It's hard to imagine, but it could happen. It has happened, here and around the world. Our bays and estuaries are complex systems of interconnected parts, which add up to more than their mere sum. They are Texas's most valuable natural resource. This resource depends directly on inflows of fresh water.
Estuaries are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world.
They are tough and resilient. Salinities can range from full seawater to fresh in a season. Estuaries provide a broad range of conditions that call for tough, adaptable species. There is a diversity of life, but the ecosystem is dominated by a relative few, hardy and prolific species adapted to the vagaries of estuarine conditions. This also is why estuaries are so productive.