Publication Summary

This is the quality assurance project plan for the Skokomish River Basin Fecal Coliform TMDL Attainment Monitoring.

Since studies began in 1995, bacterial contamination has been found in the lower Skokomish River and its marine receiving water. Pathogenic threat is indicated by the presence of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria. Impaired or threatened beneficial uses include freshwater and marine recreation, domestic water supply, and shellfish harvest. While there have not yet been shellfish harvest restrictions, there is concern that there will be in the future. In all but one year since 1995, the state Department of Health has listed the Annas Bay commercial shellfish harvest area as threatened by FC contamination. The river and some of its tributaries exceeded state FC freshwater quality standards when the 1996 and 1998 303(d) federal Clean Water Act lists were compiled. Most streams in the lower Skokomish River basin must maintain FC levels well below Class AA freshwater criteria to protect marine waters and their beneficial uses.

The Department of Ecology began a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study in 1999 to determine the source areas of FC loading and to develop load allocations that would protect freshwater quality standards and help protect marine water quality standards. Water quality sampling was conducted with the assistance of the Skokomish Tribe from January 1999 through January 2000. The study identified percent reductions needed in FC concentration and loading at four sites. Additional sites are noted as needing to be monitored; the US EPA-approved TMDL lists eight sites for FC. The purpose of the study outlined in this Quality Assurance Project Plan is to evaluate attainment of bacteria target concentrations, percent reductions, and load allocations at the four stations identified in the TMDL study as requiring reductions. Sampling is scheduled every other week from January 2005 through November 2006 at these four sites plus one upstream reference site. This is a coordinated multi-agency, multi-program effort.