Nutrient transport in the major rivers and streams of the Puget Sound Basin, Washington

The nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen are essential for the life of plants and animals. However, an overabundance of nutrients in surface water can cause overgrowth of aquatic plants such as algae. This overgrowth can lead to a variety of water-quality problems, including daily, wide swings in concentrations of dissolved oxygen. Fish and other aquatic life can be adversely affected by these swings if the concentrations become too low.