Croatan Sound
Dare County, North Carolina
Importance of this sound
The Croatan Sound is a Back Barrier Sound located in Dare County in the Outer Banks of NC. It is important because it is what creates Roanoke island itself and is a large, calm area for many species of fish. The Croatan Sound is on one side of this island and the Roanoke Sound is on the other, before the edge of the outer banks. Its main points of importance include the fact that it is an estuary, it has much life, and is helpful to reduce erosion dramatically. Estuaries help erosion but reducing erosion and reduce flooding of the mainland, in this case, the Roanoke island and the mainland near east lake. It also has sand bars to help take the impact of waves, has swamps and marshes to take wind, and release extra water into rivers and groundwater supplies. The plants in the estuaries are used as a natural filtration system, such as the marsh plant trap chemicals and pollutants, oysters take impurities out as they eat, and move toxins into the soil to be neutralized. This sound was once only a marsh and is very unique since is has much woody terrain and marshes. The animals of this underwater ecosystems are also very helpful, such as a third of the fish caught commercially and tourists that enjoy the coasts of it for a beautiful vacationing site.
Threats to this Estuary
Fed by the Roanoke Marsh, Albemarle Sound and streams, and is very mixed with salt water from the Atlantic Ocean.