Eops 2016 06_27

Surface Conditions Report,
June 27, 2016
Eyes Over Puget Sound
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Publication No. 16-03-074
Up-to-date observations of visiblewater quality conditions in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Start hereScuba info

Dr. Christopher
Krembs (Editor)
Personalimpressions p. 4
Media day kicks off the 2016 BEACH Programmonitoring
season.
Climateconditions p. 6
Air temperatures andsunlight are above normal. Precipitation
is low andso are river flows. New: Underwater visibility was low.
Watercolumn p. 7
Salinity is remarkably lower. Record-breakingwater
temperatures occur anddissolvedoxygenis decreasing.
At the Coast,upwellinghas coolingeffects.
Aerialphotography p. 11
Jellyfishconfinedto EldandTottenInlets. Strongphytoplankton
blooms in Budd, Carr, and HendersonInlets andaround
Bainbridge Island. Abundant organic material coincides with
phytoplanktonblooms. Noctiluca inunusual places.
Continuous monitoring p. 30
Since May,temperatures are >15 °C. High phytoplankton
biomass andlow river flows set the stage for anearly start of
harmful algal blooms (HABs), parallelingthe year 2015.
Streams p. 32
High June rainprovides a short-livedrespite for low river flows.
Yet,snow pack-drivensystems are seeingsmall change in the
north.
LONG-TERMMARINEMONITORINGUNIT
Skip Albertson
Julia Bos
Suzan Pool
Editorial assistanceprovided by: Julianne Ruffner, Carol Maloy
Marine conditionsfrom 6-27-2016at a glance
Markus
von
Prause
Debby Sargeant
Julianne Ruffner
I need a
picture

Dany Burgess & Angela Eagleston
Marine Sediment Monitoring Team
Travisia pupa – The Pacific
Stinkworm
This month’s critter has a face
(and smell) that only a mother
could love. Meet the Stinkworm,
an important member of Puget
Sound’s benthic community.
Fun StinkwormFacts!
• Emits a foulrotting-garlic odor
when disturbed
• Functions as a bioturbator,
turning over and aerating the
sediment
• Can be easily identified by the
sizeof its vesicles (warts)
Critter of the Month
Personal Field Impression
Field log Weather Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Eyes Under Puget Sound 6-27-2016
Learn more about the Stinkworm and othercritters on Ecology’s EcoConnect blog here.

Each year, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the Washington State BEACH Programmonitors saltwater
beaches for fecal bacteria to ensure that the water is safefor swimming and other recreational activities.
2016 Season Kick-Off!
Media joined us to find out how people can
stay healthy while playing at the beach and
how to keep their favoritebeaches healthy.
Follow us onFacebook andTwitter for beach
water quality updates .
We sample beaches
weekly. If bacteria
levels are high,
we let the public
know it isn’tsafe
to swim.WSUBeach
Watcher,
Tim Ellis,
demonstrates
how we collect
water samples
for analysis.
Is Your Beach Safe for Swimming this Summer?
Video 1
Video 2
Personal Field Impression 6-27-2016

This isa newfeatureandwearesolicitingfeedback (salb461@ecy.wa.gov).
Eventuallywewill featurethemostrecentdata.
good poor
visibility
Find depths with high and low visibility
• Best visibility wasaround 20-30 feetor
more.
• Poor visibility occurred in many places of
Puget Sound in the first10 feet of the
surface.
• In May, compared to April, visibility was
lower due to the combined effect of
phytoplankton and glacial flour fromrivers.
• Many locations that reported 40-50 ft. of
horizontalvisibility in April only reported
20-30 feet in May.
• We usetransmissiometer readings fromour
CTD packageand convertthem into
horizontalvisibility.
What is the visibility in the water for divers?
The divers page, visibility 6-27-2016

Natural Influence leadingto 6-27-2016
Climate and naturalinfluences,includingweather,rivers,and the adjacent ocean,canaffect our
marine waters. Graphics are basedonprovisional data andare subject to change.
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_wat/weather.html,page 26.
lowerhigher expected No data
*UpwellingAnomalies(PFEL)
ENSO = El Niño SouthernOscillation
*
Summary for May 2016:
Air temperatures remain above
normal in the Puget Sound
lowlands.
Precipitationlevels are below
normal.
Sunshine levels havebeen
mostly above normal(low
cloud cover)
River flows aretrending
downward.
Upwelling is now above normal
as are ENSO & PDO. El Niῆo
trending downward.

We usea boatand a
chartered float plane to
access our monthly
monitoring stations.
We communicate data
and environmental
marine conditions using:
1. Marine Water
Condition Index
(MWCI)
2. Eyes OverPuget
Sound (EOPS)
3. Anomaliesand
sourcedata
Ourlong-termmarinemonitoringstationsinWashington
Starthere
Isl.
.

ArePugetSoundconditionsnormalizing?
Year 2016 continues to have recordbreakingglobal temperatures. Inour region,the Fraser River has not been flowing
as high as last year and now flows have plummeted. Estuarine circulationis important because water temperatures in
Puget Sound are still warmer than what they should be andnow are breaking new records! The Fraser River is the
largest freshwater source for the SalishSea,significantly affectingestuarine circulation.
Inwinter andspring 2016, the Fraser
River and other rivers dischargedprematurely.
This year’s Fraser summer flow is extremely low in
response to warmwinter temperatures and
disappearing snowpack inBC. Very low summer
flows inhibit the renewal of water inPuget Sound.
Source: http://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/index_e.html
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Dec-13
Jan-14
Feb-14
Mar-14
Apr-14
May-14
Jun-14
Jul-14
Aug-14
Sep-14
Oct-14
Nov-14
Dec-14
Jan-15
Feb-15
Mar-15
Apr-15
May-15
Jun-15
Jul-15
Aug-15
Sep-15
Oct-15
Nov-15
Dec-15
Jan-16
Feb-16
Mar-16
Apr-16
May-16
Jun-16
Discharge(m3s-1)
Higher than normal
Lower than normal
Expected
Very low Fraser River flow this summer means stagnant water in
the SalishSea and reducedexchange withthe coast. As a
consequence,water warms andpollutionaccumulates.
BC, Canada
didn’t have
much snow left
by May 2016
Credit: Christopher Krembs
http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/bulletins/watersupply/SnowIndexMap.htm
See also
NOAA

Physical conditionstracked in historicalcontext
Explore profiles
at all stations
Still higher temperature in P. Sound Decreasing OxygenSalinity below normal
A recordwarmspringbrought ample meltwater to Puget Sound. Salinity is remarkably lower. Record-
breaking water temperatures alsoappear againinMay anddissolvedoxygenis decreasing. At the Coast,
temperatures are expectedwhile salinity is higher and oxygenis lower,suggesting upwelling.

a) PacificDecadalOscillationIndex(PDO,temperature) (explanation)
b) UpwellingIndex(anomalies)(Upwelling,low oxygen) (explanation)
c) NorthPacificGyreOscillationIndex(NPGO, productivity) (explanation)
Theoceanaffectswaterquality: OceanClimateIndices
NPGO(x10)
PDO/UpwellingIndex
Three-year running average of PDO, Upwelling, and NPGO indices scores
.
Ocean boundaryconditions longterm variability: (a)water is still warm (PDO), (b) upwellingoflow
oxygen and high nutrient ocean water are normal (UpwellingIndex anomaly),and (c) surface productivity
alongthe coast is normalizing(NPGO).
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Summary: Aerial photography6-27-2016
Jellyfish in high numbers confined to Eld and Totten Inlets. Strong phytoplankton blooms in
Budd, Carr, and Henderson Inlets as well as east of Bainbridge Island and PortMadison.
Abundantorganic material coincide with phytoplankton blooms except Henderson Inlet.
Start here
Mixing and Fronts:
Tidal fronts in Budd Inlet, off PortMadison, Restoration Point,
and Tacoma Narrows.
Debris:
Abundantorganic debris in Budd, Eld, and Carr Inlets, Oakland
Bay, PortMadison, and east of Bainbridge Island. Noctiluca
surfacing in unusualplaces (Oakland Bay, Budd Inlet, and
Holmes Harbor).
Visible blooms:
Strong red-brown blooms in Budd and Eld Inlets.
Strong green blooms in Henderson and Carr Inlets and
Quartermaster Harbor.
Green-brown blooms eastof Bainbridge Island.
Jellyfish:
Numerous jellyfish patches in Eld and Totten Inlets.
BloomDebrisFront Suspendedsediment:
A lot of suspended sediment fromthe Puyallup River. Little
glacial flour in Nisqually Delta.
Plume
Front and two water masses.Tacoma Narrows.
Front and two water masses.Carr Inlet(McNeil I.).
Bloom
Front

Strait of
Juan de Fuca
San Juan Islands
Padilla Bay
Main Basin
Hood Canal
South Sound
Whidbey Basin
Sunny,good visibility
Flight Information:
Aerial photography
and navigation guide
Flight route
9
3
2
8
Tide data (Seattle):
Time Height(ft.) High/Low
05:22 AM 3.73 L
10:48 AM 7.93 H
04:46 PM 2.2 L
11:34 PM 12.02 H
6
10
11
14
4
1
Observation Maps:
Central Sound
South Sound
15
12
13
7
5

A. B.
A. Red-brown bloom in narrow ribbons parallel to easternshore. B. Organic debris accumulating at surface.
Location: A. Opposite Frye Cove State Park, B. Near Cooper Point,Eld Inlet (South Sound),12:51 PM.
1 Aerial photography 6-27-2016 Navigate
boat
boat
Bloom
Debris
Bloom
Bloom
boat
Debris

2 NavigateAerial photography 6-27-2016
Organic material accumulating in large ribbons along tidal front at the entrance to Budd Inlet.
Location: Across from Boston Harbor,Budd Inlet (South Sound),12:51 PM.
boat
Debris
Debris
Debris

Bloom
boat
jellyfish
boat
Red-brown bloom drifting in narrow ribbons parallel to easternshore.
Location: Near Burfoot Park, Budd Inlet (South Sound),12:53 PM.
Debris

4 Navigate
Aerial photography 6-27-2016
Red-brown bloom with intricate patterns.
Location: South of Gull Harbor,Budd Inlet (South Sound),12:54 PM.
Bloom
Bloom
Bloom
boat
boat

Large patches of jellyfishand organic debris.
Location: Off Sunset Beach, Eld Inlet (South Sound),12:57 PM.
Debris
Debris
jellyfishjellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
boat
boat

Large patches of jellyfish,sediment-richriver plume,and red-brown bloom near easternshore.
Location: Totten Inlet (South Sound),12:59 PM.
Bloom
jellyfish
boat
boat
jellyfish
jellyfish
mussel rafts
Plume

A. B.
C.
Patches of orange Noctiluca in unusual places. Location: A. Swantown Marine,Budd Inlet.B. Oakland Bay.C.
Port Madison.(A.& B. South Sound.C. Central Sound).
Pictureby Laura Hermanson on June 13th
Noctiluca
Noctiluca
Noctiluca
Debris
Debris
boat
barge
Bloom
Bloom

A. B.
C.
A-C. Water rich in phytoplankton and B. organic material floating in large patches at the surface.
Location: A. Forest Beach. B. Mayo Cove. C. Kopachuck Underwater Park (South Sound),1:15 PM.
Debris
Bloom
Bloom
boat
Debris

A. B.
A. Strong phytoplankton bloom. B. Large rafts of organic material of potentially spent Noctiluca at the
surface in Port Madison. Location: Port Madison (Central Sound),1:32 PM.
Debris
Debris
Bloom
boat

Strong phytoplankton bloom and organic material rafts north of tidal front off RestorationPoint.
Location: Decatur Reef, Bainbridge Island (Central Sound),1:38 PM.
Bloom
Debris
boat Debris
Debris

boat
boat
NavigateAerial photography 6-27-2016
Puyallup River plume rich in suspended sediment extendinginto Quartermaster Harbor. Internal waves.
Location: Vashon Island (Central Sound),1:46 PM.
11
Ship
internal waves
Plume

A.
B.
Large differences in glacial river flows in June in A. Puyallup, a free-flowing system and B. Nisqually River,
with dams. Location: A. Commencement Bay,B. Nisquallydelta(Centraland South Sound),1:58 PM.
12
boat
boat
Plume
cloud shadow

Small amounts of water with glacial flour (in contrast to Puyallup River) enteringthrough the Nisqually River.
Location: Off Golf Course, DuPont (South Sound),1:57 PM.
13
Plume

Organic debris and a small bloom. Location: Oro Bay,Anderson Island (SouthSound),1:57 PM.
14
Bloom
boat
Debris

Very strong green bloom on the easternside of inlet.Location: Henderson Inlet (South Sound),2:01 PM.
15
Bloom
boat

n.a.
Hood Canal Central Sound
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Date: 6-27-2016
Qualitative aerial observer map during transit Navigate
11
12
10
9
7

Date: 6-27-2016
Qualitative aerial observer map during transit
Navigate
South Sound
1
2
3
4
5
6
12
8
14
13
15

C.
B.A.
D.
notinservice
dry-dock
maintenance
notinservice
dry-dock
maintenance
notinservice
dry-dock
maintenance
notinservice
dry-dock
maintenance
The Victoria
Clipper IV carries
sensorsin its sea
chest. The
sensorsallow us
to plot overtime
transects of:
A. Temperature
B. Chlorophyll
C. Turbidity
D. CDOM
Over time,we
see the
dynamics of
these variables
in surface water
betweenSeattle
and Victoria,BC.
Continuousmonitoring 6-27-2016
Summary of Victoria Clipper IVferry data:
FromDecember throughMay,we observeda seasonal shift in water properties.
Water temperatures are >15 °C since May. Highin situ fluorescence (anindicator of
high phytoplanktonbiomass)andlow river flows set the stage for anearly start of
harmful algal blooms (HABs), similar to the year 2015.

A.
C.
Victoria
Olympic
Peninsula
Seattle
Victoria
Olympic
Peninsula
Seattle
Victoria
Olympic
Peninsula
Seattle
Victoria
Olympic
Peninsula
Seattle
D.
B.
Figures show daily sensor data
installedonthe ferry which
measure near-surface water at
5-sec intervals while the Victoria
Clipper IV transits between
Seattle andVictoria,BC.
A. Sea Surface Temperature:
Water continues to warmto
about 15 °C,mainly in eastern
Puget Sound. Maximum
temperature was 16 °C.
B. Chlorophyll: Concentrations
were high just off Kitsap
Peninsula and east side of
Whidbey Island.
C. Turbidity: Turbidity increased,
particularly just off Kitsap
Peninsula.
D. Colored Dissolved Organic
Matter(CDOM): Particulates in
the water remainedlow except
off KitsapPeninsula.
Continuousmonitoring 6-27-2016

WA CurrentStreamflow summaryfor 6/28/2016
USGS Site Location for river flows in Washington Jun-15 Jun-16
NOOKSACK RIVER AT FERNDALE new min better
SF NOOKSACK RIVER AT SAXON BRIDGE new min better
MF NOOKSACK RIVER NEAR DEMING new min better
NF NOOKSACK RIVER BL CASCADE CREEK NR GLACIER new min better
SAMISH RIVER NEAR BURLINGTON <20% unchanged
SKAGIT RIVER NEAR MOUNT VERunchanged new min better
BAKER RIVER AT HENRY THOMPSON BR AT CONCRETE <20% unchanged
SAUK RIVER NEAR SAUK new min better
CASCADE RIVER AT MARBLEMOUNT new min better
PILCHUCK RIVER NEAR SNOHOMISH new min better
SNOHOMISH RIVER NEAR MONROE new min better
TOLT RIVER NEAR CARNATION new min better
RAGING RIVER NEAR FALL CITY <20% unchanged
SF SNOQUALMIE RIVER AB ALICE CREEK NEAR GARCIA new min better
NF SNOQUALMIE RIVER NEAR SNOQUALMIE FALLS new min better
MIDDLE FORK SNOQUALMIE RIVER NEAR TANNER new min better
SULTAN RIVER BELOW POWERPLANT NEAR SULTAN <20% unchanged
SKYKOMISH RIVER NEAR GOLD BAR new min better
ISSAQUAH CREEK NEAR MOUTH NEAR ISSAQUAH <20% better
CEDAR RIVER AT RENTON <50% better
ROCK CREEK NEAR MAPLE VALLEY new min better
GREEN RIVER NEAR AUBURN <50% better
BIG SOOS CREEK ABOVE HATCHERY NEAR AUBURN <20% unchanged
NEWAUKUM CREEK NEAR BLACK DIAMOND <20% unchanged
Table showsriverflowsat selectedstations(alsosee map)
in 2015 compared to historical valuesforthe same month
(% of normal).Compared to 2015, June flowsin 2016 are
higherin response to recentrain. Snow waterequivalents,
however,remainlow.
Recentrain, a short-term gainfor June
River flows in the Puget Sound region haveincreased in June 2016 as compared to the
June 2015 droughtyear. Flow levels at most Ecology and USGS stream monitoring sites
are temporarily close to normal levels in responseto recent rain in western Washington.
Snow water equivalents, however, are low, providing little water in dry months,
particularly towards thenorth of the state.
Markusvon
Prause,
Ecology
Go to map

Recentrain, a short-term gainfor June
Snow waterequivalentsinWashingtonState were verylow in
2015 whenWashington was declaredto be in a drought.High
precipitationimprovedconditionsinwinter2015/16, yetrecord
warm temperaturesinspring 2016 meltedthe snowpack quickly.
In the North PugetSound and Central Columbiabasins, snow
water equivalentsstill remainverylow thisyear, evenwhen
compared to the 2015 drought inJune. In southernand eastern
Washington, conditionsare lesssevere thanlast year.
June 2015 June 2016

Accessmooring
data:
ftp://www.ecy.wa.gov/ea
p/Mooring_Raw/Puget_S
ound/
Continuous monitoring :
Suzan.Pool@ecy.wa.gov
Get data from Ecology’sMarine MonitoringPrograms
Long–Term
MonitoringNetwork
Real–Time
Sensor Network
Accesscore
monitoringdata:
https://fortress.wa.gov/ec
y/eap/marinewq/mwdata
set.asp
christopher.krembs@ecy.w
a.gov
Ecology’s long-termmarine
monitoring stations
Continuous track
Riverand Stream WaterQuality
Monitoring
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/fw_riv
/rv_main.html
Discontinued (fundingcuts)

You may subscribe or unsubscribe to the Eyes Over Puget Sound email listservby going to:
http://listserv.wa.gov/cgi-bin/wa?A0=ECOLOGY-EYES-OVER-PUGET-SOUND
Many thanks to our business partners: Clipper Navigation,SwantownMarina,andKenmore Air.
We are looking forfeedbackto improve ourproducts.
Dr. ChristopherKrembs
christopher.krembs@ecy.wa.gov
Marine Monitoring Unit
EnvironmentalAssessment Program
WA Department of Ecology

Eops 2016 06_27

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Eops 2016 06_27