Template:DPU DES
From Salish Sea Wiki
Nearshore Strategies Data Report
Cereghino et al 2012 completed a soundwide analysis to identify and describe river delta sites in Puget Sounds as part of a nearshore ecosystem restoration strategy (using remote sensing data c. 2000-2006). The following narrative of this delta site was developed to support distribution and use of analysis results:
- The Deschutes Delta in the South Sound Sub-basin historically contained 13 acres of vegetated wetland along a 9 km shoreline. The delta receives freshwater and sediment from a 46,211 square kilometer watershed. These characteristics make this system the 13th largest delta out of 16 systems in Puget Sound.
- Simenstad et al 2011 found that this system had lost none of its vegetated tidal wetlands, but 100% of its shoreline length. Of the remaining shoreline, 97% shows some evidence of infrastructure development. In the surrounding uplands, 85% of land is estimated to have greater than 10% impervious surface. Across the watershed, 74% of land is estimated to have greater than 10% impervious surface. Based on these paramters, the site was given a degradation score of 58 out of 100, making it the 3th most degraded delta in Puget Sound. It faces a high risk of future development locally, and a high risk of development across the watershed. All of the watershed is currently impounded behind a dam.
