Puget Sound

Puget Sound (/ˈpjuːdʒɪt/ PEW-jit) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine[3] system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and two minor connections to the open Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Juan de Fuca—Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and Deception Pass and Swinomish Channel being the minor.

Quick facts: Puget Sound, Location, Coordinates, Native na... ▼

Puget Sound
Satellite View of Puget Sound and surrounding waterways, taken by Sentinel-2 in 2018
Puget Sound
Location	Puget Sound Lowlands, Washington, U.S.
Coordinates	47.6°N 122.4°W / 47.6; -122.4
Native name	x̌ʷəlč (Lushootseed)
Etymology	Peter Puget
Part of	Salish Sea
Primary inflows	Deschutes River, Nisqually River, Puyallup River, Duwamish River, Cedar River, Snohomish River, Stillaguamish River, Skagit River
Primary outflows	Admiralty Inlet, Deception Pass avg: 41,000 cu ft/s (1,200 m3/s)[1] max: 367,000 cu ft/s (10,400 m3/s) min: 14,000 cu ft/s (400 m3/s)
Catchment area	12,138 sq mi (31,440 km2)[2]
Max. length	100 mi (160 km)
Max. width	10 mi (16 km)
Surface area	1,020 sq mi (2,600 km2)[1]
Average depth	450 ft (140 m)
Max. depth	930 ft (280 m)[1]
Water volume	26.5 cu mi (110 km3)[1]
Settlements	Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Everett, Bremerton

Water flow through Deception Pass is approximately equal to 2% of the total tidal exchange between Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.[1] Puget Sound extends approximately 100 miles (160 km) from Deception Pass in the north to Olympia in the south. Its average depth is 450 feet (140 m)[4] and its maximum depth, off Jefferson Point between Indianola and Kingston, is 930 feet (280 m). The depth of the main basin, between the southern tip of Whidbey Island and Tacoma, is approximately 600 feet (180 m).[1]

In 2009, the term Salish Sea was established by the United States Board on Geographic Names as the collective waters of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia. Sometimes the terms "Puget Sound" and "Puget Sound and adjacent waters" are used for not only Puget Sound proper but also for waters to the north, such as Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands region.[5]

The term "Puget Sound" is used not just for the body of water but also the Puget Sound region centered on the sound. Major cities on the sound include Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Everett. Puget Sound is also the second-largest estuary in the United States, after Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and Virginia.[6]