Focus on Puget Sound
Recognizing Washington Sea Grant's 35-Year Legacy of Regional
Research, Outreach and Education
By David G. Gordon
Puget Sound projects figured prominently in the program plan for 1971, the year that Washington Sea Grant was officially designated as one of four Sea Grant Colleges in the nation. In that year, funds were set aside for the design and construction of a 200-square-foot hydraulic model of Puget Sound, to be installed at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.Developed by University of Washington oceanographer John Lincoln, the computer-controlled model was capable of simulating past, present and future tidal conditions in the Sound's many fjords, channels and inlets. In the year following its fabrication, more than half a million science center visitors had opportunities to observe the dynamics of Puget Sound, under greatly accelerated conditions.
With an hour of natural processes compressed into three seconds on the model's clock, Puget Sound's high and low tide conditions occurred every 18 seconds. "By watching the tide clock, visitors can see how long pollutants remain in the Sound," noted Washington Sea Grant's 1973 annual report.
Throughout the 1970s, Washington Sea Grant's support of research and technical assistance on aquaculture, sustainable commercial fishing, revitalization of coastal communities and enhancement of the marine trades demonstrated the program's commitment to Puget Sound. In 1978, WSG unveiled the first titles in its Puget Sound Book series, a comprehensive collection documenting the history and science of the region's most highly prized (and most extensively utilized) estuary. Many of those titles, including Governing Puget Sound by Robert L. Bish and The Fertile Fjord by Richard Strickland, are still regarded by Puget Sound scholars as important references today.
Washington Sea Grant remained active with Puget Sound issues throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The program was recognized worldwide for its pioneering efforts with Manila clam culture, for its research on bioremediation technologies to address contaminated Puget Sound sediments and for partnering with the UW's Applied Physics Laboratory to produce the award-winning Sound CD-ROM — an interactive compendium of essays and activities for students and teachers.
Today, 35 years after the hydraulic model's debut, Washington Sea Grant's role in safeguarding the habitats and inhabitants of Puget Sound is just as strong, if not stronger. This issue of Sea Star illustrates projects undertaken by Marine Advisory Services staff and WSG-funded investigators that are helping to ensure that Puget Sound's growing base of marine-related industry, coastal development, transportation and tourism — significant parts of the state's $7.5 billion ocean economy — will continue to be robust and environmentally sound.
This year, Puget Sound has become the focus of a public/private group, convened by Governor Chris Gregoire. Members of the Puget Sound Partnership have been charged with developing a 15-year plan for addressing the many challenges facing Puget Sound. University of Washington President Mark Emmert has been invited to participate as a partner, while Arthur Nowell, Dean of the UW's College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences, and Washington Sea Grant staff will be assisting President Emmert and other partners with crafting this plan.
"This is an excellent opportunity for us to revisit and reevaluate our priorities for Puget Sound, in light of the growing demands of the Sound's citizenry," says Penny Dalton, WSG Director. "The University of Washington's strong marine research base, coupled with our program's established ability to put scientific findings into the hands of people who can directly benefit from them, could be important elements of any future actions for conserving Puget Sound and its resources."
As this issue goes to press, Washington Sea Grant is striving to strengthen ties within the University of Washington and with other institutions, agencies and organizations, such as Washington State University. Staff and advisors are evaluating proposals for new research projects, many directed at Puget Sound issues, and monitoring the progress of project teams already engaged in Sound-related studies and outreach and education activities.
"To safeguard the Sound for the future, we'll need to build public awareness and understanding of the many threats to the regional environment," says Dean Nowell. "University of Washington and Sea Grant-sponsored outreach and education will be essential to achieving the long-term goals of the Puget Sound Partnership."
"We see the promise of a new chapter in the history and management of Puget Sound," says Dalton. "Building on its 35-year legacy, Washington Sea Grant is committed to supporting the science and its delivery mechanisms — education and outreach — to ensure success."
July 2006Contact David G. Gordon, Science Writer for Washington Sea Grant, for further information.