Washington State Department of Ecology

Publication Summary

Title

Water Quality Impacts from Dairies in Washington State: A Literature Review

Month-Year Published

June 1995

Online Availability

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Short Description

A literature review was conducted of surface water quality studies related to dairy waste practices. The review examined 48 documents statewide, and summarized each document's conclusions regarding water quality degradation or beneficial use impairment due to dairy waste. The most common water quality impacts were higher fecal coliform levels and lower dissolved oxygen levels. The most common beneficial use impairment was fish habitat degradation. The study areas corresponding to each document are shown on maps together with dairy locations.

(Also see abstract below)

Publication Number

95-326

Author(s)

Erickson, K.

Print Availability

Request from the program.

Number of pages

122 + app (133 total)

Keywords

county, creek, dairy, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, fish, grant, literature review, nonpoint, river, study, waste, water, Water Quality, Whatcom

Subject Waterbodies

Drayton Harbor, Cherry Creek, Puyallup River, Hoquiam River, Hanaford Creek, Nemah River, North, Dakota, California Creek, Bellingham Bay, Nooksack River, Tenmile Creek, Sumas River, Fourmile Creek, Deer Creek, Kamm, Mormon Ditch, Silver Creek, Unnamed Creek, Johnson Creek, Tennant Creek, Anderson Ditch, Bertrand Creek, Duffner Ditch, Fishtrap Creek, Double Ditch Drain, Benson Road Ditch, Depot Road Ditch, Bender Road Ditch, Sumas Creek, Pangborn Creek, Squaw Creek, Samish River, Skagit River, Fisher Creek, Gages Slough, Nookachamps Creek, Hart Slough, Brickyard Creek, Hansen Creek, Stillaguamish River, Jorgenson Slough, Portage Creek, Fish Creek, Rick Creek, Little Deer Creek, Deforest Creek, Higgins Creek, Cicero Creek, Stillaguamish River, N.F., Stillaguamish River, S.F., Skagit Bay, Similk Bay, Snohomish River, Ebey Slough, Allen Creek, Quilceda Creek, Pilchuck River, French Creek, Snoqualmie River, Tuck Creek, Harris Creek, Tolt River, Tolt River, N.F., Tolt River, S.F., Griffin Creek, Patterson Creek, Raging River, Tokul Creek, Kimball Creek, Snoqualmie River, S.F., Snoqualmie River, M.F., Snoqualmie River, N.F., Skykomish River, Woods Creek, Sultan River, Skykomish River, N.F., Skykomish River, S.F., Hill, Newaukum Creek, Commencement Bay, Thea Foss, Hylebos Creek, Fife Ditch, Hylebos Creek, W.F., Wapato Creek, Clear Creek, Swan Creek, Clarks Creek, Diru Creek, Meeker Ditch, White, Canyonfalls Creek, Nisqually River, McAllister Creek, Dungeness River, Matriotti Creek, Bell Creek, Cassalery Creek, Grays Harbor, Humptulips River, Humptulips River, E.F., Humptulips River, W.F., Sponenberg Creek, Wishkah River, Chehalis River, Wynoochee River, Cloquallum Creek, Wildcat Creek, Satsop River, Satsop River, W.F., Satsop River, E.F., Satsop River, M.F., Johns River, Garrard Creek, Black River, Independence Creek, Scatter Creek, Lincoln Creek, Salzer Creek, Coal Creek, Dillenbaugh Creek, Berwick Creek, Skookumchuck River, Newaukum River, Newaukum River, N.F., Newaukum River, S.F., Stearns Creek, Bunker Creek, Chehalis River, S.F., Elk Creek, Mima Creek, Beaver Creek, Littlerock Ditch, Willapa Bay, North River, Cedar River, Grayland Ditch, Pioneer Creek, Tuttle Creek, Willapa River, Stringer Creek, Naselle River, Alder Creek, Nemah River, Middle, Nemah River, South, Palix River, Palix River, S.F., Palix River, M.F., Skamokawa Creek, Lewis River, Lewis River, E.F., Mccormick Creek, Lockwood Creek, Rock Creek, Lacamas Creek, China Ditch, Fifth Plain Creek, Shanghai Creek, Matney Creek, Salmon Creek, Cougar Canyon Creek, Mill Creek, Curtin Creek, Weaver, Granger Drain, Sulphur Creek Wasteway, Dragoon Creek, Colville River

Abstract

Long Description

The areas where dairies were most directly related to water quality problems were Johnson, Dakota, Kamm, Bertrand, Fishtrap, and Tenmile Creeks in Whatcom County; Samish River in Skagit County; and Newaukum Creek in King County. Areas lacking sufficient information included the South Fork and Lower Nooksack River, Lummi River, and Saar Creek in Whatcom County, Whidbey Island, the Enumclaw plateau in Pierce County (draining to the Puyallup River), the Cowlitz River, and areas of Grant and Franklin counties.

This page last updated March 10, 2008