We haven’t had much rain for a while, but our “First Flush” is coming, if not already here! This is a good time to go out and look at what is running off the driveways, parking lots and roads, down the gutters, and into storm drains. A lot of oils and grease, sand and grit, brake dust and tire shreds, cigarette butts and animal waste. After a good one-half inch, much of the accumulations are washed away.
Many regulations require that runoff from the first one-half inch of a “rain-event” be captured and treated in some way before it is released on into our waterways. Quite often this is with a pond or ditch where the water collects and the crud settles or filters out before the water runs on out. Or, it might be a big underground basin or vault that lets that first water collect and sit for a couple days. Maybe there is a more complex filtering system. Some pollutants are captured well this way, some are not.
However, much of our storm water infrastructure around the Puget Sound area is pre-regulation and runoff often is straight-piped right into a creek or stream or slough. Eeeeewwww.
Here is an exercise. Go outside of your house or business or a place you frequent and see if you can map out where the runoff from the driveways, parking areas, roofs, and/or roads goes before it reaches the big water. If you can’t be sure that most of it gets really well cleansed first, then be careful what you add to it!!!!
And, if it is not getting much “treatment”, see what you might suggest be done about that. Many of our waterways, and for sure Puget Sound, need a lot of help to get well.
By the way, the Skagit County Climate Action and Sustainability Taskforce is still looking for candidates and the application deadline is extended to November 14. This is a great opportunity to find a special place and DIG IN. Here is the link for all the info.
http://www.skagitcounty.net/Common/asp/default.asp?d=Home&c=General&P=press/103108a.htm
This past Wednesday evening the Watershed Masters class heard from Steve Olsen, from the County Health Department, about the ongoing program to document, inspect, and fix all 20,000 septic systems in Skagit County. Many of those are failing and a serious source of water pollution and public health concerns. Everyone with a septic system is encouraged to be sure it is on record with the county and working well. Those who don’t will be getting “reminders” soon. You can also take the County Septics 101 class; it is held about once a month and schedules are published in the paper and on the County website.
We also heard from Callie Martin from the County Waste Reduction and Recycling program. She stressed what not to put down your drain, especially if you are on a septic system! She also noted that those fluorescent lights – either the long tubes or the new compact bulbs – contain mercury and should not be put in the trash. Home Depot (for example) will take them from you. Callie is taking over from Frances Ambrose, the long-time County guru and teacher of these things, who recently retired.
Last Saturday we took another “beautiful day” field trip to Bayview State Park where Glen “Alex” Alexander, from the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, took us out in the muck. After explaining the importance of estuaries, like Padilla Bay, he gave us a laminated sheet of some 36 or so plants and critters we might find there. We grouped up with a shovel, tray and jar of clear water, and went looking. What fun … like kids … of whom over 5,000 do this with Alex and his crew every year! Between us we found many of them and took them back to the facility to examine them under microscopes. It was a full day and we even learned the recipe for “Estuary Soup” from a renowned French chef but you need to take the class to find it out. Next Fall again.
The Local-Organization-You-Might-Want-To-Be-Involved-With this week is the support organization or foundation for your local Parks and Recreation Department. It appears that most of the city and county budgets are going under pressures for reductions, and Parks and Recreation activities often do not survive as well as more basic necessities. Volunteer and organized non-governmental projects can really help here.
Here are some near-term activities to consider:
Sat. Nov. 1 Help Plant Riparian Trees and Shrubs 9:00am Ovenell Slough near Concrete (about 1 hr from I-5) Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group 336-0172 or for directions and to let them know you are coming.
Thur. Nov. 6 Growth Management Act Administrative Guidelines Review and Comment 9am – noon Skagit Station in Mount Vernon. Workshop will review the preliminary drafts of updates to GMA Guidelines and take questions and comments from attendees. Dave Anderson 360 725-3052 for more info.
Thur. Nov. 6 2008 Skagit Watershed Letterbox Trail Party 6pm – 8pm Padilla Bay Reserve Facility Free for everybody who went out on the trail! Bring your journal! Food, entertainment, activities, with awards at 7pm. RSVP or 360 419 3161
Sat. Nov. 8 Help Plant Riparian Trees and Shrubs 9:00am Ovenell Slough near Concrete (about 1 hr from I-5) Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group 336-0172 or for directions and to let them know you are coming.
Many similar events and activities and opportunities are posted on the GoSkagit Event Calendar. Check it often!
(This blog is a service of the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance (SCEA) http://www.skagitwater.org Your comments will be helpful. New ideas to consider, and changes we should make are especially welcome. Corrections and further enlightenment will help as well. You can email to . Thank you.)
