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1 JOHN VLASTELICIA 



2 crustaceans^ such as crabs, shrimps and barnacles; the 



3 oaollusks^ such as clams and snails; many types o£ worms; 



4 and a variety of other life. This bottom life is an 



5 integral part of the food web of Puget Sound. It has a 



fishing 



g substantial commercial and recreational/ value in terms of 



y crabs and clams and shrimps and bottom-feeding fishes. 



8 Sludge deposits have an adverse effect on 



9 the natural benthic community of an area by eliminating 



10 many of the desirable species through burial and suffocation 



11 ' or exposure to toxic gases. This effect is manifested 



12 not only in terras of reduced numbers of organisms but in 



13 reduced population diversity, that is reduced number of 



14 kinds of organisms present. 



15 Field sampling surveys were conducted in 



16 Bellingham, Everett and Port Angeles to determine the 



17 bottom-dwelling communities of these areas. Benthic 



18 organisms retrieved in grab-samples were identified and 



19 counted and the results were related to volatile solids 



20 content and thickness of the sludge blankets in the area. 



21 Up to seven kinds of benthos were found to inhabit areas 



22 of natural bottom composition beyond the area affected by 



23 sludge beds. The number of kinds was sharply reduced in 



24 those areas where sludge was present. No animals were 



25 found in areas of thickest sludge deposit, where volatile 



