Washington State Department of Ecology

Publication Summary

Title

River and Stream Ambient Monitoring Report for Wateryear 1996

Month-Year Published

June 1998

Online Availability

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Short Description

The Washington State Department of Ecology collected monthly water quality information at 84 river and stream monitoring stations during Wateryear (WY) 1996 (October 1, 1995 through September 30, 1996). The principal goals of this ongoing monitoring program are to characterize the rivers and streams of Washington State and to track changes in water quality.

(Also see abstract below)

Publication Number

98-317

Author(s)

Hallock, D., W. Ehinger, and B. Hopkins

Print Availability

Request from the program.

Number of pages

34 pp. + app. (227 total)

Keywords

ambient monitoring, bacteria, dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, goals, monitoring, pH, Puget Sound, report , river, stream, temperature, water, water quality

Subject Waterbodies

Columbia River, Nooksack River, Skagit River, Samish River, Stillaguamish River, Stillaguamish River, S.F., Stillaguamish River, N.F., Snohomish River, Pilchuck River, Skykomish River, Snoqualmie River, Woods Creek, French Creek, Cedar River, Green River, Puyallup River, White, Nisqually River, Chambers Creek, Deschutes River, Skokomish River, Duckabush River, Elwha River, Hoh River, Humptulips River, Chehalis River, Lincoln Creek, Willapa River, Naselle River, Cowlitz River, Kalama River, Lewis River, E.F., Wind River, Walla Walla River, Snake River, Lake Sacajewea, Palouse River, Palouse River, S.F., Pine Creek, Snake River, Tucannon River, Yakima River, Crab Creek, Lake Creek, Wenatchee River, Entiat River, Methow River, Okanogan River, Similkameen River, Spokane River, Little Spokane River, Hangman Creek, Kettle River, Pend Oreille River

Abstract

Long Description

Water quality for WY 1996 was similar to that measured in previous years based on number of results exceeding water quality criteria. The fecal coliform bacteria geometric mean was the most frequently exceeded criterion based on individual samples. The geometric mean criterion was exceeded 153 times and 74 samples exceeded the "10 percent not to exceed" criterion, out of about 1000 samples collected. Fifty-two of 84 stations had at least one sample that exceeded the geometric mean criterion. Thirty-three stations were west of the Cascades and 24 were stations on streams that drain to Puget Sound. Temperature standards were exceeded 66 times at 40 stations on both sides of the Cascades, though most were in eastern Washington. Dissolved oxygen and pH standards were violated 38 and 83 times, respectively, at 13 and 33 stations, also most frequently east of the Cascades. A description of this long-term monitoring program and access to historical data can also be found on Ecology's internet web site at http://www.ecy/wa.gov/

Link to EIM data for User Study ID AMS001

This page last updated March 10, 2008