The dominant species of marsh grass, Spartina alterniflora (pronounced Spar-TINE-uh) and Juncus roemerianus thrive in the typically brackish water of the coastal marsh estuaries, their structural presence helping to stem erosion of banks and dunes. While drought and blight have taken their toll on the grass, increased coastal development and continued channel deepening have also led to a steady creep of ocean saltwater further and further into remaining marsh stands.