Clam, Estero, and Naples Bays

Clam Bay

Historically, Clam Bay was tidally connected to the Gulf of Mexico via Wiggins Pass to the north, Doctor's Pass to the south and centrally located Clam Pass. The northern and southern ends of Clam Bay became isolated in the 1950's when roads were constructed.. This estuary spans approximately 600 acres and includes an elongated system of shallow bays and mangrove swamps that connect to the Gulf at Clam Pass. Today Clam Bay is almost entirely surrounded by development. The Conservancy is assisting in the restoration efforts of Clam Bay by monitoring the mangrove ecosystem for recovery and growth.
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Estero Bay

Estero Bay was Florida’s first “Aquatic Preserve” and the tributaries to Estero Bay received Outstanding Florida Waters (OFW) designation in 1991 through a successful citizen petition to the State of Florida. These special designations are intended to preserve and protect Florida water bodies from any degradation. However, intensive land use changes and human population growth in the region threatens Estero Bay and its OFW tributaries as evidenced by their recent listing as an “impaired water” by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

In 1999, PBS&J prepared a watershed assessment report for the South Florida Water Management District. In the assessment, the Estero Bay watershed was divided into nine secondary basins and sixteen tertiary basins. Subsequently each of these was scored and ranked according to a variety of criteria including: urban runoff discharge, agricultural discharge, total suspended solids loadings, total annual nitrogen, total annual phosphorus, and a variety of other criteria.

Within the Estero Bay watershed lies the Agripartners property, which is comprised of 90% high quality wetlands in the headwaters of the Estero River and Estero Estuary.

In 2006, Conservancy scientists completed a study correlating ranks of aquatic invertebrate species diversity in the Estero tributaries with rankings derived from the watershed assessment report . Today we have and ongoing study in Estero bay to map habitat types and sample indicators of habitat condition and water quality. 

The Conservancy currently is an active member of the Estero Bay Agency for Bay Management, an organization devoted to reviewing and providing suggestions on land use proposals to ensure the protection of the Estero Bay River and Estuary.