About the Eyes Over Puget Sound monitoring program

Once a month, Washington State Department of Ecology marine scientists take to the air to obtain high-resolution aerial photo observations and gather water data at the agency's monitoring stations and via state ferry transects. This provides a visual picture of the health of Puget Sound, which they call Eyes Over Puget Sound or EOPS.

The float plane prepares to take off. Photo by Jeff Rice for the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound.
The float plane prepares to take off. Photo by Jeff Rice for the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound.

Ecology's Marine Monitoring Unit takes monthly samples at 40 core stations throughout the Puget Sound region. During a transit flight between stations, monitoring team member Dr. Christopher Krembs takes photographs of surface water conditions in the Sound. These high-resolution images are combined with satellite photos, ferry data between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. and measurements from instruments moored in the Sound to create the Eyes Over Puget Sound report.

The report observes changes in water conditions that can be seen on the surface, such as algal blooms, wildlife activity, and oil spills, and provides contextual and interpretive data. Reports are released within two days of observations and have been published monthly since April 2011.

Learn more about Eyes Over Puget Sound at WA Ecology

Download PDF reports

Historical reports (2011 - present) are available on the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound. Browse keyword: Eyes Over Puget Sound