CHAPTER 4— SUMMARY 



Two major efforts in the national estuarine pollution study have 

 been directed toward two interlocking goals. One has been the de- 

 velopment of the national estuarine inventory, which stores the masses 

 of information gathered to satisfy the directive, ". . . The Secretary 

 shall . . . assemble, coordinate, and organize all existing pertinent in- 

 formation. . . ." This data assembly has also led to definition of large 

 data gaps. 



The second effort has been to investigate by various methods the 

 state of the art in estuarine sciences in order to ". . . identify the 

 problems and areas where further research and study are required. . . ." 



The programs submitted in chapters 2 and 3 of this part appear in 

 several instances to overlap. In those cases the intention is not to de- 

 velop two different programs, but to develop a single program to serve 

 two different needs. The difference lies in the rather subtle implica- 

 tions of the two terms "basic data" and "basic knowledge."' These are 

 symbiotic terms, for without the one, the other does not exist. 



The national estuarine inventory itself has proven to be a valuable 

 tool in several respects. Although its prime function is to provide in- 

 formation for estuarine management, it can also serve several other 

 purposes including the following : 



(1) A central storehouse of basic estuarine information; 



(2) A delineator of data information needs ; 



( 3 ) A link between existing Federal data systems ; 



(4) A mechanism for evaluation of estuarine-related programs 

 (such as sampling networks) ; and 



(5) A device to provide data for estuarine systems analysis 

 studies. 



In the final analysis, the inventory and the programs outlined in 

 this part are designed and submitted as integral parts of a national 

 program of rational management, preservation and use of the Nation's 

 estuaries and estuarine zones. 



(629) 



