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| Title | Quality Assurance Project Plan: South Puget Sound Water Quality Study Phase 2: Dissolved Oxygen | |||
| Month-Year Published | August 2007 | |||
| Online Availability |
1439 kilobytes, requires version 4.0 or later of Adobe Acrobat Reader Software get Acrobat Reader
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| Short Description |
This is the study plan for the South Puget Sound Water Quality Study Phase 2: Dissolved Oxygen (Also see abstract below) | |||
| Publication Number | 07-03-101 | |||
| Author(s) | Albertson, S., J. Bos, K. Erickson, C. Maloy, G. Pelletier, M. Roberts | |||
| Print Availability | ||||
| Number of pages | 70 pp. | |||
| Keywords | algae, dissolved oxygen, fish, model, Puget Sound, quality assurance project plan, waste, water quality | |||
| Subject Waterbodies |
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| Related Web Content | South Puget Sound Dissolved Oxygen Study | |||
| Related Publications | Title | Relationship | ||
| South Puget Sound Water Quality Study, Phase 1 | part of a series | |||
| Estuarine Flow in the South Basin of Puget Sound and its Effects on Near-Bottom Dissolved Oxygen | similar topic | |||
| Addendum #2 to Quality Assurance Project Plan: South Puget Sound Water Quality Study Phase 2: Dissolved Oxygen. | similar topic | |||
| Addendum #3 to Quality Assurance Project Plan: South Puget Sound Water Quality Study Phase 2: Dissolved Oxygen | similar topic | |||
| Abstract | Long Description |
The Washington State Department of Ecology is starting a study on low dissolved oxygen levels in South Puget Sound. Fish and other marine life need dissolved oxygen to survive. Dissolved oxygen levels decrease when excess nitrogen enters Puget Sound, producing excessive algae growth. These algae die off and decay, consuming dissolved oxygen. Excessive nitrogen is considered a pollutant. Sources of nitrogen (above natural conditions) include wastewater treatment plants and septic systems. The purpose of this study is to determine how nitrogen from a variety of sources affects dissolved oxygen levels in South Puget Sound. The complete study (not yet fully funded) consists of collecting data, calibrating a three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality model, running model scenarios, and writing a final report. Collection of water quality data occurs over a 16-month time span (July 2006 through October 2007) from 90 Puget Sound marine sites at various depths, 20-30 wastewater treatment plants (direct discharge to Puget Sound), and 15-30 freshwater tributary sites. This study is a critical first step in determining what might need to be done to improve Puget Sound water quality. The results of the study may show that human-related sources of nitrogen need to be reduced to keep South Puget Sound healthy. If reductions are needed, the study will also help determine where the reductions need to occur. |
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Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
