Bugs play a crucial role in the stream nutrient cycle. If bug populations are suffering it will affect the whole ecosystem. That means that without bugs, growing fish have nothing to eat, and without fish, ocean predators have nothing to eat, and so on and so forth in a trophic cascade that is bad for everyone.
water quality
King County scientists see unprecedented harmful algal bloom in Puget Sound
King County scientists identify unprecedented harmful algal bloom in Puget Sound that is of concern for fish.
Stormwater mapping: A glimpse into the world of tracking where the rain goes
Over the course of this short-term project, the crew of 16 assessed nearly 27,000 stormwater structures in King County.
The Point Williams Buoy
Watch a video of the SoundGuardian crew deploying and anchoring a water quality buoy in Puget Sound at Point Williams, off Lincoln Park in West Seattle.
King County swimming beach monitoring starts up – data and alerts available weekly
King County has begun its seasonal monitoring of freshwater swimming beaches to ensure they are safe for recreation.
Earth Week 2017: Celebrating science!
We are specialists in marine biology, nearshore ecology, environmental chemistry, limnology, toxicology, wildlife biology and biodiversity, microbiology, zoology and more.
Shifting perspective on the impact of roads on nearby plants and animals
For a variety of organisms—including amphibians, birds, and plants—evolutionary adaptations to road effects can arise in just a few generations.
SoundGuardian powers through its first marine buoy inspection
On a chilly December 1st afternoon, crews from the King County Environmental Lab carried out the first marine buoy inspection.King County’s marine buoys, or moorings, work around the clock collecting data that tells us what is going on with our waters.