King County Stream Monitoring Program
Deb LesterSpring 2010 - WLRD Science Seminar
Program Components
• Routine Stream Water Quality Monitoring• Wet Weather Stream Water Quality
Monitoring• Stream Sediment Contaminant Monitoring • Stream Benthic Macroinvertebrate
Monitoring
Current Sampling Locations (20)
Pre-2009 Sampling Locations (56)
Routine Ambient Stream Water Quality Monitoring Stations
N
Stream Monitoring Questions
The stream monitoring program originally designed to answer four questions:
1. Has storm and/or base flow stream water quality changed over time?
2. Is there a spatial difference in storm and base flow water quality conditions?
3. What is the human health risk from stream water quality?
4. Do current (or future) King County facilities impact stream water quality?
Routine Ambient Stream Water Quality Monitoring – Analytical Parameters20 sites sampled monthly (56 sites pre 2009)
• Bacteria (Fecal Coliform)• Temperature• Nutrients (OP, TP, TN, ammonia, nitrate+nitrite)• Oxygen• pH• Turbidity• Conductivity• Total Dissolved Solids• Eliminated quarterly metals, silica, TOC/DOC, turbidity,
and E. coli analysis in 2009
Number of Streams with Increasing or Decreasing Trends -Based on Data for 56 Streams through 2007
Ort
ho-P
Tota
l-P
NH
4
NO
3
Tota
l-N
feca
l co
lifo
rm pH
Con
duct
ivit
y
TSS
Turb
idit
y
DO
Tem
pera
ture
Nu
mber
of
Str
eam
s
increasingdecreasing
44
31
11
1
36
16
25
8
27
4
39
18
16
3
45
2
39
16
19
2
34
2
55
35
Example of Water Quality Trend Analysis
Water Quality Index (WQI)• Integrates 8 water quality parameters into a
single number (FC, temp, pH, DO, TN, TP, TSS, Turbidity)
• Developed by EPA, modified by Ecology and calibrated for Puget Lowland Streams.
• Unit less number 1-100 (>80 low concern; 80-40 marginal
concern and <40 highest concern)
• WQI recently updated to reflect more stringent temperature WQC to protect salmon
• Some limitations to WQI- limited parameters, can over or underemphasize problems
Stream Water Quality
Index
2008-2009
0 40 80
Springbrook
Soos (Covington)
Soos (above hatchery)
Newaukum
Mill (Hill)
Longfellow (upstream)
Longfellow (footbridge)
Little Soos
Jenkins
Green R (at Allentown)
Green (up. Soos)
Green (up.Newaukum)
Green (Renton Junction)
Green (Fort Dent Park)
Crisp (upstream)
Crisp (mouth)
Increasing Water Quality ==> < 40 high concern, 40-80 moderate, > 80 low concern
0 40 80
Springbrook
Soos (Covington)
Soos (above hatchery)
Newaukum
Mill (Hill)
Longfellow (upstream)
Longfellow (footbridge)
Little Soos
Jenkins
Green R (at Allentown)
Green (up. Soos)
Green (up.Newaukum)
Green (Renton Junction)
Green (Fort Dent Park)
Crisp (upstream)
Crisp (mouth)
Increasing Water Quality ==> < 40 high concern, 40-80 moderate, > 80 low concern
WRIA 9 - WQI 2007-2008 WRIA 9 - WQI 2008-2009
0 40 80
Tibbetts - Thornton
Swamp (upstream) Swamp (mouth)
Sammamish (NE 145th) Sammamish (Marymoor)Sammamish ( Kenmore)
Pipers (Venema)Pipers (upstream)
Pipers (mouth)Pine Lk
North (upstream) North (mouth)
McAleer May Lyon
Little Bear (upstream) Little Bear (mouth)
Lewis Kelsey (west branch)
Kelsey (mouth)Juanita (mouth)
Juanita (at 124th)Issaquah (upstream)
Issaquah (N Fork) Issaquah (mouth)
Idylewood Forbes
Fairweather Evans (upstream)
Evans (mouth @ Bear) Eden
EbrightCoal
Cedar (mouth) Cedar (E Jones Rd)
Cedar (Boeing) Bear (Seidel Rd)
Bear (mouth) Bear (Cottage Lk Cr)
Bear (95th Ave)
Increasing Water Quality ==> < 40 high concern, 40-80 moderate, > 80 low concern
0 40 80
Yarrow Tibbetts - X630
Thornton Swamp (upstream)
Swamp (mouth) Sammamish (NE 145th) Sammamish (Marymoor)
Sammamish ( Kenmore) Pipers (Venema) Pipers (upstream)
Pipers (mouth)Pine Lk
North (upstream)North (mouth)
McAleer May
Lyon - 0430Little Bear (upstream)
Little Bear (mouth) Lewis
Kelsey (west branch)Kelsey (mouth) Juanita (mouth)
Juanita (at 124th)Issaquah (upstream)
Issaquah (N Fork) Issaquah (mouth)
Idylewood Forbes - 0456
Fairweather Evans (upstream)
Evans (mouth @ Bear) Eden
Ebright Coal
Cedar (mouth) Cedar (E Jones Rd)
Cedar (Boeing)Bear (Seidel Rd)
Bear (mouth)Bear (Cottage Lk Cr)
Bear (95th Ave)
Increasing Water Quality ==> < 40 high concern, 40-80 moderate, > 80 low concern
WRIA 8 - WQI 2007-2008 WRIA 8 - WQI 2008-2009
Stream Wet Weather Monitoring
• Sampling trigger - preferably ≥ 0.25″ rain with 24 hr antecedent dry period;
• Wet-weather samples collected from 20 streams; • Target 4 events (2 Nov - Mar; 1 Apr - Jun; 1 Aug - Oct)
• Analysis includes all parameters measured during routine sampling, as well as low-level metals and organic compounds.
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
6-Feb-09 28-Mar-09 17-May-09 6-Jul-09 25-Aug-09 14-Oct-09 3-Dec-09 22-Jan-10 13-Mar-10 2-May-10
Samping Date
Cop
per C
once
ntra
tion
ug/l
Springbrook Creek
Neuwakum Crreek
Lyon Creek
Thornton Creek
Cedar River
May Creek
Juanita Creek
Swamp Creek
Little Bear Creek
Bear Creek
Sammamish River
Issaquah Creek
Green River
Sammamish NE 145
Big Soos
Pine Lake Creek
Green River up
Jenkins Creek
Exceedes Chronic WQC Wet Weather MonitoringDissolved Copper
0
0.002
0.004
0.006
0.008
0.01
0.012
0.014
0.016
0.018
6-Feb 28-Mar 17-May 6-Jul 25-Aug 14-Oct 3-Dec 22-Jan 13-Mar 2-May
Samping Date
Mer
cury
Con
cent
ratio
n ug
/l
Springbrook Creek
Neuwakum Crreek
Lyon Creek
Thornton Creek
Cedar River
May Creek
Juanita Creek
Swamp Creek
Little Bear Creek
Bear Creek
Sammamish River
Issaquah Creek
Green River
Sammamish NE 145
Big Soos
Pine Lake Creek
Green River up
Jenkins Creek
Hg Water Qualtiy Critera
Wet Weather Monitoring Total Mercury
0
5
10
15
20
25
6-Feb-09 28-Mar-09 17-May-09 6-Jul-09 25-Aug-09 14-Oct-09 3-Dec-09 22-Jan-10 13-Mar-10 2-May-10
Samping Date
Zinc
Con
cent
ratio
n ug
/l
Springbrook Creek
Neuwakum Crreek
Lyon Creek
Thornton Creek
Cedar River
May Creek
Juanita Creek
Swamp Creek
Little Bear Creek
Bear Creek
Sammamish River
Issaquah Creek
Green River
Sammamish NE 145
Big Soos
Pine Lake Creek
Green River up
Jenkins Creek
Minimum Chronic WQC 34.6 ug/lWet Weather Montoring Dissolved Zinc
Stream Sediment Contaminant Monitoring Program
• Program initiated in 1987 – primarily measured metals at stream mouths
• 2003 trend analysis suggested program updates necessary
• 2004 - Program revised – Parameters added (organics, organic carbon, AVS/SEM)
– 10 Trend Locations– 27 Rotating Basin Characterization Streams –
sample approx. every river mile (approx. 20 samples yr 2004-08; 10 samples yr 2009)
Stream Sediment Monitoring Program Questions
• Do chemical concentrations in stream sediment exceed sediment quality guidelines or thresholds?
• How does sediment quality change over time?
• Does sediment quality differ within or between stream basins?
Stream Sediment Monitoring -Annual Trend Locations
• Little Bear Creek• Big Bear Creek• Thornton Creek• Issaquah Creek• McAleer Creek• North Creek• Newaukum Creek• Soos Creek• Springbrook Creek • Mill Creek
Sediment Basin Characterization Streams - Rotating Locations
• Little Bear Creek• Big Bear Creek• Thornton Creek• Issaquah Creek• McAleer Creek• North Creek• Newaukum Creek• Soos Creek• Springbrook Creek• Mill Creek• Coal Creek (Lake WA)• Forbes Creek• Juanita Creek• Lyon Creek
• May Creek• Kelsey / Mercer• Swamp Creek• Lewis Creek• Pine Lake, Eden, Ebright Creeks • Tibbets Creek• Taylor Creek (Cedar River)• Covington Creek• Des Moines Creek• Jenkins Creek• Judd Creek• Crisp Creek• Longfellow Creek
Italics – completed basins
Stream Sediment Monitoring Sampling Locations
•Data compared to freshwater sediment guidelines
Data up to 2007
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sampling Locations• ~ 140 Sampling locations;
• Samples collected annually from ~10 randomly-selected sites in each of 15 sub basins in WRIAs 8 and 9;
• Sampling initiated in 2002 -present (except 2004);
•Puget Lowland Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (BIBI) used for primary data analysis tool;
•Data presented in Kingstat.
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Questions
1. Do watershed sub-basins within the Greater Lake Washington Watershed (e.g. Bear Cr, Issaquah Cr, Lower Cedar Tribs etc.) and Greater Green-Duwamish (e.g. SoosCr, Newaukum Cr, Jenkins/Covington Cr, etc.) differ in terms of biological condition?
2. Is the biological condition improving (or declining) over time? Is the trend significant?
3. Do land use patterns measured at the sub-basin level affect biological conditions differently within the watershed
Puget Sound Stream Benthos Website
•Multi-jurisdictional database
•Stores data and provides tools for analysis
•Full access to others, including the public
•Data are directly downloaded from the taxonomy labs
Cedar/Lake Washington Sub-basin 2009 BIBI
Scores
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Maplewood Cr.
Molasses Cr.
Madsen Cr. - S Fork
Cedar R. - Lower trib (0311)
Rock Cr. (Lower Cedar)
Walsh Lk Diversion
Hotel Cr. (0342)
Rock Cr. - (Upper Cedar)
Webster Cr. - Upper (0341)
Lake WA trib. (Mercer Is.)
Denny Cr.
May Cr. (1964)
May Cr. (2058)
May Cr. (2631)
Forbes Cr. (0242)
Kelsey Cr.
Coal Cr. (Lake WA)
Coal Cr. (Lake WA) trib. (0273)
Sunset Cr.
Ravenna Cr.
Maple Leaf Cr.
McAleer Cr.
Lyon Cr.
Mapes Cr. (1036)
Mapes Cr. (1037)
Lake WA trib.(0056)
Taylor Cr. (W Lake WA)
Lake WA trib.(0464B)
Lake WA trib.
2008 BIBI Score
Sammamish River Basin – BIBI Scores 2008
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Vasa Cr.
Idylwood Cr.
Pine LK Cr.
Ebright Cr.
Eden/George Davis Cr.
Laughing Jacobs Cr.
Many Springs Cr.
Little Bear Cr. (2488)
Little Bear Cr. (2585)
Little Bear Cr. (2602)
Little Bear Cr. (2603)
Little Bear Cr. (2682)
Little Bear Cr. (2692)
Little Bear Cr. (2692)
Little Bear Cr. (2781)
Cuttrhoat Cr. (0083)
Swamp Cr. (1362)
Swamp Cr. (1370)
N Creek (1750)
N Creek (1750)
Silver Cr.
N Creek tributary
N Creek (2306)
Peters Cr.
Samm.R. trib.(0068)
Samm. R. trib.(0096D)
Samm. River trib. (0101)
Samm. R. trib. (0090)
Gold Cr.
Samm. R. trib. (0102)
Samm. R. trib. (0095F)
Samm.R. trib. (0095D)
2008 BIBI Score
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Bear Cr. Trib. (0119)
Cold Cr.
Bear Cr.(3474)
Mackey Cr.
Cottage LK Cr.
Bear Cr.(3650)
Seidel Cr.
Bear Cr. (3747)
Struve Cr.
Evans Cr.
Evans Cr. Trib.(0111E)
Evans Cr. Trib.(0108)
Evans Cr. Trib.(0107)
Evans Cr.trib (0108A)
Rutherford Cr.
Issaquah Cr.
Cabin Cr.
Issaquah Cr.- Lower
Fifteenmile Cr.
Issaquah Cr. Trib. (0203)
High Point Cr.
Carey Cr.
Holder Cr.
Holder Cr. Trib.
Issaquah Cr.- E Fork (4748)
Issaquah Cr.- E Fork (4884)
Tibbetts Cr.
Tibbetts Cr.- Lower
2008 BIBI Score
Duwamish-Green Basin - BIBI Scores 2008
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Lower Green R. trib. (0036B)
Mullen Slough
Olson Cr.
Green R. - L. trib. (S 277th St.)
Green R.- L. trib. (0069)
O'Grady Cr.
Crisp Cr. (1495)
Crisp Cr. (1537)
Green R. - Middle trib.
Christy Cr. (1744)
Christy Cr.(1817)
Icy Cr.
Green R.- Middle trib.
Mill Cr. (Auburn)
Newaukum Cr. (1657)
Newaukum Cr. (1875)
Newaukum Cr. (1911)
Newaukum Cr. - N Fork
Newaukum Cr. (2102)
Newaukum Cr. - N Fork
Newaukum Cr. (2151)
Stonequarry Cr.
Big Soos Cr. (0943)
Big Soos Cr. (1144)
Soosette Cr.
Meridian Valley Cr.
Soos Cr. (1130)
Soos Cr. (1134)
Little Soos Cr. (1209)
Little Soos Cr. (1283)
2008 BIBI Score
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Mill Cr. (Kent) (0675)
Mill Cr. (Kent) (0716)
Garrison Cr. - S Fork
Mill Cr. (Kent)
Springbrook Cr.
Panther Cr. (0771)
Panther Cr.(0772)
Panther Cr. Trib.
Springbrook Cr. Trib.(0006B)
Covington Cr. (1165)
Covington Cr. (1418)
Covington Cr. (1756)
Covington Cr.(1798)
Rock Cr. Trib. (Covington)
Rock Cr. Trib. (Covington)
Deep Cr. (2163)
Deep Cr.(2211)
Coal Cr. (Green R.)
Coal Cr. (Green R.)
Duwamish R. trib. (0001E)
Hamm Cr.
Duwamish R. trib. (0003)
Riverton Cr. (003D)
Jenkins Cr.(1318)
Jenkins Cr.(1357)
Jenkins Cr.(1358)
2008 BIBI Score
Acknowledgements!Freshwater Stream Team• Debra Bouchard• Curtis Degasperi• Sally Abella• Dean Wilson• Jo Wilhelm • Numerous interns!
Environmental Lab Staff • Jean Power• Stephanie Hess• Christopher Barnes• Colin Elliott• Katherine Bourbonnais• Brian Prosch• Diane McElhany• Mike Doubrava• Eric Thompson• And MANY other KCEL
staff!
Questions?