Environmental Sciences Department

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon

neradj — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:10:21 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Every spring, heavy rain and warming temperatures kickstart the annual mountain snowmelt. As this extra water moves across the landscape, soil and plants act as filters, capturing and holding onto nutrients, toxic chemicals, and whatever else they pick up along the way.

But when water pools and flows across hard surfaces like roads and parking lots, it picks up even more toxics before heading down storm drains. Unfiltered, this stormwater runoff negatively affects the ecosystems it eventually drains into.

One of the toxic chemicals in runoff comes from vehicle tires and is killing coho salmon, leading scientists to question what other stormwater pollutants are doing to other kinds of salmon and other fish and wildlife.

To answer this, �� Professor of Environmental Sciences Ruth Sofield and Research Lab Technician Katie Knaub (’21, Environmental Science, Toxicology) are studying the effects of stormwater runoff on a cousin of the coho, the Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, also known as the king salmon, as it is the largest of the pacific salmon species.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

“There’s a lot of interest in what happens when stormwater runoff gets into the water and what it does to the animals that are in the water,” said Sofield, who is the principal investigator on this study as well as the director of Western’s Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and chair of the Environmental Sciences Department.

Earlier this year, in the rainiest parts of April and May, Sofield and Knaub trained dozens of helpers from the Environmental Sciences and Environmental Studies departments to collect data during two sampling events in Commencement Bay near Tacoma.

Juvenile Chinook salmon were retrieved from net pens each sampling day from four locations in the bay. Students recorded the weight and length of each fish, swabbed the bodies and gills for DNA testing, and dissected and froze the fish for further research. In all, they sampled about 350 fish.

Cody Wong (’25, Environmental Science, Toxicology), left, and Blake Smith, the fisheries enhancement chief with the Puyallup Tribe, transfer juvenile Chinook salmon into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

“This was a good look at how the science is done,” said Zander Albertson, a senior instructor in the Environmental Studies Department who helped recruit students and himself participated in this fieldwork. “It showed them the labor and challenges — and fun — that fieldwork entails.”

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

This ongoing research is a collaboration with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the University of Washington Tacoma, the University of Saskatchewan, the Washington Department of Ecology, and others.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

‘The Planet’ named best ongoing student magazine in the country

neradj — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 23:26:24 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

�� students meet at crossroads of theatre and science with new staging of ‘An Enemy of the People’

neradj — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:00:00 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

Four �� grads earn certificates from River Management Society

neradj — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 14:30:31 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

�� researchers look to space to remotely detect and map snow algae

neradj — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:51:22 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

Besties in Science: Graduate Students Study Swinomish Clam Garden

gallagm7 — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 18:33:17 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

�� monitors say Lake Whatcom water quality showing signs of improvement

thomps94 — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:17:36 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

Skagit County sites included in Salish Sea seaweed toxicity study

thomps94 — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:04:39 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

Meet the 2021 Presidential Scholars

thomps94 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 16:53:11 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

Meet the 2018-19 Outstanding Graduates from the Huxley College of the Environment

thomps94 — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 19:33:29 +0000

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon neradj Mon, 08/04/2025 - 8:10am

Stormwater runoff contains a chemical known to be toxic to some salmon; scientists want to know what it’s doing to other animals, too

�� students joined researchers for a data sampling event in Commencement Bay near Tacoma in April. Video by Luke Hollister/��.

Chinook salmon are a keystone species in the Pacific Northwest because they are a primary food source for other animals, including orcas.

Tallula Amsbry, (’25, Environmental Science) weighs a juvenile Chinook salmon on May 9, 2025. Photo by Zander Albertson.

Over the next year, researchers will use the data collected before and after the spring storm season to look at how stormwater pollution affects the health of Chinook salmon.

Learn more about environmental toxicology at Western at the Institute of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry’s website and find related degrees in Environmental Sciences.

Jennifer Nerad covers Western's College of the Environment for the Office of University Communications. Have a great story idea? Reach out to her at neradj@wwu.edu.

Juvenile Chinook salmon are transferred into a pen during a data collection day on April 28, 2025. Photo by Luke Hollister/��.

Environmental Sciences Department

�������� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon

‘The Planet’ named best ongoing student magazine in the country

�������� students meet at crossroads of theatre and science with new staging of ‘An Enemy of the People’

Four �������� grads earn certificates from River Management Society

�������� researchers look to space to remotely detect and map snow algae

Besties in Science: Graduate Students Study Swinomish Clam Garden

�������� monitors say Lake Whatcom water quality showing signs of improvement

Skagit County sites included in Salish Sea seaweed toxicity study

Meet the 2021 Presidential Scholars

Meet the 2018-19 Outstanding Graduates from the Huxley College of the Environment

�� Environmental Toxicology researchers studying stormwater pollution’s impact on Chinook salmon

�� students meet at crossroads of theatre and science with new staging of ‘An Enemy of the People’

Four �� grads earn certificates from River Management Society

�� researchers look to space to remotely detect and map snow algae

�� monitors say Lake Whatcom water quality showing signs of improvement