Austin Creek and Beaver Creek Sampling Project

Beaver Creek and Austin Creek were sampled intensively on November 20, 2004 to measure temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total suspended solids, and fecal coliforms. The objective was to assess the amount of variability that can be expected for water quality measurements collected from these creeks at different times during the day and in different locations within the Austin Creek and Beaver Creek watersheds

Birch Bay Village Lakes 2012 Final Report

The Institute for Watershed Studies was contracted by the Birch Bay Village Lakes Committee to continue water testing at two sites in Kwann Lake and two sites in Thunderbird Lake (Figure 1, page 4). The sampling effort began in August 2007, and samples have been collected approximately 3–4 times each year through spring 2012. This report provides an update to earlier data reports submitted to the Birch Bay Village Lakes Committee

Birch Bay Village Lakes 2013 Final Report

The Institute for Watershed Studies was contracted by the Birch Bay Village Lakes Committee to continue water testing at two sites in Kwan Lake and two sites in Thunderbird Lake (Figure 1, page 4). The sampling effort began in August 2007, and samples have been collected approximately 2–4 times each year through August 2013. This report provides an update to earlier data reports submitted to the Birch Bay Village Lakes Committee

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2009–2010 Final Report

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir, and measure other standard biological and chemical parameters. Water quality data and algae counts have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual data summaries were sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007, 2008, and January 2010

Lake Samish Water Monitoring Project 2011b Final Report

Lake Samish is a valuable aquatic resource, providing public access for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and other water and lakeshore activities. Residents around the lake enjoy outstanding views of both the lake and its surrounding watershed, and the lake serves as a water supply for many of the lakeshore residents. Lake Samish is located in the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Water Resource Inventory Area #3 (WRIA 3), and discharges into Friday Creek, a salmon spawning tributary of the Samish River. Lake Samish experiences periodic algal blooms, including blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. The major goal of the monitoring project was to collect data that would help identify the causes of the blooms, and possibly provide insight into how to protect the lake from water quality degradation. The Lake Samish monitoring project was initiated in June 2005 to collect water quality data from the lake and from major tributaries in the watershed. This report describes data collected in 2011. Additional information is available in previous summary reports (Matthews, et al., 2006; Matthews and Vandersypen, 2007; 2008; 2010; 2011). Although the primary goal for this project was to collect baseline water quality data, a second goal was to begin looking as options for protecting water quality in the lake. A full assessment of lake management options is beyond the scope of this project, but several important observations can be made concerning the direction of future lake management efforts

Lake Samish Water Monitoring Project 2008 Final Report

This report is a revised version of the 2006 and 2007 Final Reports by Matthews, et al., and contains most of the original text, updated figures, and additional discussion of all data collected from June 2005 through July 2008. Lake Samish is a valuable aquatic resource, providing public access for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and other water and lakeshore activities. Residents around the lake enjoy outstanding views of both the lake and its surrounding watershed, and the lake serves as a water supply for many of the lakeshore residents. Lake Samish is located in the Washington State Department of Ecology’s water resource inventory area #3 (WRIA 3), and discharges into Friday Creek, a salmon spawning tributary of the Samish River. The Lake Samish monitoring project was initiated in June 2005 to collect water quality data from the lake and from major tributaries in the watershed. Lake Samish experiences periodic algal blooms, including blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. The major goal of the monitoring project was to collect data that would help identify the causes of the blooms, and possibly provide insight into how to protect the lake from water quality degradation

Lake Samish Water Monitoring Project 2011 Final Report

Lake Samish is a valuable aquatic resource, providing public access for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and other water and lakeshore activities. Residents around the lake enjoy outstanding views of both the lake and its surrounding watershed, and the lake serves as a water supply for many of the lakeshore residents. Lake Samish is located in the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Water Resource Inventory Area #3 (WRIA 3), and discharges into Friday Creek, a salmon spawning tributary of the Samish River. Lake Samish experiences periodic algal blooms, including blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. The major goal of the monitoring project was to collect data that would help identify the causes of the blooms, and possibly provide insight into how to protect the lake from water quality degradation. The Lake Samish monitoring project was initiated in June 2005 to collect water quality data from the lake and from major tributaries in the watershed. This report describes work done as a continuation of the monitoring project started in 2005. Additional information is available in previous summary reports (Matthews, et al., 2006; Matthews and Vandersypen, 2007; 2008; 2010). Although the primary goal for this project was to collect baseline water quality data, a second goal was to begin looking as options for protecting water quality in the lake. A full assessment of lake management options is beyond the scope of this project, but several important observations can be made concerning the direction of future lake management efforts

Lake Samish Water Monitoring Project 2010 Final Report

This report describes work done as a continuation of the Lake Samish monitoring project started in June 2005. Additional data and lake information is available in the 2006–2008 final reports (Matthews, et al., 2006; Matthews and Vandersypen, 2007; Matthews and Vandersypen, 2008). Lake Samish is a valuable aquatic resource, providing public access for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and other water and lakeshore activities. Residents around the lake enjoy outstanding views of both the lake and its surrounding watershed, and the lake serves as a water supply for many of the lakeshore residents. Lake Samish is located in the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Water Resource Inventory Area #3 (WRIA 3), and discharges into Friday Creek, a salmon spawning tributary of the Samish River. The Lake Samish monitoring project was initiated in June 2005 to collect water quality data from the lake and from major tributaries in the watershed. Lake Samish experiences periodic algal blooms, including blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. The major goal of the monitoring project was to collect data that would help identify the causes of the blooms, and possibly provide insight into how to protect the lake from water quality degradation. Although the primary goal for this project was to collect baseline water quality data, a second goal was to begin looking as options for protecting water quality in the lake. A full assessment of lake management options is beyond the scope of this project, but several important observations can be made concerning the direction of future lake management efforts

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2012 Final Report

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton and measure chlorophyll, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus levels in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir. Water quality and algal data have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual reports have been sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007, 2008, 2010 (January and December), and 2011

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2011 Final Report

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton and measure chlorophyll, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus levels in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir. Water quality and algal data have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual reports have been sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007, 2008, and 2010 (January and December)