Abstract
Puget Sound, a complex inlet of the Pacific Ocean and part of the Salish Sea in Washington State, is both economically important to the region and home to a vibrant and diverse marine ecosystem that includes rare and endangered species like the killer whale (orca) and Chinook salmon. Unfortunately, the condition of the Sound has been declining for decades. With more than 4 million residents in its drainage basin, the quality of the Sound has been degraded by chemical pollutant discharges, silt and sediment runoff, and the introduction of invasive species. Fortunately, there are many organizations involved in efforts to protect the Sound. In this unit, you’ll focus on possible steps to reduce the movement of total suspended solids (TSS) from Seattle’s paved surfaces into the Sound. You’ll evaluate stormwater detention basins, rain gardens, and porous pavements as possible solutions to the TSS issue and justify your suggested course of action to help protect this critical ecosystem.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bash J, Berman CH, Bolton S (2001) Effects of turbidity and suspended solids on salmonids. Wash State Trans Cent Final Res Rept Res Proj T1803.Task 42
Brown C, Chu A, van Duin B, Valeo C (2009) Characteristics of sediment removal in two types of permeable pavement. Water Qual Res J Can 44(1):59–70
Mauger GS, Casola JH, Morgan HA, Strauch RL, Jones B, Curry B, Busch Isaksen TM, Whitely Binder L, Krosby MB, Snover AK (2015) State of knowledge: climate change in Puget Sound. Report prepared for the Puget Sound Partnership and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Climate Impacts Group, U. Wash., Seattle. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/34347
Minnesota Stormwater Manual (2021) Total suspended solids (TSS) in stormwater-Minnesota Stormwater Manual. stormwater.pca.state.mn.us
Søberg LC, Al-Rubaei AM, Viklander M, Blecken G-T (2020) Phosphorus and TSS removal by stormwater bioretention: effects of temperature, salt, and a submerged zone and their interactions. Water Air Soil Pollut 231(6):270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04646-3
The Puget Sound Water Quality Authority (1986) The state of the Sound 1986. Prepared with assistance of Entranco Eng. Inc. 198 p
Winer R (2000) National pollutant removal performance database for stormwater treatment practices, 2nd edn. US EPA Office of Science and Technology. 29 p
Yu Z, Gan H, Xiao M, Huang B, Zhu DZ, Shang Z (2021) Performance of permeable pavement systems on stormwater permeability and pollutant removal. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:28571–28584
Zhang L, Ye Z, Shibata S (2020) Assessment of rain garden effects for the management of urban storm runoff in Japan. Sustainability 12(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239982
Zier J, Gaydos JK (2016) The growing number of species of concern in the Salish Sea suggests ecosystem decay is outpacing recovery. In: Proceedings of the 2016 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference. Vancouver, pp 1–17
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pontius, J., McIntosh, A. (2024). Biodiversity in the Puget Sound. In: Environmental Problem Solving in an Age of Climate Change. Springer Textbooks in Earth Sciences, Geography and Environment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48762-0_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48762-0_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-48761-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-48762-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)