lindsey hamilton, exploring drivers of fecal coliform pollution trends in south puget sound
TRANSCRIPT
Exploring Drivers of Fecal Coliform Pollution Trends in
South Puget Sound
Authors: Lindsey Hamilton, Scott Berbells, Lawrence Sullivan, Jean SnyderWashington State Department of Health
Washington Commercial Shellfish
• 105 Growing Areas
• 270 million dollar industry
• Cultural Significance
Commercial Shellfish Regulation
• WA Department of Health (DOH) is the designated shellfish authority
• National Shellfish Sanitation Program
• RCW 90.72.030 requires formation of Shellfish Protection District when a growing area is downgraded
Shellfish Protection Districts
14 active Shellfish Protection Districts doing water quality restoration
Stormwater
Agriculture
On-site SewagePet Waste
How are we doing?
• How have fecal coliform levels in marine waters changed over the last 25 years?
• Are trends driven by changing environmental factors or water quality restoration efforts?
• What restoration actions seemed to have had significant impacts on water quality?
South Sound Study Areas
8 Growing Areas
• Henderson Inlet
• Nisqually Reach
• Totten Inlet
• Oakland Bay
• Filucy Bay
• Vaughn Bay
• Rocky Bay
• Burley LagoonSouth Puget Sound, Washington
Growing Area Trend Analysis By Season
Multiple Linear Regression
= α + β1 + β2 + β3 + β4Fecal
ColiformSalinity Surface
WaterTemp
Rainfall(API)
SampleDate
(Helsel and Hirsch, 2011)
General Results
- No increasing trends
- Declining trends in 5 out of 8 growing areas
- Comparable to Puget Sound wide results
Henderson Inlet Trends By Season
Multiple StormwaterInfrastructure Improvements
Feca
l Co
lifo
rm G
eo
met
ric
Me
ans
fc/
10
0 m
l
Nov - Feb
Mar - Oct
FEC
AL
CO
LIFO
RM
FC
/10
0 M
L (L
OG
SC
ALE
)
Min
Max
Estimated 10th Percentile
Geometric Mean
Estimated 90th PercentileOAKLAND BAY FECAL COLIFORM TRENDS AND RESTORATION TIMELINE 1989 - 2015
920 240 240 920 240 240 540220 240 350130 140 130 170130 170 110 130 170
Restoration Timelines
1989 2015
AgriculturalBMPs
StormwaterRetrofits
Pet WasteCampaigns
SepticRepairs
WildlifeExclusions
FEC
AL
CO
LIFO
RM
FC
/10
0 M
L (L
OG
SC
ALE
)W
ATE
R Q
UA
LITY
R
ESTO
RA
TIO
N
AC
TIO
NS
Min
Max
Estimated 10th Percentile
Geometric Mean
Estimated 90th PercentileOAKLAND BAY FECAL COLIFORM TRENDS AND RESTORATION TIMELINE 1989 - 2015
BMP Implementation Mason County Septic O&M Program
ChapmanCove BMPs
Oakland Bay Action PlanOakland Bay Watershed Project
Stormwater Infrastructure Improvement Project
Shorebank Craft3
Shellfish Protection District Formed
Marine Recovery
Area Project
Shelton WWTP Upgrades
920 240 240 920 240 240 540220 240 350130 140 130 170130 170 110 130 170
Chapman Cove In Oakland Bay
ROLLING ESTIMATED 90TH PERCENTILES FOR CHAPMAN COVE STATIONS 1989-2015
Farm plans and agricultural best management practices implemented.
119
128639 615
Feca
l Co
lifo
rm f
c/1
00
ml
FEC
AL
CO
LIFO
RM
FC
/10
0 M
L W
AT
ER Q
UA
LITY
R
ESTO
RA
TIO
N
AC
TIO
NS
Min
Max
Estimated 10th Percentile
Geometric Mean
Estimated 90th Percentile
Kitsap Prevention / Restoration Project
Pierce County Septic Grant and Loan Program
Ongoing Kitsap County Prevention/Restoration
Remedial Action Project
Shellfish Protection District formed
Extensive Ag. BMPs
Kitsap Farm
Planning
EPA Watersheds Project
Kitsap Directed PIC
Kitsap County Craft3 Clean Water Loans
BURLEY LAGOON FECAL COLIFORM TRENDS AND RESTORATION TIMELINE 1989 - 2015
NPDES Phase I Stormwater Permit NPDES Phase II Stormwater Permit
Pierce Co. Ag. BMPsPierce Shellfish
Partners Formed
Pierce County Farm Planning
540 350 1600 240 350 350 350 920 540 350 540 350 240 350 240130130170130170170 170170
Conditionally Approved Area of Burley Lagoon
Both Kitsap and Pierce Counties implemented
agricultural BMPs and OSS repairs in watershed.
339 340
338
Feca
l Co
lifo
rm f
c/1
00
ml
ROLLING ESTIMATED 90TH PERCENTILES FOR NORTHERN CONDITIONALLY APPROVED
MARINE STATIONS NEAR MOUTH OF BURLEY CREEK 1989-2015
Both Kitsap County and Pierce Counties implemented grant and low interest loan programs, land owner incentives, and pollution
identification and correction projects.
What We Think
• All watersheds should have well organized and funded septic operations and maintenance programs, combined with cost share programs.
• There should be adequately funded and staffed programs to provide education, and technical and financial assistance to agricultural operations.
• We need sustained funding for all of our Shellfish Protection Districts.
