Water Quality Monitoring and Dye-testing
(Includes establishing water quality monitoring, ambient monitoring, targeted shoreline monitoring, storm/event sampling.)
Water quality monitoring is ongoing, along with dye-testing.
Office Evaluation
Includes GIS and Other Existing Data Evaluation
The SPD is beginning to build a database to track system compliance and incorporate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping.
Parcel Inspection (Sanitary Survey)
The SPD has partnered with the Conservation District to support on-site communications with property owners, which is an important element of ensuring compliance. The SPD conducted door to door outreach to property owners to identify people with on-site systems and provide resources to support compliance. Those efforts were recorded in a final report to Ecology.
Visual Inspections from Vehicle
After the SPD was created, initial work included visual inspections and windshield surveys to ground truth their understanding of stream flows and direction.
Experimental Methods
Microbial Source Tracking (MST)
n/a
Plane Fly-Overs
n/a
Scent Testing
n/a
Incentives
The SPD hosted a lottery where the winner received a free septic inspection (approximately $300 value).
Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Fencing of Heavy Use Areas
The Conservation District worked with property owners of hobby farms to develop farms plans with BMPs, including fencing.
Riparian Buffers
The SPD installed rain gardens and included low impact development approaches in the watershed. Community groups were included in the construction of rain gardens to build ownership of the process.
Farm Plans
The Conservation District worked with property owners of hobby farms to develop farms plans with BMPs.
Operation and Maintenance
See Island County's website for Information about their Operation & Maintenance (O&M) program. The site allows homeowners to view their inspection reports online.
Other Tools
n/a