Note: This information is provided for reference purposes only. Although the information provided here was accurate and current when first created, it is now outdated.

Waquoit Bay is a beautiful, shallow estuary on the south coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Since 1950, population in the watershed area has increased more than tenfold, while eelgrass bed cover has declined (Fig. 4) . Contamination of the groundwater supply that feeds into the estuary is of particular concern. Nitrogen loading from on-site septic systems has contributed to the growth of "nuisance algae", as well as the loss of eelgrass and bay scallops. Organic solvents from the Massachusetts Military Reservation (a hazardous waste site being cleaned up under the Superfund program) have leached into groundwater upstream of the Bay; contaminated plumes from the site could reach the waters of the estuary in the next decade. EPA is putting its commitment to community-based environmental protection to work at Waquoit Bay. The goal is to evaluate different options for protecting this important area and coming up with ways that make sense for the people who live there. Area residents, local scientists, civic groups and environmental professionals worked cooperatively to develop goals and environmental indicators (such as the abundance of eelgrass and how it is distributed) to track our progress in restoring and preserving the Bay's health.