SINCLAIR INLET WATERSHED

Transcription

1 SINCLAIR INLET WATERSHED 2015 Water Quality Monitoring Report Kitsap Public Health District

2 SN18

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4 2015 STREAM WATER QUALITY SUMMARY The Sinclair Inlet watershed is located in central Kitsap County. Most of the watershed is designated at Primary Contact waters by the State. Certain streams are classified as Extraordinary Primary Contact and include; Beaver Creek, Karcher Creek and Sacco Creek. Waterbody 2015 FC Bacteria GMV Met WQ Standard in 2015? Long term trend Health Advisory? Anderson Creek (AN01) 25 Part 1 only STATIONARY No Annapolis Creek (AP01) 97 Part 1 only IMPROVING No Beaver Creek * (BV01A) 54 NO STATIONARY No Blackjack Creek (BJ01) 63 YES STATIONARY No Gorst Creek (GR01) 31 Part 1 only IMPROVING No Karcher Creek * (KA01) 62 NO IMPROVING YES Ross Creek (RS02) 17 YES IMPROVING No Sacco Creek * (SC01) 117 NO IMPROVING No Overall EP marine water Overall Primary marine water *Designated as Extraordinary Primary Contact waters 5 of 5 Stations 7 of 8 Stations 1 of 5 stations Improving 2 of 8 stations Improving

5 HOW ARE WE DOING? Current Water Quality Clean Up Projects The Sinclair Inlet Restoration Project was completed in A final report for the project was published and is available on Kitsap Public Health s website. During 2015 PIC efforts continued in Sinclair inlet on a limited basis and were in response to complaints and/or shoreline hots spots. As a result of these efforts there were 7 property inspections completed. Four (4) failing onsite septic systems were identified. Three systems have been repaired, the fourth is in the process of being repaired. Past Projects: From 1995 to 2008, the Gorst Area Onsite Sewage System Sanitary Survey Project was completed. Forty-seven (47) failing on-site sewage systems were identified and to date, and most have been repaired the Annapolis and Karcher Creek Bacterial Source Investigation project documented water quality problems in the upper sections of both watersheds. Three failing septic systems were discovered and corrected. In addition, there is ongoing work by the West Sound Utility (formerly Karcher Creek Sewer District) to identify and correct potential leaking sewer infrastructure. In 2009 the Health District received funding from the state Centennial Clean Water Fund for the Sinclair Inlet Fecal Pollution Reduction Project will focus on non-point pollution sources such as failing septic systems, and agricultural waste. This project included inspecting over 1,000 properties in the Sinclair Inlet watershed. Problems from storm water will be identified in coordination with the Kitsap Regional Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) program.

6 SHELLFISH CLASSIFICATIONS All of Sinclair Inlet west of Point Herron is classified as Prohibited for shellfish harvesting due to potential pollution from sewer outfalls, combined sewer overflows, significant nonpoint pollution sources and industrial activities. The map below shows the shellfish growing area classifications in the area. Shellfish growing area annual reports and corresponding maps are available from the Washington State Department of Health website: Office of Shellfish and Water Protection.

7 STREAMS WITH IMPROVING WATER QUALITY TRENDS ANNAPOLIS CREEK (AP01) Annapolis Creek originates above the South Kitsap Mall, travels north approximately 1.2 miles and discharges into Sinclair Inlet. Water quality standards were met in 2015 and statistical analysis shows a long term improving trend. GORST CREEK (GR01) Gorst Creek and its tributaries combine for over 17 miles of stream corridor. The last one-mile of the stream flows through the community of Gorst and then discharges into the head of Sinclair Inlet. Statistical analysis for the creek shows a long term improving trend Annual FC GMV Gorst Creek

8 KARCHER CREEK (KA01) Karcher Creek located east of Port Orchard, is composed of approximately two miles of streams and tributaries. The stream discharges into the southern shoreline of Sinclair Inlet near the West Sound Utility sewer treatment plant. Statistical analysis shows a long term improving trend. Karcher Creek Annual FC GMV Year ROSS CREEK (RS02) Ross Creek and its tributaries combine to make up nearly two miles of stream corridor. The stream originates south of Highway 16, then flows north to its discharge point into Sinclair Inlet near Ross Point. Statistical analysis shows long term improving trend. Ross Creek Annual FC GMV Year

9 SACCO CREEK (SC01) Sacco Creek and its tributaries combine to make up nearly two miles of stream corridor. The stream discharges into a small estuary just north of Retsil on Sinclair Inlet. Statistical analysis for the creek shows a long term improving trend.

10 MARINE WATER MONITORING DATA SUMMARY Water quality standards for marine waters are based on classifications for recreational uses and aquatic life as defined by Washington State. There are two marine water quality classifications; Excellent aquatic, primary contact and Extraordinary aquatic, primary contact. The marine water quality standards for both classifications are found in the Introduction of this report. In the Sinclair Inlet watershed the waters west of Point Herron are classified as Excellent aquatic primary contact, with the rest of the watershed listed as Extraordinary aquatic primary contact. MARINE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS COMPLIANCE FOR EXTRAORDINARY AQUATIC, PRIMARY CONTACT STATIONS All five of the five monitoring stations in this watershed met the state fecal coliform bacteria standard during the 2015 water year. Temperature exceedances were recorded at all stations during the summer months. Sinclair Inlet Extraordinary Primary Marine Water Summary Max 75% Median 25% Min Most Recent 12-Sample Geometric Mean Sinclair Inlet Extraordinary Primary marine waters as a whole show a stationary global trend. One of the five individual sampling stations (SN14) showed significant long-term improvement.

11 MARINE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS COMPLIANCE FOR EXCELLENT AQUATIC PRIMARY CONTACT STATIONS Seven of the eight monitoring stations in this portion of the watershed met the state fecal coliform bacteria standard in during the 2015 water year. Six of the eight stations exceeded temperature standards. These often occur during the summer when nearshore waters are more easily influenced by seasonal temperature variations. Sinclair Inlet Primary Marine Water Summary Max 75% Median 25% Min Most Recent 12-Sample Geometric Mean Sinclair Inlet Primary marine waters as a whole show a stationary trend. Two of the eight individual sampling stations (SN03, SN10) showed significant long-term improvement while one station (SN12) showed significant long term worsening.