VI-55 



ecosystem relationships is a research problem to be discussed in 

 Chapter 3, but much of this information is required for other 

 purposes directly related to management needs. 



Information to support management efforts is lacking in most of those 

 information categories which require extensive field survey or study 

 to secure it. 



PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY 



The information needed includes actual measurements of tidal, 

 current, and stratification phenomena on many different estuarine 

 systems. 



While many estimates of these types of data are available, actual 

 measurements are necessary to establish the true characteristics of 

 each estuary. These measurements, together with area, shape, and size 

 information, will provide the detailed morphological description which 

 forms the foundation for studies in which the physical characteristics 

 of individual estuarine management units are described in order that 

 its capacity for use can be understood, and, of more far-reaching 

 consequences, the studies in which one estuarine system is compared 

 with another. A recurrent theme throughout this study--and this report-- 

 is the concept of learning enough about the nature of the estuarine zone 

 to permit development of study methods applicable to a wide range of 

 estuarine types. 



