1. Monitoring underwater sound at the Seattle Aquarium Research proposal discussion Wednesday, July 19, 2006 Scott Veirs | scott@beamreach.org | (206) 251-5554

2. Goals for this meeting+ Discuss logistics of deploying a hydrophone system at the Seattle Aquarium Continue considering potential educational benefits (and funding opportunities) Monitor and study ambient noise and biological (endangered orca) sound

3. Outline Puget Sound hydrophone network overview –History, precedents, and progress –Proposed nodes and funding status –Research results to date The proposed Aquarium node –Components and constraints –Installation and maintenance Potential educational benefits –Listening/learning station (pier end, Great Hall)? –Puget Soundscape concept

4. Building a hydrophone network in the Pacific Northwest

5. Extant and proposed nodes in Haro Strait Collaboration with Val Veirs (Colorado College/Orcasound with TWM/SeaSound) 4+ phones, ~30m offshore, ~10m depth Calibrated to measure sound pressure levels 5+ year lifetimes 18+ months (4/04- 11/05)results Orcasound Haro Strait San Juan Island Victoria Lime Kiln

6. Other precedents (and potential nodes) OrcaLab, Hanson Island, BC (Paul Spong) Race Rocks, southern Vancouver Island, BC Vashon Hydrophone project, west side Vashon Island (Ann Stateler and Joe Olson) Buoyed systems for Humpbacks –Whalesong Project, Hawai’i –Jupiter Foundation, Hawai’I and Alaska

7. Proposed new nodes in Puget Sound and funding status Seattle Aquarium Port Townsend Marine Science Center $25,000 from NOAA for initial implementation Exploring funding from WDFW Prospecting for streaming sponsor

8. Proven monitoring system Hydrophones: ITC-4066 Bandwidth: 100Hz – 15kHz Digitizing rate: 44,100 sec -1 Averaging time: 2 seconds Reporting interval: 30 minutes Monitors continuously Detects and records automatically Computes statistical summaries Localizes sound sources

9. 24 hrs 24 hours of ambient sound in Haro Strait Seal? ?? Orcas Ferry

10. Winter ambient sound Jan 11 – Jan 13, 2005 ~ 20 Large Commercial Ships Pass Each Day dB 1/11 1/12 1/13 8 am8 pm8 am DayNight 100 120 100 120 100 120 date

11. 8 am8 pm8 am DayNight 7/3 7/4 7/5 7/6 Commercial ships dominate at nightRecreational boats dominate during day Jul 03 – Jul 06, 2004 Summer ambient sound 100 120 dB 100 120 100 120 100 120 date

12. Monthly pattern of ambient noise June 2004 – November 2005

13. Diurnal pattern of ambient noise Non-summer is October-April | Summer is July-August

14. Conclusions about ambient noise in Haro Strait Overall SPL: minimum~95dB; average ~115dB. Typical maximum SPL~130dB; maximum~144. Ships are dominant source during winters and during summer nights (raising average ~20dB above minimum). Boats make significant contribution during summer days (raise average by ~2dB during summer afternoons)

15. The proposed node at the Seattle Aquarium USGS

16. Components and costs 2 hydrophones, single cable (+ protectors) PC (or laptop), power, Internet access Diver for installation (1 hour) and annual maintenance

17. Sighting and potential benefits

18. Puget Soundscape concept Explore via link at http://beamreach.org/051/