Sampling Methodology, Design and Results from the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) in Galveston Bay and the Texas Coast

In the summer of 2000 the National Coastal Assessment (then called Coastal 2000) began in earnest for most of the 24 U.S. coastal states, including Texas. The program is a continuation of the EMAP-E program, which EPA funded and conducted in the 1990's, using a regional approach to sample the nation's estuaries and determine their health. In its current version, EPA is funding all coastal states to conduct EMAP type sampling at 50 stations in their bays and estuaries.