Tofino Inlet is an estuary located along the West Coast of Vancouver Island in Clayoquot Sound. It is approximately 39 kilometers long and 1.4 kilometers wide. The inlet can get as deep as 150 m and is the result of glaciation during the Upper Paleolithic. Home to salmon spawning, Tofino Inlet has 3 major freshwater input; Tranquil Creek, located at the head of the Tranquil Inlet offshoot, Tofino Creek at the head of Tofino Inlet, and Kennedy River fed by Kennedy Lake. The city of Tofino has become a popular tourist destination during the summer and is the access entrance to the rest of Clayoquot Sound through its single highway.

Concentrations of nitrate are moderate at the surface and choropleth max while most abundant along the bottom of Tofino Inlet. Nitrate concentration is more localized along the central inlet than at the head or mouth. Nitrates are a key nutrient in phytoplankton photosynthesis and can dictated primary productivity in the area.

Concentrations of phosphate are moderate at the surface, low at the choropleth max, and highest along the bottom. Phosphate appears to be well distributed throughout the inlet from the mouth to the head. Phosphate is another key nutrient in phytoplankton growth.

Concentrations of silicate are moderate at the surface, low at the choropleth max, and highest along the bottom. Silicate appears to be well distributed throughout the inlet from the mouth to the head.

Temperature, salinity, and density are variables in which estuarian mechanisms effect similarly. Water density in Tofino inlet is primarily controlled by the salinity and temperature of the water. The inlet is coldest near the top of the sill at the mouth that is preventing cold ocean water from entering the estuary, while being warmest near the surface of head. Freshwater input from rivers and streams keeps surface temperatures warmer. Salinity follows a similar pattern within the inlet, with the saltiest location being at the top of the sill near the mouth, and least along the surface as the water from streams and rivers moves seawards. Density follows the same pattern as temperature and salinity.

Fluorescence, transmissivity, and dissolved oxygen are also closely related variables. The lack of fluorescence indicates very little phytoplankton in the inlet during CTD testing. The anoxic nature of the depths and saturation of surface oxygen reinforces the lack of phytoplankton currently residing in the inlet. This tells a story of microorganisms consuming deceased phytoplankton at the bottom, consuming oxygen, while the surface remains clear. Transmissivity shows a relatively clear journey to the bottom, further showing the lack of phytoplankton.

Page Developed By Nicholas Marshall