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Shellfish logo used by permission, courtesy of the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA). Website hosted by:
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Drayton Harbor ProjectsMonitoring: Measuring SuccessBecause of high counts of fecal coliform bacteria, Drayton Harbor was closed to shellfish harvesting between 1995 and the spring of 2004. (Learn more about classification types and shellfish growing area classification.) In order to reopen the remaining beds and to prevent future closures, many groups and agencies continue to help identify and address various sources of bacteria throughout the watershed. Monitoring has been essential in determining whether projects to improve water quality have succeeded. The resulting data help to determine the priority areas for controlling pollution. Monitoring also provides information on what current levels of pollution are, and to help determine where work still needs to be done. Several agencies monitor various sites related to the harbor. All of the data are consolidated into a single database, which allows for easy access and analysis of all information relevant to the entire shellfish protection district. Graphs and maps have been developed from the various datasets to illustrate where samples are being collected and what the water quality is at various locations throughout the watershed. Figure 1 delineates the boundaries of the Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District. Figure 2 displays the various locations within marine waters where samples are currently collected and Figure 3 shows what the water quality status is for each sample site. Washington Department of HealthThe state Department of Health (WDOH) uses six sites to decide how to classify Drayton Harbor shellfish beds. As of May 2004, five of the six sites used to classify the shellfish beds are meeting the two-part National Shellfish Sanitation Standard. (Numbers of bacteria are expressed in the units of Most Probable Number (MPN) per 100 milliliters (ml). The standard says that the level of bacteria must be less than a geometric mean of 14 MPN per 100ml, and 90 percent must be less than 43 MPN per 100ml.) Water quality at most of the sites has been showing improvement over the past few years. Site #8, located closest to the Blaine Marina, continues to have high counts. Figure 4 shows the water quality status within the harbor. WDOH classifies a shellfish growing area based on the last 30 water quality samples collected. Currently, samples are collected twice a month. Of the six sites used for classification, Site #5 has the best water quality and Site #8 has the worst water quality. Results from the most recent 30 samples collected:
Port of BellinghamThe Port samples the waters of the Blaine Marina as well as sites in the harbor, outside of the harbor and in the Semiahmoo Marina every two weeks. The water quality numbers within the Blaine Marina are very high, with 90th percentile numbers in the commercial portion of the marina in the three-digit range and all others in the two-digit range. Only one site within the marina currently meets the National Shellfish guidelines, and that just barely. This closed system makes it hard to flush out contaminants that enter the harbor at this point.
Northwest Indian CollegeThe Northwest Indian College (NWIC) currently samples 10 sites in the Drayton Harbor watershed, on the Dakota, California and Cain Creeks. While not all sites currently meet the freshwater standards of a geometric mean <100 MPN/100mL and no more that 10% of samples exceeding 200 MPN/100mL, these graphs indicate that there are improvements in the water quality in the freshwater systems.
On-site Septic Systems
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