Totten Watershed WRIA 13. Chapter Includes: Kennedy Creek. Schneider Creek (Totten)

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1 Totten Watershed WRIA 13 Chapter Includes: Kennedy Creek Schneider Creek (Totten) 257

2 Kennedy Creek #0012 PART OF TOTTEN/LITTLE SKOOKUM WATERSHED LENGTH OF CREEK: 10 miles BASIN SIZE: 19 square miles STREAM ORDER: 3 PRIMARY LAND USES: Rural residential Forestry and some farming FISHERIES RESOURCES: (From A Catalog of Washington Streams and Salmon Utilization, WDOF) Chinook (probable not proven) Coho, Chum salmon GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY: The creek originates in Black Hills; falls gradually to lowlands except for a series of falls, cascades, and log jams 2.5 miles from the mouth. It discharges into the head of Totten Inlet. GENERAL WATER QUALITY: (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor) Good Met all of the water quality standards for Water Years 20, 20, & 20, with the exception of one violation of the Turbidity Standard in January, OTHER DATA: Thurston County Environmental Health Division, (360) or Thurston County Resource Stewardship Department, Water Resources Program (360) or Washington Department of Ecology, Environmental Assessment Program, National Monitoring Program Project, Intensive wet season data between 1992 and 2002, (360)

Kennedy Creek #0012 The water quality standard for fecal coliform has two parts: Part 1 - the geometric mean shall not exceed 50 colonies/100ml and Part 2 - no more than 10% of the samples shall

3 Kennedy Creek #0012 The water quality standard for fecal coliform has two parts: Part 1 - the geometric mean shall not exceed 50 colonies/100ml and Part 2 - no more than 10% of the samples shall exceed 100 colonies/100 ml. In the past, the water quality of this stream has been excellent with the exception of Water Year 2004/05 when the geometric mean was the highest on record and 43% of the samples exceeded 100 fecal coliform colonies/100 ml. For all three water years, 20, 20, & 20, the Kennedy Creek Site met both Part 1 and 2 of the fecal coliform standard. The water quality standard for dissolved oxygen is a lowest one-day minimum of 9.5 mg/l. The DO has frequently fallen below the standard during summer low-flow periods. There have been no violations of the standard in Water Years 20, 20, & 20. The water quality standard for ph requires the ph to be within the range of 6.5 to 8.5. In the past, there have been measurements below the standard. However, the ph standard has been consistently met since

4 Kennedy Creek #0012 Discussion: Kennedy Creek has been monitored by the County since 1984 when the first water quality study was conducted in the Totten Inlet watershed. A ten-year national monitoring project designed to document water quality change as a result of implementing best management practices was completed by the Washington Department of Ecology in The total maximum daily load Water Quality Implementation Plan for tributaries to Totten, Eld and Little Skookum Inlets, completed in November 2007, identifies fecal coliform bacteria concentrations in Kennedy Creek during the late summer (August and September) period as a problem. The plan includes recommended actions to reduce the bacteria load. While there is no water quality standard for nitrate in surface water, a US EPA study determined that the reference condition for nitrate+nitrite concentrations in streams and rivers of the Puget Sound Lowland ecoregion is 0.26 mg/l (EPA Publication 822-B ). The mean annual concentration of nitrate+nitrite exceeded the regional reference condition of 0.26 mg/l during Water Years 20, 20, & 20, with concentrations of 0.486, 0.476, & mg/l, respectively. The total phosphorus regional reference condition is mg/l, according to the above-referenced EPA report. The Kennedy Creek Site mean annual total phosphorus concentrations for Water Years 20, 20, & 20 met the regional reference condition of mg/l. The temperature standard that applies in Kennedy Creek is intended to protect core summer salmonid habitat, and is a 7-day average daily maximum of 16 º C. The temperature data collected through this ambient monitoring program are instantaneous measurements. Because there are not continuous temperature recordings from which the 7-day average daily maximum can be calculated, the instantaneous data can only be used as an indicator of possible temperature violations. The temperature measurements were all below the maximum temperature criteria of 16 º C. Thurston County intends to continue long-term ambient monitoring of this creek. Major Issues: A Washington Department of Ecology total maximum daily load study determined that fecal coliform bacteria levels during the late summer season in Kennedy Creek need to be reduced to ensure compliance with part 2 of the water quality standard. Investigation for potential sources was conducted in 2006 and A water quality implementation plan was completed in November 2007, and includes recommended actions for Kennedy Creek. The chum salmon run in Kennedy Creek continues to be a valued local resource. Various private and public entities worked together to build salmon spawning viewing areas for the public along a lower portion of the creek. Funding Sources: County storm and surface water utility 260

5 Parameter Temperature Dissolved Oxygen Conductivity Units º C mg/l μmhos/cm WQ Standard WAC A Highest 7-DAD Max of 16 º C Lowest one-day minimum of 9.5 mg/l ph Turbidity Fecal Coliform Total Phosphorus Nitrate + Nitritenitrogen NTU colonies/ 100 ml mg/l mg/l * Median ** Geometric mean value (GMV) not to exceed 5 NTU over background GMV: < 50 and < 10% not to exceed 100 Water Quality Summary Conventional Parameters Water Year Kennedy Creek Water Year Data: 20, 20 & 20 Mean * 7* 6.9* ** 16** 20** Range # samples violating standard 1 of 12 % exceeding 100 0% 8% 8% Mean Cumulative Data: Range * *

6 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Kennedy Old Olympic Hwy Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/19/ :50: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. 11/14/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4%. 12/20/ :50: Q (discharge) uncertainty 6.2%. Duplicates labeled "Dunlin". 01/30/ :10: Too fast to wade. 02/15/ :30: FC reported as <5. Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.8%. 03/19/ :00: No flows: too high and fast to wade. FC reported as <5. 04/17/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.8%. 05/14/ :10: Q (discharge) uncertainty 5.2%. 06/11/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.8%. 07/16/ :10: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.4%. 08/15/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.7%. 09/12/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.8%. FC results estimated: colony count outside optimum range of colonies per filter. 262

7 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Kennedy Old Olympic Hwy Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/16/ :00: Salmon starting upstream. 11/06/ :25: No flow: salmon spawning. FC results estimated: colony count outside optimum range of colonies per filter. 12/10/ :15: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.9%. FC reported as <5. 01/15/ :35: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. 02/12/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. 03/12/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.9%. 04/17/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.6%. 05/14/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 5.8%. Duplicates labeled "Dunlin". 06/12/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 5.8%. Turbidity read /17/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.2%. 08/13/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.2%. FC's high for most samples on this date. 09/09/ :13: Q (discharge) uncertainty 6.7%. 263

8 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Kennedy Old Olympic Hwy Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/23/ :50: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.7%. FC reported as <5. Measured flow several 100' upstream from usual location. 11/20/ :20: Did not measure flow so as not to disturb spawning fish. 12/10/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.6%. 01/15/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.6%. 02/11/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.2%. 03/19/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. Duplicates labeled "Dunlin" 04/16/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.0%. 05/14/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.0%. FC reported as <5. 06/11/ :20: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.8%. 07/16/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.8%. 08/12/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 5.0%. 09/17/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.1%. 264

9 Schneider Creek #0009 (In Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) PART OF TOTTEN/LITTLE SKOOKUM WATERSHED LENGTH OF CREEK: 5.3 miles BASIN SIZE: 4,738 Acres STREAM ORDER: 3 PRIMARY LAND USES: Rural residential Agriculture Forestry FISHERIES RESOURCES: (From A Catalog of Washington Streams and Salmon Utilization, WDOF) Coho, Chum salmon GENERAL TOPOGRAPHY: The stream originates on Schneider Prairie and flows through generally flat and level pastures and forest land. The stream gradient is gentle throughout its length. WASHINGTON ECOLOGY WATER QUALITY CLASSIFICATION: Class AA GENERAL WATER QUALITY: (Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor) Good to Fair Often fails Part 2 of the fecal coliform standard. Dissolved oxygen especially during the summer months are below the regulatory standard. Turbidity, ph, & temperature occasionally violate their respective regulatory standards. OTHER DATA: Thurston County Environmental Health Division, (360) or Washington Department of Ecology, Environmental Assessment Program, National Monitoring Program Project, Intensive wet season data between 1992 and 2002, (360)

Schneider Creek #0009 (In Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) Schneider Creek off Hwy 101 (mouth) The water quality standard for fecal coliform has two parts: Part 1 - the geometric mean shall not

10 Schneider Creek #0009 (In Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) Schneider Creek off Hwy 101 (mouth) The water quality standard for fecal coliform has two parts: Part 1 - the geometric mean shall not exceed 50 colonies/100ml and Part 2, no more than10% of the samples shall exceed 100 colonies/100 ml. Part 1 of the standard has been met since 1993 at Schneider Creek mouth, but Part 2 of the standard was in violation for Water Years 20 & 20. The water quality standard for dissolved oxygen (DO) is a lowest one-day minimum of 9.5 mg/l. Over the period of record, DO is often below the water quality standard during the summer low flow months. In the 20 Water Year, one DO violation (August 15, 2012 at 8.93 mg/l) was recorded. In the 20 Water Year, three DO violations were recorded (9.37, 9.31, & 8.84 mg/l, July 17, August 13, & September 9, 2013, respectively). In the 20 Water Year, one violation (September 17, 2014 at 9.02 mg/l) was recorded. The standard for ph requires the ph to be within the range of 6.5 to 8.5. There have been no violations since

11 Schneider Creek #0009 In Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) Schneider Creek at Steamboat Interchange (head) The water quality standard for fecal coliform has two parts: Part 1 - the geometric mean shall not exceed 50 colonies/100ml and Part 2, no more than10% of the samples shall exceed 100 colonies/100 ml. Part 1 of the standard has been met at Schneider Creek Head since monitoring began in Part 2 of the standard was violated in 20, but passed Part 2 of the standard during Water Years 20 & 20. The water quality standard for dissolved oxygen is a lowest one-day minimum of 9.5 mg/l. Over the period of record, the dissolved oxygen (DO) standard is often below the water quality standard. In the 20 Water Year, three DO violations occurred (8.66, 8.54, & 8.75 mg/l, May 14, June 11, & July 16, 2012, respectively). In the 20 Water Year, four DO violations were recorded (8.65, 9.27, 9.35, & 8.78 mg/l, Nov. 6, 2012, Dec. 10, 2012, May 14, 2013, & June 12, 2013, respectively). In the 20 Water Year, one violation (Oct. 23, 2013 at 9.36 mg/l) was recorded. The standard for ph requires the ph to be within the range of 6.5 to 8.5. No violations of the ph standard were recorded during the 20 & 20 Water Years. Two ph volitions were recorded in Water Year 20 at 6.4 & 6.3 on Jan. 15, 2014 & Feb. 12, 2014, respectively. 267

12 Schneider Creek #0009 (In Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) Discussion: Schneider Creek has been monitored by Thurston County since 1985 when the first water quality study was conducted in the watershed. A ten-year national monitoring project designed to document water quality change as a result of implementing best management practices was completed by the Washington Department of Ecology in There is currently a total maximum daily load study which recommends actions to improve water quality. Schneider Creek has consistently met Part 1 of the fecal coliform standard but fails Part 2 in most years. In addition, there are violations of the dissolved oxygen standard during the low flow summer months. In December 2006, monitoring began at a second site on Schneider Creek. This site is located where the creek flows into a culvert on the south side of the Steamboat Island Rd. & Hwy 101 interchange. This site discharges from a wetland complex, and typically stops flowing during the summer. The data is summarized on the table entitled Schneider Creek Head. This site failed Part 2 of the fecal coliform standard for Water Year 20 with one sample exceeding the 100 fecal coliform threshold at 150 CFUs. Dissolved oxygen fell below the standard three times out of nine measurements in 20, four of the eight measurements in 20, and failed one of the eight measurements in 20. The ph standard was violated twice out of the eight times measured in Water Year 20. Temperature criteria were exceeded once during the 20 Water Year at the Schneider Creek Head Station. The original sampling site on Schneider Creek Schneider Creek Mouth, exhibited field parameter violations for dissolved oxygen, temperature, & turbidity. The dissolved oxygen standard was violated on one out of 12 occurrences in 20, three out of 12 occurrences in 20, and one out of 12 occurrences in 20. The temperature parameter exceeded the regulatory limit once out of 12 times in 20. Turbidity was violated once out of the twelve sampling events in both 20 & 20. The temperature standard that applies in Schneider Creek is intended to protect core summer salmonid habitat, and is a 7-day average daily maximum of 16º C. The temperature data collected through this ambient monitoring program are instantaneous measurements. Both sampling locations on Schneider Creek had one temperature measurement greater than 16 [insert degree symbol here] C during the three aforementioned water years.because there are not continuous temperature recordings from which the 7-day average daily maximum can be calculated, the instantaneous data can only be used as an indicator of possible temperature violations. While there is no water quality standard for nitrate in surface water, a US EPA study determined that the reference condition for nitrate+nitrite concentrations in streams and rivers of the Puget Sound Lowland ecoregion is 0.26 mg/l (EPA Publication 822-B ). The average nitrate concentration for Schneider Creek Mouth and Schneider Creek Head stations were both below the regional reference condition for nitrate+nitrite. The total phosphorus regional reference condition is mg/l, according to the EPA report. The Schneider Creek Mouth site mean annual total phosphorus concentrations for Water Years 20, 20, & 20 exceeded the regional reference condition. The annual average total phosphorus concentration Schnieder Creek Head station did not exceed the aforementioned reference condition for Water Years 20, 20, &

13 Schneider Creek #0009 (In Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) Thurston County intends to continue long-term ambient monitoring of this creek. Major Issues: The creek has the potential to be impacted by animal keeping practices, logging practices, and stream-side development. Both stations exhibited dissolved oxygen violations during the warmer months for Water Years 20, 20, & 20. Average annual total phosphorus concentrations at the Schneider Creek Mouth site exceeded the regional reference concentration for Water Years 20, 20, & 20. Both stations exhibited temperature violations, Mouth Site in 20 and the Head Site in 20. The Schnider Creek Head Site exhibited ph violations during the 20 Water Year. Funding Sources: County Storm and Surface Water Utility 269

14 Parameter Temperature Dissolved Oxygen Conductivity Units º C mg/l μmhos/cm Water Quality Summary Conventional Parameters Schneider Creek Mouth (in Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) WQ Standard WAC A Highest 7-DAD Max of 16.0 º C *** Lowest one-day minimum of 9.5 ph Turbidity Fecal Coliform Total Phosphorus Nitrate + Nitritenitrogen NTU colonies/ 100 ml mg/l mg/l not to exceed 5 NTU over background GMV: <50 and < 10% not to exceed 100 Water Year Mean 7.1* 6.8* 6.85* Water Year Data: 20, 20 & ** 43** 24** Range # samples violating standard 1 of 12 1 of 12 3 of 12 1 of 12 1 of 12 1 of 12 % exceeding % 17% 8% Mean Cumulative Data: Range * ** * Median ** Geometric mean value (GMV) 270

15 Parameter Temperature Dissolved Oxygen Conductivity Units º C mg/l μmhos/cm Water Quality Summary Conventional Parameters Schneider Creek Head (in Totten/Little Skookum Inlet Watershed) WQ Standard WAC A Highest 7-DAD Max of 16.0 º C *** Lowest one-day minimum of 9.5 ph Turbidity Fecal Coliform Total Phosphorus Nitrate + Nitritenitrogen NTU colonies/ 100 ml mg/l mg/l not to exceed 5 NTU over background GMV: <100 and < 10% not to exceed 100 Water Year Mean * 6.7* 6.6* ** 8** 9** Water Year Data: 20, 20 & 20 Range # samples violating standard 1 of 9 0 of 8 0 of 8 3 of 9 4 of 8 1 of 8 0 of 9 0 of 8 2 of 8 0 of 9 0 of 8 0 of 8 % exceeding % 0% 0% Mean 81 Cumulative Data: Range * ** * Median ** Geometric mean value (GMV) 271

16 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Schneider Pneumonia gulch off 101 Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/19/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 9.2%. 11/14/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 5%. 12/20/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.8%. Stream bed seriously disturbed by heavy equipment. 01/30/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.8%. 02/15/ :15: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.7%. 03/19/ :10: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.2%. 04/17/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3%. Construction upstream of sample site. 05/14/ :10: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.2% 06/14/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. 07/16/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.5%. Duplicates labeled Pneumonia Gulch 08/15/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 6.7%. 09/12/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.7%. FC results estimated: colony count outside optimum range of colonies per filter. 272

17 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Schneider Pneumonia gulch off 101 Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/16/ :30: FC results estimated: colony count outside optimum range of colonies per filter. 11/06/ :45: FC results estimated: colony count outside optimum range of colonies per filter. 12/10/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.3%. 01/15/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. Duplicates labeled "Gulch". 02/12/ :20: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.2%. FC reported as <5. 03/12/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.2% 04/17/ :15: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.3%. 05/14/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 11.2%. 06/12/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 5.1%. 07/17/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 7.3%. 08/13/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 6.3%. FC's high for most samples on this date. 09/09/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 9.5%. 273

18 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Schneider Pneumonia gulch off 101 Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/23/ :10: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.7%. 11/20/ :40: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.1%. Some fish in creek. 12/10/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.9%. 01/15/ :45: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.6%. 02/12/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 4.0% Duplicates labeled "Leedy" at 12:45. 03/19/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.3%. 04/16/ :00: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.7%. 05/14/ :50: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.6% (Main channel). 06/11/ :35: Q (discharge) uncertainty 2.5%. 07/16/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 6%. 08/12/ :15: Q (discharge) uncertainty 3.4%. 09/17/ :30: Q (discharge) uncertainty 7.0%. 274

19 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Schneider Creek Upstream of Steamboat Interchange Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/19/ :30:00 Stagnant. 11/14/ :15: /20/ :50: FC reported as <5. 01/30/ :30: /15/ :30: /19/ :40: /17/ :10: FC reported as <5. 05/14/ :00: Recent logging in hills upstream of Schneider Head. 06/11/ :25: /16/ :15: Turbid: logging activity. 08/15/ :30:00 Stagnant. 09/12/ :20:00 Stagnant. 275

20 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Schneider Creek Upstream of Steamboat Interchange Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/16/ :40:00 Stagnant. 11/06/ :50: FC results estimated: colony count outside optimum range of colonies per filter. 12/10/ :10: Saw a coho. 01/15/ :30: /12/ :50: /12/ :45: /17/ :05: /14/ :30: /12/ :15: /17/ :30:00 Stagnant. No samples. 08/13/ :30:00 Stagnant. 09/09/ :15:00 Stagnant. 276

21 Thurston County Water Resources Monitoring Report Schneider Creek Upstream of Steamboat Interchange Date Time Temp ph DO FC Turb Flow TP NOx COMMENTS C mg/l umhos/cm cfu/100ml NTU cfs mg/l mg/l 10/23/ :45: /20/ :40: /10/ :15: /15/ :40: FC reported as <5. 02/12/ :30: /19/ :30: FC reported as <5. 04/16/ :30: FC reported as <5. 05/14/ :45: /11/ :00:00 Overgrown with Reed Canary Grass -- looks stagnant. 07/16/ :45:00 Stagnant. 09/17/ :00:00 Stagnant. 277

Henderson Watershed WRIA 13. Chapter Includes: Tanglewilde Stormwater Outfall Woodard Creek Woodland Creek

Henderson Watershed WRIA 13. Chapter Includes: Tanglewilde Stormwater Outfall Woodard Creek Woodland Creek Henderson Watershed WRIA 13 Chapter Includes: Tanglewilde Stormwater Outfall Woodard Creek Woodland Creek 146 Tanglewilde Stormwater Outfall PART OF HENDERSON WATERSHED PRIMARY LAND USES: Urban residential