Ongoing Programs

Streams
We monitor water quality of streams, and the Hydrologic Information Center provides flow and temperature data for our streams and rivers. Our benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring program takes our scientists to stream sites all over King County each summer to sample them for stream bugs, which are indicators of stream health. Also, the Science Section often works with the Flooding Services group, who produce flood warnings and alerts data.

Lakes
We monitor water quality of small lakes and large lakes, and a set of large lake buoys also collect water quality data. We monitor the water quality and temperature of swimming beaches.

Marine
We conduct marine monitoring to identify sources of pollution, provide water and sediment quality information for management decisions, and evaluate status and trends of marine waters and sediments within King County.

Groundwater
We monitor groundwater in areas around the county.

Toxics
We interpret chemical and toxicity data to provide guidance on environmental contamination issues such as contaminant sources and pathways, permit compliance, site remediation, and environmental policy. Our group designs and conducts customized studies to gather additional data as needed and conducts long-term monitoring for toxic chemicals in aquatic biota.

Watershed and Ecological Assessment
We conduct a variety of ecologic and hydrologic assessments for customers in and outside of the County. Our group’s expertise spans fisheries biology, wildlife biology, ecology, botany, hydrology, and geology.

Special projects

• Bug seeding project
• Federal Way stormwater
• Oyster shell retrofit project
• Restore and protect
• Bear Creek Watershed-Scale Stormwater Plan
• Stormwater Retrofit Monitoring in the Echo Lake Drainage Basin (Shoreline Area)
• The WRIA 9 Marine Shoreline Monitoring and Compliance Pilot Project

Volunteer monitoring

• Lake Stewardship Program