Presentation Abstract
The Salish Sea Model was developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratories in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Ecology. The model is being used to evaluate the relative effects of human nutrient inputs and climate influences on the occurrence of low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels throughout the Salish Sea, with a focus on evaluating water quality in Puget Sound. Developing an inventory of point and nonpoint source nutrient inputs entering the Salish Sea is essential to the model’s development. This presentation will present some significant updates to nutrient inputs developed for the Salish Sea Model from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and rivers. Using a combination of monitoring data and statistical methods, we now have a daily time-series of river and wastewater treatment plant effluent flow and nutrient inputs throughout the Salish Sea from 1999 through mid-2017. These nutrient loading estimates are some of most comprehensive estimates developed for the region to date, allowing us to: identify the relative contributions of nutrient loads from WWTPs and rivers, recognize spatial patterns in loads being delivered to different basins of Puget Sound, and describe the seasonal nature of these loads. We have also developed estimates of 1) reference conditions, and 2) future conditions. The reference conditions are aimed at representing, as close as is feasible, what nutrient inputs would be in the absence of local human activities within the Puget Sound region. Future conditions represent nutrient inputs in 2040 while taking into population growth and climate change. These nutrient inputs are essential in the application of the Salish Sea Model to simulate existing, reference, and future conditions in the Salish Sea and to help guide the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
Session Title
Understanding the Salish Sea Model and its Application for Puget Sound Recovery
Conference Track
SSE15: Data and Information Management
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE15-84
Start Date
4-4-2018 1:45 PM
End Date
4-4-2018 2:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Water--Dissolved oxygen--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Sewage--Analysis; Sewage disposal plants--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (U.S.); Washington (State). Department of Ecology
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
River and wastewater effluent nutrient inputs into the Salish Sea model
The Salish Sea Model was developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratories in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Ecology. The model is being used to evaluate the relative effects of human nutrient inputs and climate influences on the occurrence of low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels throughout the Salish Sea, with a focus on evaluating water quality in Puget Sound. Developing an inventory of point and nonpoint source nutrient inputs entering the Salish Sea is essential to the model’s development. This presentation will present some significant updates to nutrient inputs developed for the Salish Sea Model from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and rivers. Using a combination of monitoring data and statistical methods, we now have a daily time-series of river and wastewater treatment plant effluent flow and nutrient inputs throughout the Salish Sea from 1999 through mid-2017. These nutrient loading estimates are some of most comprehensive estimates developed for the region to date, allowing us to: identify the relative contributions of nutrient loads from WWTPs and rivers, recognize spatial patterns in loads being delivered to different basins of Puget Sound, and describe the seasonal nature of these loads. We have also developed estimates of 1) reference conditions, and 2) future conditions. The reference conditions are aimed at representing, as close as is feasible, what nutrient inputs would be in the absence of local human activities within the Puget Sound region. Future conditions represent nutrient inputs in 2040 while taking into population growth and climate change. These nutrient inputs are essential in the application of the Salish Sea Model to simulate existing, reference, and future conditions in the Salish Sea and to help guide the Puget Sound Nutrient Reduction Strategy.
