San Juan County’s picturesque shorelines provide more than just beautiful views. Underwater, eelgrass meadows and kelp beds serve as feeding, refuge, and migration corridors for crab, forage fish, salmon, and whales.
Our research informs policies and laws that advocate for stronger protections of San Juan County’s 400+ miles of shoreline. Additionally, Friends works with interested landowners and our local land trust and land bank to permanently protect habitat through conservation easements.
Increased shoreline development threatens the health of regional marine species, including forage fish, eelgrass, kelp, salmon, birds, and orcas. Human impacts such as shoreline armoring, docks, clearing and grading, and stormwater runoff systems can devastate San Juan County’s nearshore environment, disrupting natural processes and sensitive ecosystems.
Friends of the San Juans’ science and mapping helps advocate for critical habitat protection and clean waters.
Eelgrass Health
Friends of the San Juans and partners completed the first mapping of eelgrass throughout San Juan County. Current projects monitor eelgrass beds in priority bays to assess their location, condition, and impacts from other environmental factors.
- Diving Into Eelgrass Health, 2022
- San Juan County Eelgrass Report and Maps
- Annual Eelgrass Monitoring Maps:
Forage Fish Spawning Habitat
Friends leads efforts in San Juan County to map beach-spawning forage fish, including surf smelt and Pacific sand lance, and assists with exploratory surveys for pacific herring spawning areas.
- Known Pacific Sand Lance Spawning Sites in San Juan County More Than Doubled, 2022
- San Juan County Documented Forage Fish Spawn Sites, 2020
- San Juan County Forage Fish Spawning Habitat Assessment Report, 2004
- Forage Fish Habitat Map book
Shoreline Modifications
After an extensive review of County and State permits, Friends’ research found that more than 90% of new shoreline armor installed in San Juan County between 2009 and 2019 lacked the required state and/or local permits before being constructed.
- Video: Shoreline Armoring in San Juan County, 2022
- Shoreline Armor 2009-2019 Change Analysis Fact Sheet
- Changes in Shoreline Armoring in San Juan County, Washington, 2009–2019: Mapping, Analysis, and Regulatory Review
- Cumulative Effects of Shoreline Armoring on Forage Fish Spawning Beach Habitat Report , 2012
- Inventory of Shoreline Modifications for San Juan County, Washington 2010 (email [email protected] for ArcGIS files and project photos)
- San Juan County Shoreline Modification Inventory Restoration Opportunities Report, 2010
Shoreline Inventory
Scientific research and habitat assessments from Friends and its partners help inform our regional decision-makers and government agencies so their growth management decisions can be based on current science.
Bull Kelp Distribution
- Friends and partners completed the first countywide assessment and mapping of bull kelp distribution.
- Bull Kelp Distribution (Google Earth needed to view the file. Email [email protected] if you would like an alternative version.)
- WDNR Kelp Mapping Protocol Report
- Friends of the San Juans Kelp Habitat White Paper
Feeder Bluff Mapping
- Friends partnered with Coastal Geologic Services to complete a countywide feeder bluff mapping effort and works to protect our valuable feeder bluffs by making them a conservation and restoration priority.
- Current and Historic Coastal Geomorphic (Feeder Bluff) Mapping of San Juan County, Washington
- Feeder Bluff Mapping Project Maps
Sea Level Rise Vulnerability
Friends partnered with coastal scientists to develop a countywide evaluation and mapping of the infrastructure, developments, and habitats that are vulnerable to increased erosion and flooding from rising sea levels. Results are being used by public and private property owners and communities to increase resiliency.
San Juan County Sea Level Rise Inundation Maps
- Lopez Island
- Orcas Island
- San Juan Island
- Shaw Island
- Sea Level Rise for San Juan County Additional Resources
Healthy beaches for fish and people project reports
- Friends of the San Juans. 2014. Healthy Beaches for People and Fish: Protecting shorelines from the impacts of armoring today and rising seas tomorrow. Final Report to WDFW and the U.S. EPA. Friday Harbor, Washington.
- Loring, K. 2013. Addressing Sea Level Rise and Cumulative Ecological Impacts in San Juan County Washington – Through Improved Implementation and Effective Amendment of Local, State, and Federal Laws. Friends of the San Juans.Friday Harbor, Washington.
- MacLennan, A., J. Waggoner and J. Johannessen. 2013. Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment for San Juan County, Washington. Prepared by Coastal Geologic Services for Friends of the San Juans.
- Whitman, T., D. Penttila, K. Krueger, P. Dionne, K. Pierce, Jr. and T. Quinn. 2014. Tidal elevation of surf smelt spawn habitat study for San Juan County Washington. Friends of the San Juans, Salish Sea Biological and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Whitman, T. and S. Hawkins. 2013. The impacts of shoreline armoring on beach spawning forage fish habitat in San Juan County, Washington. Friends of the San Juans. Friday Harbor, Washington.`
Restoration and Protection Planning
- Restoration Map – Armor
- Restoration Map – Roads
- Restoration Map – Groins
- Restoration Map – Tidal Barriers
- Protection Map
Pulling It All Together for Salmon Recovery Final Report (2012)
- Appendix A – Project Teams
- Appendix B – Marine Riparian Inventory and Maps
- Appendix C – Pocket Beach Mapping Report
- Appendix D – Sea Level Rise Risk and Resiliency Assessment
- Appendix E – Process Degradation Matrix
- Mapbook 1 – Fish Use Priority Areas
- Mapbook 2 – Process Degradation
- Mapbook 3 – Integrated Protection Priorities
- Mapbook 4 – Integrated Restoration Priorities
- Mapbook 5 – Long Term Protectin SLR
- Mapbook 6 – Long Term Restoration SLR
Analysis of Shoreline Permit Activity 1972-2005
Spatially explicit report on shoreline permit activities and trends for San Juan County.
San Juan County Nearshore Impact Assessment
This report summarizes the Countys direct impacts to nearshore marine species and habitats through ownership and management of shoreline infrastructure.
Soft Shore Restoration Blueprint and Appendix
Restoration prioritization for modified beaches in documented and potential forage fish spawning habitat in San Juan County. In partnership with Coastal Geologic Services.
MacKaye Harbor Community Nearshore Restoration Feasibility Report
Restoration prioritization and community engagement for impacted intertidal and coastal wetland habitats in the MacKaye Harbor region of Lopez Island. In partnership with Coastal Geologic Services.
San Juan County Habitat Protection Blueprint Project
Identification of most important shoreline habitat sites for long term protection using existing conservation strategies such as acquisition, easement or tax incentive program. Geographic Systems modeling effort that incorporates biological, land use, landscape and landowner willingness information into the analysis.
