Eops 2015 4_29

The drought meets the “The Blob” in Puget Sound as warm air temperatures have left little snow to feed the rivers.
Eyes Over Puget Sound
Fieldlog Climate Water column Aerial photos Ferry andSatellite Moorings
Publication No. 15-03-073
Start here
Up-to-date observations of visiblewater quality conditions in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Surface Conditions Report
April 29, 2015

Personalfieldlog p.4
Marine life inthe Rocky Intertidal Zone.
Climateconditions p.6
Air temperature andoceanconditions remainwarm.
River flows are lower to the southandhigher to the north.
It rainedonly 0.7 inch (15 mm) in the past two weeks.
Watercolumn p.7
Warmwater inPuget Soundbecause of “the Blob”.
Temperatures are the highest onrecordsince 1989. Oxygenis
exhibitingnew historical minima,an unusual conditiongiven
the time of year.
Moorings p.37
Warmer thannormal water temperature. Steady increasein
temperature the past week. Temperature andsalinity variation
may be mostly influencedby winds.
Aerialphotography p.10
Patches of jellyfishare present infinger inlets of SouthSound
andSinclair Inlet. Strongredbloomin Sinclair Inlet. Waters
show signs of blooms only inconfinedbays (HendersonInlet,
Port TownsendBay,Lopez andEast Sound,SamishBay,
Quartermaster Harbor). Otherwise,the surface waters appear
very clear. Highsuspended sediment in Port Susan.
Ferryand satellite p.36
n.a.
LONG-TERMMARINEMONITORINGUNIT
Mya Keyzers
Laura Hermanson
Brooke McIntyre
Skip Albertson
Dr. Christopher
Krembs
Julia Bos
Suzan Pool
Editorial assistance provided by: Julia Bos, Suzan Pool, CarolMaloy
Marine conditionsfrom 4-29-2015 at a glance
Please give us feedback
Suzan Pool

Expected Drought Effects and a Warmer PugetSound
Extreme low snowpack has triggered a drought emergency
GovernorJayInslee declared a droughton March 13 in three regions,including the Olympic
Peninsula. Low snowpackis threatening a summerof record low flows in many rivers. This can
impactPugetSound in many ways.
A record warm winter has
leftPugetSound with
extreme low snowpack
which will likely result in low
summerriver flows.
Low flows can both hurt
salmon and change the
ecosystem of PugetSound.
Explore the details on how
snowpack,salmon,and
PugetSound are expected
to be differentin 2015.
Go here

The Rocky Intertidal Zone
Personal Field Impression
Fieldlog Weather Water column Aerial photos Ferry andSatellite Moorings
The coastline in Puget Sound has manyrocky intertidal areas. Organismsin this zone are
covered with water at high tide and exposed to air at low tide. What kind of organisms
can we find in the Puget Sound intertidal zone?
SeaLettuce
(Ulva lactuca)
• Green algae
• Eaten by sea urchins, mollusks,
birds, and other animals
Acorn Barnacle
(Balanussp.)
• Shell made from
limestone
• Filter feeder
California mussel
(Mytiluscalifornianus)
• Can grow up to 8 in. long
• Can live over 20 years
• Edible!
Brooke McIntyre

The Rocky Intertidal Zone
PhotoCredits:
Ochre sea star pic - http://www.seastarsofthepacificnorthwest.info/species/purple_star.html; Ulva - http://www.korseby.net/outer/flora/algae/ulvophyceae/ulva_lactuca.jpeg; Acorn barnacle -
http://www.irelandswildlife.com/acorn-barnacle-semibalanus-balanoides/: Mussel - http://sanctuarysimon.org/species/mytilus/californianus/california-mussel
http://www.redorbit.com; Plumose anenome - http://buzzmarinelife.blogspot.com/2013_05_27_archive.html; Hermit crab- https://www.flickr.com/photos/34486353@N07/galleries/72157622272880387/
Ochre Sea Star
(Pisasterochraceus)
• Colored purple, ochre,
or brown
• Predator
• Eatmussels, barnacles,
snails, and limpets
Hairy Hermit Crab
(Pagurushirsutiusculus)
• Live inside shells
• Scavengersthat dig for food
• Use right claw, which is larger than
the left, for feeding and protection
Plumose anemone
(Metridiumspp.)
• Predatorsthateat anything passing
by that they can grab with their
tentacles!

Climateand natural influencesbefore 4-29-2015
Summary:
Air temperatures remain above
normal which continue a year-long
trend.
Precipitation levels are normal, but
the Puget Sound lowlands saw little
rain in late April, only 15 mm.
Sunshine has generally been above
average with less cloud cover than
normal.
River flows are lower overall,
especially in the last 2 weeks. The
Fraser is higher, reflecting early snow-
melt in response to warm conditions.
PDO remains in the warm phase,
upwelling is normal, but the lower
NPGO suggests low productivity along
the coast.
lowerhigher expected No data
Climate and natural influences, including weather, rivers, and the adjacent ocean, can affect our
marine waters. For an explanation of the figure, see:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_wat/weather.html, page 26.

We use a chartered float
plane and boat to access
our monthly monitoring
stations.
We communicate data and
environmentalmarine
conditions using:
1. MarineWater
ConditionIndex
(MWCI)
2. EyesOverPuget
Sound (EOPS)
3. Anomaliesand
sourcedata
Ourlong-termmarinemonitoringstationsinWashington
Starthere
Isl.
.

Physical conditionstracked in statistically historic context
March, 2015:
Higher Temperature! LowerOxygenLowerSalinity
Redboxesshow
thatthe water
measuredis
warmerthan
anyof our
measurements
since 1989.
Explore profiles
atall stations
Month
Conditions were dominatedby warmwater associatedwiththe warmNE Pacific Oceansurfaceanomaly
(“The Blob”). StartinginOctober,temperatures are the highest onrecordsince 1989. Salinities are lower
andoxygenis exhibiting new historical minima throughout the water column,anunusual spring condition.

a) PacificDecadalOscillationIndex(PDO,temperature) (explanation)
b) UpwellingIndex(anomalies)(Upwelling,lowoxygen) (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 are no longer favorable for water qualityin Puget Sound: (a) water is warming
(PDO), (b) upwellingoflow oxygen and high nutrient ocean water is again increasing(UpwellingIndex),
and (c) higher surface productivityalongthe coast (NPGO) is falling. Where are we headingnext?
-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

Is the food web changing in Puget Sound?
Follow the experts
WebEx
Hypothesis!
Increasesin
nitrate
concentrations
couldbe caused
by a top-down
controlon
phytoplankton
biomass.
Is Noctiluca
a visible
harbingerof a
food web
change?
Hypothesis for combining a series of recent observations
affecting energy and material transfer to higher trophic levels
Arechangesin highertropic levelspart of a story of the low food web?

Summary: Aerial photography4-29-2015
Patchesof jellyfish are present in finger inlets of South Sound and Sinclair Inlet. Strong red
bloomin Sinclair Inlet. Waters show signs of blooms only in confined bays(Henderson Inlet,
PortTownsend Bay, Lopez and East Sound, Samish Bay, and Quartermaster Harbor).
Otherwise, the surfacewatersappear very clear. High suspended sediment in PortSusan.
Start here
Mixing andFronts:
Distinct tidal frontsin Admiralty Reach, entrance to Hood Canal
and north of the San Juan Islands. Tidal eddy in Lopez Sound.
Tidal wedgein Quartermaster Harbor.
Debris:
A few patches of macro-algaein Carr Inlet, Sinclair and Dyes
Inletsand Bellingham Bay. Foamalong tidal fronts.
Visible blooms:
Green-brown: PortTownsend Bay (Admiralty Reach)
Red-brown: Lopez and East Sound (San Juan Island)
Red: Sinclair Inlet
Green: Quartermaster Harbor
Jellyfish:
Sizablejellyfish patches present in southern inlets of South
Sound (Budd Inlet) and in Sinclair Inlet.BloomDebrisFront
Suspendedsediment:
Largesuspended sediment patches in Kensington Bay, Port
Susan. Suspended sediment originating fromMagnolia Bluffs
in Seattle and high concentrations at entrance to Lummi Bay.
Plume
Oil sheenand boats,SalmonBay, Seattle
Redbloomin Sinclair Inlet,Bremerton
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
203 4
1 5 6 7 12 1918
1 11
1 3 4 5 6 7 8 12

Straitof
Juan de Fuca
San Juan Islands
Padilla Bay
Main Basin
Hood Canal
South Sound
Whidbey Basin
Observation Maps:
Afternoonflight,photos 9-20
Broken ceiling,good visibility,locally
windyand cloudy
Flight Information:
Morningflight,photos 1-8
Sunny,mild,high visibility,clouds
11
10
Aerial photography
and navigation guide
6
Centraland NorthSound
SouthSound
7 12
5
Flight route and fuelingstop
17
9
18
3
2
1
4
13
14
19
16
Tides (Seattle) Feet Stage
2:52 AM 10.51 H
9:35 AM 3.03 L
3:24 PM 8.46 H
9:00 PM 3.67 L
15
20
8

A.Debris line and front at entrance to inlet. B. Early red-brown bloom, jellyfishpatches, and organic debris.
Location: A.Woodland Bay; B.Dickenson Point; Henderson Inlet (South Sound),9:35 AM.
1 Aerial photography 4-29-2015 Navigate
Front jellyfish
Debris
jellyfish
jellyfish
boat
boat
boat Debris
A. B.
oldpier

2 NavigateAerial photography 4-29-2015
Internal waves near Rafts Island across entire Inlet. Water very clear.
Location: Cutts Island (South Sound),9:44AM.
internal waves
unknown
boat

Redbloom and patches of jellyfish.
Location: Kitsap Marina,Sinclair Inlet (Bremerton),9:52AM.
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
barge
barge
jellyfish
Bloom
jellyfish

4 Navigate
Aerial photography 4-29-2015
Redbloom and patches of jellyfish.
Location: Ross Point,Sinclair Inlet (Bremerton),9:52 AM.
Bloom
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish

A. B.
A.Brown bloom and front. B. Bloom along west side of Bay. C. Discolored water next to plant.
Location: A.Entrance to Bay; B. Port Townsend Bay; C. Glenn Cove (AdmiraltyReach),10:18 AM.
C.
Bloom
Plume
Bloom

Bloom developing in water with glacial flour.
Location: Center Island,Lopez Sound (San Juan Islands),12:08 PM.
Bloom

Bloom developing in water with glacial flour. Small tidal eddy.
Location: Frost Island,Lopez Sound (San Juan Islands),11:07 AM.
Bloom
eddy
boat

Sediment-richwater and a red-brown bloom meet at Obstruction Pass.
Location: West of Obstruction Island (San Juan Islands),11:09 AM.
Bloom
boat

Water with suspended sediment leaving Lummi Bay.
Location: SandyPoint,Lummi Bay(North Sound),12:03 PM.
Plume

Lummi River deltawith light green macro-algae in the shallows along shoreline.
Location: Lummi Bay(North Sound),12:03 PM.
macro algae

The Nooksack River appears to run low and clear. Line of unidentifiedbrown material.
Location: NooksackRiver delta (Bellingham Bay),12:06 PM.
brownmaterial

Murky water in Samish Bay, likely from bloom. Front near Samish Island.
Location: Bellingham Bay(Bellingham Bay),12:36 PM.
12 Navigate
ship
ship
ship
Bloom
Bloom

North Fork Skagit River carrying no suspended sediment or glacial flour. Exposed mudflats.
Location: Near La Conner,Skagit Bay(WhidbeyBasin),12:46 PM.

Water in Skagit Bay is very clear.
Location: Goat Island,Skagit Bay(WhidbeyBasin),12:46 PM.
14 Navigate

15 Navigate
Patches of very murky water with suspended sediments near mudflats.
Location: Livingston Bay,Port Susan (WhidbeyBasin),1:21 PM.
suspendedsediments

16 Navigate
Patches of very murky water with suspended sediments near mudflats.
Location: Livingston Bay,Port Susan (WhidbeyBasin),1:21 PM.
suspendedsediments

17 Navigate
Flyinginside a rainbow looking at suspended sediment originating from Magnolia Bluffs.
Location: West Point Light House (Central Sound),3:50 PM.
suspendedsediments

A. B.
Greenbloom in inner bay meetingclearer water flowing in with tide at two locations.
Location: A.Inner bay; B. Middle ofQuartermaster Harbor (Vashon Island),4:03 PM.
18 Navigate
Bloom
Bloom
Front
Front
Front

19 Navigate
Differently coloredwater in Tacoma Narrows. Very little suspendedsediment from the Puyallup River.
Location: Point Defiance (Central Sound),4:07PM.

A
20 Navigate
Patches of jellyfish.
Location: A.Across Priest Point; B. Big Tykle Cove, Budd Inlet (South Sound),4:22 PM.
B
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
boat

NorthSound/SanJuan Islands
Date: 4-29-2015
CentralSound
Aerial photography observations in Central SoundQualitative aerial observer map during transit Navigate
6
109
11
12
7
8
13 15
17 14
18
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
1619
5
4
3

Date: 4-29-2015
Qualitative aerial observer map during transit
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Navigate
SouthSound
1
2
20

Legendto map annotations
Comments:
Maps are producedby observers during and
after flights. They are intendedto give an
approximate reconstructionofthe surface
conditions onscales that connect to and
overlapwithsatellite images inthe sectionthat
follows.
Debris:
Debris canbe distinguished into natural and
anthropogenic debris floatingat the surface
sensu Moore andAllen(2000). The majority of
organic debris inPuget Sound is natural and
mixedwithdiscardedman-made pieces of
plastic,wood,etc. Fromthe plane,we cannot
differentiatethe quality of debris at the surface
andtherefore,call it for reasons of practicality
just “debris”.
S.L. Moore,M. J. Allen. 2000. Distribution of
Anthropogenicand Natural Debris on the
Mainland Shelf of the Southern California Bight.
Marine Pollution Bulletin,40(1): 83–88.
Navigate

Current Conditions:
Cold water from WhidbeyBasin moves into Puget
Sound at the Triple Junction;associated with
moderate levels of chlorophyll fluorescence.
Increased turbidityseen throughout the Strait of
Georgia.
Ferry and satellite observations4-29-2015
Current Conditions:
n.a
TheVictoria Clipper IV carries
sensors in its sea chest. The
sensors allow us to get
surfacetransects of
temperature, chlorophyll,
salinity, and other bio-optical
measurements between
Seattle and Victoria, BC twice
per day.

Mooring observationsand trends
04-17-2015 to 04-30-2015
2-6 m depth
No oxygensensor on
the shallow instrument
package.
12-16 m depth
These plots show the
probability of
observationsover the
pasttwo-week period.
High probability shown in
warmcolors.
Left Panels: Density is
defined by salinity and
temperature.
Right Panel: Dissolved
oxygen concentration in
relation to salinity.
At the Mukilteo mooring,we continue to observe warmer than normal water temperature. In
the past week, temperature has steadilyincreased. In the near-bottom mooring,we are starting
to observe two water masses. Temporal variationin temperature and salinityseem to be mostly
influenced byshiftingwinds.
Data are not available
for this time period.
Look for themnext
month.

03-30-2015 to 04-29-2015
Click on icon to view real-time
data of the moorings
Our mooring station at Mukilteo is located
in Whidbey Basin near Everett. Itis located
atthe transition between Possession and
CentralSoundsat a depth that is influenced
by the Skagitand Snohomish river
discharges, prevailing winds, and tidal
mixing.
Asthe largest regional contributor of
freshwater to Puget Sound, understanding
the timing and magnitude of the Skagit
River flow is important.
We present daily means for the past 31
days. Data areplotted in Pacific Standard
Time. Wind data arefrom Paine Field in
Everett. River flow data arefrom USGS.

Mukilteo2010 to 2015
Pleasenote that data are provisional. Data are in GMT.
At the Mukilteo mooring,we use the near-bottom
sensor (12-16 m deep) to measure significant inter-
annual variabilityin temperature,salinity,and
dissolved oxygen.
Inter-annual variabilityis shown over a 5-year
period. All three variables showstrongseasonality.
In April,water continues to be warmer than the
past several years. Salinityis higher than 2011 and
2014. The amount of dissolved oxygen is roughly
similar to 2013 and 2014.
Seasonally,variabilityofeach parameter remains
minimal from Januaryto April.

Accessmooring
data:
ftp://www.ecy.wa.gov/ea
p/Mooring_Raw/Puget_S
ound/
Ferryand satellite :
Suzan.Pool@ecy.wa.gov
Get data from Ecology’sMarine MonitoringPrograms
Long–Term
MonitoringNetwork
Real–Time
SensorNetwork
Accesscore
monitoringdata:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/a
pps/eap/marinewq/mwda
taset.asp
christopher.krembs@ecy.w
a.gov
Ecology’s long-termmarine
monitoring stations
Ferrytrack
Riverand Stream WaterQuality
Monitoring
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/fw_riv
/rv_main.html
Discontinued (fundingcuts)

You maysubscribe 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 2015 4_29

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Eops 2015 4_29