The mixing of freshwater inflow and the marine water of the estuarine ecosystem occurs spatially and temporally from climatic influences including tidal action, seasonal variability and storms.
[2] Although estuaries are influenced by the tides, they are often somewhat protected from storms and tidal action by buffers further offshore including barrier islands and peninsulas.
[4] Sediments settling out and form banks, offshore peninsulas, and barrier islands that protect the estuary from strong tidal action and currents.
[6] Some economically important estuarine habitats include tidal flats, salt marshes, sea grass beds, oyster reefs, and mangroves.
Global changes caused largely by anthropogenic influences, or human impacts, are altering the amount of freshwater inflows to estuaries.
As the human population grows and the strain on water resources continues, the ability to effectively manage freshwater inflows into estuaries is becoming a priority worldwide.
One common methodology implemented in studies in several U.S. states including Texas, Florida, and California is to indirectly link estuarine resources (i.e. integrity- species composition, biomass, diversity; function- primary production, secondary production, nutrient recycling; sustainability- habitats, valued resources, ecosystem services) to freshwater inflow (i.e. quantity- timing, frequency, duration, extent; quality; tidal connections) through estuarine conditions (i.e. salinity; sediment; dissolved material; particulate material).
[14] The methodologies for managing freshwater inflow differ slightly but the main goal is to ultimately create or maintain a sustainable estuary.
Freshwater inflow management strategies require an all-encompassing approach that incorporates a large amount of data on multiple levels.