Puget Sound Water Properties and Quality

Puget Sound Water Properties and Quality • Chemical and biological characteristics, some of which can be affected by anthropogenic actions • Measuring and modeling • PRISM “salty” partners include: Institutions:UW, WA Ecology, King Co DNR Projects:NOPP modeling, ORCA, JEMS

Overarching Goal Through a strongly interacting combination of direct observations and computer models representing physical, chemical, and biological processes in Puget Sound, provide a record of Puget Sound water properties, as well as model now-casts and projections. The information will be used to develop a mechanistic understanding of the Sound’s dynamics, how human actions and climate influence these (e.g., “what-if scenarios”), and how, in turn, the water properties influence marine resources and ecosystem health (linkage with other PRISM elements).

Key questions • Understanding plankton dynamics in a temperate fjord: - What physical dynamics of water mass variation most influence stratification, and what is the phytoplankton response? - How important is nitrate versus ammonium in controlling phytoplankton production? - What controls light availability for phytoplankton in the euphotic zone? • Assessing ecosystem integrity: - Do salmon have food they need to survive? Is timing ok and what affects that? - What food-web shifts (e.g., macrozoops vs. gelatinous) affect fish etc survival? - How does an invasive species with certain growth/grazing characteristics impact food-web? • Understanding perturbation impacts (e.g., climate, human): - How does productivity differ with ENSO and PDO stages? - How does flushing differ with ENSO and PDO stages? - Do land-use practices affect water properties and phytoplankton?

Uses and benefits • The information will be used • for teaching at various levels • to promote and aid research • to help define effective regional planning • Public benefit includes: • Resource and habitat protection (e.g., clean water, fish, shellfish) • Waste/pollution planning and allocation • Puget Sound quality maintenance

PRISM – Puget Sound Water Properties – prime suspects • UW: Mark Warner, Al Devol, Steve Emerson, Miles Logsdon, Jeff Richey, Kate Edwards, Mitsuhiro Kawase • WA Ecology: Jan Newton, Rick Reynolds, Skip Albertson • KC-DNR: Randy Shuman, Bruce Nairn

Partnerships/ Monitoring Observations Virtual Puget Sound Remote sensing Climate variation impacts Modeling

Ships & Buoys

Marine Water Quality Index Ships & Buoys

Marine Water Quality Index Ships & Buoys Remote sensing

Marine Water Quality Index Ships & Buoys El Niño vs La Niña Remote sensing

Marine Water Quality Index Ships & Buoys El Niño vs La Niña Remote sensing Aquatic biogeochemical cycling model

1. How are we measuring Puget Sound Water Properties and Quality? • PRISM-sponsored cruises • Partnership with WA Ecology and King Co monitoring (PSAMP) • JEMS: Joint Effort to Monitor the Strait, co-sponsored by MEHP, et al. • ORCA: Ocean Remote Chemical-optical Analyzer, initial sponsorship EPA/NASA, also WA SG, KC-DNR

PRISM cruises • Annual June and Dec. cruises; 10 so far • Greater Puget Sound including Straits • Synoptic hydrographic, chemical, and biological data • Input for models, student theses, regional assessments

Value of a PRISM cruise? • Student training and involvement • UG and G; majors and non-majors • Data collection on synoptic basis • verification for models • time-series at solstices • Involvement of larger community • media, K-12, other marine programs, local governments

PRISM cruise participation: • UW Undergraduates - 34 persons, 60 trips (41%) • Oceanography - 30 • Other Majors - 4 [UW Tacoma , Biochemistry, Computer Sci, Fisheries] • UW Grad Students- 21 persons, 23 trips (16%) • Oceanography - 11 • Other Majors - 10 [Chem, Geol, Appl Math, Biol, Genetics, Sci Ed, Foriegn] • WA State Dept. Ecology - 8 persons, 20 trips • UW Faculty - 4 persons, 13 trips • King County DNR - 4 persons, 5 trips • US Coast Guard Techs - 6 persons • Congressional Staff - 6 persons • Media - 4 persons Totals : 94 persons, 146 trips • UW Staff - 3 persons 57% student labor • CORE - 2 persons • NOAA/PMEL - 1 person • Ocean Inquiry Project - 1 person • High School Teacher - 1 person Data after 7 cruises:

PRISM Observations: Hood Canal Oxygen and Ammonium

Partnership:Ecology PSAMP monitoring • Analysis of monitoring data identified South Puget Sound as an area susceptible to eutrophication • Led to focused study on South Sound nutrient sensitivity (SPASM) • Coordination of SPASM and PRISM modeling/observ. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/

Partnership: KC-DNR’s WWTP siting • Region’s growth is requiring greater capacity to treat wastewater. New WWTP proposed. • KC MOSS study to site marine outfall and assess potential impacts • Coordinated modeling/ observ. effort with PRISM Marine outfall zones with depth contours http://www.metrokc.gov/

JEMSneed to know ocean boundary Compare Sept 2000 with Sept 2001: Temperature Why is there warmer fresher water in 2001 ?? Salinity

Cross-Channel Density Gradient Warmer fresher water drives stronger density gradient during Sep 2001 than in Sep 2000 North South

Geostrophic Velocity High River Flow Large Cross- Channel Gradient Increased Geostrophic Out Flow Decreased Residence Time 2000 drought had consequences…

1. Re: Puget Sound measurements • Good start and better coordination now • But, need more comprehensive views in time and space • Develop moorings, gliders, satellite and aircraft remote sensing • IOOS may help, but may not extend to estuaries

How are we modeling Puget Sound Water Properties and Quality? • “ABC” model: Aquatic Biogeochemical Cycling • NOPP partnership: • UW, WA Ecology, KC-DNR, OIP, Navy • Hub for models, data output, forum • Includes funds for sediment module, data management/assimilation, outreach/educ.

What is an Aquatic Biogeochemical Cycling Model and why develop one for PRISM? • Describes the dynamics of nutrients, plankton, and organic material in a water column; this has defining importance for water quality, food for higher trophic levels, and change impact projections. • Models commonly in use (e.g., EPA) take more of a curve-fitting approach, are composed of antiquated coding, and do not support teaching as well. • The model is an essential tool for exploring the fundamentals of biogeochemical cycling in Puget Sound, for use in planning or ”what-if” scenarios, and for use in teaching and communication.

Aquatic Biogeochemical Cycling Model: Features • Under active development (UW, WDOE, KCDNR) • Simulates three-dimensional concentrations of chemical and biological entities: • Dissolved oxygen and nutrients (NO3, PO4, NH4) • Phytoplankton biomass (three types) • Zooplankton biomass (three types) • Particulate and dissolved organic matter (C, N, P) • Externally forced by hydrodynamics and sunlight • Designed to interface with a variety of circulation models including POM, linkage to MM-5 and SWIM • Spatially explicit model based on published equations for biological and chemical reactions

Biogeochemical Systems Model rPOC rPON rPOP lPOC lPOP lPON DON DOC DOP O2 NO3 PO4 NH4 Z1ic Z2mac Z3gel P1flag P2dia P3nan

Aquatic Biogeochemical Cycling Model: Applications • Primary applications are to assess: • dynamics of phytoplankton blooms (eutrophic’n, HABs) • dynamics of dissolved oxygen and water quality • sensitivity to changes, both human (e.g., WWTP, climate change) and natural (e.g., ENSO, regime shift) • Suitable for both marine and freshwater systems • Supports linkages; will provide output to • nearshore sediment-biological model • higher trophic level models (e.g., salmon!) • Same tool can be used for teaching, basic research, applied research, and planning decisions.

Aquatic Biogeochemical Cycling Model: Status • Coded in C++ by Computer Science Honors UG • User-friendly web interface (GUI) allows easy model runs, storing coefficients • 1-cell model and web interface used and tested in graduate-level class Spring, 2000 • Coupled ABC to POM; testing coupled model in Budd Inlet against other model output and field data • Soon to be able to run coupled model from web • Working on visualization schemes for sections, time-series, and animations

1-cell ABC model output, constant light, no mixing

Plan view of phytoplankton conc. in Budd Inlet 10 mmoles phyto C /m3 Northing (km) 1 1 3 Easting (km)

Northing (km) 1 9 0 Depth (m) 14 Longitudinal section of temperature in Budd Inlet degrees C

“A Partnership for Modeling the Marine Environment of Puget Sound, Washington”NOPP / PRISM • Develop, maintain and operate a system of simulation models of Puget Sound’s circulation and ecosystem, a data management system for oceanographic data and model results, and an effective delivery interface for the model results and observational data for research, education and policy formulation. • Develop fundamental understanding of the Sound’s working, and address questions raised by the regional community concerning management of the Sound and its resources.

2. Re: Puget Sound modeling • Good start and better coordination now • But, need completion of model integration (with POM et al.) and verification (with observational data and other models) • NOPP Modeling grant will help with model development, outreach, context

Our GOALS for 2002-3: • Continue time-series of observations • JEMS • PRISM cruises • ORCA • PSAMP • Extract more science from data collected so far • Database development and documentation • Further develop ABC Model • Improve operational status • Sophisticate ABC model integration with POM model • Use observational data for model verification • Continue work on Budd Inlet sub-model • Conduct coordinated observation/modeling project: MIXED • Outreach to schools, science community, and public

Goals for achieving VPS • Internal to ABC: • Sediment module • ABC needs directly: • POM (hydrodynamics) • DSHVM (river input) • MM-5 (weather forcings) • ABC can support: • Sediment/toxics transport and fate • Nearshore processes (NearPRISM) • Upper trophic levels (e.g., fish management) • HABs

Puget Sound Water Properties and Quality