Commencement Bay cumulative impact study: Historic review of special aquatic sites

Technical Report · Sat May 04 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5315004

The Commencement Bay Nearshore/Tideflats area, of which Commencement Bay is a part, has been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as a Superfund site. Development in and around Commencement Bay have resulted in significant shoreline alterations, loss of substantial aquatic, mudflat and delta wetland habitat, and degradation of water quality. Dredging of nearshore areas to support port and harbor facilities for the Port of Tacoma has been carried out since the turn of the century by public and private industry. Areas south of the waterways have been diked, filled, and channelized for construction of storage buildings, shipping facilities, and various commercial and industrial purposes. Continued development pressures, maintenance dredging, and other activities necessitate an evaluation of the cumulative impacts of such activities on the remaining aquatic sites of Commencement Bay. Various resource agency and tribal recommendations resulted in the Commencement Bay Cumulative Impact Study, which was designed to produce the most complete historic record documenting loss of special aquatic sites. The baseline information will be used to quantify the cumulative impacts beginning in the mid-1800's through 1941 as a management tool. Commencement Bay is generally defined as a geographic region of south Puget Sound in Washington State extending from Brown's Point to Point Defiance. It provides a natural harbor for ships because there are no bars or other obstructions at the entrance to the bay.

• Research Organization: Evans (David) and Associates, Inc., Bellevue, WA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5315004
• Report Number(s): AD-A-245930/3/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BASELINE ECOLOGY
BAYS
COASTAL REGIONS
COASTAL WATERS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DREDGING
ECOLOGY
ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEDERAL REGION X
HARBORS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
LAND USE
LAWS
MANAGEMENT
MARSHES
NORTH AMERICA
PACIFIC OCEAN
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
PUGET SOUND
SEAS
SHORES
SURFACE WATERS
US SUPERFUND
USA
WASHINGTON
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER POLLUTION
WETLANDS