Watershed health monitoring cycles
Since 2009, we've sampled representative streams and rivers to monitor conditions and track trends in regions across the state that are not on tribal or federal lands. Find where we have already monitored, and see our data. Learn about past watershed monitoring cycles that give us a snapshot of regional trends.
Random sites help estimate regional conditions and trends
The network of streams we monitor are naturally formed, freshwater, and flow year-round. Between 2009 and 2019, we sampled 544 random sites. We did not sample random sites in 2020.
Half of the sites in a sample season are drawn from those that were already sampled in the previous survey. Comparing results over time should objectively show if regional conditions decline or improve.
Reference sites give context to random sites
We've handpicked 117 locations, so far, to represent least-disturbed conditions among three large-scale reference regions in the state. Sixteen of these sites, called the sentinel sites, have been sampled annually and help us to estimate large-scale environmental trends. We hope to expand the reference site list.
See where we've sampled
Explore the maps below to see the sites that we've sampled from 2009 to 2020. Click on each site, then click on the circled arrow in the pop-up box to see its location data and when it was sampled. Click on the up arrows at the bottom of the map frame to see tables of all site data in the map.
Randomly selected site locations and sample dates.
Reference sites (sentinel sites and bioassessment sites).
Contact information
Edward Krynak
Watershed Health Monitoring Lead
edward.krynak@ecy.wa.gov
360-742-1581