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Publication Summary

Title

Sediment Quality Assessment of the Bays and Inlets of the San Juan Islands, Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Admiralty Inlet, 2002-2003

Month-Year PublishedNovember 2008
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Short Description

During 2002 and 2003, a sediment quality survey was conducted in the bays and inlets of the San Juan Islands, Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Admiralty Inlet as part of the Puget Sound Assessment and Monitoring Program. Measurement of sediment chemistry, toxicity, and invertebrate community structure indicated that:

  • Highest sediment quality was measured in Admiralty Inlet (67% of area).
  • The majority of the sediments measured in the San Juan Islands and the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca (70 and 71% of each area, respectively) were of intermediate quality.
  • No sediments were of degraded quality in any of the three regions.

    (Also see abstract below)
    • Publication Number08-03-030
    Author(s)Long, E., S. Aasen, M. Dutch, K. Welch, and V. Partridge
    Print Availability
    Request from the program.
    Number of pages 142 + app (203 total)
    Keywords Admiralty Inlet, assessment, Ecology, monitoring, Puget Sound, quality, San Juan Islands, sediment, standards, Strait of Juan de Fuca, toxic
    Subject Waterbodies
    San Juans Outer West Side, San Juan Channel, West Sound, Harney Channel, & Lopez Sound, East Sound, Port Townsend, Kilisut Harbor, Port Townsend, Discovery Bay, Sequim Bay, Strait Of Juan De Fuca, Port Angeles Harbor, Hood Canal, Rosario Strait, Admiralty Inlet, Puget Sound
    map of Washington state showing locations of subject waterbodies
    Related Web ContentPSAMP index page
    Related Publications TitleRelationship    
    Sediment Quality in the Bays and Inlets of the San Juan Islands, Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Admiralty Inlet (2002-2003)supporting publication
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    POSTER: Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDES) in Puget Sound Sediments (2004-2008)supporting publication
    POSTER: Sediment Quality in the Bays and Inlets of the San Juan Islands, Eastern Strait of Juan De Fuca, and Admiralty Inletsupporting publication
    POSTER: The Sediment Quality Triad Index: An Indicator for Puget Sound & A Baseline (1997-2003) Updatesupporting publication
    Abstract Long Description

    The Washington State Department of Ecology conducted a sediment quality survey in the bays and inlets of the San Juan Islands, Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Admiralty Inlet in 2002 and 2003. This survey was part of the Puget Sound Assessment and Monitoring Program. Characterization of sediment quality in these three regions completes the 1997-2003 eight-region, Puget Sound-wide sediment quality data baseline.

    Sediment samples were collected and analyzed for 30 stations in each of the three regions. The Sediment Quality Triad of chemistry, toxicity, and sediment-dwelling invertebrate community structure (benthos) measured for each sample indicated that:

  • Two samples had levels of chemical contaminants (one per station) which exceeded the Washington State Sediment Quality Standards.

  • The incidence and spatial extent of toxic response generally were highest in the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, lower in the San Juan Islands, and lowest in Admiralty Inlet.

  • The highest number of stations with affected benthos occurred in the San Juan Islands, followed by the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca. The lowest number occurred in Admiralty Inlet.

    Ecology′s Sediment Quality Triad Index was calculated for each station, and then used to estimate the incidence and spatial extent of sediment quality degradation for each region. Findings indicated that:

  • Highest sediment quality was measured in Admiralty Inlet (67% of area).

  • The majority of the sediments measured in the San Juan Islands and the Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca (70 and 71% of each area, respectively) were of intermediate quality.

  • No sediments were of degraded quality in any of the three regions.

    Periodic re-evaluation of regional sediment quality, using the Sediment Quality Triad Index and the spatial extent calculations derived from them, provides environmental managers with a measure of change over time useful in adaptive management.

    • This page last updated May 21, 2009

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