Publication Summary

This report is a data summary from the first Coastal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) sampling in Washington State. Coastal EMAP was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to measure the condition of the nation′s coastal waters. The program is a partnership between EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the coastal states.

In 1999, measurements were taken in Washington coastal estuaries (along the Pacific Ocean, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and lower Columbia River, excluding Puget Sound) to assess the physical environment, resident invertebrates and fish, and exposure of those animals to pollutants.

The Coastal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to measure the condition of the nation′s coastal waters. The purpose of EMAP is to assess how well pollution-control programs and policies are working to protect the environment. Numerous water, sediment, and biological measurements provide information on the physical environment, resident invertebrates and fish, and exposure of those animals to pollutants.

In 1999, estuaries along the outer coast of Washington were sampled as part of Coastal EMAP. The areas sampled included estuaries of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Pacific Coast, and Columbia River, but not Puget Sound. This report provides a statistical summary of the results.

Fifty sample sites were selected randomly from four sizes of estuaries. Of those, 44 stations were sampled successfully, with all EMAP indicators measured at 37 stations and a partial set measured at 7 additional stations.

Overall, the estuaries had mostly well-mixed, clear waters with healthy levels of dissolved oxygen. Sediments were generally sandy, with relatively low organic content.

Sediments and whole-fish tissues were tested for pollutants. Of the metals examined, most were found in both sediments and fish. The sediment metals were all below Washington State sediment quality standards. Sediment polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels were generally below Washington State sediment quality standards, with a few unusually high exceptions. PCBs and DDTs were detected in all fish tissues analyzed, but rarely in sediment. Toxicity tests indicated that 5-16% of the area had toxic sediments.

The number of invertebrates living in the sediment ranged from 3 to over 3000 per sample, representing from 1 to 147 species. Of 431 invertebrate species found, 33 were non-native. Thirty-four bottom-living fish species were found. The trawl fish catches ranged from 1 to 336 fish, representing approximately 500-175,000 fish per square kilometer.