South Skagit Bay assessment

There are many freshwater streams and creeks that drain into South Skagit Bay, where shellfish farming takes place. Since 2017, Ecology has worked to discover where and why some of these creeks are sending high levels of bacteria into South Skagit Bay. We do this work to keep shellfish safe for people to eat, and to ensure water is safe for people to swim and boat in.

Several shellfish beds in South Skagit Bay were downgraded to “threatened” in 2017 by the Washington Department of Health (Health). Some of the beds have elevated bacteria levels, which means people who eat shellfish have an increased risk of illness.

To improve water quality in South Skagit Bay, both Ecology and Health's Shellfish Division identified South Skagit Bay as a priority area for outreach and technical assistance. Taking action now to reduce pollution sources to the bay will help keep people safe, keep shellfish beds open, and ensure harvests from the bay are safe for people to eat.

Common sources of bacteria include pet waste, leaking septic systems, livestock manure, and wildlife.

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Map of Sampling Locations

Visit the full interactive map for all of the features and to get our data. Visit the WSDA interactive map for data collected by all of our partners.

Identifying pollution sources

To help the local community identify where and how to reduce bacteria levels, we are monitoring the Big Ditch/Maddox Slough and "Old Stillaguamish" watersheds in South Skagit Bay. To improve water quality, Ecology is focusing on four major elements:

We meet periodically with stakeholders to share ideas for working with the local community and what we are finding in our work. We meet with representatives of:

Skagit Conservation District
Snohomish Conservation District
Western Washington Agriculture Association
Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland
Skagit County Public Works
Skagit County Public Health Department
Snohomish County Public Works
Snohomish Health District
TransOcean Seafood Company
Elected officials from Special Purpose Districts
Other local interests

To help us find problems we cannot see with our eyes, we sample local waters and let the data guide us. Sometimes sampling can help us identify problems like failing septic systems, which pose the greatest risk to human health and are a top priority for action. You can look at our water quality data on the WSDA Water Quality Interactive Map to see exactly what we are seeing with our sampling program.

When we detect a source of bacterial pollution, we contact the local homeowner or landowner to talk in person about our observations and work together on a solution. We connect them to the appropriate local resources, like the conservation district or health district, and assist in finding the best solution and schedule for action. Our field staff will also work directly with landowners, if needed.

We want to work with you

High bacteria levels in water can cause shellfish bed closures because people can get sick from eating contaminated shellfish. If bacteria levels worsen in South Skagit Bay, up to 2,260 acres of shellfish beds could be closed to harvesting. We look forward to working with you to prevent a closure of shellfish beds in South Skagit Bay and ensuring access to safe and clean local waters for your family and generations to come.

Contact information

Danielle Gallatin
Watershed Unit Supervisor
danielle.gallatin@ecy.wa.gov
425-516-3012

Michelle Quast
Water Cleanup Specialist
michelle.quast@ecy.wa.gov
425-200-8252