Friends of the San Juans Marine Water Quality Monitoring Program provides quantitative water quality information to: improve understanding of ambient water quality conditions in the San Juan Archipelago; inform marine ecosystem research and management activities; identify potential emerging water quality issues; and compliment UW/FHL and Ecology marine water quality monitoring programs.

METHODS
The FSJ marine water quality monitoring program includes monthly (2 sites) and seasonal (10 sites) sampling, at open water and embayment sites throughout San Juan County. Data is collected using a SeaBird SEACAT CTD profiler. Parameters include: temperature, salinity, density, oxygen saturation, and chlorophyll. Surface sampling for Ph, nitrates and phosphates, using EPA approved test kits, will begin in spring 2009.

FSJ's marine monitoring program began collecting data in fall of 2005. Monitoring sites and methods were selected by an interdisciplinary team of technical experts from UW, DNR and FHL. Multiple FSJ monitoring sites overlap with existing FHL/UW and Ecology sites, complimenting these programs which have limited collection schedules.