Study shows Samish Bay needs big drop in river bacteria Report is early step toward improving water quality

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - December 11, 2008

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Study shows Samish Bay needs big drop in river bacteria
Report is early step toward improving water quality

BELLINGHAM – A new Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) study shows fecal bacteria in the Samish River should be reduced by 72 percent to protect human health, shellfish harvesting, recreational uses and the aesthetics of Samish Bay.

The report, called the “Samish Bay Watershed Fecal Coliform Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load: Volume 1, Water Quality Study Findings,” is a first step toward cleaning up the bay.

Fecal coliform is a type of bacteria that indicates water is contaminated with human or animal waste. People can get sick during recreation in contaminated areas or from eating contaminated shellfish.

“We now know much more about how much fecal coliform the river and creeks are delivering to the bay,” said Sally Lawrence, Ecology water quality improvement lead for Skagit and Kitsap counties. “But that’s only a small part of the answer. The solution lies mainly in identifying how the bacteria got to the water in the first place, and enabling people in the area to eliminate their contribution to downstream problems.”

The sources of fecal contamination in the watershed are difficult to pinpoint, but they likely include livestock operations, manure applied to fields prior to storms, malfunctioning septic systems, waterfowl and other wildlife, stormwater runoff, pets, noncommercial farm animals and outdoor recreation users, according to the study.

The Samish River carries 70 percent of the fecal bacteria to the bay – the most of any single contributor. The study recommends cleaning up sources of bacteria to the river first. Tidal sloughs and smaller creeks flowing directly to Samish Bay contribute another 30 percent of the bacterial pollution, according to the findings, so Ecology will look at controlling sources around the bay and in the Edison area.

Several agencies and organizations helped Ecology with the study or already are working toward a solution, including:

Skagit County Public Health Department, which provides public education and enforcement oversight for residential septic systems.
Skagit Conservation District, which works with individual farmers to reduce the effect of animal waste on water quality.
State Department of Health, which informs Ecology of marine water quality conditions and advises partners on the effects of pollution in marine waters and shellfish growing areas.
State Department of Agriculture, which continues to work with farmers and ensure compliance with the state Nutrient Management Program.
Taylor Shellfish Farms, Blau Oyster Co., Skagit County Public Works, state Department of Health, Skagit Stream Team (a volunteer group sponsored by Skagit Conservation District and Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve), all of whom conducted extra monitoring following large storms, which rapidly increase river flow. They found runoff during storms can carry high amounts of bacteria, quickly raising bacteria levels in the bay.

Using information from water quality study, Ecology is working with these local organizations to develop a strategy for controlling pollution and a monitoring plan to assess the effectiveness of water quality improvement activities. Drafts of those documents will be available for public review and comment when they are complete in February 2009.

“Now we’re faced with the most challenging tasks because they require cooperation from everyone in the community,” Ecology’s Lawrence said. “We are asking landowners of all sorts to look carefully at how their practices and their use of the land could be affecting water quality. A clean bay will benefit everyone, and in most cases, the fixes are inexpensive. This is definitely a case where, if everyone does their part, a whole watershed will benefit and maintain its prosperity.”

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Media Contacts:
Katie Skipper, media relations, 360-715-5205, 360-510-0682 cell, kski461@ecy.wa.gov
Sally Lawrence, Water Quality Program, 425-649-7036, slaw461@ecy.wa.gov

For more information:
Read the report at www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0803029.pdf, or navigate there by going to www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/tmdl/samish/index.html, and clicking on “study” in the text of the Web page.

More about Skagit Bay water quality improvement efforts: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/tmdl/samish/index.html.