Environmental issues in Puget Sound: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Mount Rainier and Puget Sound.jpg|thumb|Mount Rainier and Puget Sound]]
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'''Puget Sound environmental issues''' are diverse and complex. Declining [[salmon]] populations are frequently cited as an indication of overall environmental degradation (Montgomery 2003).
[[Puget Sound]] is a deep [[inlet]] of the [[Pacific Ocean]] in Washington, extending south from the Strait of [[Juan de Fuca]] through [[Admiralty Inlet]]. It was explored and named by Captain George Vancouver for his aide, [[Peter Puget]], in 1792.
 
The ninth Puget Sound Update, from the Puget Sound Action Team reports that:<ref name="PSAT260">Puget Sound Action Team. [https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01051 2007 Puget Sound Update: Ninth Report of the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program.] Olympia, Washington. 260 pp.</ref>
 
:"Puget Sound has [[biological]] [[resources]] which include all of the living [[organisms]] which inhabit the [[Marine (ocean)|marine]] waters and shorelines. These biological resources are [[plankton]], [[invertebrates]], [[fish]], [[birds]], [[mammals]], and [[aquatic vegetation]], including [[species]] that are either [[residential]] or migratory."
 
The abundance of creatures and foliage allowed for the native peoples of the area to thrive and prosper by harvesting it. Many of the problems of Puget Sound originated from explorers and trappers hunting and killing the indigenous species off of which the natives thrived and prospered.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Marine Birds and Mammals of Puget Sound|last=Angell|first=Tony|publisher=Seattle: Washington Sea Grant Publication|year=1982|___location=Distributed by the University of Washington Press}}</ref> In the past 30 years there has been a large [[recession]] in the [[populations]] of the species which inhabit Puget Sound. The decrease has been seen in the populations of: [[forage fish]], [[Salmonidae|salmonids]], bottom fish, [[marine birds]], [[harbor porpoise]] and [[orcas]]. This decline is attributed to '''environmental issues in Puget Sound'''. Because of this population decline, there have been changes to the [[fishery]] practices, and an increase in petitioning to add species to the [[Endangered Species Act]] (ESA). There has also been an increase in [[Endangered Species Recovery Plan|recovery]] and management plans for many different area species.<ref name="PSAT260"/>
 
The cause of these environmental issues are, [[toxic]] [[contamination]], [[eutrophication]] (low oxygen due to excess nutrients), and near shore habitat changes.<ref name="PSAT260" /> <!-- Are these the cause of the environmental issues or the issues themselves? -->Puget Sound has been affected by urbanization and the toxic pollutants it produces. As a government document regarding this issue says, "A major contributor of these toxic pollutants entering the Sound is the stormwater that runs off our highways, roads, driveways, roofs, parking lots, disturbed soils, and other developed surfaces." They also talk about the [[loss of habitat]]. In the last 125 years, Puget Sound has lost or damaged 70 percent of their habitats including the [[salt marshes]], [[Zostera|eelgrass beds]] and the [[estuaries]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/threats.html.|title=Overview: Threats {{!}} Saving Puget Sound {{!}} Washington State Department of Ecology|website=www.ecy.wa.gov|publisher=Washington State Department of Ecology|access-date=2016-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018101421/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/threats.html.|archive-date=2016-10-18|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
== Puget Sound industry ==
Puget Sound, Washington is a body of water lying east of [[Admiralty Inlet]], through which ocean waters reach inland some {{convert|50|mi|km}} from the [[Pacific coast|Pacific Coast]] to complex and intricate system of [[Channel (geography)|channels]], [[inlet]]s, [[Estuary|estuaries]], embayments and [[island]]s. Industries in this area include [[aerospace]], [[military]], [[biotechnology]], [[fishing]], [[electronics]], [[computers]], [[forest]] products, [[Marine (ocean)|marine]] industries, [[telecommunications]], [[transportation]] and other [[commerce]] industries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Washington State Community, Trade, and Economic Development. Business and Project Development: Top Industries|url=http://www.choosewashington.com/industries/|accessdate=2006-07-13|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060712214626/http://choosewashington.com/industries/|archivedate=2006-07-12}}</ref>
Much of the Puget Sound’s industry relies on the waters that surround the area. [[Oysters]], [[salmon]], [[clams]], [[herring]], [[trout]], [[perch]] and [[sole]] are regularly harvested from Puget Sound’s oceans and riverbeds (Puget Sound Action Team). Although fish farming (fish [[aquaculture]]) is uncommon in the Puget Sound, there is a wealth of commercial bivalve shellfish production in the area. Whereas fish farming is uncommon and unpopular in the Puget Sound because of its negative environmental impacts and problems with water pollution, bivalve shellfish naturally clean the water they grow in (Thanqaraju). The large bivalve shellfish industry may play a role in the relative purity of Puget Sound water quality. Some factories have accidentally released harmful chemicals into the waters of Puget Sound. Two examples of such chemicals are [[DDT]], (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane) and [[Polychlorinated biphenyl|PCB]] (polychlorinated biphenyl). These chemicals break down very slowly, and therefore will be in the water for a long time. These chemicals exist in very low concentrations in the water, but through [[biomagnification]], the toxin levels increase dramatically as one moves up the food chain. (Sverdrup, Duxbury)
 
Due to improper storage methods for dangerous chemicals, such as arsenic, areas of soil and aquatic land in Puget Sound are being managed under the [[Superfund|Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act]] (CERCLA).<ref name="02-35">{{Cite news|title=Toxics Cleanup Program|year=2002|work=News Release 02-35|publisher=Washington State Department of Ecology}}</ref>
Not only is Puget Sound important to the industries related to sea life, it is also one of the main shipping ports of the Northwest. Much of the Northwest relies on trade goods that are shipped through Puget Sound ports. The rapid development of the trade industry along Puget Sound has caused environmental problems due to the fact that so much of the shoreline is now industrialized.
 
Standards for the storage and discharge of industry chemicals have improved, and Puget Sound remains vital to the industries that depend upon it, such as shipping [[port]]s.<ref>[http://www.lhwmp.org/home/BHW/reg_review.aspx http://www.lhwmp.org/home/BHW/reg_review.aspx]</ref>
== Urbanization around Puget Sound ==
Ports in Washington are diverse. Governed as [[Municipality|municipalities]], the ports operate shipping terminals, marinas, docks, and associated infrastructure, such as roads, railroads and parks. The fastest-growing part of Washington ports is industrial development.<ref name="02-35" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtonports.org/|title=Washington State Public Ports Association|year=2006|accessdate=2006-07-13}}</ref>
The Puget Sound region has been growing rapidly. Puget Sound will grow by 16% between 2000 and 2020 (Sound Transit-Kirkland Project). The population is increasing because people like to live around the ocean. Since 1960, the population of the central Puget Sound has more than doubled, increasing by 1.87 million people from 1,513,000 in 1960 to 3,387,500 in 2003. [http://www.psrc.org/datapubs/pubs/trends/ Puget Sound Trends]. Due to the increasing population and [[urbanization]] Puget Sound is getting worse [[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-10-puget-sound_x.htm USA Today]].
 
== Urbanization and population ==
Oceanographically, it is a partially mixed, estuarine [[fjord]] consisting of a series of interconnected basins separated by sills.
The Puget Sound region has been rapidly growing. According to the [[Puget Sound Regional Council]] (PSRC), a board that plans for growth in the four central counties of the area ([[Kitsap County, Washington|Kitsap]], [[Pierce County, Washington|Pierce]], [[Snohomish County, Washington|Snohomish]] and [[King County, Washington|King]] counties), the combined population of these counties was nearly 3.4 million residents in 2003.<ref name="PSRC">{{Cite web|url=http://www.psrceis.org/Content/10000/VISION_202020_HOME.html|title=Vision 2020|year=2006|publisher=Puget Sound Regional Council|accessdate=2008-10-04|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105160708/http://www.psrceis.org/Content/10000/VISION_202020_HOME.html|archivedate=2009-01-05}}</ref>
 
Times have changed since the 1970s, when a billboard in Seattle read "the last person to leave Seattle please turn out the lights".<ref>Montgomery (2003), p. 8</ref> Between 1970 and 2000, the Puget Sound region's population increased by 1.3 million people. The 12-county Puget Sound region, including Seattle and Tacoma, has quadrupled to four million people since the 1950s, and the state predicts one million more residents by 2025.<ref name="PFPS">{{Cite web|url=http://www.pugetsound.org/index/|title=People for Puget Sound|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030224110820/http://www.pugetsound.org/index/|archivedate=February 24, 2003}}</ref> The PSRC predicts that between 2000 and 2020 the region will increase by 1.7 million people. Another change the region faces involves the [[demographics]] of its population. The segment of its population ages 65 and older is projected to increase by 150 percent, making up 17 percent of the total population by 2040.<ref name="PSRC" />
Ecologically, the area is very rich, although many non-profit organizations and government agencies are working to address [[Puget Sound environmental issues]].
 
The expansion of [[Microsoft]] and [[Boeing]] has spurred an economic growth in the area. This has major environmental implications, including pollution runoff and the altering of important shorelines. "One-third of Puget Sound shoreline has already been altered".<ref name="Klinger">Klinger, Terry, Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Lecture for Society and Oceans. 2005.</ref><!-- This quote needs to be properly attributed and worked into the article in a grammatically correct way. -->
The Shoreline Management Act of 1971 which was created in order to help slow and reverse the damage that urbanization has upon Puget Sound. In Snohomish County there are seven basic land and water use element, all of which encourage and promote the general well being of the Puget Sound environment. However it is done in a realistic way because they take into fact that there will be growth, that cannot be stopped, so this plan has to do with how can we accommodate population growth and raise the quality of life for the Puget Sound environment.
 
Under the Growth Management Act (GMA), local governments plan, coordinate and manage for growth in Washington, while protecting natural resources and public interests. The GMA requires local governments to develop long-term comprehensive plans for land uses in their [[jurisdiction]]s. Plans must be coordinated with surrounding counties and be approved by a regional board. Finally, as part of the GMA, local governments must address sensitive fish and wildlife areas through Critical Area Ordinances (CAOs).<ref>{{Cite book|title=Revised Code of Washington|chapter=Chapter 36.70A RCW: Growth management — planning by selected counties and cities}}</ref>
==Hood Canal Hypoxia==
The Hood Canal is a long, narrow and deep fjord-like body of water. There are several factors that lead to low-oxygen conditions ([[hypoxia]]) in Hood Canal. First is the underwater topography of the Canal. The deepest parts of the Canal are more than 600 feet deep, but at the entrance is a sill that is only 150 feet deep. This sill leads to sluggish water exchange between Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal. Water exchange from tides is also sluggish in Hood Canal due to its shape and depth. Second is the supply of nutrients, primarily nitrate, to the euphotic zone. There are both natural and man-made sources of nutrients. The primary natural source is in ocean water that flushes Hood Canal. Man-made sources include leaking septic systems, storm water runoff, agriculture and various other sources. The presence of nutrients leads to algae growth, which consumes oxygen when the algae die and decompose, contributing to the low oxygen conditions in these waters. Third is the source of ocean water that enters Hood Canal. Circulation in Hood Canal is like most estuaries: fresh, warm water flow out at the surface and is replaced by cold, salty water at depth. The cold, salty ocean water that enters Hood Canal comes into Puget Sound from the open ocean and has not recently been in contact with the atmosphere. As a result, this water is initially somewhat depleted in oxygen.
Low oxygen conditions are at there worst in the late summer, after several months of limited flushing and maximum plankton production near the surface. In some years, oxygen becomes sufficiently depleted that animals cannot survive. These kills may occur either locally or over a wide area. These issues are part of a current research program ([http://www.hoodcanal.washington.edu/ Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program]).
 
==Hood Canal hypoxia==
==Eelgrass==
[[Hood Canal]] is a [[fjord]] off Puget Sound. [[Hypoxia (environmental)|Hypoxia]] is a low-oxygen condition occurring in Hood Canal. One overriding factor of this is the underwater [[topography]] of the canal. While the shallowest part of the canal is its entrance, where the ledge, or [[Lock (water transport)#Cill|sill]], of the canal measures only 150 feet (46 m) deep, the deepest parts of the canal are more than 600 feet (180 m) deep. The Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program (HCDOP)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program - Integrated Assessment and Modeling Study|url=http://www.hoodcanal.washington.edu/|year=2006|publisher=University of Washington, Applied Physics Department|accessdate=2008-10-04}}</ref> and the [[United States Geological Survey|United States Geological Service]] (USGS) are studying Hood Canal circulation, trying to model the [[Tide|tidal]] circulations and [[salinity]] distribution patterns between the canal and Admiralty Inlet.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Josberger|first=E.G.|year=2005|title=Modeling tidal circulation and freshwater mixing in Hood Canal, Washington|publisher=USGS Modeling Conference, Port Angeles, Washington, November 15–17, 2005|author2=Cheng, R.T.}}</ref> Other factors that, when combined with the constrictive shape, could also influence hypoxia in Hood Canal are:<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Newton|first=Jan|year=2006|title=Low Dissolved Oxygen in Hood Canal|publisher=University of Washington, Applied Physics Laboratory|url=http://www.hoodcanal.washington.edu/aboutHC/scienceprimer.jsp?perPage=1&startIndex=0&View=&keyword=EDUPPT}}</ref>
[[Eelgrass]] is such an exceedingly vital facet of the Puget Sound that many call its beds a “multimillion dollar industry in [[Washington]]..." These beds provide nutrients and shelter for various animals in the Sound, the most important being the [[salmon]] population. The grass provides protective cover for juvenile salmon who will hide among its leaves to avoid predators. Eelgrass also acts as a nursery for [[herring]] who deposit their eggs among the grass. These herring will go on to be an important food source to both juvenile and adult salmon. Additionally, during low tide, eelgrass shelters many small animals from extreme temperatures, and in tideflats the beds act as a sponge for moisture offering additional protection for marine animals.
 
#[[Pacific Ocean]] marine water may be entering with a lower oxygen content than historically received.
Eelgrass is an underwater grass that thrives in marine and estuarine water bottoms and spreads through [[rhizomes]], or roots. It has been estimated by [http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ The State Department of Natural Resources] that Puget Sound is occupied by approximately 26,000 acres (105 km&sup2;) of eelgrass. These beds tend to grow in two different Puget Sound [[habitat (ecology)|habitats]], one being flats which can be described as either large shallow bays or small ‘pocket’ beaches, and also in fringe beds along steep shorelines.
#Marine water may be entering at a density lighter than needed to flush out Hood Canal quickly or effectively.
#[[River]]ine freshwater input has changed—increased or decreased—altering the [[stratification (water)]] of Hood Canal marine life.
#[[Organic matter|Organic material]] input may have increased.
#Light input may have increased ([[algae]] growth increases with light, as well as organic nutrient input).
#Wind currents may have altered water column circulation ([[Atmospheric circulation]]).
 
The picture surrounding hypoxia in Hood Canal is complex; research models point to more than one contributing factor: Nutrient level. [[Nutrient]] level is a large issue due to the human impact. The supply of nutrients, primarily [[nitrate]]s, to the [[Photic zone|euphotic zone]] is thought to impact levels of dissolved oxygen. Nutrients feed algae, which under the right conditions, "bloom" and then die and decompose; the entire process requires a large amount of oxygen. This decreases the oxygen in the water column, lowering the dissolved [[oxygen]] level.<ref name="PSAT260"/>
Although this grass is such a vital part of the Puget Sound ecosystem, Washington State has lost nearly 33% of its eelgrass beds due to various factors including [[dredging]], which not only removes the grass but inflicts nearly irreversible damage to the Puget Sound ecosystem and marine chemistry. Furthermore, dock construction is detrimental to eelgrass beds as the docks shelter the grass from direct sunlight, a necessity for eelgrass growth. Other factors of eelgrass loss include pollution and logging.
 
There are both natural and man-made sources of nutrients. The primary natural source is in ocean water that flushes Hood Canal. Man-made sources include leaking [[septic tank|septic]] systems, storm water runoff, agriculture and various other sources causing [[nutrient pollution]]. The presence of nutrients leads to algae growth, which consumes oxygen when the algae die and decompose, contributing to the low oxygen conditions in these waters.<ref name="PSAT260"/>
==The evolution of Pacific salmon==
It is difficult to become familiar with the evolution of salmon because there are minimal amounts of salmon fossils, if any at all. Since the salmon swim in mountain rivers, the mountains erode, thus destroying any fossils of salmon (Montgomery, ''King of Fish''). Historically, people have believed that the salmon, "rode out on the glacier advances" and gradually spread once the ice melted (Montgomery, ''King of Fish''). However, fossils of the modern species of salmon predate the glaciations which means that the salmon came before the glaciers and therefore could not have relied on glaciations for evolution (Thomas et al., 1986 ). DNA sequencing techniques are now being used to identify salmon populations by looking at genetic mutations, “to estimate when populations diverged” (Montgomery, ''King of Fish''). By doing this, researchers have found that the Atlantic and Pacific salmon diverged about twenty million years ago as the, “freezing of the polar seas below the tolerance of salmon imposed a barrier that prevented the commingling of salmon stocks in different oceans” (Montgomery, ''King of Fish''). Pacific salmon started to form clans approximately ten million years ago, and four million years later, there were five additional species of Pacific salmon.
 
Another factor mentioned by the HCDOP is the influence of the ocean water. The ocean water that enters Hood Canal is like most estuaries: fresh, warm water flows out at the surface and is replaced by cold, salty water at depth. The cold, salty ocean water that enters Hood Canal comes into Puget Sound from the open ocean and has not recently been in contact with the atmosphere. As a result, this water is initially somewhat depleted in oxygen.<ref name="PSAT260"/>
==Degradation of salmon habitat in the Puget Sound==
Development and expansion in the Puget Sound region have resulted in the degradation of salmon habitat. Numerous aspects contribute to this loss of salmon habitat. Loss of river habitat through diking, damming, and redirection of rivers have reduced the areas where salmon are able to spawn (Montgomery 2003). Significant log jams in rivers allow salmon special areas to rest during spawning season (Montgomery 2003). Healthy forests and beaches are dwindling in the Puget Sound, affecting the salmon population. Salmon need healthy, cold water to return to spawning areas (City of Seattle). According to the "State of the Sound" report, 30% of Washington State's waterways are contaminated by stormwater runoff. (Puget Sound Action Team 2004). The contaminated rivers, streams and bays, as well as the Puget Sound, are key areas needed for salmon habitat. According to the "State of the Sound" the number of forage fish, an important food source for salmon, is declining. Degradtion of salmon habitat not only affects the salmon, but also other fisheries and the ecosystem.
 
Oxygen levels will fluctuate throughout the year; this is due to seasonal changes in nutrient availability, solar radiation, and water column stratification (layers of water of different density, temperature, and salinity).<ref name="PSAT260"/> Low oxygen conditions are at their worst in the late summer, after several months of limited flushing and maximum [[plankton]] production near the surface. In some years, oxygen becomes sufficiently depleted that animals cannot survive. These kills may occur either locally or over a wide area.<ref name=":2" />
==The needs of salmon for survival==
In order for salmon to revive in the Puget Sound, their basic needs must be met. According to David Montgomery (King of Fish, 2003), these needs include cool, unpolluted water. Puget Sound has not met this need, because 17 stocks of salmon and steelhead have been listed as endangered due to polluted waterways, as well as other factors [http://www.pugetsound.org/ People for Puget Sound]. Other basic salmon needs include clean gravel streambeds to lay their eggs, a flood regime in tune with their life cycle, accessible habitat that provides food and cover from predators Good streambeds, another necessity, are few due to damming and urbanization. Lastly, juvenile and adult salmon need to be able to get back home to their orignal rivers and spawning beds. Due to dams and overfishing the salmon have not been able to do that, and thus have had a major decrease in populatin. Until the government takes strict action in meeting and enforcing these needs, the salmon population will continue to decline, possibly to extinction.
 
==Combined Sewage Overflow==
[[Logjams]] in Puget Sound rivers and streams provide important wintering habitat for juvenile [[salmon]]. Logjams protect the salmon from predators and tumultuous waters. In 1880 the [[US Army Corps of Engineers]] began a process of "desnagging" Northwest rivers, one of the first actions by settlers harmful to [[salmon]] populations (Montgomery 2003). There is currently a movement among environmentalists to create engineered [[logjams]] (ELJs) to restore [[salmon]] habitat in the Puget Sound area.
[[Combined sewage overflow]] (CSO) occurs often in the [[Puget Sound]]. [[Combined sewer|CSO]] occur during rain storms when runoff combines with raw sewage, overflowing pipes and carrying pollutants, harmful [[pathogen]]s, and excess nutrients directly into Puget Sound.<ref name="ECY">ECY: Washington State Department of Ecology [Internet]. c1994-2014. [cited 2015 Feb 26 2015]. Available from: [http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/hq/rwh.html http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/hq/rwh.html]</ref> This is a threat to the biodiversity of marine wildlife as it degrades/damages the marine habitat.<ref name="COB">COB: City of Bellingham [Internet]. 2015. [cited 2015 March 6]. Available from: ftp://ftp.cob.org/council/packets/1996/09_sep/16/packets/16sep1996_AB12686.pdf{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Due to high amounts of excess nutrients and water disturbance, there are fewer number of benthic invertebrate species found near CSO outfalls.<ref name="Armstrong et al">{{cite journal | last1 = Armstrong | first1 = JW | last2 = Thom | first2 = RM | last3 = Chew | first3 = KK | year = 1980 | title = Impact of a Combined Sewer Overflow on the Abundance, Distribution and Community Structure of Subtidal Benthos | journal = Marine Environmental Research | volume = 4 | issue = 1| pages = 2–23 | doi=10.1016/0141-1136(80)90056-2| bibcode = 1980MarER...4....3A }}</ref> One of the nutrients found in excess amounts is [[Nitrogen]], which can cause low oxygen level.<ref name="ECY" /> Excess nitrogen can causes [[algae bloom]]s which leads to low oxygen level which is dangerous for marine organism that need oxygen.<ref name="ECY" />
Furthermore, at the outfall the output disturbs the soils, which makes the water more [[turbidity|turbid]]. Turbid water can increase the number of pathogens in the water.<ref name="USGS">USGS: U.S. Geological Survey’s [Internet]. c2015. [cited 2015 March 20]. Available from: https://water.usgs.gov/edu/turbidity.html</ref> Many fishes and shellfish can be affected by some pathogens that are naturally found in Puget Sound.<ref name="PSP">Puget Sound Partnership [Internet]. 2015 [cited 2015 March 20]. Puget Sound Marine Waters: 2012 Overview. Available from: http://www.psp.wa.gov/downloads/psemp/PSmarinewaters_2012_overview.pdf</ref> High turbidity can decrease light penetration which can decrease food sources for fishes.<ref name="PCA">Minnesota Pollution Control Agency [Internet]. c2015 [cited 2015 March 20]. Available from: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/view-document.html?gid=7854</ref> If the turbidity is high enough it can kill fishes and/or affect reproduction and growth.<ref name="PCA" />
Other pollutants carried by the runoff can have direct harm on many marine organisms and [[soil contamination|pollute the soils]].<ref name="EOPugetSound">Encyclopedia of Puget Sound [Internet]. c2012-2015. [cited 2015 March 5]. Available from: [http://www.eopugetsound.org/science-review http://www.eopugetsound.org/science-review]</ref> For example, heavy metal buildup can cause physiological and reproductive harm. For example, lead in [[North American river otter|river otters]] and [[spotted sandpiper]] affect their [[reproduction]].<ref name="Duwamish River Water Quality">Duwamish River and Elliott Bay Water Quality Assessment Team. 1999. King County Combined Sewer Over Flow Water Quality Assessment for the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay. Seattle (WA): King County Department of Natural Resources; Water Treatment Division & Water and Land Resources Division. Available from: [http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/wastewater/cso/docs/WQA/80165-LAYOUT.pdf http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/wastewater/cso/docs/WQA/80165-LAYOUT.pdf]</ref> Furthermore, build-up in pollutants has been found to affect fish growth.<ref name="COB" />
To reach standards stated in the [[Clean Water Act]], Washington State must have a long-term CSO Control Plan so that 1 or fewer overflow events occur on average in a year.<ref name="King County">King County [Internet]. c2015 [cited 2015 Feb 19]. Available from: [http://kingcounty.gov/environment/wastewater/CSO.aspx http://kingcounty.gov/environment/wastewater/CSO.aspx]</ref>
 
===King County: CSO Long-term Control Plan and Integrated Plan Alternative===
While implementing these actions to ensure that the basic needs for salmon are met seems too granidous, we need to always keep in mind what it is that we are working for. It's not a charity in another land, it is the fundamental icon of our residency. "Besides humans, no other creature penetrates the Northwest so completely. The salmon is to the entire Northwest what the spotted owl was to old-growth forests--a telling indicator of ecological health" (Mindy Cameron, The Seattle Times, Aug. 18, 2002, p.D1). The abundunce of salmon is something we can see, touch, and even taste, and that is why we can take so much pride in recovering their speicies. It's a big task to be fulfilled, but our duty to our icon and the pride that we all carry in the Puget Sound that will make it so worthwhile.
King County, Washington, US, has two plans to help improve CSO impacts on the environment: CSO Long-term Control Plan and the Integrated Plan Alternative.<ref name="King County" /> The Integrated Plan presents management of both runoff and sewage overflow, while the Long-term Control Plan focuses on decreasing sewage overflow. At various locations, King County monitors and assesses the water quality at CSO outfall locations. Between 1979 and 2012 King County working with the City of Seattle has been able to decrease CSO by about 1.5 billion gallons.<ref name="King County" />
The Integrated Plan Alternative is implemented by Seattle Public Utilities and expected to be completed by 2025.<ref name="SPU">Seattle Public Utilities [Internet]. c2015 [cited 2015 Feb 19]. Available from: [http://www.seattle.gov/UTIL/MyServices/DrainageSewer/Projects/SewageOverflowPrevention/index.htm http://www.seattle.gov/UTIL/MyServices/DrainageSewer/Projects/SewageOverflowPrevention/index.htm]</ref> The purpose of the plan is to reduce pollutants entering the water. It has suggested three methods: (1) increasing the number of streets that are swept; (2) build a water quality facility in South Park to remove pollutants; and (3) maintaining existing [[rain gardens]] and/or natural drainage systems.<ref name="SPU" />
The CSO Long-term Control Plan is to be completed by 2030.<ref name="King County" /> There are four main strategies in the plan to decrease CSO impact on the environment: (1) [[underground storage tank|underground storage tanks/tunnel]]; (2) Wet Weather treatment stations; (3) [[bioswale|Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI)]]; and (4) repairing/replacing existing outfalls/pipes.<ref name="King County" /> Underground storage tanks/tunnels are being built in North Beach, Magnolia, West Seattle, and Rainer Valley. Wet Weather treatment stations are being built in Elliot West and Henderson/MLK. GSI are being built at Barton, Highland Park, and South Green Park. At Salmon Bay (Ballard) and Leschi (Lake Washington) old outfalls and pipes are being replaced or repaired.
The underground storage tank in Magnolia will be able to hold 1.5 million gallon during CSO events, which will eventually flow to the CSO treatment center in Smith Cove.<ref name="King County" /> The architecture of the facility was structured to collect and filter runoff by creating a rain garden.<ref name="King County" /> It helps clean water and provides habitat for wildlife such as birds, bees, and butterflies.<ref name="King County" />
 
===King County: Sediment Management Plan===
==The need for salmon & steelhead hatchery reform==
King County has decreased the CSO discharge into Puget Sound, however soils are still polluted due to past CSO discharges.<ref name="King County" /> The Sediment Management Plan was first created in the 1990s to deal with [[soil contamination|soil pollution]] at CSO outfalls.<ref name="King County" /> The cleanup methods include capping, dredging, and source control/natural recovery.<ref name="King County" />
CSO outfalls of concern include the sites at [[Duwamish River|Duwamish/Diagonal]], King Street, Hanford Street, Lander Street, Brandon Street, Denny Way, Norfolk Street, and Pier 53-55.<ref name="King County" /> At Denny Way CSO outfall, the polluted soil was removed through dredging and then improved the habitat by refilling the sea floor with clean soils to mimic surround area.<ref name="King County" />
 
==Aquatic vegetation==
More than 100 hatcheries are operated in Puget Sound and coastal Washington by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Puget Sound and coastal Indian Tribes, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Most were built to produce fish for harvest in response to declines in naturally spawning salmon populations.
According to the 2007 Puget Sound Update:<blockquote>
Aquatic vegetation is a key component of the near shore environment that supports the ecosystem through primary production and by providing habitat to numerous species of fish, invertebrates, birds, and mammals.
 
Puget Sound is home to a diverse assemblage of aquatic plants and algae, each with unique habitat requirements. Major threats to submerged aquatic vegetation include physical disturbance, loss of water clarity, and excessive nutrients.
Hatcheries now provide 70 percent of the salmon caught in Puget Sound and are the linchpin of an $854 million annual recreational fishing economy in Washington State (ranked eighth in the nation). Hatcheries also play an important role in meeting Tribal treaty harvest obligations. As better scientific information has become available, however, hatcheries have been identified as one of the factors responsible for the decline of naturally spawning populations.
 
Known to be important ecosystem components that are sensitive to anthropogenic stressors, eelgrass and kelp species are commonly recognized indicators of aquatic vegetation health.<ref name="PSAT260"/>
State, Tribal, and federal managers of Washington's salmon and steelhead must ensure their hatcheries do not present a risk to several Puget Sound and coastal stocks that are listed or proposed for listing as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). But the managers are seeking to go beyond merely complying with ESA directives, to create a hatchery system that helps both to recover and conserve wild populations, as well as to support sustainable fisheries.
</blockquote>
 
There are twenty six species of [[kelp]] which grow along Washington’s shorelines, which makes it one of the highest sites of kelp diversity in the world.<ref name="PSAT260" /><ref>Gabrielson, P., T. Widdowson, S. Lindstrom, M. Hawkes, and R Scagel. 200. Keys to the benthic marine algae and seagrass of British Columbia, Southeast Alaska, Washington and Oregon. Phycological Contribution #5, University of British Columbia, Department of Botany 189 p.</ref>
Within this context, the Hatchery Reform Project was developed as a cooperative effort to allow science to direct the process of ensuring that today's hatchery system matches today's circumstances and goals.
Changes in the oceans kelp have direct effect on other species. This is particularly due to the unique three-dimensional habitats that the plants provide for invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals. Widespread loss of kelp throughout Puget Sound would have repercussions for the marine ecosystem as a whole.<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
[[Zostera|Eelgrass]] (''Zostera marina'') is an underwater grass that thrives in marine and estuarine water bottoms and spreads through [[rhizome]]s, or roots. It has been estimated by the [[Washington Department of Natural Resources]] (DNR) that Puget Sound is occupied by approximately {{convert|26,000|acre|sqkm}} of eelgrass.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnr.wa.gov/|title=Washington State Department of Natural Resources}}</ref> Research has shown that eelgrass beds in Puget Sound can be found in two different [[habitat]]s: flats, which can be described as either large, shallow bays or small "pocket" beaches, and fringe beds{{Clarify|date=October 2008}}<!-- Description needed --> along steep shorelines.<ref name="nearshore" /> Beds of eelgrass provide a vital link in the nearshore [[foodweb]], creating underwater forests for [[biota (ecology)|biota]] such as salmon, herring, [[sand lance]], and numerous [[invertebrate]]s.<ref name=":3" />
==Salmon==
The Puget Sound estuary is home to many marine creatures including Orca whales, seals and Pacific salmon. Pacific salmon are an iconic species of the Puget Sound Region and spawn in most major tributaries that feed the sound. King or [[Chinook salmon]] are one of the many species of salmon in the Puget Sound, as well as [[Coho salmon|Coho]], [[Chum salmon|Chum]] and [[Sockeye salmon]] (Montgomery, 136).
 
Eelgrass beds provide nutrients and shelter for various biota in Puget Sound. As eelgrass and other seagrasses decay, it combines with other dead matter. This rich [[detritus]] is a staple for invertebrates, which are fed upon by salmonids, birds and other predators. Eelgrass functions as a protective cover from the predators for juvenile salmon and as a nursery for herring that deposit eggs among bed. Herring, in turn, are an important food source for juvenile and adult salmon.<ref name="nearshore">{{Cite web|url=http://www2.wadnr.gov/nearshore/textfiles/pdf/2003_2004_SVMP_report.pdf/|title=Submerged Vegetation Monitoring Report|publisher=Washington State Department of Natural Resources|date=July 2005|accessdate=2006-08-08|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923000708/http://www2.wadnr.gov/nearshore/textfiles/pdf/2003_2004_SVMP_Report.pdf|archivedate=September 23, 2006}}</ref>
The declining salmon population in [[Puget Sound]] is "a telling indicator of the ecological health" of the area and "billions of dollars have been spent to reverse the declining salmon runs" (Cameron 2002:D1). The declining salmon population in the Puget Sound can be attributed to several factors. Many of these factors include, however are not limited to: [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]], [[hydropower]], [[overfishing|overharvesting]], hatcheries, and "the Fifth H" history. Salmon have ecological requirements such as logjams, wood and gravel in the rivers, high oxygen content, correct ocean and fresh water temperature, and proper sunlight. History has the power to greatly impact the rise and/or fall of the salmon population in the Puget Sound. "Humans have conducted at least three full-scale experiments on how well salmon adapt to a changing landscape. Salmon failed each time, first in [[Great Britain]], then in [[New England]], and now in the [[Pacific Northwest]]" (Montgomery 2003:3).
 
During low [[tide]], eelgrass beds shelters other small animals from extreme temperatures, and in tideflats the beds act as a sponge for moisture.<ref name="nearshore" />
Pacific Salmon have disappeared from 40 percent of their historic range outside Alaska. For every 50 salmon the Columbia River basin supported 150 years ago, today it is estimated to support seven. The state of Washington continually tried to place the blame for this decline on Native American fishing, even as commercial fisheries took more than a sustainable amount of fish each year. State courts continually curtailed Native American fishing rights by limiting the sites and times of year that they could fish (Montgomery, 2003). When brought to the federal courts, however, these cases have been repeatedly overturned, as in the landmark [[Boldt Decision]] of 1974. In this decision, Judge Boldt went all the way back to the original treaties made with numerous tribes in the 1850’s to determine what rights the Native Americans had regarding fishing. The treaties all stated that the tribes had the right to fish at “all usual and accustomed places" and that this right was "secured to said Indians in common with all citizens of the territory” (Document: Boldt Decision). Judge Boldt interpreted the phrase “in common” to mean that the Native Americans and other citizens were each entitled to half of the fish harvest. This was a groundbreaking decision whose repercussions are still being felt today, especially by fishermen who complain that the Native Americans take nowhere near the half allotted to them.
 
Eelgrass monitoring is conducted throughout Puget Sound using random sampling under the Submerged Vegetation Monitoring Program, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Nearshore Program.<ref name="nearshore" /> Results for 2003–2004 were posted in 2005. Many eelgrass populations were holding steady, but sharp declines were noted in five shallow bays in the [[San Juan Islands]] and 14 smaller sites in the greater Puget Sound. Eelgrass throughout the entire Hood Canal showed a steady decline.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.psparchives.com/publications/publications/newsletters/psat_newsletters/soundwaves/spring_sw06/science_news_eelgrass.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907184220/http://www.psparchives.com/publications/publications/newsletters/psat_newsletters/soundwaves/spring_sw06/science_news_eelgrass.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-09-07|title=Eelgrass Study Brings Good and Bad|year=2006|publisher=Puget Sound Action Team|accessdate=2006-08-08}}</ref>
There has been a struggle on [[salmon]] returning to their Pacific Northwest rivers and streams because of the struggling northwests economy. This provides a much-needed economic influx from increased recreational and commercial of salmon fishing. Three percent of wild salmon runs in the [[Columbia Basin]] are below historic numbers. Recent studies also show that the oceans temperature may be warming again and that the northwest is suffering it's sixth straight year of below-average waters. [http://www.wildsalmon.org/library/returns.cfm/ Save Wild Salmon]
In eleven embayments there was almost {{convert|83|acre|m2}} of eelgrass lost between 1995 and 2004.<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
A number of reasons contribute to the decline in eelgrass population, including, but not limited to:<ref name="nearshore" />
Under provisions of the federal Endangered Species act, numerous salmon populations throughout the Pacific Northwest have been listed as endangered (Cameron 2002: D1).
One of the factors that contribute to declining [[salmon]] runs in [[Puget Sound]] and the [[Pacific Northwest]] in general, is the lack of logjams in rivers. As stated above, logjams are essential to the survival of healthy salmon populations. Logjam and river current interaction carve deep pools into riverbeds, providing salmon and their young, also known as [[fry]], with hiding places from predators. Logjams also force some of the water from the main river to spill out over the adjacent [[floodplain]], forming [[tributaries]] along the river which supply ideal habitat for maturing salmon. The natural processes of [[spawning]] and reaching maturity become much more difficult for salmon without the services logjams provide (Montgomery 2003).
Another reason for salmon population decline is the use of increasingly sophisticated fishing technology. Some of the first Native American fishermen depended only on canoes, nets made from nettle or cedar fiber, and their personal skill to catch fish (Pacific Coast 2005). Today’s fishermen use trackers to locate the fish they want to catch, whether salmon or otherwise, and then use technology like powerboats, winches, and nets made of almost unbreakable substances to catch the desired species. Advances in technology have their disadvantages, however. Advances in fishing technology have enabled fishermen to catch more and more fish of all sizes and species. For an extended period of time now, fishermen have been catching not only the larger, mature fish, but also the smaller, immature fish that have not had the chance to reproduce. This practice is detrimental to salmon populations because it does not leave any fish to propagate the salmon species.
 
#Lack of appropriate [[Substrate (marine biology)|substrate]] to grow upon
#Lack of or poor-quality light, impacting [[photosynthesis]]
#Changes in [[climate]] impacting [[Ocean current|currents]], water temperature and water quality
#Nutrient input, spurring algae growth, reducing light and oxygen availability
#[[Sediment]] input, reducing light availability and quality
#Physical alteration of the shoreline, potentially increasing [[wave]] energy or altering substrate in the nearshore area, sometimes both
 
The Puget Sound Conservation and Recovery Plan (2005–2007) outlines a number of goals for improving management and health of the state's eelgrass beds. These include increasing protection over eelgrass beds on state-managed aquatic lands, and developing a statewide "seagrass management conservation plan" to be used by local, state and federal agencies.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/priorities_05/Priorities_05_review.htm/|title=Puget Sound Conservation and Recovery Plan|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060814214559/http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/priorities_05/Priorities_05_review.htm|archivedate=2006-08-14}}</ref>
In addition to technological advancements in fishing, invasive species and natural predators threaten the remaining salmon population. These include, but are not limited to, harbor seals, sea lions, killer whales and various sea birds. While these species are natural predators of salmon, juvenile salmon also have competition to deal with when gathering food. One major source of competition are jelly fish who feed on the same organisms as juvenile salmon. The proliferation of jelly fish and decrease of salmon could potentially lead to the "infestation" of jelly fish in local waters. [http://www.shiftingbaselines.org/ Shifting Baselines] Also, as the organisms which salmon feed on begin to dwindle due to factors including overfishing and invasive species, salmon are further threatened as their food sources become precarious, as is the case with herring populations around Puget Sound (Puget Sound Action Team).
 
==Impacted species==
===Habitat===
The Puget Sound boasts an impressive habitat for Salmon, as well as other flora and fauna necessary for the species’ survival. Healthy eelgrass and kelp beds foster juvenile salmon as they make the change from small rivers and streams to a new ocean habitat in the Puget Sound before they travel onto the Pacific Ocean. Prey for salmon at different stages of their lives also thrives in healthy Puget Sound habitat including sand lances and rockfish (Klinger, 2005). As it applies to habitat, the human population along the Puget Sound shoreline has made these pristine environments harder and harder to come by. Shorelines have been bulk-headed and armored, estuaries have been filled to make agricultural land and naturally occurring log jams have been removed to make navigation in the Sound easier (Montgomery, 2003). Habitat degradation is cited by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as one of the major contributors in reducing the Salmon stock’s resilience (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2001). An additional loss to salmon habitat along the Puget Sound has been that of salt marsh habitats along shorelines. These habitats provide salmon with important grounds for shelter as well as food. Nearly all salt marshes in and around the major urban areas around the sound have been destroyed - in fact there has been a 73% loss of salt marsh habitat in and around the Puget Sound altogether over the last 125 years. [http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/salmon.html/ Washignton State Dept. of Ecology]
 
===Hydroelectric DamsGroundfish===
60% of the '''ground fish''' populations are currently considered, by the areas scientific community, to be in acceptable or good conditions. '''The populations which are in decline are''': middle-trophic level [[predation|predators]] such as [[Sebastidae|rockfish]], [[spiny dogfish]], [[Pacific cod]], and [[hake]].
Hydroelectric dams contributed to the decrease in salmon populations as well. They prevent adult salmon from entering upstream to spawn. The fluctuation in water flow put tremendous amounts of stress on salmon and reduces their ability to survive (Montgomery 2003). Some dams have fish ladders that allow salmon to pass through the dam. This system does help salmon to reach their spawning sites, however, the juveniles often get killed on the way downstream by the turbines in the dam. There are huge controversies about whether to actually stop the dams or to let it run. Discontinuing the dams would not provide enough energy fro us, since about 55% of our energy is from hydroelectric dams. On the other hand, environmentalists are in favor of stopping hydroelectric dam operations. [http://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/ps/colrvbsn.htm/ Columbia River Basin]
 
===Copper and quillback rockfish===
Dams affect almost all the major rivers in the Pacific Northwest region, particularly near the Puget Sound. Two important river systems for salmon affected by hyrdroelectric dams are the Columbia and Snake Rivers for instance. As mentioned before dams impede the natural lifecycle of salmon by creating phyiscal barriers to their spawning grounds with detrimental consequences. Reduced water velocity from these barriers significantly increases the time needed for young salmon to travel down the river to start the ocean phase of their lifecycle. This augmentation in migration time for salmon and alteration in "timing" possibly leads to disorientation and an increased susceptibility to predation. [http://www.fwee.org/hpar.html/ Foundation for Water and Energy Education] Another adverse effect known as "supersaturation" can occur as well for fish encountering dams that is similar in nature to the "bends" that can kill humans. Dams also play a major role in "taming" once "wild" rivers, the latter much more beneficial to sustaining wild salmon populations, thus negatively altering the natural environmental dynamics of ecosystems suitable for salmon. (Montgomery 2003, p. 239).
 
There was a [[spawn (biology)|spawning]] decline for [[copper rockfish|copper]] and [[quillback rockfish]] of close to 75% between 1970 and 1999; more recent data shows a continued decline. Many rockfish species which are popular to [[harvest]] in the area are showing large population decreases, while less popular species are showing signs of increased population.<ref name="PSAT260"/>
===Over Fishing===
Over fishing is another major factor in the depletion of [[salmon]]. Salmon became popular because it was considered very cheap compared to the growing costs of meat. As fishing became more and more popular so did [[canneries]]. In 1877 the first [[Puget Sound]] cannery was built in Mukilteo and by 1900 Puget Sound had expanded it’s operating canneries to 19. The effectiveness of the cannery fish traps were so great that biologists began to argue that a guaranteed number of fishes needed to be allowed to escape the nets to reach their spawning grounds in order to prevent the total extermination of salmon (Montgomery 137). The production of canned salmon grew slowly until about 1890 when it really started to pick up rapidly. As the great [[World Wars]] of the 1900’s started to take place canneries started to decline progressively. This was mainly due to voters supporting salmon protection initiatives because of their traps were banned in the state of Washington as voters passed Initiative 77. However because of this Oregon fishing boats began increasing their catch since Washington banned their traps. Through this there was no increase in the number of salmon reaching their spawning grounds 18 years after the initiative passed. The ban in Washington eventually led to technological advances in salmon fishing. Vessels for open-ocean salmon fishing started developing in the 1930’s through advances in marine technology. This allowed huge floating canneries to harvest and package salmon in the open ocean far from where runs were originally from. Thus, through the development of marine technology countries with no salmon or depleted runs could harvest fish in other country’s open water which in turn began to mess with salmon conservation and recovery efforts (Montgomery 139). Now, [[Alaska]] currently hosts most of the American salmon fisheries because they are able to maintain relatively healthy habitats and salmon runs (Montgomery 143).
 
==Invasive=Pacific Speciesherring===
Puget Sound has 19 [[Pacific herring]] stocks; the populations from all have decreased since 2002. The largest decreases are found in the north Puget Sound area; where stocks dropped form roughly 12,000 [[Short ton|ton]]s of [[spawn (biology)|spawning]] biomass to 4,000 tons in 2004. The Cherry Point stock had particularly large decreases.<ref name="PSAT260" />
Aquatic nuisance species are non-native plants or animals that threaten the diversity or abundance of native species, the ecological stability of infested waters, or the commercial, agricultural or recreational activities that depend on such waters (Chapter 77.60 RCW). In recent years, the Puget Sound has seen an increase of invasive species, specifically from Japan. M. McGrann, D. Sloan, and A.C. Cohen in their paper called, ''Invasion by a Japanese marine microorganism in Western North America'' from the March 2000 edition of '''''Hydrobioligia''''', state that a certain organism had invaded as early as 1971 in Puget Sound. In recent decades, society and how it relates to the ocean has become increasingly globalized. Invasive species have come to the Puget Sound via several factors, including aquaculture, importation of live seafood, shipping (attached to ship hulls and through ballast water), research and academic institutions, deliberate introductions, pet stores and public aquaria, and natural dispersal. [http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/marine/exotic.htm/ Department of Natural Resources] The European green crab, Carcinus maenas, and the marine grass Spartina are currently two of the most damaging species. In respone to such trends, ocean species have migrated to places they shouldn't. Marjorie Wonham and James Carlton in their article entitled, ''Trends In Marine Biological Invasions at Local and Regional Scales'', published in 2005 in '''''Biological Invasions''''' declare the Puget Sound has the most introduced invasive species. Nationwide, about 400 of the 958 (42 percent) species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act are considered to be at risk primarily because of competition with and predation by non-indigenous species. [http://www.psat.wa.gov/Programs/Aquatic.htm/ Puget Sound Action Team]
 
===Harbor porpoise===
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is now attempting to combat its exotic species problem with the Washington State Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan. Under this plan, Washington State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Inspectors search incoming vessels for harmful invasive species, such as the zebra mussel, and decontaminate the vessels before they can spread the organism. [http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fish/nuisxsum.htm/ Washington Fish and Wildlife] The plan also established an Aquatic Nuisance Species committee to find other ways to protect Washingtonians from the harm done by invasive species. The committee coordinates responses to threats at the federal, state, local and tribal as well as private levels, and presents a biennial report to the Governor's office to ensure that the situation is always under control.
The [[harbor porpoise]] was once very abundant in Puget Sound. However, its population declined to the point that it was rarely seen in the 1970s and 1980s. Its population has increased somewhat and it can now be seen in localized areas.
 
==Pollution=Orcas===
[[Orcas]] in the south Puget Sound were added to the [[Federal government of the United States|federal]] [[endangered species]] list in 2005. In 2007 their population numbered 86 (down from their peak population number of 98 in 1975).<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
===Sea lions===
The population in the greater Seattle area has grown by over 18% from 1990 to 2000 (censusscope.org). This population will continue to grow and increasingly pollute Puget Sound. The strain on Puget Sound is augmented by the fact that it is still legal to discharge chemicals such as lead, PCBs, and mercury into Puget Sound waterways. These chemicals are dangerous not only to humans but to marine organisms as well, as the PCB's build up their systems. In fact, over 70 waterways in Washington State have unsafe levels of these and similar chemicals (pugetsound.org). Hydrocarbons result because of burning coal or petroleum. Many industries and steamships also use coal as a power source. In the early 1900's, pollution increased dramatically because of these hydrocarbons. By 1943, the pollution began to decline. In 1970, the level of hydrocarbons dropped to its original level of fifty years before. [http://students.washington.edu/wjt2/oceanwebpage/ Puget Sound Environmental Issues] In addition to the dangers posed discharging chemicals directly into Puget Sound, storm water runoff contributes significantly to the level of pollution. During rainy weather, the toxins on city streets will be swept away by the running water and will be delivered to storm drains. This toxic water is directly delivered to Puget Sound.
The populations of [[sea lions]] in Washington State have increased. [[Steller sea lion]]s specifically are showing an increase in population; 10% every year.<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
===OilHarbor Spillsseal===
The populations of [[harbor seals]] have been on the rise since the early 1970s. In 2007 there were approximately 14,000 harbor seals in the inland waters of Puget Sound alone.<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
===Pinto abalone===
Oil spills pose another major threat to the Puget Sound marine wildlife and ecosystems. Since 1989, there have been 225 oil spills in Puget Sound. Nearly everyday Puget Sound imports 550,000 barrels of unrefined oil each day. Thus making Puget Sound one of the countries primary centers for refining petroleum. ([http://www.psat.wa.gov/ Puget Sound Action Team]) One such spill on October 14th, 2004 in Dalco Passage leaked nearly 1,000 gallons over Vashon and Murray Island. The effects of oil spills were wide spread affecting the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve which inhabits sensitive eel grass and forage fish spawning areas which are necessary for native salmon and orca populations. ([http://www.pugetsound.org/index/ People for Puget Sound])
Populations of the [[pinto abalone]] have sharply decreased due to the inability of the species to naturally [[reproduce]]. Between 1992 and 2005, in 10 long term monitoring stations, their populations declined from 351 animals per site, to 103 per site.<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
===Olympia oyster===
223 of these spills have been deemed ‘serious,’ and have released a combined 114, 405 gallons of oil in the Sound. Two of the 225 spills have been called ‘major,’ and include the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 and another in 1999 off the coast of Bellingham, Washington. [http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/StateSound2004/State_Sound_Water_toxic7.htm Puget Sound Online] Because more than 600 vessels travel through Puget Sound every day, many believe that a disastrous oil spill is imminent. [http://www.pugetsound.org/index/spills People for Puget Sound] An oil spill even bigger than the Exxon Valdez incident could devastate the precious Puget Sound environment. Toxins could infiltrate every aspect of the Sound, including all marine and plant life.
The population of Olympia oyster ([[Ostrea lurida|''Ostrea Lurida'']]), been declining due to sewage contamination and the effects of sulfur liquor emissions (from pulp mills). Both of these things were shown to have serious effects on the reproductive part as well as the health part of ''[[Ostrea lurida]]''. Some other problems include mining, logging, and boat traffic. Pollution like gasoline and motor oil from the boats is harmful to the species of oyster as well. The Journal of Shellfish Research states, "Although oysters may be able to tolerate brief exposure to motor oil and gasoline by closing their shell, up to 14% population mortality increases after 10 days [of exposure]". As the article states, another large problem for Olympia oysters is the human-caused sedimentation caused by topsoil runoff in areas of logging or mining. The sedimentation leads to murky waters and oysters that are buried under layers of runoff as well as non-secure places to inhabit.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pritchardl |first1=Catharine |last2=Shanks |first2=Alan |last3=Rimler |first3=Rose |last4=Oates |first4=Mark |last5=Rumrill |first5=Steven |date=2015 |title=The Olympia Oyster Ostrea Lurida: Recent Advances in Natural History, Ecology, and Restoration |url=https://sites.evergreen.edu/terroir/wp-content/uploads/sites/134/2015/12/Olympia_Oyster_Ecology_Restoration2015.pdf |journal=The Journal of Shellfish Research |volume=34 |issue=2}}</ref>
 
===PopulationMarine birds===
There are over 100 species of [[marine bird]] which rely on Puget Sound as habitat. A survey completed by the Western Washington University (WWU) reports that the total number of marine birds in Puget Sound is decreasing. The cause of this decrease in population is not clear, although researchers suspect likely causes such as pollution, non-native species, and collisions with man made structures, abandoned or lost fishing gear, some fishing practices, unavailable food sources, and [[loss of habitat]].<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
===Scoters===
Times have changed since the 1970’s when a billboard in Seattle read “the last person to leave Seattle please turn out the lights” (Montgomery 2003: 8). The expansion of Microsoft and Boeing has spurred on an economic growth in the area. The 12-county Puget Sound region including Seattle and Tacoma, has quadrupled to 4 million people since the 1950’s and the state predicts 1 million more residents by 2025 (Pugetsound.org). This has major environmental implications including pollution runoff and the altering of important shorelines. “One-third of Puget Sound shoreline has already been altered” (Klinger, 2005). Population can also indirectly cause problems for fragile marine environments; for instance, the gravel mining operation at [[Maury Island]], started in part to provide materiel for the proposed third runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as well as to repair overused roads in the area, carries with it a host of aquatic environmental implications.
There has been a decline of surf scoters, white-winged scoters, and black scoters. This decrease of scoters is the largest decrease in [[biomass]] of [[marine birds]] over the past 25 years in Puget Sound.<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
==Coastal=Loons Developmentand grebes===
The [[loons]] and [[grebes]] which over-winter in Puget Sound have shown a population decrease of 75% in the past 10 years. (It is not known if this decline is due to a population decrease or a change in their winter ___location).<ref name="PSAT260" />
 
===Salmon===
Another factor contributing to the salmon decline in the Puget Sound region is coastal development. The concrete walls that are often used to protect coastal housing from large surf are also contributing to the destruction of coastal habitat. These concrete walls can often destroy the gravely beaches that are essential parts of salmon habitats. These walls can also affect eelgrass beds that are located just off shore. Salmon and many other fish rely heavily on eelgrass beds for food and protection. These concrete walls are known as bulk-heads, and from 1977 to 1992 in Thurston County, shoreline amoring (which includes bulkheads) doubled - right where the Deschutes River dumps into the Puget Sound. [http://www.sharedsalmonstrategy.org/watersheds/watershed-southsound.htm/ Shared Salmon Strategy]. These bulkheads also alter [[shore drift]], riding beaches of important sediments, shelter, and food for salmon. Shoreline vegitation and feeder species are also often lost due to bulkheads. [http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/salmon.html/ Wa. State Dept. of Ecology - Salmon]. There are very few remaining undeveloped coastal beaches in the Puget Sound; however one of the few remaining "pristine" undeveloped beaches those along the shores of [[Maury Island]]. These beaches are almost as close as you can get to pristine, and that is because they have been carefully zoned to protect the coastal waters. If we want to keep the remaining salmon habitat we need to conserve and protect the remaining semi-pristine coastline.
 
Under provisions of the ESA, two [[salmon]] populations in the Pacific Northwest have been listed as endangered, but none within Puget Sound.<ref name="Cameron">Cameron, Mindy. August 18, 2002. ''The Seattle Times''. p. D1</ref> One of the factors that contribute to declining salmon runs in Puget Sound, and the Pacific Northwest in general, is the lack of logjams in rivers. Logjams are essential to the survival of healthy salmon populations. Logjam and river current interaction carve deep pools into riverbeds, providing salmon and their young, also known as fry, with hiding places from predators. Logjams also force some of the water from the main river to spill out over the adjacent [[Floodplain]], forming [[Tributaries]] along the river, which supply ideal habitat for maturing salmon. The natural processes of spawning and reaching maturity become much more difficult for salmon without the services logjams provide.<ref name="Montgomery">{{Cite news|url=http://duff.ess.washington.edu/grg/publications/pdfs/salmonevolution.pdf/|title=Coevolution of the Pacific Salmon and Pacific Rim Topography|last=Montgomery|first=David R.|year=2000|publisher=Department of Geological Sciences, University of Washington|accessdate=2006-08-08|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901100943/http://duff.ess.washington.edu/grg/publications/pdfs/salmonevolution.pdf|archivedate=September 1, 2006}}</ref>
==Solutions==
 
Also, as the organisms that salmon feed on begin to dwindle due to factors including overfishing and invasive species, salmon are further threatened as their food sources become precarious, as is the case with herring populations around Puget Sound (Puget Sound Action Team).
Although Puget Sound and its inhabitants all must face difficult issues, there are many significant forces working hard to counteract the degredation of the region. In regards to salmon, the National Research Council recommended a publicly-accountable scientific advisory board to help direct conservation efforts on a larger scale (National Research Council, 1996). Many grassroots organizations, ie. People for Puget Sound, have developed into powerful centers for lobbyists and have created and enacted programs to monitor, restore or preserve the environment [http://www.pugetsound.org/index/ People for Puget Sound].
For more information see [[Salmon conservation]].
In addition, the state government has expressed its concern for the region, creating groups like "Puget Sound Action Team" to restore and maintain the health of the sound. [http://www.psat.wa.gov/]. This organization, like many others currently has programs to remove fishing gear, increase salmon population and health, and improve nearshore habitat. With the support of local communities and state sponsorship, organizations are able to help provide restoration and protection regarding a wide range of issues in the region.
The Washington State government has also adapted the federal government's "[[marine protected area]]" or MPA system into designated Aquatic Reserves, defined as "aquatic lands of special educational or scientific interest, or lands of special environmental importance that are threatened by degradation" (WAC 332-30-151). Like its national MPA counterpart, Aquatic Reserves are meant to serve as aquatic versions of national parks or sanctuaries. [http://mpa.gov/what_is_an_mpa/definition.html] Through the Aquatic Reserve Program, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources hopes to control these areas in an effort to restore, preserve, or enhance habitats and species that directly tie in to the aquatic ecosystem. The first Aquatic Reserve created under the new program was at [[Maury Island]] in November of 2004 (see also: [[South Maury Island environmental issues]]). Further candidate sites now under review include Cherry Point, Fidalgo Bay, Cypress Islands, and Orca Pass. [http://www.dnr.wa.gov/htdocs/aqr/reserves/home.html#sites]
 
The increased urbanization around streams connected to Puget Sound has led to the annual increase in premature (adult salmon who have not yet spawned) spawner mortality rates. The exposure to metals and petroleum hydrocarbons which originate from motor powered vehicles in the urban area, have led to the recurring fish kills. Salmon that transition from saltwater to freshwater are vulnerable to the toxic substances found in the urban streams.<ref>Scholz, Nathaniel L, Mark S Myers, Sarah G McCarthy, Jana S Labenia, Jenifer K McIntyre, Gina M Ylitalo, Linda D Rhodes, Cathy A Laetz, Carla M Stehr, Barbara L French, Bill McMillan, Dean Wilson, Laura Reed, Katherine D Lynch, Steve Damm, Jay W Davis, and Tracy K Collier. 2011. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22194802/ Recurrent Die-offs of Adult Coho Salmon Returning to Spawn in Puget Sound Lowland Urban Streams]. PLoS ONE. 6, no. 12: e28013.</ref>
===Solutions for Puget Sound Salmon Protection===
 
==Degradation of nearshore habitat==
Federal involvement is also crucial to the long term survival of salmon. The majority of the decline in salmon population is attributable to the effects of population growth within the region, such as damming of Puget Sound tributaries and pollution of Puget Sound. However, some proposed solutions have little to do with directly addressing the effects of population growth. Federally sponsored actions have been proposed in defense of salmon including the poaching of seals and sea lions (which are also federally protected species) in waterways (such as the Puget Sound) where the salmon runs are depleted and the seals and sea lions are threatening the survival of the salmon (Earth Island Journal, 1998). Another commonly proposed solution is the increased implementation of salmon hatchery programs. Proponents of the plan argue that hatcheries are essential to the survival of salmon within the Puget Sound region and beyond. Other groups argue against the hatcheries because they claim that it offsets the environmental balance by introducing the artificially raised salmon populations and pitting them against the natural population. There are debates over the effectiveness of hatcheries and a summation is presented by E.L. Brannon in “The Controversy about salmon hatcheries.” (Brannon, 2004).
"Nearshore" is most commonly defined as the backshore, [[Intertidal zone|intertidal]] and shallow [[Littoral zone|subtidal]] areas of shoreline. In Washington, for example, the Shoreline Management Act defines the upland edge of this area to be {{convert|200|ft|m}} behind the shoreline. Many groups also consider the nearshore to go fairly deep beyond the intertidal zone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sma/|title=Shoreline Management Act|access-date=2006-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060815172633/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sma/|archive-date=2006-08-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
More than 10,000 [[stream]]s and rivers drain into Puget Sound. Approximately {{convert|1800|mi|km}} of shoreline surround the estuary, which is a mosaic of beaches, [[Cliff#Geography|bluffs]], [[River delta|delta]]s, [[mudflat]]s and [[wetland]]s.<ref name="Coastal plan">{{Cite web|url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0506018.pdf/|title=Washington State's Coastal and Estuarine Lands Conservation Plan|year=2005|publisher=Washington State Department of Ecology, Shorelands Assistance Program|accessdate=2006-08-08|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005204355/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0506018.pdf|archivedate=October 5, 2006}}</ref> A number of factors have been listed as potentially contributing to continued degradation of the nearshore environment. These include changing the nearshore by adding artificial structures, such as [[Tide gates]] and [[Bulkhead (barrier)|bulkheads]] increased pollution from various sources, such as failing [[Septic tank|septic systems]]; and various impacts from agricultural and industrial activities.{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} One-third of more than {{convert|4000|km|mi}} of Puget Sound shoreline has been modified by some form of human development, including [[Armoring]], [[Dredging]], filling and construction of overwater structures.{{Citation needed|date=September 2011}}
==External Links==
 
==Protected species==
* [http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/ Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife]
'''Federally Endangered:'''
* [http://www.pugetsound.org/ People for Puget Sound]
* [http://www.censusscope.org/ Census Scope]
* [http://www.ccrh.org/comm/river/legal/boldt.htm/ Document: Boldt Decision]
* [http://www.wildsalmon.org/library/returns.cfm/ Save Our Wild Salmon]
* [http://www.shiftingbaselines.org/ Shifting Baselines]
* [http://www.psat.wa.gov/ Puget Sound Action Team]
* [http://www.sharedsalmonstrategy.org/watersheds/watershed-southsound.htm/ Shared Salmon Strategy for Puget Sound - Salmon and the South Sound Recovery]
* [http://collections.ic.gc.ca/pacificfisheries/techno/gill.html/ Pacific Coast: Salmon Fisheries]
* [http://www.ecy.wa.gov/ Department of Ecology, Washington State]
* [http://www.ptmsc.org/ Port Townsend Marine Science Center]
* [http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/ Sound Waves, Coastal Science & Research News]
* [http://www.hoodcanal.washington.edu/aboutHC/brochure.html/ Hood Canal Dissolved Oxygen Program]
* [http://www.djc.com/news/en/11146999.html/ Engineered Logjams: Salvation for Salmon]
* [http://www.lltk.org/ Long Live the Kings]
* [http://www.gsajournals.org/gsaonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1130%2F1052-5173(2004)014%3C4:GGATRE%3E2.0.CO%3B2/ Geology, Geomorphology, and the Restoration Ecology of Salmon]
* [http://www.cityofseattle.net/salmon/needs.htm City of Seattle (Salmon)]
 
* [[Sei whale]]
==References==
* [[Finback whale]]
*Brannon, E.L. (September 2004). “The controversy about salmon hatcheries.” FISHERIES 29 (9): 12-31.
* [[Gray wolf]]
* [[Arenaria paludicola|Marsh sandwort]] (plant)<ref name=":0" />
* [[Euphydryas editha taylori|Taylor's Checkerspot]]
* [[Bocaccio rockfish|Bocaccio Rockfish]]<ref name=":1">"[https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/00165/wdfw00165.pdf Washington State Priority Habitats and Species List]". (2023, June). Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.</ref>
 
'''Federally Threatened:'''
*Cameron, Mindy. Seattle Times. 18 Aug. 2002. pg:D1
 
* [[Marbled murrelet]]
*Christie, Patrick, Assistant Professor, Society and the Oceans Lecture, The University of Washington, April 2005.
* [[Canada lynx]]
* [[Steller sea lion]]
* [[Chum salmon]] (Hood Canal)
* [[Chinook salmon]]
* [[Southern resident orcas|Orcas]] (southern resident)
* [[Grizzly bear]]
* [[Bull trout]]
* [[Spotted owl]]
* [[Castilleja levisecta|Golden paintbrush]] (plant)
* [[Water howellia]] (plant)
* [[Kincaid's lupine]] (plant)<ref name=":0" />
* [[Green sturgeon]]
* [[Bull trout|Bull Trout]]
* [[Steelhead]]
* [[Yelloweye rockfish|Yelloweye Rockfish]]
* [[Oregon spotted frog|Oregon Spotted Frog]]
* [[Marbled murrelet|Marbled Murrelet]]
* [[Wolverine]]<ref name=":1" />
'''State Endangered That are Not Federally Endangered:'''
* [[Haliotis kamtschatkana|Pinto Abalone]]
* [[Polites mardon|Mardon Skipper]]
* Oregon Spotted Frog
* [[Western pond turtle|Northwestern Pond Turtle]]
* Marbled Murrelet
* [[Tufted puffin|Tufted Puffin]]
* [[Oregon Vesper Sparrow]]
* [[Cascade red fox|Cascade Red Fox]]
* [[Fisher (animal)|Fisher]]
 
'''State Threatened Species:'''
*Earth Island Journal. (Summer 1998). v13 n3 p8(1).
 
* [[Sea otter|Sea Otter]]
*Emerick, Christina M. Introduction to the oceans. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 1991. Page: 39
 
'''State Sensitive Species:'''
*Keith A. Sverdrup, Alyn C. Duxbury, and Alison B. Duxbury. An Introduction to the World’s Oceans. McGraw-Hill. 2003. Pages: 328, 337-339
 
* [[Olympic mudminnow|Olympic Mudminnow]]
*Klinger, Terry, Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Lecture for Society and Oceans. 2005.
* [[Common loon|Common Loon]]
'''Species with Vulnerable Aggregations (these species are not officially protected but are monitored):'''
* [[Saxidomus gigantea|Butter Clam]]
* [[Hard clam|Native Littleneck Clam]]
* [[Ostrea lurida|Olympia Oyster]]
* [[Geoduck|Pacific Geoduck]]
* [[Dungeness Crab in Puget Sound|Dungeness Crab]]
* [[Pandalus|Pandalid Shrimp]]
* [[Gomphurus lynnae|Pacific Clubtail]]
* [[Callophrys johnsoni|Johnson's Hairstreak]]
* [[Icaricia icarioides blackmorei|Puget Blue]]
* [[Copablepharon fuscum|Sand-verbena Moth]]
* [[Lampetra ayresii|River Lamprey]]
* [[White sturgeon|White Sturgeon]]
* [[Pacific herring|Pacific Herring]]
* [[Longfin smelt|Longfin Smelt]]
* [[Hypomesus pretiosus|Surf Smelt]]
* [[Dolly Varden trout|Dolly Varden]]
* [[Pink salmon|Pink Salmon]]
* [[Pacific cod|Pacific Cod]]
* [[North Pacific hake|Pacific Hake]]
* [[Alaska pollock|Walleye Pollock]]
* [[Black rockfish|Black Rockfish]]
* [[Brown rockfish|Brown Rockfish]]
* [[Canary rockfish|Canary Rockfish]]
* [[Copper rockfish|Copper Rockfish]]
* [[Sebastes elongatus|Greenstriped Rockfish]]
* [[Quillback rockfish|Quillback Rockfish]]
* [[Redstripe Rockfish]]
* [[Tiger rockfish|Tiger Rockfish]]
* [[Yellowtail rockfish|Yellowtail Rockfish]]
* [[Lingcod]]
* [[Pacific Sand Lance]]
* [[Van Dyke's salamander|Van Dyke’s Salamander]]
* [[Western toad|Western Toad]]
* [[Western grebe|Western Grebe]]
* [[Great blue heron|Great Blue Heron]]
* [[Harlequin duck|Harlequin Duck]]
* [[Trumpeter swan|Trumpeter Swan]]
* [[Brant (goose)|Western High Arctic Brant]]
* [[Golden eagle|Golden Eagle]]
* [[Eurasian goshawk|Northern Goshawk]]
* [[Yellow-billed cuckoo|Yellow-billed Cuckoo]]
* [[Vaux's swift|Vaux’s Swift]]
* [[Keen's myotis|Keen’s Myotis]]
* [[Townsend's big-eared bat|Townsend’s Big-eared Bat]]
* [[California sea lion|California Sea Lion]]
* [[Dall's porpoise|Dall's Porpoise]]
* [[Harbour porpoise|Harbor Porpoise]]
* [[Harbor seal|Harbor Seal]]
* [[Steller sea lion|Stellar Sea Lion]]<ref name=":1" />
 
'''Unprotected species that are "critically imperiled":'''
*Montgomery, D.R. 2003. King of Fish The Thousand-Year Run of Salmon. Boulder: Westview Press.
 
*[[Pallid bat]]: Large, pale bat with doglike face. Feeds at night on large insects. Emits a skunk-like odor when disturbed
*National Research Council. "Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest." National Academies Press, 1996, pp. 1-38.
*[[Falco peregrinus anatum|American peregrine falcon]]: Removed from federal endangered list in 1999, but still endangered in Northwest. Cliffs were preferred nesting sites, but today many nest on high-rises.
*[[Sea cucumber]]: Relative of starfish and sea lilies; popular in Asian cuisine. Fourteen species found in Northwest waters.
*[[Marsh shrew]]: Insect-eating aquatic shrew with fringe of hairs on toes to aid swimming. Can run on top of the water for several seconds.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/243567_imperiled06.html|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|first1=Lisa|last1=Stiffler|title=957 species at risk in Puget Sound area|date=2005-10-05}}</ref>
 
==Invasive species==
Aquatic nuisance species are non-native plants or animals that threaten the diversity or abundance of native species; the [[Ecological stability]] of infested waters; or the commercial, agricultural or recreational activities that depend on such waters.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Revised Code of Washington|chapter=Chapter 77.60}}</ref> In recent years, Puget Sound has seen an increase of invasive species, specifically from [[Japan]], as early as 1971.<ref name="McGann">{{Cite journal|title=Invasion by a Japanese marine microorganism in western North America|last=McGann|first=Mary|author2=Sloan, Doris|author3=Cohen, Andrew N.|date=March 2000|journal=Hydrobiologia|volume=421|issue=1|pages=25–30|issn=1573-5117|doi=10.1023/A:1003808517945|s2cid=26399422}}</ref> Invasive species have come to Puget Sound via several factors, including aquaculture, importation of live seafood, shipping (attached to ship hulls and through ballast water), research and academic institutions, deliberate introductions, pet stores and public aquaria, and natural dispersal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/marine/exotic.htm/|title=Department of Natural Resources|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001214044900/http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/marine/exotic.htm|archivedate=2000-12-14}}</ref> The Japanese wire weed ''[[Sargassum muticum]]'' and the marine grass ''[[Spartina]]'' are currently two of the most damaging species. In response to such trends, ocean species have migrated to places they shouldn't. Puget Sound has the most introduced invasive species.<ref name="Wonham">{{Cite journal|last=Wonham|first=Marjorie J.|author2=Carlton, James T.|date=May 2005|title=Trends in marine biological invasions at local and regional scales: the Northeast Pacific Ocean as a model system|journal=Biological Invasions|volume=7|issue=3|pages=369–392|issn=1573-1464|doi=10.1007/s10530-004-2581-7|bibcode=2005BiInv...7..369W |citeseerx=10.1.1.581.2955|s2cid=26774862}}</ref> Nationwide, about 400 of the 958 (42 percent) species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA are considered to be at risk, primarily due to competition with and predation by non-native species.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.psat.wa.gov/Programs/Aquatic.htm/|title=Puget Sound Action Team|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404142557/http://www.psat.wa.gov/Programs/Aquatic.htm|archivedate=2005-04-04}}</ref>
 
The WDFW is now attempting to combat its exotic species problem with the Washington State Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan. Under this plan, Washington State Patrol Commercial Vehicle Inspectors search incoming vessels for harmful invasive species, such as the [[zebra mussel]], and decontaminate the vessels before they can spread the organism.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fish/nuisxsum.htm/|title=Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050623081923/http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/fish/nuisxsum.htm|archivedate=2005-06-23}}</ref>
 
The city of Olympia, Washington has worked with the United States Environmental Protection Agency to use the shells of invasive water snail which has started to decrease the numbers of the endemic Olympia Oyster. The invasive arched slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata) shell is taken and, packed into the sidewalk. With doing so, the shells of the said invasive species of water snail will slow down the runoff and will reduce the flow of stormwater which will in turn reduce flooding and potential environmental damage. Walker says that "The scoop-shaped shell of the snail could help slow storm water. Currently the city uses rock and gravel beneath sidewalks to stabilize the concrete. City officials want to try using snail shells instead." The millions of snail shells could act as micro-reservoirs slowing the flow of stormwater and reducing the chances of city streams, brooks, and waterways. Emmett Dobey, the program manager at Olympia’s Department of Public Works says, "The process also seemed to reduce the amount of pollutants that typically come along for the ride".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0412_050412_snails.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050413014931/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/04/0412_050412_snails.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 13, 2005|title=How One City May Put an Alien Species to Good Work|last=Walker|first=Cameron|website=National Geographic|access-date=April 28, 2016}}</ref>
 
==Oil spills==
 
Since 1989, there have been 225 oil spills in Puget Sound. Nearly every day Puget Sound imports 550,000 barrels of unrefined oil, thus making Puget Sound one of the country's primary centers for refining petroleum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.psat.wa.gov/|title=Puget Sound Action Team|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050526081345/http://www.psat.wa.gov/|archivedate=2005-05-26}}</ref> One such spill on October 14, 2004 in [[Dalco Passage]] leaked nearly 1,000 gallons over [[Vashon, Washington|Vashon]] and [[Maury Island|Maury]] Islands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pugetsound.org/explore/wildlife|title=Wildlife|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427113234/http://www.pugetsound.org/explore/wildlife|archivedate=2009-04-27}}</ref>
 
==Solutions==
The Washington state government has adapted the federal government's [[Marine Protected Area]] (MPA) system into designated Aquatic Reserves, defined as "aquatic lands of special educational or scientific interest or lands of special environmental importance that are threatened by degradation".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=332-30-151|title=WAC 332-30-151|publisher=Washington State Legislature|pages=(2)}}</ref> Aquatic Reserves are meant to serve as aquatic versions of national parks or sanctuaries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/states/washington_pr.html|title=Highlighted MMAs: Aquatic Reserves|publisher=Marine Protected Areas of the United States|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916032845/http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/states/washington_pr.html|archivedate=2008-09-16}}</ref> Through the Aquatic Reserve Program, the DNR hopes to control these areas in an effort to restore, preserve or enhance habitats and species that directly tie into the aquatic ecosystem. The first Aquatic Reserve created under the program was at Maury Island in November 2004. Further candidate sites under review include Cherry Point, Fidalgo Bay and [[Cypress Island (Washington)|Cypress Island]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/AquaticHabitats/Pages/aqr_rsve_aquatic_reserves_program.aspx|title=Aquatic Reserves Program|publisher=Washington State Department of Natural Resources|access-date=2008-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010220040/http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/AquaticHabitats/Pages/aqr_rsve_aquatic_reserves_program.aspx|archive-date=2008-10-10|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Legislation===
Puget Sound Partnership reports that the Washington State Legislature included several priority items in the 2010 Supplemental Budget which are intended to support restorative efforts of the environment.
 
This includes funding totaling $50 million for Washington State Department of Ecology stormwater project funding. "Stormwater is a primary source of toxic chemicals and other hazardous materials washing into Puget Sound and other water bodies" .<ref name="PSP2">[http://www.psp.wa.gov/ Puget Sound Partnership<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
There is also $42 million allocated to projects targeting toxic site cleanup in Puget Sound.<ref name="PSP2" />
 
The specifics of this legislature are as follows:<ref name="PSP2" />
 
* $1.645 million for a wastewater treatment plant and reclamation project at Potlatch on Hood Canal. This money, through the Department of Ecology, will allow the project to be completed and will help restore the health of Hood Canal.
* $2.8 million for Carpenter Creek estuary restoration in Kitsap County through the Department of Fish and Wildlife to remove a culvert blocking fish passage and restore tidal function creating approximately 28 acres of estuary habitat.
* $1 million for the Puget Sound Near Shore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) through the Department of Fish and Wildlife to complete scientific work and near shore restoration projects. Preliminary engineering and property assessments will be conducted for a portfolio of priority near shore restoration opportunities that would be eligible for federal funding through the US Army Corps of Engineers.
* $381,000 for the Nooksack Forks large woody debris placement for habitat enhancement through the Department of Fish and Wildlife. This project will construct six large woody structures along 1.5 miles of the Middle Fork Nooksack River and augment 20 stable large wood structures on five channel islands in the North Fork Nooksack River.
* $185,000 for the South Fork Nooksack River restoration through the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The project will remove a barrier to provide fish passage to 1.4 miles of river, placement of stable log jams, and 41 acres of riparian planting along 2,900 linear feet of stream and several adjoining wetlands.
* $3 million for Commencement Bay cleanup in Pierce County through the Department of Natural Resources. This project will remove 2,300 contaminated pilings to allow completion of in-water remediation of toxic contamination at the Asarco Superfund site.
* In addition, the Puget Sound Partnership played a key role in securing $15 million to help acquire the Maury Island gravel pit. This complicated transaction is still pending but the state resources will help lead to its successful culmination. The money comes from state accounts funded by polluters, not general tax revenue.
 
==Pollution advisories==
Pollution advisories are posted for some of the beach areas on Puget Sound. These advisories warn the public of health concerns due to contact with sand and water of the posted areas. Showering after contact with material from these areas is advised. It is also advised to avoid eating fish and shell fish from these areas.
 
== See also ==
*[[Environmental issues on Maury Island]]
*[[Environmental issues in the United States]]
*[[Marine conservation]]
 
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
 
==Further reading==
*Christie, Patrick, Assistant Professor, Society and the Oceans Lecture, The University of Washington, April 2005.
*{{Cite book|title=Introduction to the Oceans: A Laboratory Manual|year=1991|publisher=Kendall Hunt|last=Emerick|first=Christina M.|isbn=978-0-8403-5885-1|page=39}}
*{{Cite web|url=http://www.lltk.org/HRP_Publications.html|title=Hatchery Reform Science Group|year=2006|publisher=Long Live the Kings|accessdate=2006-08-09|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813150327/http://www.lltk.org/HRP_Publications.html|archivedate=2006-08-13}}
*{{Cite web|url=http://www.lltk.org/pdf/hsrg/HSRG_Scientific_Framework.pdf|title=Scientific Framework for the Artificial Propagation of Salmon and Steelhead|last=Hatchery Scientific Review Group|date=April 2004|publisher=Long Live the Kings|accessdate=2008-10-28|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205025713/http://www.lltk.org/pdf/hsrg/HSRG_Scientific_Framework.pdf|archivedate=2008-12-05}}
*{{Cite web|url=http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/priorities_05/pscrp_05-07_final-web.pdf/|title=Puget Sound Conservation and Recovery Plan (PSCRP)|publisher=Puget Sound Action Team|accessdate=2006-08-08|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925014856/http://www.psat.wa.gov/Publications/priorities_05/pscrp_05-07_final-web.pdf|archivedate=2006-09-25}}
*{{Cite web|url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/detritus.html/|title=Puget Sound Shorelines: Nearshore Foodweb and Eelgrass diagram|publisher=Washington State Department of Ecology|accessdate=2006-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060812052737/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/species/detritus.html|archive-date=2006-08-12|url-status=dead}}
*{{Cite book|last=Sverdrup|first=Keith A.|author2=Duxbury, Alyn C.|others=Duxbury, Alison B.|title=An Introduction to the World's Oceans|publisher=McGraw-Hill Higher Education|year=2003|pages=328, 337–339|isbn=978-0-07-294555-3}}
*{{Cite news|title=Lucrative Income From Organic Aquaculture|last=Thanqaraju|first=Ranjini|date=2004-05-12|work=New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur)|page=11}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Environmental Issues In Puget Sound}}
*Thanqaraju, Ranjini. “Lucrative Income From Organic Aquaculture.” New Straits Times [Kuala Lumpur] May 27, 2004 PG 11
[[Category:Environmental issues in Washington (state)]]