Calibrating a Hydrodynamic Model of Puget Sound
The Northwest Straits Commission is partnering with Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) to calibrate a hydrodynamic model for Puget Sound and apply that model to the Northwest Straits region. The model simulates estuarine processes associated with major salmon migratory pathways and can be used to prioritize restoration and management activities.
The Northwest Straits region supports several major watershed basins including the Whidbey basin which supports three major estuaries: Skagit Bay, Port Susan, and Snohomish River estuary. Other major estuaries in Puget Sound include the Nisqually estuary, Duwamish Estuary, Nooksack Estuary, and the Puyallup Estuary. Understanding the overall interaction of these estuaries and their connection to the greater Puget Sound through model simulation will assist in the design of estuarine restoration and salmon migration management.
Click here to read the final report from this project.