The cleanup plan also includes recommendations for controlling the pollution and a monitoring plan to test the plan's effectiveness. Today, the primary water quality problems in our state s waters are temperature and fecal coliform bacteria . Both are generally associated with nonpoint source pollution, which comes from many diffuse sources. Temperature is significant for the health of aquatic life including salmon and other fish Fecal coliform bacteria is significant for human health as an indicator of the presence of disease-carrying organisms. Too much waste decaying in the water can lower the dissolved oxygen that fish and other aquatic creatures need to survive.
Excessive nutrients are the primary problem in Washington's lakes.
Sources include irrigated agriculture, gardening practices, and urban and suburban property development. The nutrients cause algae and other aquatic plants to grow in lakes, which deprive aquatic life of vital oxygen. Algae can also make lakes unusable for recreation.