Publication Summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) monitors the state's marine water quality. Marine water monitoring presently includes the waters of Puget Sound, Grays Harbor, and Willapa Bay. The goals of the program include characterizing spatial and temporal trends in water quality, identifying significant changes in key water quality indicators, supporting water quality management programs, and providing baseline water quality data to the public. Ecology initiated continuous monitoring efforts in 1972.

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) monitors the state's marine water quality. Marine water monitoring presently includes the waters of Puget Sound, Grays Harbor, and Willapa Bay. The goals of the program include characterizing spatial and temporal trends in water quality, identifying significant changes in key water quality indicators, supporting water quality management programs, and providing baseline water quality data to the public. Ecology initiated continuous monitoring efforts in 1972.

Since 1988, Ecology has been coordinating its monitoring efforts with the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program (PSAMP), managed by the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority and participating implementation agencies. As a result of this coordination, additional marine water column monitoring tasks are being undertaken in Puget Sound. Near coastal monitoring in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay has remained relatively unchanged.

The Ambient Monitoring Section supplies water quality information to a variety of data users including environmental planners and managers, private consulting firms, educational institutions, and the general public. Over 100 marine data requests are received annually.

Wateryear 1990 (October 1989 through September 1990) consisted of monthly monitoring at 24 stations in Puget Sound. A total of six stations were monitored monthly in Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay.

The purpose of this first annual report for the Marine Water Column Monitoring Program is to disseminate the Wateryear 1990 marine water column data. A basic program description, including methods for data collection and analysis, quality assurance/quality control procedures, and data managements is included. Complete data analysis was not incorporated in the report, namely due to budget constraints. This report does attempt to guide the reader through some limited discussions of data at select stations, highlighting considerations for interpretation.