Stormwater Monitoring
Why Monitor Stormwater?
The Salish Sea: Beauty & Challenges
The Salish Sea region, known for its stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity, has experienced rapid population growth. In Washington State alone, the population doubled from 1960 to 2020, reaching 4.3 million residents. This population surge has led to increased pollution stemming from:
- Vehicle emissions deposit chemicals & heavy metals
- Industrial wastewater enters storm drains and treatment plants
- Fertilizers from lawns and farms runoff into waterways
- All these pollutants eventually reach the Salish Sea, impacting its ecosystem.
Pollution Consequences
Currently, municipalities with Phase II stormwater discharge permits are not required to monitor stormwater, primarily due to cost constraints. Consequences of pollution include:
1.
Salmon population decline (along with overfishing and habitat loss).
2.
Shellfish contamination, leading to harvest closures.
3.
Overall degradation of marine habitats.
OUR STORMWATER PROJECT
Community Action
Residents in coastal Washington have organized to collectively address these issues:
Fundraising
for water testing equipment.
Setting Up
micro-biology labs.
Partnering
with local governments for stormwater monitoring.
Reporting
data consistently to city stormwater managers.
Notifying
pollution threshold exceedances to authorites.
The Salish Sea Stormwater Project
Our Project Scope
This community-driven project demonstrates how residents can actively contribute to environmental protection and support local governments in managing stormwater pollution. The Salish Sea Stormwater Monitoring is a community volunteer, water quality monitoring program covering The focus of our project is to improve both water quality and water policy through community monitoring and action. The initiative focuses on 18 shoreline municipalities with Phase II permits, excluding Seattle and Tacoma, which have Phase I permits and conduct their own monitoring. Future plans include:
- Currently serving regions 1 & 2
- Aim to expand to regions 3-6, pending funding
- Identifying safe and accessible stormwater outfall pipes for monitoring
Who We Are:
We’re a group of enthusiastic volunteers who live along the Salish Sea coastline and our working to protect it. We’re passionate about giving back and making a difference for our beloved region.
News Articles:
Interested in diving in deeper? Read our collection of stormwater monitoring related new articles to expland your knowledge!
Our Data:
Several tools help us see our stormwater data in context with our entire region. Take a look to learn more about the information we collect!
