2000 Puget Sound Update Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2000 Puget Sound update Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Seventh Report of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program March 2000 Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team P.O. Box 40900 Olympia,Washington 98504-0900 360/407-7300 or 800/54-SOUND http://www.wa.gov/puget_sound The Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team is an equal opportunity employer. If you have special accommodation needs, or need this document in an alternative format, please contact the Action Team’s ADA representative at (360) 407-7300. The Action Team’s TDD number is 1 (800) 833-6388. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report is the product of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program and the Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team. Prepared by Action Team staff. Compiled and written by Scott Redman and Lori Scinto. Edited by Melissa Pearlman. Layout and graphics by Toni Weyman Droscher and Jill Williams. The PSAMP Steering and Management committees directed the development of this report. The members of these committees and the following people contributed material, comments and advice. Their contributions were essential to the development of this document. Shelly Ament, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife John Armstrong Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research Greg Bargmann, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Allison Beckett, Washington Department of Ecology John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective Liz Carr, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Denise Clifford, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Wayne Clifford, Washington Department of Health Andrea Copping, Washington SeaGrant Jennifer Cutler, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission John Dohrmann, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Graeme Ellis, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Pacific Biological Station Mary Farmer, Island County/WSU Beach Watchers Zach Ferdana, People for Puget Sound Sandra Hanson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Steve Jeffries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Art Johnson, Washington Department of Ecology Randy McIntosh, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Brenden McFarland, Washington Department of Ecology Nancy McKay, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Don Melvin, Washington Department of Health Jim Morrison, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Don Norman, Norman Wildlife Consulting Tom O’Connor, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Wayne Palsson, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Martin Payne, Washington Department of Ecology Blaine Reeves, Washington Department of Agriculture Dave Seiler, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Devin Smith, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Julie Stofel, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Les Swain, British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Land, and Parks Bob Woolrich, Washington Department of Health PSAMP Steering Committee Helen Berry, Washington Department of Natural Resources John Carleton, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Tracy Collier, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center Jay Davis, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tim Determan, Washington Department of Health Bruce Duncan, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Maggie Dutch, Washington Department of Ecology Ken Dzinbal, Washington Department of Ecology William Ehinger, Washington Department of Ecology Tom Mumford, Washington Department of Natural Resources Jan Newton, Washington Department of Ecology Dave Nysewander, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Sandie O’Neill, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Randy Shuman, King County Department of Natural Resources Kim Stark, King County Department of Natural Resources Jim West, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife PSAMP Management Committee Bill Backous, Washington Department of Ecology Morris Barker, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Duane Fagergren, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Mary Mahaffy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Maria Victoria Peeler, Washington Department of Natural Resources Michael Rylko, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Jennifer Tebaldi, Washington Department of Health John Stein, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team Members Action Team and Puget Sound Council Chair—Nancy McKay Cities—Chuck Booth, City of Auburn, Mayor Counties—Louise Miller, King County Council, Vice Chair Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation—Laura Eckert Johnson, Director State Parks & Recreation Commission—Cleve Pinnix, Director Tribes—Daryl Williams, Director, Department of the Environment, The Tulalip Tribes Washington Department of Agriculture—Jim Jesernig, Director Washington Department of Community, Trade & Economic Development—Busse Nutley, Deputy Director Washington Department of Ecology—Tom Fitzsimmons, Director Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife—Jeff Koenings, Director Washington Department of Health—Mary Selecky, Secretary Washington Department of Natural Resources—Kaleen Cottingham, Deputy Commissioner Washington Department of Transportation—Sid Morrison, Secretary Washington State Conservation Commission—Steve Meyer, Executive Director *National Marine Fisheries Service—Will Stelle, Regional Administrator *U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—Chuck Clarke, Regional Administrator *U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—Gerry Jackson, Supervisor * indicates non-voting members Puget Sound Council Members Chair, Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team—Nancy McKay Agriculture—Jerry Van der Veen, dairy farmer Business—Kirk Anderson, Fisher Properties, Inc. Cities—Jackie Aitchison, Poulsbo City Council Counties—Rhea Miller, San Juan County Board of County Commissioners Environmental Community—Tom Putnam, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Shellfish—Bill Dewey, Taylor Shellfish Farms, Inc. Tribes—Fran Wilshusen, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission *Washington State House of Representatives—Representatives Dave Anderson and Gary Chandler *Washington State Senate—Senators Tracey Eide and Pam Roach * indicates non-voting members This report is funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsements or recommendations for use. Recommended bibliographic citation: Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team. 2000. 2000 Puget Sound Update: Seventh Report of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program. Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team. Olympia, Washington. Select the text below to link to other sections in the Update S u m m a r y . 1 I n t r o d u c t i o n . 7 Scope of this Document . .8 Protecting and Restoring Puget Sound . .9 P h y s i c a l E n v i r o n m e n t . 1 1 Summary . .11 Findings . .13 The Pacific Ocean and Weather Conditions; Rivers and Input to Puget Sound; Puget Sound’s Marine Waters; Puget Sound’s Shoreline Acting on the Findings . .27 P a t h o g e n s a n d N u t r i e n t s . 2 9 Summary . .29 Pathogen Findings . .32 Rivers and Streams; Department of Ecology Monitoring of Open Marine Waters; Fecal Contamination at Offshore and Nearshore Areas of King County; Fecal Contamination in Commercial Growing Waters Nutrient Findings . .41 Rivers and Streams; Marine Waters Acting on the Findings . .46 T o x i c C o n t a m i n a n t s . 4 7 Summary . .47 Findings . .48 Toxic Contaminants in Water; Sediment Contamination; Toxic Contaminants in Shellfish; Toxic Contaminants in Fish; Toxic Contaminants in Birds and Mammals Acting on the Findings . .67 H u m a n H e a l t h . 6 9 Summary . .69 Findings . .70 Acting on the Findings . .76 B i o l o g i c a l R e s o u r c e s . 7 9 Summary . .79 Findings . .80 Acting on the Findings . .105 C o n c l u s i o n . .1 0 7 C o l o r S e c t i o n . 1 1 1 R e s o u r c e s . 1 1 5 Literature Cited in the 2000 Puget Sound Update . .115 PSAMP Reports . .120 PSAMP Contacts . .125 This seventh Puget Sound Update is based primarily on the findings of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program (PSAMP). The PSAMP is a long-term effort to Environmental indicators investigate environmental trends, improve decision-making and prevent overlaps and reporting duplication in monitoring efforts. The results of the PSAMP are supplemented by the A portion of the information findings of many other efforts to evaluate the condition of Puget Sound’s waters, presented in this report is sediments, nearshore habitats and biological resources. Information presented in this summarized in the Puget Sound report generally reflects conditions through 1998. However, in some cases only older Water Quality Action’s Team environmental indicators document, data were available and in other cases results through 1999 were available and Puget Sound’s Health 2000. The 16- included. page document provides a brief view of the condition of Puget Sound and Signs of environmental degradation from around Puget Sound suggest that the its resources. Copies of Puget Sound’s continuing development in the basin is taking its toll on the Sound. A variety of Health 2000 are available from the Puget Sound organisms appear to be in poor condition or their numbers appear to be Action Team and on-line at: declining. http://www.wa.gov/puget_sound. Environmental degradation in Puget Sound has been documented for many years. Other agencies and organizations produce related environmental High levels of toxic contaminants in urban bays and waterways and widespread indicators and status and trends alteration of Puget Sound’s