SHCC is committed to working with our partners at the local and state levels to protect Cultus Bay and our watershed. We do this by allowing access to various agencies to monitor and test the watershed and the bay. The following are the most recent studies that we have participated in for 2025-2026.
Scatchet Head Water District is responsible for all the drinking water within SHCC. They conduct testing year round. Their yearly water quality reports can be found on their website. This past year they asked for volunteers to test at specific locations from the taps versus from the main lines. We participated as one of the volunteers and gave them a test sample from the clubhouse kitchen. Our results are below and we were well below the thresh holds.
The thresholds are:
The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Lead is 0.015 mg/L, and the action level for Copper is 1.3 mg/L.
The thresholds are:
The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Lead is 0.015 mg/L, and the action level for Copper is 1.3 mg/L.
Island County Health Surface Water Quality (SQW) team monitors Sweet water Creek (They call it Scatchet Creek) for Temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Conductivity, Turbidity, Salinity, and E. coli. For a quick summary of the latest water quality results, you can click on the following link: Summary Report 2025
To see more information on the SQW department visit their website at https://www.islandcountywa.gov/693/Surface-Water-Quality
To see more information on the SQW department visit their website at https://www.islandcountywa.gov/693/Surface-Water-Quality
Island County Noxious Weed Control Program members come out several times a year to remove Spartina from the Bay. For more information on this program please see https://www.islandcountywa.gov/344/Island-County-Noxious-Weed-Control-Progr
WA State Dept of Public Health has been conducting Sanitary surveys.
You can view the website here: Shellfish Growing Areas | Washington State Department of Health
And our specific report is here: Southwest Whidbey Annual Shellfish Growing Area Review, 2025
You can view the website here: Shellfish Growing Areas | Washington State Department of Health
And our specific report is here: Southwest Whidbey Annual Shellfish Growing Area Review, 2025
In the words of Fiona Dahl, Shoreline Survey Assistant, Shellfish Growing Area Section /Office of Environmental Health & Safety / Division of Environmental Public Health /Washington State Department of Health
"Sanitary Surveys are used by our program to classify commercial shellfish growing areas based on water quality (fresh and marine), and the results of pollution source evaluations (we evaluate marinas and upland pollution sources such as septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, industrial sites, agriculture, wildlife activity, etc.). If you’re interested, our website provides some more information about our program and what we do.
Cultus Bay adjacent to your community is classified as Approved, Prohibited, and unclassified. If a shellfish growing area is classified as Approved then that means marine water quality meets National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) standards, and the sanitary survey shows that the area is not subject to contamination that presents an actual or potential public health hazard. An Approved classification authorizes commercial shellfish harvest for direct marketing. The area at the head of the bay is classified as Prohibited due to a marina. Growing areas adjacent to sewage treatment plant outfalls, marinas, and other persistent or unpredictable pollution sources are classified as Prohibited and commercial shellfish harvests are not allowed from these areas. Another portion of Cultus Bay is unclassified because we haven’t received any requests for commercial shellfish harvest in that area and thus, we haven’t completed a thorough evaluation of pollution sources. We don’t have enough information to say whether shellfish are safe to harvest and consume in unclassified areas. The sanitary survey evaluation covers a large section of Whidbey Island (see attached map) so, I’ve also provided tables below with sample results for freshwater drainages and marine sample stations specifically in Cultus Bay, so you don’t have to spend hours searching for these in the report.
"Sanitary Surveys are used by our program to classify commercial shellfish growing areas based on water quality (fresh and marine), and the results of pollution source evaluations (we evaluate marinas and upland pollution sources such as septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, industrial sites, agriculture, wildlife activity, etc.). If you’re interested, our website provides some more information about our program and what we do.
Cultus Bay adjacent to your community is classified as Approved, Prohibited, and unclassified. If a shellfish growing area is classified as Approved then that means marine water quality meets National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) standards, and the sanitary survey shows that the area is not subject to contamination that presents an actual or potential public health hazard. An Approved classification authorizes commercial shellfish harvest for direct marketing. The area at the head of the bay is classified as Prohibited due to a marina. Growing areas adjacent to sewage treatment plant outfalls, marinas, and other persistent or unpredictable pollution sources are classified as Prohibited and commercial shellfish harvests are not allowed from these areas. Another portion of Cultus Bay is unclassified because we haven’t received any requests for commercial shellfish harvest in that area and thus, we haven’t completed a thorough evaluation of pollution sources. We don’t have enough information to say whether shellfish are safe to harvest and consume in unclassified areas. The sanitary survey evaluation covers a large section of Whidbey Island (see attached map) so, I’ve also provided tables below with sample results for freshwater drainages and marine sample stations specifically in Cultus Bay, so you don’t have to spend hours searching for these in the report.
The marine water quality standard for Approved shellfish growing waters is a fecal coliform geometric mean not greater than 14 organisms / 100mL with an estimated 90th percentile not greater than 43 organisms / 100mL. The above table shows bacteriological results in relation to NSSP program standards.
Also below is a map of drainages we evaluated in your area as part of our shoreline survey evaluation:
“ICHD” stands for Island County Health Department. Gray sites are drainages that were not sampled due to low flows (less than 5 gal/min).
“ICHD” stands for Island County Health Department. Gray sites are drainages that were not sampled due to low flows (less than 5 gal/min).
