Embayments

Embayments

884 protected lagoons, embayments, estuaries and inlets were historically mapped in Puget Sound

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Embayments are "protected estuaries and lagoons within which there is too little wave action to form beaches ... Estuaries are those with a significant input of freshwater – for example, from a surface stream, whereas lagoons have limited freshwater input. A large number of the estuaries and lagoons on Puget Sound are formed and enclosed by barrier beaches, emphasizing an important geomorphological relationship between the wave-dominated beach environments and these small protected estuarine environments" (From Shipman 2008). Embayment are often referred to as "pocket estuaries" when referencing their importance for Salmon and for the Non-natal Nearshore Rearing of Salmon. Embayments may contain Wetlands and provide shelter for Migratory Birds.

Cereghino et al 2012 proposes two classes of embayment sites for conservation planning: Coastal Inlets, formed in drowned stream valleys or other post-glacial landforms, and Barrier-type Embayments that are embedded in a Beach system, to some extent dependant on a barrier beach for wave protection and wetland development. In this analysis 260 Coastal Inlets were identified. Simenstad et al 2012 found 518 of Puget Sound's 812 drift cells contain one or more barrier-type embayment. While this may be a useful differentiation, many embayments have attributes of both coastal inlets and barrier-type embayments. Shipman 2008 used for the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project and McBride et al 2009 proposed slightly different taxonomies to describe variation in Puget Sound coastal embayments. The Puget Sound Tidal Restriction and Wetland Mapping effort has greatly expanded our ability to characterize embayments. It can be difficult to discern where an estuarine feature starts and stops, and boundaries are indistinct (see Cereghino 2014).

Embayment Topic Pages

The following Topic Pages are categorized with Embayment.

Beneficial use of dredge materials  •  Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Grade  •  Eelgrass  •  Nearshore Monitoring Strategy  •  Nearshore Salmon Recovery Planning  •  Non-natal Nearshore Rearing of Salmon  •  Olympia Oyster Restoration  •  Wood Waste

Embayment Places By Region

The following Embayment Pages are organized by region.

East Sound

Edmonds Marsh Ecosystem

Hood Canal

Dabob Bay Ecosystem  •  Lynch Cove  •  Tahuya Estuary

Juan de Fuca

Hoko River Estuary  •  Snow-Salmon Watershed Ecosystem

South Puget Sound

Burley Lagoon Ecosystem  •  Chambers Creek Estuary  •  East Bay  •  Filucy Bay Ecosystem  •  Frye Cove  •  Goldsborough Creek Estuary  •  Skookum Inlet

Embayment Products

The following Product pages are categorized with Embayment.

Documents

Beamer et al 2003 importance of non-natal pocket estuaries.pdf  •  Beamer et al 2006 whidbey pocket estuary fish  •  Beamer et al 2006 whidbey pocket estuary fish.pdf  •  Beechie et al 2017 salmon habitat status monitoring.pdf  •  Berry et al 2001 shorezone users manual.pdf  •  Bloch et al. 2019 coastal stream and embayment restoration prioritization.pdf  •  Breems & Goodman 2009 wood waste assessment and remediation.pdf  •  Cardno-entrix 2013 snow creek design report.pdf  •  Cereghino 2014 DRAFT Integrated Nearshore Assessment.docx  •  Cereghino 2014 DRAFT nimble spatial reassessment.pdf  •  Cereghino 2014 sub-estuary inventory in puget sound.pdf  •  Cereghino 2015 accelerating estuary restoration.pdf  •  Collins & Sheik 2005 reconstruction of puget sound tidal marsh  •  Cornu et al 2008 large wood placement in tidal wetlands.pdf  •  DNR 2008 fidalgo bay management plan.pdf  •  Dethier 1990 puget sound shoreline classification.pdf  •  ESA et al. 2022 coastal stream and embayment fish access framework.pdf  •  Ehinger et al 2015 nearshore habitat value HEA.pdf  •  Finlayson 2005 lowland puget sound topobathymetry  •  French & Stoddart 1992 marsh hydraulics  •  Fresh 2006 juvenile salmon in nearshore.pdf  •  Gelfenbaum et al 2006 nearshore research strategy  •  Goetz et al 2004 PSNERP restoration principles.pdf  •  Hall et al 2019 DRAFT pocket estuary inventory protocol.pdf  •  Heatwole 2004 crescent harbor barrier marsh insects and plants.pdf  •  Hughes et al 2014 nursery functions of estuaries.pdf  •  Johannessen et al 2014 marine shoreline design guidance.pdf  •  Kairis & Rybczyk 2010  •  Koski 2009 coho nomads  •  Kramer et al 2010 shoreline no net loss framework.pdf  •  Lambert & Chamberlin 2023 non-natal rearing.pdf  •  Lanksbury et al 2017 mussel monitoring survey 2015-2016.pdf  •  Long et al 2011 snow-salmon estuary restoration monitoring report.pdf  •  Mickelson 2009 crescent creek freshwater input analysis.pdf  •  Mickelson et al 2009 crescent harbor monitoring plan.pdf  •  NOSC 2009 salmon estuary monitoring plan.pdf  •  Raymond et al 2022 heat wave and shellfish  •  Redmond et al 2005 nearshore salmon recovery plan.pdf  •  Rossenkotter et al 2007 nearshore salmon recovery gap analysis.pdf  •  Schlenger et al 2011 PSNERP strategic needs assessment.pdf  •  Shipman 2008 puget sound landform.pdf  •  Shreffler et al 2008 jimmycomelately lessons learned.pdf  •  Simenstad & Cordell 2000 habitat assessment for salmon  •  Tuohy et al. 2018 chum non-natal habitat use.pdf  •  Vines et al 2000 creosote and herring spawn  •  WDNR 2013 piling and creosote removal BMP.pdf  •  Wait et al 2007 west whidbey nearshore fish use.pdf  •  Zu Ermgassen et al 2016 oyster restoration objectives for ecosystem services.pdf

Maps

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Websites & Datasets

Nearshore Data Exchange

a beach formed in the absence of a eroding bluff through transport

an embayment formed in part by a barrier beach