The Puget Sound Basin (PUGT) study unit of the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program encompasses a 13,700-square-mile area that drains to Puget Sound and adjacent marine waters. Included in this region are all or part of 13 counties in western Washington, as well as the headwaters of the Skagit River and part of the Nooksack River in British Columbia, Canada. The Puget Sound Basin contains surface- and ground-water resources of economic and ecological importance. These resources provide water for a large and expanding population, hydroelectric power, recreational opportunities, and an ecosystem that supports an economically important fishery. Surface and ground waters also have the potential to transport nutrients and contaminants to the Puget Sound.
Water-quality issues in the region’s surface waters include loss of aquatic habitat through forestry, agricultural, and land-development practices; contamination of streams and marine waters by point-source discharges and storm washoff of metals, pesticides, and petroleum products from urban and suburban areas; and nutrient enrichment of lakes and Puget Sound embayments.
WHAT IS NAWQA?
The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program provides an understanding of water-quality conditions and how those conditions might vary locally, regionally, and nationally; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions. The program is designed to take a long-term view of water-quality issues and therefore, study-unit assessments are designed as multiphase water-quality investigations over several years in order to meet this long-term study objective. Click here to read more about the NAWQA Program.
Cycle I
The first cycle of the Puget Sound Basin study-unit assessment was carried out from 1994 – 2003. During those 10 years, the study team identified water-quality issues; accumulated and evaluated existing, historical water-quality data; collected surface- and ground-water quality data; and conducted aquatic ecological surveys. Data analyses and publications of findings were completed in 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the assessment shifted into a low-level data-collection phase with the purpose of tracking long-term trends and identifying emerging water-quality issues prior to beginning a second high-intensity phase in 2004.
1994-1995 Planning, and analysis of existing data
1996-1998 Intensive data collection and analysis
1999-2000 Completion of primary reports
2001-2003 Low-level assessment activities
For a summary of Cycle I studies on the quality of ground water and surface water, and studies of aquatic ecosystems, see Circular 1216.
Cycle II
Water-year 2004 marked the beginning of the second cycle of intensive water-quality assessments in the Puget Sound Basin. The intent of NAWQA’s second decade of study is to build on initial water-quality assessments and increase investigations of long-term trends and factors affecting water quality. Cycle II efforts in surface water of the Puget Sound Basin focus on urbanization effects on stream ecosystems in the Puget Lowland ecoregion. Data from 21 streams will be analyzed to determine the magnitude and pattern of hydrologic, chemical, and biological community responses to urbanization and if thresholds exist at which stream ecosystems degrade more rapidly with varying levels of urbanization. In ground water, efforts focus on a second round of data collection from wells in the urban and agricultural land-use study areas. After a 10-year period, approximately 20 wells in the 2 study areas will be re-sampled to build on data for long-term trend analyses.
2004-2005 Planning and establishment of study sites
2006-2009 Intensive data collection and analysis
2010 Completion of reports
2011-2013 Low-level assessment activities
For a synopsis of what was learned about streams during Cycle I and future plans for studies during Cycle II, see: Quality of Streamwater in the Puget Sound Basin—A Decade of Study and Beyond
Highlights of Research Conducted by Study-Unit Scientists in the Puget Sound Basin
- Water Chemistry
Surface-water quality of the Skokomish, Nooksack, and Green-Duwamish Rivers, and Thornton Creek, Puget Sound Basin, Washington, 1995 - 98 - Bed Sediment and Tissue Chemistry
Predicting the probability of detecting organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in stream systems on the basis of land use in the Pacific Northwest, USA - Microbiology and Emerging Contaminants
Microbiological quality of Puget Sound basin streams and identification of contaminant sources - Ecology
Using macroinvertebrates to identify biota-land cover optima at multiple scales in the Pacific Northwest, USA - Groundwater Contaminants
Fate and origin of 1,2 - dichloropropane in an unconfined shallow aquifer
Highlighs of Ananyses at Regional and National Scales That Include the Puget Sound Basin Study Unit
- Regional Synthesis
Major River Basins - National Synthesis
VOCs in Ground Water
Pesticides in Streams and Ground Water
Nutrients in Streams
Vulnerability of Shallow Ground Water to Nitrate ContaminationPrinciple Aquifers
Glacial Aquifer SystemMultiple Principal Aquifers Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Transport and Trends in the Columbia River and Puget Sound Basins, 1993-2003
Using macroinvertebrates to identify biota-land cover optima at multiple scales in the Pacific Northwest, USA
Water quality in the Puget Sound basin, Washington and British Columbia, 1996-98
An assessment of stream habitat and nutrients in the Elwha River basin: implications for restoration
Microbiological quality of Puget Sound Basin streams and identification of contaminant sources
Mechanism and rate of denitrification in an agricultural watershed: Electron and mass balance along groundwater flow paths
- Overview
The Puget Sound Basin (PUGT) study unit of the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program encompasses a 13,700-square-mile area that drains to Puget Sound and adjacent marine waters. Included in this region are all or part of 13 counties in western Washington, as well as the headwaters of the Skagit River and part of the Nooksack River in British Columbia, Canada. The Puget Sound Basin contains surface- and ground-water resources of economic and ecological importance. These resources provide water for a large and expanding population, hydroelectric power, recreational opportunities, and an ecosystem that supports an economically important fishery. Surface and ground waters also have the potential to transport nutrients and contaminants to the Puget Sound.
Water-quality issues in the region’s surface waters include loss of aquatic habitat through forestry, agricultural, and land-development practices; contamination of streams and marine waters by point-source discharges and storm washoff of metals, pesticides, and petroleum products from urban and suburban areas; and nutrient enrichment of lakes and Puget Sound embayments.
Map of Puget Sound(Public domain.) WHAT IS NAWQA?
The U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program provides an understanding of water-quality conditions and how those conditions might vary locally, regionally, and nationally; whether conditions are getting better or worse over time; and how natural features and human activities affect those conditions. The program is designed to take a long-term view of water-quality issues and therefore, study-unit assessments are designed as multiphase water-quality investigations over several years in order to meet this long-term study objective. Click here to read more about the NAWQA Program.
Cycle I
The first cycle of the Puget Sound Basin study-unit assessment was carried out from 1994 – 2003. During those 10 years, the study team identified water-quality issues; accumulated and evaluated existing, historical water-quality data; collected surface- and ground-water quality data; and conducted aquatic ecological surveys. Data analyses and publications of findings were completed in 1999 and 2000. In 2001, the assessment shifted into a low-level data-collection phase with the purpose of tracking long-term trends and identifying emerging water-quality issues prior to beginning a second high-intensity phase in 2004.
1994-1995 Planning, and analysis of existing data
Puget Sound NAWQA Study(Public domain.) 1996-1998 Intensive data collection and analysis
1999-2000 Completion of primary reports
2001-2003 Low-level assessment activities
For a summary of Cycle I studies on the quality of ground water and surface water, and studies of aquatic ecosystems, see Circular 1216.
Cycle II
Water-year 2004 marked the beginning of the second cycle of intensive water-quality assessments in the Puget Sound Basin. The intent of NAWQA’s second decade of study is to build on initial water-quality assessments and increase investigations of long-term trends and factors affecting water quality. Cycle II efforts in surface water of the Puget Sound Basin focus on urbanization effects on stream ecosystems in the Puget Lowland ecoregion. Data from 21 streams will be analyzed to determine the magnitude and pattern of hydrologic, chemical, and biological community responses to urbanization and if thresholds exist at which stream ecosystems degrade more rapidly with varying levels of urbanization. In ground water, efforts focus on a second round of data collection from wells in the urban and agricultural land-use study areas. After a 10-year period, approximately 20 wells in the 2 study areas will be re-sampled to build on data for long-term trend analyses.
Tacoma Tide Flats(Public domain.) 2004-2005 Planning and establishment of study sites
2006-2009 Intensive data collection and analysis
2010 Completion of reports
2011-2013 Low-level assessment activities
For a synopsis of what was learned about streams during Cycle I and future plans for studies during Cycle II, see: Quality of Streamwater in the Puget Sound Basin—A Decade of Study and Beyond
Highlights of Research Conducted by Study-Unit Scientists in the Puget Sound Basin
- Water Chemistry
Surface-water quality of the Skokomish, Nooksack, and Green-Duwamish Rivers, and Thornton Creek, Puget Sound Basin, Washington, 1995 - 98 - Bed Sediment and Tissue Chemistry
Predicting the probability of detecting organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in stream systems on the basis of land use in the Pacific Northwest, USA - Microbiology and Emerging Contaminants
Microbiological quality of Puget Sound basin streams and identification of contaminant sources - Ecology
Using macroinvertebrates to identify biota-land cover optima at multiple scales in the Pacific Northwest, USA - Groundwater Contaminants
Fate and origin of 1,2 - dichloropropane in an unconfined shallow aquifer
Highlighs of Ananyses at Regional and National Scales That Include the Puget Sound Basin Study Unit
- Regional Synthesis
Major River Basins - National Synthesis
VOCs in Ground Water
Pesticides in Streams and Ground Water
Nutrients in Streams
Vulnerability of Shallow Ground Water to Nitrate ContaminationPrinciple Aquifers
Glacial Aquifer SystemMultiple Principal Aquifers Publications
- Water Chemistry
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 20Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Transport and Trends in the Columbia River and Puget Sound Basins, 1993-2003
This study focused on three areas that might be of interest to water-quality managers in the Pacific Northwest: (1) annual loads of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and suspended sediment (SS) transported through the Columbia River and Puget Sound Basins, (2) annual yields of TN, TP, and SS relative to differences in landscape and climatic conditions between subbasin catchments (drainageUsing macroinvertebrates to identify biota-land cover optima at multiple scales in the Pacific Northwest, USA
Macroinvertebrate assemblages and environmental variables were evaluated at 45 stream sites throughout the Puget Sound Basin, Washington, USA. Environmental variables were measured at 3 spatial scales: reach, local, and whole watershed. Macroinvertebrate distributions were related to environmental variables using canonical correspondence analysis to determine which variables and spatial scales besWater quality in the Puget Sound basin, Washington and British Columbia, 1996-98
Puget Sound basin streams during 1995-98 met most guidelines and criteria. Seventy-four manmade compounds were detected and different mixtures linked to land use. Urban expansion into forested areas is changing stream habitats--urban and agricultural streams are warmer and support less diverse insect populations than streams in forested areas. Elevated nitrate concentrations and the presence of maAn assessment of stream habitat and nutrients in the Elwha River basin: implications for restoration
The Elwha River was once famous for its 10 runs of anadromous salmon which included chinook that reportedly exceeded 45 kilograms. These runs either ceased to exist or were significantly depleted after the construction of the Elwha (1912) and Glines Canyon (1927) Dams, which resulted in the blockage of more than 113 kilometers of mainstem river and tributary habitat. In 1992, in response to the loMicrobiological quality of Puget Sound Basin streams and identification of contaminant sources
Fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, and somatic coliphages were detected in samples from 31 sites on streams draining urban and agricultural regions of the Puget Sound Basin Lowlands. Densities of bacteria in 48 and 71 percent of the samples exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's freshwater recreation criteria for Escherichia coli and enterococci, respectively, and 81 percentMechanism and rate of denitrification in an agricultural watershed: Electron and mass balance along groundwater flow paths
The rate and mechanism of nitrate removal along and between groundwater flow paths were investigated using a series of well nests screened in an unconfined sand and gravel aquifer. Intensive agricultural activity in this area has resulted in nitrate concentrations in groundwater often exceeding drinking water standards. Both the extent and rate of denitrification varied depending on the groundwate