An Assessment of Fecal Coliform Bacteria in the Sinclair/Dyes Inlet Watershed, Puget Sound, WA, USA

Abstract : An assessment of fecal coliform sources and pathways in Sinclair-Dye Inlet was conducted as part of the Project ENVironmental InVESTment (ENVVEST) being conducted by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington State Department of Ecology, the Suquamish Tribe, Kitsap County, the City of Bremerton, the City of Port Orchard, and other local stakeholders. The goal of this study was to identify microbial pollution problems within the Sinclair-Dyes Inlet watershed and to provide a comprehensive assessment of fecal coliform (FC) contamination from all identifiable sources in the watershed. This study quantifies levels of contamination and estimated loadings from known sources within the watersheds and describes pollutant transport mechanisms found in the study area. In addition, the effectiveness of pollution prevention and mitigation measures currently in place within the Sinclair-Dyes Inlet watershed is discussed. This comprehensive study relies on historical data collected by several cooperating agencies, in addition to data collected during the study period from spring 2001 through summer 2005.