Publication Summary

The Department of Ecology′s Environmental Investigations and Laboratory Services Program reviewed water quality information on the Eastern Olympic Water Quality Management Area (WQMA). The Eastern Olympic WQMA consists of watersheds draining the eastern slopes of the Olympic Mountains into south Puget Sound and Hood Canal, the Deschutes River basin in Thurston County, and the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The marine waters of south Puget Sound approximately west of the Nisqually River are also included in this WQMA.

The Department of Ecology′s Environmental Investigations and Laboratory Services (EILS) Program reviewed water quality information on the Eastern Olympic Water Quality Management Area (WQMA). The Eastern Olympic WQMA consists of watersheds draining the eastern slopes of the Olympic Mountains into south Puget Sound and Hood Canal, the Deschutes River basin in Thurston County, and the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The marine waters of south Puget Sound approximately west of the Nisqually River are also included in this WQMA.

The purpose of this review is to describe what is known about this region and identify water quality issues that may require monitoring or intensive studies over the next two years. This evaluation is part of an agency-wide scoping and data collection effort being done for the Water Quality Program′s watershed approach to water quality management. This approach is a five-year process which culminates in issuing water quality permits and implementing other pollution prevention and control actions in year five.