Healthy Bugs, Healthy Streams

Kitsap County Public Works and partners conduct monitoring to assess the health of streams and marine waters and learn if restoration projects have been successful. Typical monitoring includes sampling and testing for pollutants from everyday activities on the land such as metals, oils, nutrients, and sediments.  Monitoring of streams and near shore marine areas measures factors such as:

   • Habitat and complexity of streams

   • Levels of pollutants in marine mussels

   • Diversity and levels of stream bugs (aquatic insects)

   • Intensity of stream flows during storms

Regular monitoring of Kitsap watersheds is important in protecting and maintaining their long-term health. Stormwater runoff pollutants and flows can impact water quality and conditions in streams, lakes, wetlands, and near shore areas. It is important to understand how various conditions change year after year. Monitoring requires a long-term commitment because it can take several years to determine if watershed enhancement projects have been effective.

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