VI-117 



effects of proposed thermal and high dissolved residue content 

 waste discharges. Investigations into the temperature and 

 salinity characteristics of each estuarine area are needed. 

 Correlated with this is the need to understand the biological 

 principles of estuarine management. 



Timing of Natural Variation 



For the most part, we know that brackish water is necessary 

 for the maintenance of a large fraction of our coastal fisheries. 

 We do not, however, know exactly what are the limits of salt 

 concentration that will encourage optimal develooment of desirable 

 species. In addition to this, we have little idea of the optimal 

 seasonality of salinity changes. Although it is apparent that 

 a seasonal fluctuation of salinity may be desirable, we scarcely 

 have an idea as to when it would be best to reduce or raise the 

 salinity. We do know when certain important food animals reoro- 

 duce, so we might assume that reduced salinity would be most 

 optimal at this time, but we do not know what would be the 

 effects of raised salinities in other seasons. All v/ork of this 

 kind on natural variations ties back to the baseline studies 

 proposed earlier in this report. 



INTERFACE FACTORS 



An important portion of understanding the ecology of the estuarine 

 system is a knowledge of interface factors. By this we mean 



