Pamlico Sound Estuary
it's the largest lagoon in US!
Location of this Estuary
The location of the Pamlico Sound is in North Carolina within the southern Outer Banks, along the Northern American East Coast. The Estuary is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer banks, there are a low line of sand barrier island that help separate the estuary from the ocean.
Why are estuaries important?
estuaries are important because the Pamlico Sound estuary is used for water sports such as fishing, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, etc. estuaries are important because a lot of the marine life live in estuaries, some fish are important species and they live there for a little while and then they go. Also birds live near estuaries and nest there for food and water, estuaries are also filters for the ocean; they take up sediment and pollutants before it goes into the ocean.
http://www.outerbanks.com/waves.html
http://www.outerbanks.com/ocracoke.html
http://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/previous-issues/2012-2/summer-2012/the-pamlico-sound-fishing-gem-of-north-carolina/
Plants and animals that live in Estuaries
Some of the animals that live in estuaries for food, water, and shelter are seahorses, blue crabs, mud crabs, fish, shellfish, and also migratory birds, etc. The Plants that grow in estuaries are Smooth cordgrass, seagrass, spike grass, purple loosestrife, and aquatic plants, etc.
http://excitingfacts.weebly.com/estuary-plants.html
http://www.bycatch.org/project/loggerhead-sea-turtle-movement
http://www.inquisitr.com/2018854/third-great-white-shark-mary-lee-detected-off-north-carolina-coast/
What are some river, streams, or waterways in Pamlico Sound?
The rivers that are close to my estuary are the Neuse, Chowan, Roanoke, and the Pasquotank are the five major rivers that are in or near Pamlico sound. There are seven sound that make up all the estuaries and they are the Albemarle, Currituck, Croatan, Pamlico, Bogue, Core, and the Roanoke sounds.
what are the threats that the Pamlico Sound get?
One threat to the Pamlico sound is that their is too much nutrients in the water and that's caused by the fertilizer in lawns and fields; when it rains on the lawn that was just fertilized it goes into the estuary and cause a disturbance of algae growing. if too much algae grows then the plants that grow under the water block sunlight from the plants. When people pesticides on there lawn or field it goes to the estuary and that's putting toxic material in the water killing fish. Other threats are Erosion, sedimentation, and habit loss.