Westcott/Garrison Bays (original) (raw)

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PART 2: SAN JUAN COUNTY CHARACTERIZATION REPORT

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CHAPTER 6: DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INDIVIDUAL PRIORITY WATERSHEDS

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East Sound | Friday Harbor | Westcott/Garrison Bays | Fisherman Bay | Roche Harbor | Mud/Hunter Bays | West Sound | Deer Harbor |False Bay

Westcott and Garrison Bay

Beneficial Uses

The Westcott-Garrison watershed was ranked third in the San Juan County Watershed Ranking Report of 1988. Westcott and Garrison bays have large areas of kelp beds and eel grass beds which are critical habitat for Pacific Herring and other prey fish that are essential for salmon and larger fish species. These bays are the primary shellfish harvest areas (mussels, clams and oysters) on San Juan Island. Westcott Bay has an active sea farm and Garrison Bay, which is bordered by English Camp National Park, is a popular recreational harvesting area.

Garrison Bay is an important historic site. In recent history, the British garrison that occupied San Juan Island was located in this sheltered bay, and prior to that time native peoples inhabited the site. English Camp National Park is a popular desination for visitors to the island. Westcott Bay is an important research area for marine biologists from the University of Washington and the location of Westcott Bay Sea Farms, a gourmet shellfish operation.

Westcott Bay has been proposed for designation as a Critical Marine Habitat Area, under the county's Shoreline Master Program, due to its value as a marine biological study area, shellfish resource, and its unique intertidal habitat which includes areas of salt marsh. A draft Westcott-Garrison Marine Habitat Mangement Area Plan has been prepared by the county that includes recommendations for marine habitat protection strategies.

English Camp is a 529 acre park administered by the National Park Service located in the watershed, as well as Briggs pond, a Class 1, 29.1 acre water body, the source of drinking water for the Roche Harbor area.

There is a Class 3 lake of about 10 acres and a string of Class 4 and 5 intermittent lakes, wetlands and creeks, just over 14 acres total, draining to Garrison Bay. Westcott Bay has two significant creeks and one other small drainage feeding it. The southern creek to Westcott Bay, Doe Creek, begins at Brigg's Pond. The northern creek begins as a drainage from the hills at the top of the watershed boundary.

Watershed Condition

There are no marinas or boat ramps in Westcott and Garrison Bays but both are used extensively for boating rendezvous. A boat dock is provided for park visitors at English Camp. There is no fuel service in either watershed. There are no pumpout facilities for boats in these bays. There are no significant paved areas in the watershed.

The Westcott-Garrison watershed is about 50 percent forested and about 20 percent grass lands. Much of the forest land is harvestable timber though a significant proportion is part of English Camp and is not likely to be logged. The Department of Natural Resources and Roche Harbor Resort own the balance of the major forest land and have forest management plans. These areas were logged in recent years.

There are some agricultural uses in this watershed. Agricultural uses are primarily fields for hay and grazing. Large alpaca operations are present as well as a boarding stable for horses. In the winter of 1997, alpaca densities appeared to be about 3 to 10 per acre. Other livestock operations include cattle and sheep. Most of this farm land has been divided into 10 and 20 acre parcels. Livestock have access to the lower reaches of the stream leading to Garrison Bay.

The shoreline of all of Westcott Bay and the western edge of Garrison Bay is almost fully developed with an average density of one-half acre per unit. The northern edge of the watershed is part of the Roche Harbor Master Planned Resort area and could experience significant changes as the plans for the resort are developed. The balance of the watershed has a density of five to 10 acres per unit. Much of the land which is now forest resource lands, including the DNR land can be developed to 10 acres per unit. The National Park preserves a large portion of the forested watershed.

A drinking water treatment plant is located in this watershed near the drainage to the northern creek to Westcott Bay. This plant has a permit for discharge of waste water from the treatment process into the creek at the head of the bay. There is a closed solid waste landfill, once operated by Roche Harbor Resort, in the watershed, adjacent to Roche Harbor. No testing has been conducted at the site to determine possible contaminants.

The upper part of the watershed has a high erosion potential, most of which is currently forested, and the entire area has poor soils for septic treatment.

Water was sampled at the outlet of both streams leading to Westcott Bay and at the outlet to Garrison Bay in May of 1997. On that occasion fecal coliforms thresholds were exceeded at one site at Westcott Bay. Recommended thresholds for total suspended solids were exceeded at both creeks. All parameters were within acceptable ranges for the sample taken at the outlet to Garrison Bay.

A second sample was taken in June at both Westcott Bay locations and two upstream locations at major road crossings (SJ15 and SJ16). Additional samples were taken during August and then November 1997 through February 1998. New sites were added including the saltwater near the dock at Westcott Bay Oyster Farm (SJ22) and one-time bacterial samples were also taken from a tributary to the north stream (SJ16A), the Bellevue Farm Pond (SJ17), a ditch downstream (SJ24) from an alpaca operation, and an upstream location on Doe Creek (SJ23).

During the winter of 1997-8, both creeks to Westcott Bay exceeded 50 colonies/100mL on multiple occasions. The results indicate that runoff events are likely driving the flushing of bacterial pollution to the creeks and bays. Identification of problem areas may require frequent sampling during all stages of runoff events to assure that intermittent sources are not missed. (See Chapter 5, Water Quality, for more information on these results.)

In response to initial sample results, San Juan County Environmental Health conducted a sanitary survey of septic systems in the area during the winter of 1997-98. As a result, several failing septic systems were found in use that appeared to contribute directly to the streams with high fecal coliform counts. A program to repair these systems is currently underway.

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