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Shallow marine . This habitat is characteristic of shallow bays and 

 creeks less than 8 feet deep and with a salinity range of 33 to 10 parts 

 per thousand. If water clarity allows, rooted, submerged aquatics occur 

 which include eelgreas ( Zostera marina ) , ditch grass ( Ruppia maritima ) , 

 horned pondweed , ( Zanichellia palustris ) , and pondweed ( Potamogeton spp . ) 



Saline or Brackish Tidal Marsh . This type is flooded periodically, the 

 period depending on the elevation of the marsh. The classic low marsh, 

 flooded twice daily is characterized by cord grass ( Spartina alternif lora ) . 

 The frequency of low marsh increases from north to south in the Bay, 

 particularly on the eastern shore. High marsh is composed of salt meadow 

 grass ( Spartina patens ) , spike grass ( Distichlis spicata ) and glasswort 

 ( Salicornia spp. ) toward the lower and gounds and black rush ( Juncus 

 roemerianus ) , saltreed grass ( Spartina cynosuroides ) , switch grass 

 ( Panicum virgatum ) , marsh elder ( Iva . spp .) and sea myrtle ( Baccharis 

 halimifolia) , toward the higher ground. High marshes are flooded more 

 episodically than periodically, although they are wetted by most spring 

 tides. 



Fresh marsh . While fresh marshes are more abundant toward the head of the 

 Bay where the water is virtually fresh, they are also found upstream in 

 almost every tributary stream in the Bay. The more important species 

 include three-square ( Scirpus spp .) , cattail ( Typha spp . ) , common reed 

 ( Phragmites communis ) , wild rice ( Zizania aquatica ) , and arrowhead 

 ( Sagittaria spp . ) 



