Habitat Restoration & Protection Database

The tidal pond and surrounding tidal wetlands had become blocked off by a recently formed sand dune. As a result, the pond and wetlands had become a predominantly freshwater, non-tidal system with only a small amount of salt water influence occurring during storms. In the summer, the water would warm up and become stagnant which created prime conditions for algal blooms. A thick algal mat covered this pond during much of the growing season, and was surrounded by a tall, dense belt of common reed (Phragmites australis).