Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
In any marine ecosystem, water currents are an important factor in both the biological and physical movements of a body of water. The focus of this study is the Possession Sound estuary in the Salish Sea which lies in an interesting area that is affected both by discharge from the Snohomish River and surrounding streams, as well as incoming ocean currents from the Pacific Ocean. In Possession Sound the currents can affect everything from the regular boat traffic through the area to the transportation of debris and other natural or harmful substances in the water. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), moored in the Everett marina, was used to collect data on current velocity at varying dates for 10–30-minute intervals over the period of seven months in 2020, and almost two months in 2021. The collated data was used to analyze the current directions and speeds of the water to determine potential local trends in the currents. Because of the estuary’s diverse current sources, the analysis of this data allows for a greater understanding of the movements of the water column, and insight into the transportation of important substances within it such as nutrients and heavy metals.
Session Title
Poster Session 3: Land - Water Connections
Conference Track
SSE14: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-posters-191
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:00 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
WATER CURRENTS AND THEIR EFFECT ON POSSESSION SOUND
In any marine ecosystem, water currents are an important factor in both the biological and physical movements of a body of water. The focus of this study is the Possession Sound estuary in the Salish Sea which lies in an interesting area that is affected both by discharge from the Snohomish River and surrounding streams, as well as incoming ocean currents from the Pacific Ocean. In Possession Sound the currents can affect everything from the regular boat traffic through the area to the transportation of debris and other natural or harmful substances in the water. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), moored in the Everett marina, was used to collect data on current velocity at varying dates for 10–30-minute intervals over the period of seven months in 2020, and almost two months in 2021. The collated data was used to analyze the current directions and speeds of the water to determine potential local trends in the currents. Because of the estuary’s diverse current sources, the analysis of this data allows for a greater understanding of the movements of the water column, and insight into the transportation of important substances within it such as nutrients and heavy metals.
