Projects & Programs
King County Nearshore Mapping Study
In 1999 and 2000, King County, Washington was initiating studies of the Puget Sound’s nearshore environment to site a treatment outfall and gathering information for a Habitat Conservation Plan. For King County, the Marine Sciences Laboratory at PNNL developed a database and maps on the types, location and quantification of aquatic habitats and fisheries resources. These maps provided a critical basis for assessing the quality of the environment for aquatic resources including salmonids, crabs, flatfish, geoduck and birds. The assessment revealed potentially sensitive areas that could be avoided during construction of a new outfall. Finally, this information was useful for developing future restoration scenarios.