Surface Conditions Report, June 5, 2017
Eyes Over Puget Sound
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Publication No. 17-03-070
Up-to-date observations of water quality conditions in Puget Sound and coastal bays
Start here

Dr. Christopher
Krembs (Editor)
Personalimpressions p. 3
We have a new marine technician: AllisonBrownlee!
Climateinfluences p. 5
The spring has generally beenwet. River flows are all above
normal due to snow melt and warmer air temperatures.
Watercolumn p. 8
Recordwinter andspring rains have createdsignificantly fresher
conditions.
Aerialphotography p. 10
Yellow-greenbloomsinbays near the KitsapPeninsula. Blooms
in green, brown, andred brownnear estuaries of the Skagit,
Stillaguamish, and PuyallupRivers. Redblooms inrivers of
Willapa Bay.
Streams p. 34
Coldand wet conditions inthe first half of 2017 have set the
stage for a favorable supply of freshwater to the marine
environment.
LONG-TERMMARINEMONITORINGUNIT
Skip Albertson
Julia Bos
Editorial assistanceprovided by: Allison Brownlee, CarolMaloy
Marine conditionsfrom 6-5-2017 at a glance
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Tyler Burks
Mya Keyzers
Allison Brownlee

pH
sensor
Niskin
bottle
Personal Field Impression
Field log Weather Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Personal Field Impression 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - StreamsField log Weather Water column Aerial photos - StreamsField log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
What types of data do we collect below the surface?
We have a new marine technician! AllisonBrownlee has come fromthe City of San
Diego where she collectedandanalyzedoceanographicdata for their expansive ocean
monitoringprogram. Allisonjoins Mya Keyzers inthe marine waters fieldcrew who
monitor Puget Sound and the coastal estuaries by bothsea plane and boat!
Surrounding the sensors arewater-sampling
Niskin bottles that we can programto
collect water samples at discrete depths.
We analyzefor:
• Nutrients
• Chlorophylla
• TN (Total nitrogen)
• TOC (Total organic carbon)
• POC (Particulate organic
carbon)
• PN (Particulate organic
nitrogen)
• Dissolved oxygen
• Salinity
We usea SeaBird CTD (Conductivity,
Temperature, Depth) profiler with
added sensors to measurea suite of
water column parameters:
• Temperature
• Salinity/Conductivity
• Dissolved oxygen
• PAR(Light)
• Transmissivity
• Fluorometry
• Turbidity
• pH

Critter of the Month – The Tube-Dwelling Anemone
Dany Burgess & Angela Eagleston
Marine Sediment Monitoring Team
Fun Facts!
• The only tube anemone
found in Puget Sound
• Secretes a thread-like
material to create its own
black, slimy tube
• Main predator is the giant
nudibranch (photo below)
• Can live up to 10 years
Learn moreabout the tube-dwelling anemone and other critters on Ecology’s EcoConnectblog here
Pachycerianthusfimbriatus
Puget Sound is blooming with
plankton right now, and this month’s
flower-like critter is a reminder that
the benthos has “blooms” of its
own!Meet the tube-dwelling
anemone, a delicate blossomat the
bottom of Puget Sound.
Photo courtesy of Mike Munroe Photo courtesy of John Yasaki
Personal Field ImpressionEyes Under Puget Sound 6-5-2017
Field log Weather Water column Aerial photos - StreamsField log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams

Climate Influences leading to 6-5-2017
Climate and naturalinfluences,includingweather,rivers,and the adjacent ocean,can
affect our marine waters. Graphics are basedonprovisional dataandare subject to
change. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/mar_wat/weather.html,page 26.
higher No datalowerexpected
*UpwellingAnomalies (PFEL)
PDO = PacificDecadal Oscillation
NPGO = North Pacific GyreOscillation
ENSO = El Niño Southern Oscillation
Field log Weather Water column Aerial photos - StreamsField log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Summary:
Air temperatures havebeen
slightly warmer after a cool
winter/spring.
Precipitationlevels havebeen
near normal, capping a wet
spring.
Sunshine levels havebeen
abovenormal except near the
coast(opposite of cloud
cover).
River flows areall above
normal due to snow melt and
warmer temperatures.
Downwelling has been strong,
though normalin May. ENSO
and PDO aretrending warmer.

We usea boatand
a chartered float plane
equipped with a CTD
packageto 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
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Ourlong-termmarinemonitoringstationsinWashington
Starthere
Isl.
.
Station network of ambient
water quality monitoring stations
San Juan Isl.

Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
HowwellisPugetSoundexchangingitswater?
Year 2016 had record-breaking globaltemperatures. The year 2017 is looking much better. Fraser River flows
are normal or higher than normal in June and similar to the year 2014. This means that water renewalin Puget
Sound has returned to normal conditions this early summer.
Fraser River Flow
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12000
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May-17
Discharge(m3s-1)
Higher than normal
Lower than normal
Expected
FraserRiver

Physical conditionstracked in historicalcontext
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
With the onset of 2017,the remarkably high watertemperatures from2015 & 2016 disappearedexcept in
SouthHoodCanal deepwater. Recordwinterand spring rains havecreatedsignificantly fresher conditions.
Badweather fromJanuary throughApril causedus to miss quite a few stations. Inaddition,our rigorous
QA/QC caught some sensor issues in oxygen,resulting in data gaps.
Near Normal Temperature LowerSalinity
Region
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4
Whidbey Basin
Hood Canal
Central Sound
South Sound
Grays Harbor
Willapa Bay
North Sound
San Juan
2015 20152016 2017 20172015 20162016 2017
DO Data Gaps

a) PacificDecadalOscillationIndex(PDO,temperature) (explanation)
b) UpwellingIndex(anomalies)(Upwelling,low oxygen) (explanation)
c) NorthPacificGyreOscillationIndex(NPGO, productivity) (explanation)
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Theoceanaffectswaterquality: OceanClimateIndices
NPGO(x10)
PDO/UpwellingIndex
Three-year running average of PDO, Upwelling, and NPGO indices scores
.
Ocean boundaryconditions long-term variability: (a)water is still warm (PDO), (b) upwellingoflow
oxygen and high nutrient ocean water are low (UpwellingIndex anomaly),and (c) surface productivity
alongthe coast is near normal (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 photography6-5-2017
Jellyfishaggregations insome finger inlets of SouthSound. Unusual yellow-greenblooms inbays
near the Kitsap Peninsula. Blooms ingreen, brownandred brownnear estuaries of the Skagit,
Stillaguamishand Puyallup Rivers. Redblooms insome rivers of Willapa Bay at the coast.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Start here
Mixing and Fronts:
Tidal eddies near Hope Island, numerous internalwaves in
Whidbey Basin.
Debris:
Macro-algaein Dyes Inlet, Colvos Passage, and Pickering
Passage.
Visible blooms:
Red-brown blooms in Commencement and PortTownsend
Bays. Yellow green blooms in Oyster Bay and parts of Liberty
bay. Red bloom in rivers feeding Willapa Bay. Dark green water
in Puget Sound suggesting high productivity.
Jellyfish:
Some patches in Budd, Eld, Totten, and Sinclair Inlets.
BloomDebrisFront
Suspendedsediment:
Glacial flour near the Skagit and Puyallup rivers.
Plume
South Fork Palix River,BayCenter,WillapaBay
Humpback Whale in Case Inlet
click me to see me swim
Courtesy of Graunke, Kyle,Ecology

Strait of
Juan de Fuca
San Juan Islands
Padilla Bay
Main Basin
Hood Canal
South Sound
Whidbey Basin
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Sunny, then increasinglycloudyand
hazytowards the end of the flight
Flight Information:
Aerial photography
and navigation guide
Flight route2
Tide data(Seattle):
Time Height (ft) High/Low
02:35 AM 11.09 H
09:37 AM 0.69 L
4:29 PM 9.23 H
9:30 PM 5.40 L
6 11
4
1
Observation Maps:
Central and NorthSound
South Sound
12
7
5
1819
1617
14
3
9
8 10
13
15
20

A.
B.
A. Jellyfish patches and small bloom. B. Aquaculture and effects on surface layer during incoming tide.
Location: A. Eld Inlet,B. Totten Inlet (South Sound),1:02 PM.
1 Aerial photography 6-5-2017 Navigate
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Bloom
Debris
jellyfish
Bloom
jellyfish
mixing
aquaculture
Plume

Bright yellow-greenbloom.
Location: Oyster Bay/Dyes Inlet (Central Sound), 1:27 PM.
2 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Bloom
boat
Debris

3 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Macro algae accumulating along tidal front.
Location: Off WindyPoint/Dyes Inlet (Central Sound),1:29 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
boat
Debris

4 Navigate
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Aerial photography 6-5-2017
Bright yellow-greenbloom.
Location: Off Keyport Saltwater Park,Liberty Bay (Central Sound), 1:32 PM.
Bloom
boat

5 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Bloom and freshwater plume near Skunk Island.
Location: Port Hadlock, Port Townsend Bay (Central Sound),1:46 PM.
Skunk Island
boat
Bloom
fire

Bloom extending intoKilisut Harbor.
Location: Port Townsend Bay(Central Sound),1:49 PM.
6 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Rat Island
marker
Bloom
Bloom
Debris
boat
Bloom

Skagit sediment plume extendinginto Penn Cove.
Location: Penn Cove (WhidbeyBasin),1:54 PM.
7 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Bloom
boat

A train of internal waves traveling towards Skagit Bay.
Location: Entrance to Skagit Bay (WhidbeyBasin), 1:59 PM.
8 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
boat
Polnell Point
Camano Island
Plume
Internal waves

Fed by meltwater in the mountains, the Skagit River is the largest freshwater contributor to Puget Sound.
Location: North Fork Skagit River, Skagit Bay (WhidbeyBasin),2:01 PM.
9 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Snow in the
mountains
Meltwater in
rivers
Glacial flour andfreshwater
Estuary
boat

10 NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Patches of algae bloom in shallow, highly stratifiedwater of Skagit Bay.
Location: Skagit Bay (WhidbeyBasin ),2:02 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Wiley slough
Mount Baker
Skagit River
Bloom
Suspendedsediment

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Bloom in shallow stratifiedwater of the Stillaguamish River Estuary.
Location: Port Susan (WhidbeyBasin),2:06 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
11
Stillaguamish River
Bloom
Suspendedsediment

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Internal waves running northward and curving into shallow waters of Camano Island.
Location: Port Susan (WhidbeyBasin),2:08 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
12
Internal waves

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Tidal front and macro-algae at the entrance and inside of Colvos Passage.
Location:Point Vashon,Point Southworth,Colvos Passage (CentralSound),2:30 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
13
Point Southworth
Point Vashon,
Debris
Debris
Debris
Bloom

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Internal waves in sediment-richwater of Puyallup River extendinginto Quartermaster Harbor.
Location: Vashon Island (Central Sound),2:36 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
14
Internal waves
Plume
Bloom

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Puyallup River plume rich in glacial flour extendingfrom Commencement Bay into Puget Sound.
Location: Commencement Bay(Central Sound),2:36 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
15
Dash Point
Mount Rainier
Puyallup River
Plume
Bloom

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Red-brown bloom in sediment-richfreshwater plume from the Puyallup River.
Location: Point Defiance (Central Sound), 2:37 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
16
Point Defiance
Plume
Bloom
ferry
boat boat

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Sediment plume from the Puyallup River at the entrance to Colvos Passage.
Location: Point Defiance (Central Sound),2:38 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
17
Vashon Island
Plume
boat
boat

Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Sediment plume from the Puyallup River and red-brown bloom enteringthe Tacoma Narrows.
Location: GigHarbor (Central Sound),2:38 PM.
18
Point Defiance
Plume
Bloom
boat
ferry

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Schools of fish.
Location: Raft Island,Carr Inlet (South Sound),2:41 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
19
Raft Island
fish
fish
fish
fish
fish

NavigateAerial photography 6-5-2017
Bloom and organic material accumulating along tidal fronts.
Location: Pitt Passage (South Sound),2:45 PM.
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
20
boat
Bloom
Debris
Debris
boat

North Sound Central Sound
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Date: 6-5-2017
Qualitative aerial observer map during transit Navigate
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
17
16
15
14
13
n.a.
2
3
4
5
18
8
9
7 10
12
6 11
19

Date: 6-5-2017
Qualitative aerial observer map during transit
Numbers on map refer to picture numbers for spatial reference
Navigate
South Sound
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
1
19
20

Snowpack and stream flows are presently good
Field log Climate Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Tyler Burks,
Ecology
Cold and wet conditions in the firsthalf of 2017 haveset the stagefor a favorablesupply
of freshwater to the marine environment. Key things to watch for in the coming months
will be snowpack melt rates, and also how rain-dominated watersheds respond as we
progress through thesummer.
A.
In late2016, conditions were
favorable for a building snowpack
and predominantly above normal
streamflow conditions.
Precipitation reached nearly 200%
of normalin parts ofPuget Sound,
while temperaturesrangedfrom
normal to 2 ⁰F below normal.
Presently, acoolspring has
allowed thesnowpack to persistat
an averageof160% forwatersheds
draining to Puget Sound.
In 2016, despite near normal snowpack conditions
at higher elevations, a very warmspring led to early
streamflow peaks and eventual deficits in Puget
Sound. ByMay of last year (left) streamflow had
already reachedlevels below the 10th percentile,
while in other areas streamflowremained normal.
In 2017 (right), due to a robust snowpack and mild
spring temperatures, streamflowconditions have
rangedfrom normal to much above normal for
watersheds draining to Puget Sound.
B.
Comparison of May Monthly Streamflow, 2016 and 2017
Source: USGS

Accesshistoric
mooring data:
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pr
ograms/eap/mar_wat/dat
a.html
- : 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 Water column Aerial photos - Streams
Riverand Stream WaterQuality
Monitoring
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/fw_riv
/rv_main.html
Discontinued (fundingcuts)

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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 - Streams