Cooler and wetter conditions earlier this year have set the stage for a favorable supply of freshwater. River flows are all above normal due to warm May temperatures melting our abundant snow pack. These conditions are creating significantly fresher conditions in Puget Sound surface waters.
Algae blooms are limited but there are some yellow-green blooms growing in bays near the Kitsap Peninsula and in the Puyallup, Skagit and Stillaguamish river estuaries. Red algae blooms are present in the rivers feeding into Willapa Bay. Also see what is “blooming” in the sediments of Puget Sound.
What's Eyes Over Puget Sound?
Eyes Over Puget Sound combines high-resolution photo observations with satellite images, ferry data from travel between Seattle and Victoria, BC, and measurements from our moored instruments. We use a seaplane to travel between our monitoring stations because they are so far apart. Once a month, we take photos of Puget Sound water conditions and turn those out, along with data from our stations, in the monthly Eyes Over Puget Sound report.