The Snohomish River estuary serves as a conjoined and biodiverse body of water in Everett, WA, with influence from the freshwater Snohomish River and saltwater from the Pacific Ocean flowing through the Strait of Juan de Fuca into the Possession Sound. Factors of water chemistry and heavy metals, residing in sediment and influenced by surrounding anthropogenic activity, contribute to the estuary ecosystem and support various trophic levels of marine life. This study observes temperature, salinity, pH, and chlorophyll in the water column, and lead, copper, zinc, and mercury in sediment from 2009 to 2018 at three sites with differing proximity to the Snohomish River: MBT, Buoy, and Everett Marina. The parameters were analyzed through boat-based research and Sea-Bird CTD data collected by the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) with funding from the National Science Foundation and in partnership with the University of Washington, Gravity Marine Consulting, and the State Department of Ecology. Longitudinal research at ORCA allows students to monitor marine mammal abundance, including sightings of harbor seals, California sea lions, gray whales and harbor porpoise. This investigation is motivated by potential connections between water quality parameters and the abundance of marine mammals. Results indicate heavy metal levels at Buoy reached a maximum in 2011 with mercury, copper, lead and zinc metals averaging 0.05 mg/kg, 29.73 mg/kg, 7.03 mg/kg, and 54.33 mg/kg, respectively; however, average zinc levels were highest at approximately 55.60 mg/kg in 2016. Comparably, MBT heavy metal concentrations were lower and demonstrated greater variability. In 2018, Everett Marina salinity levels show more fluctuation than MBT, while chlorophyll had a max of approximately 46.4 ug/L at MBT. Gray whales that return to Possession Sound to feed on benthic organisms are potentially impacted by these conditions.