Coronavirus (COVID-19) status update
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak and social-distancing measures we all must take, and in order to maintain the safety of our team and the general public, we will not be conducting the monitoring necessary to produce new issues of "Eyes over Puget Sound," until further notice. We will resume normal activities as soon as we can do so safely. We appreciate your understanding.
Once a month, we take to the air and travel by boat to obtain high-resolution aerial photo observations and gather water data at our monitoring stations and state ferry transects. This provides us a visual picture of the health of Puget Sound, which we call Eyes Over Puget Sound or EOPS.
Eyes Over Puget Sound empowers you to:
- See what is currently happening in Puget Sound.
- See how weather and climate are shaping Puget Sound water quality.
- Use Eyes Over Puget Sound as free educational material for your own endeavors.
Surface conditions on our latest flight
After a wet January, precipitation was low, and air temperatures were cooler. As a result, rivers were flowing lower than expected, a pattern that had continued since last year.
During March's flight, we approached the coldest water temperatures of the year. Herring were spawning in Port Madison. Although these cool temperatures are good for herring, temperatures are close to the survival limits for anchovies. Divers can benefit from good underwater visibility. However, they should avoid windy days near wave-exposed beaches. If you are lucky, you might see the kelp humpback shrimp, a master of camouflage.
Learn more about Eyes over Puget Sound