Contains guidance specifying management measures for sources of nonpoint pollution (NP) in coastal waters. NP is the pollution of our nation's waters caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over & through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up & carries away natural & human-caused pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, & ground waters. This guidance addresses 5 source categories of NP: ag, silviculture, urban, marinas, & hydromodification. A suite of management measures is provided for each source category. Also provides management measures that provides other tools to address non-pollution: protection, restoration, & construction of wetlands, riparian areas, & vegetated treatment systems. Illus.

"Thie document developed by NOAA and EPA, contains guidance for states in developing and implementing their coastal nonpoint programs. It describes the requirements that must be met, including: the geographic scope of the pgoram; the pollutant sources to be addressed; the types of management measures used; the administrative coordination; and, the process for program submission and Federal approval. The document also contains the criteria by which NOAA and EPA will review the states' submissions. This document should be used in conjunction with the Guidance specifying management measures for sources of nonpoint pollution in coastal waters published by EPA in January 1993"--Foreword

Environmental problems in coastal ecosystems can sometimes be attributed to excess nutrients flowing from upstream watersheds into estuarine settings. This nutrient over-enrichment can result in toxic algal blooms, shellfish poisoning, coral reef destruction, and other harmful outcomes. All U.S. coasts show signs of nutrient over-enrichment, and scientists predict worsening problems in the years ahead. Clean Coastal Waters explains technical aspects of nutrient over-enrichment and proposes both immediate local action by coastal managers and a longer-term national strategy incorporating policy design, classification of affected sites, law and regulation, coordination, and communication. Highlighting the Gulf of Mexico's "Dead Zone," the Pfiesteria outbreak in a tributary of Chesapeake Bay, and other cases, the book explains how nutrients work in the environment, why nitrogen is important, how enrichment turns into over-enrichment, and why some environments are especially susceptible. Economic as well as ecological impacts are examined. In addressing abatement strategies, the committee discusses the importance of monitoring sites, developing useful models of over-enrichment, and setting water quality goals. The book also reviews voluntary programs, mandatory controls, tax incentives, and other policy options for reducing the flow of nutrients from agricultural operations and other sources.