Annas Bay Shellfish Protection District - Tools for Correcting Pollution Sources

Water Quality Monitoring and Dye-testing

(Includes establishing water quality monitoring, ambient monitoring, targeted shoreline monitoring, storm/event sampling.)

The SPD had established ambient water quality monitoring on streams, stormwater and beach seeps. High hits focused efforts in an specific area.

Office Evaluation

(Includes GIS and other existing data evaluation.)

Staff uses GIS mapping for stakeholders and site management. Carmody septic database and county records for OSS evaluation.

Parcel Inspection (Sanitary Survey)

While out sampling workers made contact with shoreline homeowners providing O&M information and offering sanitary surveys including an OSS dye test if nearby water quality samples were greater than 50 FC/100ml. Sanitary surveys were performed with homeowner on site. Dye tests were included if given permission by property owner.

Visual Inspections from Vehicle

Windshield surveys used to track residency.

Experimental Methods

Microbial Source Tracking (MST)

n/a

Plane Fly-Overs

n/a – only utilized aerial photography for GIS and Ecology's shoreline photo database for reference.

Scent Testing

Dogs were not utilized. However, any strange odors were noted during site visits.

Incentives

No incentives were offered.

Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Fencing of Heavy Use Areas

n/a

Riparian Buffers

n/a

Farm Plans

MCD provides farm plans for interested property owners through the Mason County Small Farms Program.

Operation and Maintenance

MCPH uses the Carmody O&M database as the backbone of the program. Periodic mailings to citizens, some specific to the type of OSS and some general to all homeowners, are an effective tool in Mason County

Other Tools

Word of mouth among residents.

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