4.6.2. A Healthy Estuary

♤ A healthy estuary supports a host of plants and animals. It stores and recycles Nutrients, traps sediment and forms a buffer between coastal catchments and the marine environment. It also absorbs traps and detoxifies pollutants, acting as a natural water filter. When all such processes remain functional an estuary is considered to be healthy state.

♤ Estuaries support diverse habitats, such as mangroves, salt marshes, sea-grass, mudflats etc.