SoundHAB: Heterosigma bloom in Central Puget Sound

[Kevin and Kelley Bright]

Hi Jim. 

 

Bellingham Bay and just to the south Samish Bay fuel a fair amount of bloom
activity. That water eventually works it's way south and west toward Guemes
Island, Guemes Channel, Cypress Island and Bellingham Channel. We've been
seeing brown/red water for the past week in Guemes Channel and on the east
side of Guemes Island that I would attribute to blooms coming out of those
two bays. Fair amounts of freshwater inputs, flat tides, and sunshine
creates a pretty stratified petri dish for blooms. 

Our sample points were near Clark Point on the north eastern tip of Guemes
Island and Deepwater bay on the east side of Cypress.


I heard the water is pretty brown/red also in Fidalgo Bay, and I may grab a
sample for my wife to look at. She works at Shannon Point Marine labs. 
It would be interesting to see if the bloom is morphing into other species
such as Alexandrium or Heterosigma.



Kevin  

 

From: soundhab-bounces at whoi.edu [mailto:soundhab-bounces at whoi.edu] On Behalf
Of Gower, Jim
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 5:36 PM
To: Jack Rensel; soundhab at whoi.edu
Subject: Re: SoundHAB: Heterosigma bloom in Central Puget Sound

 

Here is an image with some analysis by Erika Young for August 23.  Do the
locations agree with any of your sampling?  Jim

 

  _____  

From: soundhab-bounces at whoi.edu [mailto:soundhab-bounces at whoi.edu] On Behalf
Of Jack Rensel
Sent: August 22, 2011 9:19 AM
To: soundhab at whoi.edu
Subject: SoundHAB: Heterosigma bloom in Central Puget Sound

Heterosigma is blooming in central Puget Sound.  Although the total extent
of the bloom is not known, cell counts over the weekend were higher in the
backwater areas of Kitsap County and Bainbridge Island (Port Blakely and
Brownsville).  

 

However, ambient cell concentrations as high as 1.7 million cells per liter
were recorded last night near Bainbridge Island/Clam Bay fish farm areas but
mitigation efforts (upwelling of deep water) is apparently effective in
reducing cell concentrations to 0.3 million cells per liter in the fish
cages.  

 

The bloom was first reported late Friday night, but I didn't receive the
information until just now.   With the wind and rain expected today, it may
attenuate the intensity of the bloom, although clearing and sun tomorrow
(Tuesday) may allow for the bloom to become re-established.   It could go
either way based on past experience and the amount of wind mixing and
duration/intensity of the low pressure cell moving  through is key in this
process. 

 

More information may be available later today.

 

Jack

 

J.E. Jack Rensel Ph.D.

Rensel Associates Aquatic Sciences

4209 234th St. N.E.

Arlington WA 98223

360-631-6538

Jackrensel at att.net

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