Puget Sound Stream Benthos: Monitoring Status and Data Management

About This Report

This report presents the methods and results of an assessment and gap analysis of stream benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring programs in the Puget Sound region, and the collation of available data into a central database. The stream benthos data management system used for this project was developed jointly in 2007 and 2008 by King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, and the City of Seattle, and is maintained and operated by King County. Data are available on the web at: http://www.pugetsoundstreambenthos.org/. This project was funded by Washington State Department of Ecology as a pilot project to meet a pressing need for improved stream benthos data management and coordination and to enhance overall regional coordination of environmental monitoring.

As part of this project, 96 organizations in the Puget Sound region were contacted regarding availability of stream benthos monitoring data collected from 2002 - 2007. Raw taxonomic macroinvertebrate data from 17 organizations were entered into the data management system. Over 50,000 records were entered into the data management system. A geographic review of data availability reveals that substantial coverage of the Puget Sound region has been obtained by compiling data from multiple organizations. The largest areas with no data include Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties. Sampling sites in 16 additional watersheds were added to the database by this effort. However, distribution of the data is skewed to a few areas. More that 80% of the sampling locations are located in three counties (King, Snohomish and Clallam).

Overall, there was tremendous interest by many organizations in using this system, as no other data management system allows for the comparison of stream benthos data between taxonomic laboratories, between years, and between monitoring programs. Key recommendations for next steps include:

Assessing the comparability of various stream benthos monitoring and data analysis protocols.
Incorporating multiple enhancements and improvements to the data management system, including an ability to automate predictive modeling techniques (e.g., RIVPAC).
Establishing a stream benthos coordination program for ensuring monitoring protocol and method consistency between monitoring programs.
Analyzing the compiled datasets to assess stream health region-wide and to further research the use of stream benthos as a monitoring tool.
Expanding the data management system to include other disparately managed data sets, such as weather, precipitation, stream flow and temperature, and water quality.
Developing a long-term funding source to ensure successful operation and maintenance of the data management system for long-term use.

Viewing the Report

This report is provided in Adobe PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view the document. If you do not have this software, you can download a free copy of Adobe© Acrobat© Reader

Download the report:

View the Puget Sound Stream Benthos.

Stream Monitoring Program Program History Water Quality Monitoring Location Map Water Quality Monitoring Location List Water Quality Trends Water Quality Index Sediment Monitoring Report Library Glossary For questions about the King County Streams Monitoring Program, please contact Deborah Lester, Program Manager For questions about the Swimming Beach Web site, please contact Daniel Smith	KING COUNTY HOME \| NEWS \| SERVICES \| DIRECTORY \| CONTACT Stream and River Water Quality Monitoring King County Water and Land Resources Division You're in: Puget Sound Stream Benthos: Monitoring Status and Data Management About This Report This report presents the methods and results of an assessment and gap analysis of stream benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring programs in the Puget Sound region, and the collation of available data into a central database. The stream benthos data management system used for this project was developed jointly in 2007 and 2008 by King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, and the City of Seattle, and is maintained and operated by King County. Data are available on the web at: http://www.pugetsoundstreambenthos.org/. This project was funded by Washington State Department of Ecology as a pilot project to meet a pressing need for improved stream benthos data management and coordination and to enhance overall regional coordination of environmental monitoring. As part of this project, 96 organizations in the Puget Sound region were contacted regarding availability of stream benthos monitoring data collected from 2002 - 2007. Raw taxonomic macroinvertebrate data from 17 organizations were entered into the data management system. Over 50,000 records were entered into the data management system. A geographic review of data availability reveals that substantial coverage of the Puget Sound region has been obtained by compiling data from multiple organizations. The largest areas with no data include Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties. Sampling sites in 16 additional watersheds were added to the database by this effort. However, distribution of the data is skewed to a few areas. More that 80% of the sampling locations are located in three counties (King, Snohomish and Clallam). Overall, there was tremendous interest by many organizations in using this system, as no other data management system allows for the comparison of stream benthos data between taxonomic laboratories, between years, and between monitoring programs. Key recommendations for next steps include: Assessing the comparability of various stream benthos monitoring and data analysis protocols. Incorporating multiple enhancements and improvements to the data management system, including an ability to automate predictive modeling techniques (e.g., RIVPAC). Establishing a stream benthos coordination program for ensuring monitoring protocol and method consistency between monitoring programs. Analyzing the compiled datasets to assess stream health region-wide and to further research the use of stream benthos as a monitoring tool. Expanding the data management system to include other disparately managed data sets, such as weather, precipitation, stream flow and temperature, and water quality. Developing a long-term funding source to ensure successful operation and maintenance of the data management system for long-term use. Viewing the Report This report is provided in Adobe PDF format. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view the document. If you do not have this software, you can download a free copy of Adobe© Acrobat© Reader Download the report: View the Puget Sound Stream Benthos.
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	Updated: 10/7/2009