1. Marine Water Condition Index
Start here
Surface ConditionsReport,
September 21, 2015
Up-to-date observations of visiblewater quality conditions in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Eyes Over Puget Sound
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Publication No. 15-03-077

2. Personalfield log p. 3
Green tides cancause a rottenegg smell onbeaches.
Climateconditions p. 4
Air temperature andoceanconditions remainwarm.
Precipitationhas increased, yet river flows remainunusually low.
Upwellinghas beennormal while sea surface temperatures are
high.
Watercolumn p. 5
Puget Sound waters continue to have recordhightemperatures.
Ongoing drought effects (lower freshwater inputs)shift salinity
to higher than normal levels. Coastal Bays,HoodCanal,and
SouthSound exhibit lower oxygen.
Aerialphotography p. 10
Large jellyfish aggregations are visiblein some finger inlets of
SouthSound, inlets of the Kitsap Peninsula, and East Sound
(Orcas Island). Algae blooms present inSouth Soundand Kilisut
Harbor. Nooksack andStillaguamishriver plumes carry soil.
Continuous monitoring p. 35
At the Mukilteo mooring,watertemperature remains warmer
than past five years,salinity is about normal,and dissolved
oxygendeclines slightly.
Streams p. 39
The Skagit River delivers less freshwaterto Puget Soundin
the summer.
LONG-TERMMARINEMONITORINGUNIT
Skip Albertson
Dr. Christopher
Krembs
Julia Bos
Suzan Pool
Editorial assistanceprovided by: Suzan Pool, Laura Hermanson, CarolMaloy
Marine conditionsfrom 9-21-2015at a glance
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Mya Keyzers
Laura Hermanson
Markus von Prause

3. Informationon Hydrogen Sulfide from the Washington Department ofHealth:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/CommunityandEnvironment/Contaminants/HydrogenSulfide
Algal Mats and Human Health
Personal Field Impression
Field log Weather Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Personal Field Impression
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
During the summer, boaters and beachgoers may see large islands of green algae on the water and on the
beach. These algal mats may contain a menagerie of seaweed, seagrass, eelgrass, and debris. The “green tides”
can be a visible sign of eutrophication in coastalenvironments which then negatively effect water quality. The
algal mats can also impact human health. When the algae decompose, they give off hydrogen sulfidegas, which
is an irritant and a chemical asphyxiant(causing breathing difficulty). Itcan lead to headaches, fatigue,
dizziness, and poor memory. If you smell rotten eggs at the beach, it might be fromgreen tides.
Algalmats decomposing on the
beach cansmell like rotten eggs.
Boaters beware!Floatingalgal mats
can also trap debrissuch as logs.

4. Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Natural Influencesleadingto 9-21-2015
Summary:
Air temperatures haveremained
warmer than normal across
western Washington since March
of 2014.
Precipitation levels were
generally abovenormal in
western Washington during
August; rain was episodic.
Sunshine has generally been
abovenormal.
River flows arebelow normal,
especially for the Fraser and
Skagitrivers to the north.
Upwelling has returned to normal
and the PDO remains in the warm
phase.
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.
Putting the puzzle piecesof influencing factorstogether…
lowerhigher expected No data*Upwelling Anomalies (PFEL)
*

5. We usea chartered float
plane and boat to access
our monthly monitoring
stations.
We communicate data and
environmentalmarine
conditions using:
1. Marine Water
Condition Index
(MWCI)
2. Eyes OverPuget
Sound (EOPS)
3. Anomaliesand
sourcedata
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Ourlong-termmarinemonitoringstationsinWashington
Starthere
Isl.
.

6. Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
UnusualPugetSoundconditionsexplained
In2014, a massive pool of warmwater developedinthe NE Pacific (the Blob). Duringthe summer of 2014,Blobwaters
were held offshore by the process of upwelling,as northerly winds movedsurface watersoffshore to be replacedby
cooler upwelledwater. This bufferedthe coast. Inthe fall of 2014,northerly winds subsided and the Blobmoved
onshore,entering Puget Sound on a massive scale.
Fraser River is the largest freshwater source for the Salish Sea - significantlyaffectingestuarine circulation
Higherthan normal
Lower thannormal
Expected
As of Aug 2015
(left), the Blobis
sitting offshore,
separatedfrom
the coast by a
thin band of
cooler,upwelled
water,like in
summer of 2014. Estuarine circulationis now weak since the snowpack-starved
rivers have recordlow flows. This reduces chances tobringcool,
upwelledoceanwaterinto Puget Sound.
The freshet of the FraserRiver and
other rivers flowinginto Puget Sound came much
earlier due to the mild winter, resulting in below
normal flows. Water that is inPuget Sound will
therefore remainlonger. That means more warming
and, potentially,anaccumulationof pollutants.
Credit: Christopher Krembs
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
Discharge(m3s-1)
Source: http://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/index_e.html

7. Physical conditionstracked in historicalcontext
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Higher Temperature! ExpectedOxygenHigher Salinity
Is lower oxygen
in HoodCanal
andSouth Sound
due to lack of
water exchange?
Explore profiles
at all stations
August temperaturesare still at record-breakinghighs. Ongoingdrought effects (lower freshwaterinputs)
shift salinity to higher than normal levels. Coastal Bays,HoodCanal,andSouthSoundexhibit lower
oxygen.

8. a) PacificDecadalOscillationIndex(PDO,temperature) (explanation)
b) UpwellingIndex(anomalies)(Upwelling,low oxygen) (explanation)
c) NorthPacificGyreOscillationIndex(NPGO, productivity) (explanation)
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Theoceanaffectswaterquality: OceanClimateIndices
NPGO(x10)
PDO/UpwellingIndex
Three-year running average of PDO, Upwelling, and NPGO indices scores
.
Ocean boundaryconditions are in transition: (a)water is warm (PDO), (b) upwellingoflow oxygen and
high nutrient ocean water is expected (UpwellingIndex), and (c) higher surface productivityalongthe
coast (NPGO) is expected. 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

9. Is the food web changing in Puget Sound?
Followthe experts
WebEx
Hypothesis!
Increasesin
nitrate
concentrations
could be 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
Are changesin highertropic levelspart of a story of the lowerfood web?

10. Summary: Aerial photography9-21-2015
Largejellyfish aggregations arein some finger inlets of South Soundand present in inlets of
the Kitsap Peninsula and EastSound (Orcas Island). Phytoplankton blooms in colors of red-
brown in South Sound. Brown bloom was in Kilisut Bay. Occasionalalgal mats drift in Central
Sound and Samish Bay. Nooksack and Stillaguamish river plumes carry sediment.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Start here
Mixing and Fronts:
Fronts visible around river plumes.
Debris:
Occasionalmats in Central Sound and Samish Bay.
Visible blooms:
Green-brown: Quartermaster Harbor.
Red-brown: Eld, Budd, and Henderson Inlets.
Brown: Kilisut Harbor, MarrowstoneIsland.
Jellyfish:
Very abundant and largejellyfish patches in southern inlets
of South Sound (Budd and Eld Inlets), Sinclair Inlet, and
EastSound (Orcas Island).
BloomDebrisFront
Suspendedsediment:
Suspended sediments with brownish color suggestsoil in
Nooksack and Stillaguamish River plumes. SkagitRiver with
glacial flour.
Plume
Greetedin the morning by moonjellyfish
Algal bloominQuartermaster Harbor

11. Strait of
Juan de Fuca
San Juan Islands
Padilla Bay
Main Basin
Hood Canal
SouthSound
Whidbey Basin
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Observation Maps:
Good visibilityin North Sound,
broken clouds in South Sound.
Flight Information:
11
10
Aerial photography
and navigation guide
Central and NorthSound
South Sound
7
5
Flight route
9
18
3
2
1
4
14
19
16
15
20
8
Tide data (Seattle):
Time Pred High/Low
04:59 AM 0.96 L
12:13 PM 9.51 H
05:50 PM 6.82 L
11:02 PM 8.86 H
17
6
13
12

12. Large patches of moon jellyfishmixedin with red-brown bloom. Reflections and shadow of cloud.
Location: Budd Inlet (South Sound),10:21 AM.
1 Aerial photography 9-21-2015 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Bloom
boat
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfishjellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
cloud reflections
cloud shadow
jellyfish

13. jellyfish
boat
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
2 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Numerous patches of jellyfishin water containing red-brown algal bloom.
Location: Priest Point Park, Budd Inlet (South Sound),10:22 AM.
Bloom
logs
jellyfish
boat
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
cloud reflections

14. 3 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Large jellyfishpatches in water containing fading red-brown algal bloom.
Location: Eld Inlet (South Sound), 10:24 AM.
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Bloom
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
boat
boat
boat
jellyfish
jellyfish
cloud reflections
cloud reflections
shadow

15. 4 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
Numerous large patches of jellyfishin water of turquoise color.
Location: SinclairInlet (Central Sound), 10:46 AM.
boat
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish
jellyfish

16. 5 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Mixing of water containing different colors due to algae bloom.
Location: Off Illahee State Park, Port Orchard (Central Sound),10:50 AM.
Bloom
boat
cloud shadow
cloud shadow

17. Greenishalgae bloom and fish pen.
Location: Port Gamble (Central Sound),11:00 AM.
6 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
boat
Bloom
fishpen

18. Northern end of brown algal bloom bordering clearer water with a view to bottom.
Location: Kilisut Harbor,Marrowstone Island (Central Sound),11:09 AM.
7 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Bloom
Bloom

19. Greenishalgal bloom in westernportion of Penn Cove.
Location: Off Fort Ebey State Park, Penn Cove (South Sound), 11:50 AM.
8 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Bloom
boatboat

20. A. B.
Coastal erosion and suspended sediment near cliffs along shoreline.
Location: A. Off Fort Ebey State Park, B. West Hastie Lake Road,WhidbeyIsland (North Sound),11:52 AM.
9 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
suspendedsediment
suspendedsediment
kelp kelp
ship
kelp

21. 10 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Signs of a red-brown bloom mixedwith a greenishbloom.
Location: Mud Bay, Lopez Sound (North Sound), 11:59 AM.
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Bloom
cloud shadow

22. Plume
11 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Sediment-richwater of the Nooksack River flowing across “the Portage” during high tide.
Location: Portage Bay,BellinghamBay(North Sound),12:57 PM.
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
boat
Plume
“the Portage”

23. Sediment-richplume of the Nooksack River with a brown hue discharging into Bellingham Bay.
Location: Portage Bay,BellinghamBay(North Sound),12:57 PM.
12 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
ship
Plume
dust on lens

24. boat
boat
Boat wake shows thin sediment-richlayer at surface. Front and water carrying glacial flour off Lummi Island.
Location: Off Portage Island,BellinghamBay(North Sound),12:58 PM.
13 NavigateAerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Debris
Plume
Plume

25. Bands of internal waves form near surface of thin sediment-richsurface layer.
Location: BellinghamBay(North Sound), 1:21 PM.
14 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
plane shadow
Plume
internal waves
dust on lens

26. Debris
15 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Water discolored by glacial flour and distinct front that carries organic debris.
Location: Off Carter Point,Lummi Island,Bellingham Bay(North Sound), 1:22 PM.
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
Plume

27. Bloom
Debris
16 Navigate
Sediment-richwater and tidal fronts with organic debris mixingwith clearer water.
Location: Hat Island,Guemes Channel (North Sound),1:27 PM.
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
boat
boat
boat
ship

28. Bloom
boat
17 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Bright green algal bloom in a disconnected slough.
Location: Northern end ofSwinomish Channel (North Sound),1:30 PM.
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
dust on lens

29. boat
boat
Patches of sediment-richwater with glacial flour of the Skagit River bordered with organic debris.
Location: Off Goat Island,Skagit Bay(Central Sound),1:34 PM.
18 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
Debris
Debris
Plume
Plume
Plume
dust on lens

30. 19 Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Brownish sediment-richplume of the StillaguamishRiver flowing into Port Susan.
Location: Port Susan,WhidbeyBasin (Central Sound), 2:10 PM.
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
Plume
dust on lens

31. boat boat
jellyfish
Bloom
20 Navigate
Red-brown algal bloom and jellyfishpatches.
Location: Henderson Inlet, (South Sound), 4:02 PM.
Aerial photography 9-21-2015
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
jellyfish
raft
jellyfish
jellyfish
boat
dust on lens

32. Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Date: 9-21-2015
Central Sound
Aerial photography observations in Central SoundQualitative aerial observer map during transit Navigate
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
North Sound/SanJuan Islands
19
North Sound/SanJuan IslandsCentral Sound
104
5
6
89
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
7

33. Date: 9-21-2015
Qualitative aerial observer map during transit
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Navigate
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
South Sound
12
3
20

34. Legendto map annotations
Comments:
Maps are producedby observers during and
afterflights. They are intendedto give an
approximate reconstructionofthe surface
conditions onscales that connect to and
overlapwithsatellite images in the sectionthat
follows.
Debris:
Debris canbe distinguished into natural and
anthropogenic debris floatingat the surface
sensu Moore andAllen (2000). The majority of
organic debris in Puget Sound is natural and
mixedwith discardedman-made pieces of
plastic,wood,etc. Fromthe plane,we cannot
differentiatethe quality of debris at the surface
and therefore,call it forreasons of practicality
just “debris”.
S.L. Moore,M. J. Allen. 2000. Distribution of
Anthropogenic and Natural Debris on the
Mainland Shelf of the Southern California Bight.
Marine Pollution Bulletin,40(1): 83–88.
Navigate
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams

35. Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Continuousmonitoring 9-21-2015
Data are not available
for this time period.
Look for themnext
month.
No oxygensensor on
the shallow instrument
package.
2-6 m depth
These plots show the
probability of
observations over 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.
12-16 m depth
Summary: The Mukilteo mooring station continues to havemonthly water temperature that is
higher than the pastfive years. Mean daily temperatureand salinity are becoming more variable.
River flows remain low and minimal.

36. Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Continuousmonitoring 9-21-2015
In September, water temperature remains warmer
than the pastfive years, salinity is about normal,
and dissolved oxygen declines slightly. Seasonality
of each parameter remains apparent.
Please note that data are provisional. Data are in GMT.

37. Our mooring station in Mukilteo is located in
Whidbey Basin near Everett. Itis also
located at the transition between Possession
and Central Sounds at a depth that is
influenced by the Skagitand Snohomish
River discharges, prevailing winds, and tidal
mixing.
As the largestregional contributor of
freshwater to Puget Sound, understanding
the timing and magnitude of the Skagit River
flow is important. Southerly winds coincided
with increased river flows.
We presentdaily means for the past31 days.
Data are plotted in Pacific Standard Time.
Wind data are fromPaine Field in Everett.
River flow data are fromUSGS.
Click on icon to view real-time
data of the moorings
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Continuousmonitoring 9-21-2015

38. Changesin the flows of the SkagitRiver
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
The Skagit River changes when it delivers its freshwater to Puget Sound
According to the SkagitClimate
Science Consortium, changes in
temperature and precipitation will
alter the hydrologic behavior of
the SkagitRiver by the late 21st
century.
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Discharge(CFS)
Mean of daily mean values for each day for 44 - 46 years of
record in, ft3/s (Calculation Period 1942-10-01 -> 2015-09-30)
WY 2015 CFS
Minimum of daily mean values for each day for 44 - 46 years of
record in, ft3/s (Calculation Period 1942-10-01 -> 2015-09-30)
The Skagit River contributes 20% of all the freshwater
entering Puget Sound.
• In spring, 2015 river flows (black line) were much
abovehistorical mean daily values (blue line).
• Starting in June, flows decreased below historical
averages butdid not reach record lows (red line).
Mean daily values 1942-2015
2015 Water Year discharge(CFS)
Minimum daily mean value 1942-2015
Ecology’s Riverand Stream MonitoringProgram measureswater qualityof the Skagit Riversince the 1940’s at two sites (03A060) (04A100).

39. What will the flows of the Skagit River look like
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Easton Glacier photographedin 2011.
Easton Glacier photographedin 1912.
Hydrographs of projected
monthly stream flows (CFS)
on the SkagitRiver at Mt.
Vernon.
Warmer temperatures and a higher proportion of winter
precipitation falling as rain, rather than stored as snow, will
reduce the amountof water stored as snow in the Skagit
Basin overall.
The retreat and loss of the glaciers (e.g., Easton Glacier) will
continue to effect summertime low flows (400 billion gallons
of reduced water supply since 1993) in the SkagitRiver basin.
Simulations for the
historical (blue), the 2020s
(yellow), the 2040s (green)
and the 2080s (red).Source : Skagit Climate Science Consortium,

40. 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
Field log Climate Watercolumn Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams
Riverand Stream WaterQuality
Monitoring
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/fw_riv
/rv_main.html
Discontinued (fundingcuts)

41. 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
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos Continuous monitoring Streams