VI-120 



generally unknown. Investigations are needed to identify and 

 quantify the residual pollutants and to evaluate thetr pollu- 

 tional effect. These investigations should include, but not 

 be restricted to, shellfish tissue build-up of residuals, 

 tainted fish flesh, destruction of food chains, and inclusion 

 into other standing compartments of the estuarine ecosystem 

 such as the sediments, the marsh, or the major rooted aquatic 

 plants therein. 



Contiguous Wetlands 



There also needs to be a thorough study of the relationship of 

 contiguous wetland to estuarine ecological systems, including 

 the effects of drainage on estuarine water quality. The salt 

 marshes which are irregularly flooded are especially important. 

 These are areas which are flooded by tide only at sporadic 

 intervals, and consequently, there is no regular interchange 

 of water with the estuary. It has generally been assumed, 

 and what scanty data are available support the assumption, that 

 such marshes contribute very little to the estuary in the way 

 of organic matter and nutrients. The case for the importance 

 of regularly flooded marshes has been made convincingly and 

 consequently there is general agreement on the importance of 

 their preservation. 



