What may be the nation’s largest estuary seems hidden in plain sight for many people

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What is the largest estuary in the United States? This is a question loaded with confusion and open to interpretation, as you will soon see. Before we get to the likely answer — which may surprise you — let me share a few authoritative views on the subject: Chesapeake Bay Foundation: “Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and the third largest in the world. It is about 200 miles long and holds more than 18 trillion gallons of water.” U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer of Washington state: […]

2022 Salish Sea toxics monitoring synthesis: A selection of research

Report cover
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A new report from the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program takes a comprehensive look at some of the greatest dangers posed by toxic chemicals in the Salish Sea. The report was produced with support from the UW Puget Sound Institute, and brings together recent findings on PCBs, CECs, PFAS, 6PPD-Q, and other toxics of concern. It represents a compilation of activities from almost 50 groups in both the United States and Canada. Read it to find out how rogue chemicals are affecting the health of the ecosystem. Overview The Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program […]

Warm ocean waters work their way into Puget Sound

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Unusually warm waters in the Pacific Ocean — now pushing up against the Washington coast — are keeping oceanographers on alert for changes that could reverberate through the food web, potentially affecting fish, birds and marine mammals in coastal waters and in Puget Sound. Rising ocean temperatures may be related to recent sightings of warm-water fish not usually seen in the Northwest, including a bluefin tuna that washed up on Orcas Island and large schools of mackeral observed in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Worrisome levels of domoic acid, […]

Salish Sea Science Roundtable begins in October

Image courtesy of Welch et al.
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While there are often opportunities to go deep in our respective fields, breakthroughs can come from unexpected connections and interdisciplinary discussions. The Salish Sea Science Roundtable is a virtual monthly seminar inspired by just that. UW Puget Sound Institute is co-convening the roundtable with several organizations, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Each month we’ll connect to share emerging science that’s shaping Salish Sea recovery and sustainable development, reconnect with colleagues in different fields, and enjoy thought-provoking discussions. We hope you’ll join us virtually the first Tuesday of each month from 12:30-1:30 […]

Collaborative Leadership Project featured at national retreat on scholarship and research

The view from AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. Photo by Michael Kern.
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In August, PSI Director of Special Projects Michael Kern was invited by the University Network for Collaborative Governance (UNCG) to discuss the research questions driving the Collaborative Leadership Project at the UNCG Scholarship Retreat. The retreat was held at the University of Wyoming’s AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park. It was attended by about 20 top academics and practitioners in the field of collaborative governance, from universities across the country.  Michael provided the attendees with a brief overview of the project, explaining it is intended to capture Washington’s 50-year […]

Two new baby orcas with no deaths over the past year could make for a remarkable census

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This year’s census for the Southern Resident killer whales apparently will document two new calves but no deaths for the 12-month period ending July 1. According to my unconfirmed records, this will be the first time in nearly 30 years that no deaths will be reported in the annual census update. Consequently, the overall population for the three orca pods rises from 73 in 2022 to 75 in 2023. These numbers won’t be official until the Center for Whale Research submits its annual report to the federal government sometime before […]

Salish Sea Model tracks pollution, currents and climate change

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This article is the latest in a series about computer models and their uses within the Puget Sound ecosystem. Today, we look at the Salish Sea Model, one of several models in the region helping to predict water circulation, water quality and food-web relationships. Read the full series: Where and how the water moves The waters of Puget Sound contain complex chemical mixtures arising from natural and human sources. The waters are blended and pushed around by currents and other physical forces, creating conditions that vary from place to place. […]

Puget Sound Institute is hiring!

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The University of Washington Puget Sound Institute is seeking qualified candidates for two grant-funded positions. Follow the links below for the complete position announcements. Research Scientist/Engineer 2 (Grand Uncertainty Matrix)This position will work closely with partners and stakeholders in the Puget Sound National Estuary Program to oversee the development and implementation of a regional research plan based on the Grand Uncertainties Matrix. Research Scientist/Engineer 3 (Contaminants of Emerging Concern)This position will support the development and application of a computational ecosystem population model that relates chemical exposures to effects on growth, reproduction, and […]

Prey and predators create varying life-or-death conditions for salmon, as shown with Atlantis model

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This article is the latest in a series about computer models and their uses within the Puget Sound ecosystem. As scientists uncover more and more information about a particular ecosystem, computer modelers are often eager to put that raw data to good use in complex models tuned to local conditions. One highly acclaimed model, called Atlantis, has been applied to more than 40 ecosystems around the world. In Puget Sound, Atlantis has been used to study the food web to determine whether salmon are more threatened by predators or by […]

Examining the link between low summer stream flows and climate

Low stream flows in a tributary of the Skykomish River. Photo by Jeff Rice.
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A 2023 paper in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association says future low flows in Puget Sound streams could be lower than are projected by climate models that do not reliably account for multidecadal climate variation. The paper is co-authored by Nicholas Georgiadis and Joel Baker of the Puget Sound Institute. When rains finally returned to Puget Sound last fall, they provided welcome relief for spawning salmon. Drought conditions had left streams at record lows, causing many creeks to become dangerously warm for fish, and in some cases […]

Wastewater fee study reveals hardship for low-income households

Washington Department of Ecology has issued a new permit to control nitrogen at 58 treatment plants, including Bremerton's Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant. Ecology says the upgrades could increase sewer utility fees. Photo: Washington Department of Ecology
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Low-income households may need financial help to address the impact of rising wastewater bills, according to a study of current and projected sewage treatment costs published last month by the Puget Sound Institute. The study was initiated in support of the Marine Water Quality Implementation Strategy, a state and federal recovery plan addressing water pollution in Puget Sound. Since 2018, concerns have been rising about the potential ecological impacts from treated sewage flowing into the waterway. State regulators are calling for improvements to wastewater treatment plants that could increase utility […]

Southeast Alaska troll fishing restored for this year by court of appeals pending full legal review

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Fishing in Southeast Alaska by the commercial troll-fishing fleet will not be cancelled this year, as ordered by a Seattle judge, thanks to a last-minute ruling by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Considerations for the economic damage that would be caused by shutting down the Alaskan fishery outweigh the “speculative environmental threats” that led the lower court to effectively close the fishery, according to the appeals court order. The heart of the legal battle — how fishing for Chinook salmon affects the endangered Southern Resident orcas — remains […]