Publication Summary

This technical appendix presents details about the assessment methods and sampling locations used to develop the report, Conditions of Fresh Waters in Washington State for the Year 2002 (Publication No. 03-03-030).

Seven analyses are presented:

1. The Stream Water Quality Index, derived from eight variables collected from the long-term river and stream monitoring stations measured in water year 2002.

2. Trends in the Stream Water Quality Index, derived from data collected from the long-term river and stream monitoring stations over the last 10 years.

3. Assessments of the support of aquatic life uses, based on water quality data collected at basin monitoring stations in water year 2002.

4. Assessments of the compliance with water quality standards for temperature, based on continuous measurements collected at basin monitoring stations during the summer of 2002.

5. Reductions in fecal coliform bacteria levels needed to meet sanitary standards established to protect swimmers, estimated for the basin and long-term river and stream monitoring stations measured in water year 2002.

6. The RIVPACS model for assessing the biological health of streams, derived from stream macroinvertebrate data collected since 1992.

7. A listing of all the specific locations where invasive exotic aquatic weeds have been identified by Ecology since 1994.