Estuaries and lagoons are areas where salt water oceans and fresh water rivers mix together, forming brackish water. Lagoons lie between barrier islands and the mainland, while estuaries are found directly on the coast and are open to the near shore area. Because lagoons receive some protection from a barrier island, they have less tidal flow and more standing water, while estuaries have strong tidal flows and little standing water. Lagoons and estuaries support a diversity of plants and wildlife.
Lagoons are an important feeding area for juvenile sea turtles, that mainly feed on the large seagrass beds in the lagoon. Unfortunately, marine pollution has caused the health of the lagoon to deteriorate, and wildlife and plant abundance has decreased.
