National Estuary Program Reports

The following National Estuary Program reports are available:

National Estuary Program 2023 Program Evaluation Results Summary

This report summarizes the results of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-led program evaluations (PEs) of nine National Estuary Programs (NEPs) that were conducted in 2023. The PE process helps the EPA assess how the NEPs are making progress in achieving programmatic and environmental results through implementation of their Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans. In addition, the PE process has proven to be an effective, interactive management process that ensures national program accountability and transparency, while incorporating local priorities considerations. All nine NEPs received a rating of "Proficient" meaning they are adequately meeting programmatic and environmental results. See: National Estuary Program 2023 Program Evaluation Results Summary.

National Estuary Program 2022 Accomplishments

This report explores accomplishments and impacts made by the 28 National Estuary Programs in 2022, through topical themes of habitat restoration; nutrient reduction; climate resilience; human health environmental justice; recreation; community engagement and education; and fundraising and partnerships. These success stories offer a glimpse of projects that the NEPs accomplished and help demonstrate why their work is important for the estuaries and communities that depend on them. Additionally, this report presents study area descriptions, program summaries and 2022 quantitative highlights for each individual NEP.  See: National Estuary Program 2022 Accomplishments.

The National Estuary Program: At the Forefront of Climate Change Adaptation, Hazard Mitigation, and Resilience

The National Estuary Program: At the Forefront of Climate Change Adaptation, Hazard Mitigation, and Resilience describes the NEP’s efforts to address climate change impacts in their watersheds, working in partnership with federal, state, and local entities. The NEPs implement a wide-ranging portfolio of climate adaptation, hazard mitigation, and resiliency projects organized into six categories for this paper: 1) Assessment and Planning, 2) Restoration, 3) Water Infrastructure/Green Infrastructure/Stormwater/Nonpoint Sources, 4) Monitoring and Research, 5) Outreach, and 6) Environmental Justice/Equity. NEP actions produce multiple benefits, and many projects address more than one of the listed categories. The document specifically focuses on more than 145 NEP projects active in the past four years, between fiscal years 2017-2020 (October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2020). The project counts in this document provide a minimum estimate of the NEP’s activities, as there may be other relevant projects that were not reported. See: The National Estuary Program: At the Forefront of Climate Change Adaptation, Hazard Mitigation, and Resilience.

Achieving Environmental Success through Partnerships: Collaboration between the National Estuary Programs and State and Territory Coastal Zone Management Programs

This report lays out the case for strengthening relationships between EPA’s partnership programs and state or territory agencies, through the lens of the 28 NEPs and the 20 overlapping state Coastal Zone Management Programs. Through conversations with NEP and CZMP staff and extensive research, this report explores the scope of these two programs to identify areas of common focus that can serve as a basis for further collaboration. It highlights examples of successful partnership and offers opportunities for how to collaborate more meaningfully in the future. See: Achieving Environmental Success through Partnerships.

The National Estuary Program Is Playing a Major Role in Tackling Nutrient Pollution

This report illustrates the NEP’s overall impact in addressing nutrient pollution across the U.S. It includes estimated nutrient reduction benefits from habitat restoration and protection projects, leveraging of funds by individual NEPs to support nutrient management efforts, and extensive collaborations with public and private stakeholders through a network governance model to demonstrate connected leadership. The examples and information provided in this report highlight some of the innovative strategies used by the NEPs to reduce nutrient loadings to their study areas. See: The National Estuary Program Is Playing a Major Role in Tackling Nutrient Pollution.

Promoting Water Reuse through Partnership Programs: National Estuary Program and Urban Waters Partnerships Delivering on EPA’s Water Reuse Action Plan

This report provides a snapshot of recent water reuse projects and initiatives that have been successful across some of the NEP and Urban Waters (UW) partnership locations. It illustrates the breadth of ongoing or completed activities that support implementation of EPA’s Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP). WARP is an effort to advance consideration of water reuse to ensure security, sustainability and resilience of the Nation’s water resources. The examples and information provided in this report highlight some of the innovative ways that the NEP and UW programs have advanced safe and reliable water reuse systems while promoting healthy watersheds.  See: National Estuary Program and Urban Waters Partnerships Delivering on EPA’s Water Reuse Action Plan.

Preparing for Disaster: The National Estuary Programs Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation

Many of the 28 National Estuary Programs' (NEP) study areas have been affected by a disaster or hazard event, including hurricanes, floods, fires, nor’easters, and hazardous waste spills. In Preparing for Disaster: The National Estuary Programs Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation, four case studies demonstrate that NEPs play an important role in pre-disaster planning, post disaster recovery, and hazard mitigation by acting as place-based capacity builders, nimble communicators, community conveners of partners, and scientific experts in their local watersheds. The case studies presented are from the following NEPs: 1) Barnegat Bay Partnership (New Jersey), 2) San Francisco Estuary Partnership (California), 3) Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (Louisiana), and 4) Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (Texas).

Green Infrastructure Opportunities that Arise During Municipal Operations

The Green Infrastructure Opportunities that Arise During Municipal Operations report provides approaches that local government officials and municipal program managers in small to midsize communities can use to incorporate green infrastructure components into work they are doing in public spaces. The document presents examples and case studies of how integrating green infrastructure methods can enhance retrofits and maintenance projects and provide other multiple community benefits.

Getting to Green: Paying for Green Infrastructure, Finance Options and Resources for Local Decision-Makers

The Getting to Green: Paying for Green Infrastructure, Finance Options and Resources for Local Decision-Makers report summarizes various funding sources that can be used to support stormwater management programs or finance individual projects. Each type of funding source is illustrated by several municipal programs and contains a list of additional resources.

Coastal Stormwater Management Through Green Infrastructure: A Handbook for Municipalities

This handbook is designed to assist municipalities within the Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay areas to incorporate green infrastructure into their stormwater management planning. It can also be readily applied to other states. See: Coastal Stormwater Management Through Green Infrastructure: A Handbook for Municipalities. 

Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place 

This guide explores the concepts of community and culture and provides tools for identifying, assessing and working cooperatively within the social dynamics and local values connected to environmental protection. See: Community Culture and the Environment: A Guide to Understanding a Sense of Place.

Indicator Development for Estuaries

The Indicator Development for Estuaries manual provides information on indicator development and a framework for the development of indicators for use in coastal waters.

Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual

This manual contains information and methodologies specific to monitoring estuarine water quality. The manual explains how to establish and maintain a volunteer monitoring program, as well as working effectively with volunteers and ensuring their safety. See: Volunteer Estuary Monitoring: A Methods Manual.

Community-Based Watershed Management: Lessons from the National Estuary Program (NEP)

The Community-Based Watershed Management: Lessons from the National Estuary Program (NEP) report is designed for all individuals and organizations involved in watershed management, including states, tribes, local governments and nongovernmental organizations. This document describes innovative approaches to watershed management implemented by the 28 National Estuary Programs (NEPs).

The NEP provides important lessons for other coastal communities working to restore and protect their watersheds. See: Lesson Learned by National Estuary Programs.