State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan
Water Quality Monitoring on Mill and Abernathy Creeks
In early 2005, we partnered with the Department of Ecology to start a phased riparian effectiveness monitoring pilot project. Two water quality stations were installed in Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 25. One station is on Abernathy Creek and one is on Mill Creek, both in Southwest Washington. We plan to expand this project to other prioritized areas in future years. The results of the monitoring will be used to adapt our management practices as needed.
What are the goals of this project?
- Collect data on water quality, stream flow, and water temperature.
- Create a water quality index (408KB PDF) using the Department of Ecology's methods.
- Determine the amount of water available for fish, humans, and other uses.
- Determine if our management practices are meeting goals by improving water quality and associated habitat.
- Use data to minimize or prevent harmful land uses.
What is being done?
- A monitoring plan (182KB PDF) was developed.
- Data is being collected and analyzed.
- Water quality sampling began in 2005.
- Stream flow and temperature data collection began in 2005.