provide important habitat for salmonids, and are also vital as spawning and rearing areas for forage fish species: xxxxxxx (Clupea pallasi), surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), sand xxxxx (Ammodytes hexapterus), and anchovy (Engraulis mordax mordax) (Xxxxx, 2003). Forage fish are important and abundant fish species, and as the name implies, they are a critical part of the prey base for a large variety of other marine organisms. Forage fish are harvested by recreational and commercial fisheries and are utilized for tribal subsistence (WDFW, 2005b). The nearshore habitat provides migration corridors, rearing and refuge habitat, and detritus input for many aquatic species. Aquatic vegetation along the shoreline consists of eelgrass; nonfloating kelp; floating kelp; and sargassum, a non-native brown algae. Eelgrass communities are of importance because they provid...