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September 30, 2025

Hylebos Waterway

What is driving ongoing contamination in Commencement Bay?

Despite more than four decades of a Superfund cleanup along Tacoma’s industrial Tideflats, research suggests that large amounts of toxic chemicals like PCBs and PBDEs may still be entering the waterway. Our affiliates at the Center for Urban Waters are co-leading a new project to identify contaminant hotspots. When it was first designated in 1983, […]


August 6, 2025

Shoreline view of Puget Sound overlayed with photos of a cow, human, and bird to show potential sources that can be identified by Microbial Source Tracking.

Microbial source tracking for Puget Sound  

Friday, September 12 | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PT on Zoom   Co-hosted with the Shellfish SIL Effective microbial source tracking is critical for safeguarding public health, restoring shellfish beds, and targeting pollution prevention efforts. Join leading researchers and fellow practitioners to explore emerging tools, regional efforts, and practical guidance to track and reduce fecal […]


June 12, 2025

Low oxygen challenge, part 3: Computer models spell out the extent of the water-quality problem

After more than eight years of study amid ongoing discussions, the Washington Department of Ecology has made public a far-reaching plan for reducing human sources of nitrogen that contribute to the destructive low-oxygen conditions in Puget Sound. The plan, called the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction Plan, calls for reductions in nitrogen from sewage-treatment plants, agricultural […]


June 12, 2025

Low oxygen challenge, part 1: The debate over oxygen in Puget Sound

In Puget Sound, low oxygen levels are a proven threat to marine creatures, from fish to shellfish and even tiny organisms. This threat has long been recognized by scientists — particularly within slow-flushing bays and inlets where low levels of dissolved oxygen can impair sea life and occasionally create deadly conditions in late summer and […]


April 2, 2025

The “unstructured grid” used in the Salish Sea Model allows for greater resolution (smaller triangles) when studying complex water circulation, such as around the Hood Canal bridge. Graphic: Tarang Khangaonkar

Unpacking uncertainty: How experts recommend improving Puget Sound modeling

An external scientific review by independent experts is a common and valuable practice, particularly when the models have significant management implications. This ethos is why peer review is foundational to science in general. By providing an objective assessment, external reviewers can help ensure the models are robust and appropriate for the management decisions they’re being […]