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Department of Ecology News Release - October 10, 2006
06-205
Ecology launches dissolved oxygen study for South Puget Sound
OLYMPIA - Officials at the Department of Ecology (Ecology) are concerned that
depleted levels of dissolved oxygen in some areas of South Puget Sound could
trigger the same water-quality crisis now bedeviling areas in Hood Canal.
Ecology is launching a $400,000 study that will include taking regular water
quality samples at about 80 marine locations throughout South Puget Sound. The
department will use the information to pinpoint problem areas, track potential
pollution sources and solve dissolved oxygen problems in the region.
The study area focuses mainly on the marine waters that border parts of
Pierce, Thurston and Mason counties.
Dissolved oxygen is crucial to sustain fish and aquatic life, which "breathe"
it for survival.
In Hood Canal, low levels of dissolved oxygen have resulted in fish kills and
growing "dead zones." Nitrogen is the main pollutant causing low dissolved
oxygen levels. Excess nitrogen levels cause excess algae growth. As the algae
die and decay, it robs the water of dissolved oxygen and smothers marine life.
Bill Backous oversees statewide scientific studies for Ecology. He said
recent department studies have revealed problems with low dissolved oxygen
levels in several key marine water bodies in South Puget Sound - particularly
Budd, Case and Carr inlets.
Dissolved oxygen levels in healthy marine waters should be between 5
milligrams of dissolved oxygen per liter of water to 7 milligrams per liter. In
2003, dissolved oxygen levels in Budd Inlet were as low as 3.1. In Case Inlet,
levels dropped to 2.6 and in Carr Inlet, levels were 4.3.
"At certain times of the year, dissolved oxygen levels in these areas have
been alarmingly low," Backous said. "We are especially concerned because once
nitrogen is discharged to Puget Sound, it moves around within the Sound.
Nitrogen from one spot may cause low dissolved oxygen levels many miles away."
Sources of nitrogen pollution in South Puget Sound include discharges from
wastewater treatment plants, septic systems, some farming activities, and
fertilizer and pet waste runoff from home lawns and gardens. Natural factors and
water circulation also play a role.
"We need to better understand how nitrogen from a variety of sources affects
dissolved oxygen levels in South Puget Sound," said Dave Peeler who oversees
statewide water quality activities for Ecology. "This study is critical to help
us determine what actions communities and individual homeowners might take to
reduce human-related sources of nitrogen to keep Puget Sound healthy."
Peeler said that some local municipalities are currently collecting data from
area treatment plants for the study, and will likely serve as technical advisors
to Ecology.
The South Puget Sound dissolved oxygen study is part of Governor Chris
Gregoire's long-term effort to help restore and preserve Puget Sound.
Gov. Gregoire also created the Puget Sound Partnership, a public-private
partnership tasked with developing an aggressive, 14-year plan to solve Puget
Sound's most vexing environmental problems. The Partnership is made up of
business, tribal, environmental and government leaders. They will present
recommendations to the governor in November.
State agencies work to help restore and preserve Puget Sound:
- Oct. 2 - Department of Natural Resources removes 150 tons of toxic
creosote logs from Dungeness Spit National Wildlife Refuge in Clallam
County.
- Sept. 28 - The Department of Ecology (Ecology) delivers the first
oil-spill-response supplies to the Port of Seattle, King County, and Seattle
Fire Department. Ecology will deliver about 40 sets of response equipment in
various locations around Puget Sound, Hood Canal and Strait of Juan de Fuca
by June 2007.
- Sept. 25 - Ecology adopts new oil transfer and oil spill contingency
plan rules that become effective Oct. 26. The rules are aimed at preventing
oil spills in Puget Sound and reducing adverse environmental effects for any
spills that may occur.
- Sept. 14 - State and federal agencies announce that dioxins have been
found in sediment samples taken from areas slated for maintenance dredging
in South Sound's Budd Inlet. The state departments of Ecology and Natural
Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Port of Olympia will determine
the best course of action through a full public participation process.
- Sept. 14 - Ecology enters into landmark agreement with Marine Spill
Response Corp. to help respond to and clean up oil spills in state marine
waters, including Puget Sound.
- Aug. 22 - Ecology announces $7.5 million grant and low-interest loan
program to help Puget Sound homeowners in the 12 counties that border Puget
Sound repair or replace failing, or improve existing septic systems to help
Sound beaches, shellfish beds and streams stay clean in the future.
- Aug. 18 - Ecology begins crafting the first geographic oil-spill
response plan for tackling oil spills in the Snohomish River basin.
- Aug. 14 - Ecology hires new vessel and facility inspectors, spill
responders, and oil spill contingency planners. Most of the positions are in
Puget Sound.
- Aug. 1 - Tribal, state and federal officials commemorate completion of a
$5.2 million habitat restoration plan to offset damages to Washington's fish
and wildlife populations during the 1991 Tenyo Maru oil spill.
- July 21 - Ecology provides $140,000 to place special software and
equipment on two King County Sheriffs Office helicopters. The new equipment
has the ability to spot and track oil spills at night and during storms.
- July 14 - Ecology announces a new $2.5 million grant program to help
local governments in Puget Sound fund innovative, low impact development
stormwater management projects.
- July 11 and 13 - Ecology holds workshops in Tacoma and Seattle seeking
public help to update the department's geographic response plans for
tackling oil spills in central Puget Sound.
- July 5 - the U.S. Attorney for Western Washington, and Ecology, announce
14 Puget Sound cleanup and restoration projects that will be funded by a
$1.7 million settlement agreement regarding the Evergreen International
Shipping Line criminal case.
- April 20 - State Parks and Recreation Commission announces that the
campground at Twanoh State Park will be closed while the commission replaces
the park's existing wastewater collection and treatment system to keep. The
action is part of the Governor's broader initiative to help upgrade or
replace wastewater systems at other state parks in Puget Sound and Hood
Canal to prevent possible water quality problems. The parks include Belfair,
Birch Bay, Blake Island, Camano Island, Deception Pass, Dosewallips, Fay
Bainbridge, Fort Casey, Fort Ebey, Fort Flagler, Fort Worden, Illahee,
Kitsap Memorial, Kopachuck, Larrabee, Penrose Point, Pleasant Harbor,
Possession Point, Potlatch, Scenic Beach, Sequim Bay, Shine Tidelands/Wolfe
Property and Triton Cove.
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Contact: Curt Hart, Public Information Manager, 360-407-6990; cell:
360-480-7908
For more information:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/index.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
