Well, yes .. About 4 inches of rain in the few days since we last spoke! That pretty much did the trick. If you watched now and then, the little streams running off parking lots, along gutters, and into the storm drains were pretty gunky for the first day or so. But they were much clearer, in most places, by the middle of the rain session.
The same thing pretty much happened up and down the Samish River. There is intensive sampling for fecal coliform going on there, because of the big pollution flows that happened this summer. Samples taken from more than 12 locations during the early hours and days of this last big 4 inch rain event showed extremely high levels of fecal coliform, with variations depending on where a sample was taken from. By the middle of the event, those levels were dropping quite a bit, even though the river was still rising. Hopefully we will see some more detail and analysis of all that sampling and lab work!
You can see many techniques for managing the runoff along the various places where highway 20 is being worked on. Long straw “wattles”, shredded straw spread over fresh dirt, some ponds, plastic/mulch over piles of loose dirt, check dams in the ditches to slow the flow and prevent erosion. Even some fairly new seeding. How about ALL that plastic covering the HUGE mound of dirt at the new Wal-Mart site!
The new pervious pavement parking lot at the Swinomish Casino by the Twin Bridges was really something to see during the heavy rain. It is very dark black and surrounded by the old lots that are much lighter in color. The old lots were wet, full of puddles, and had streams running down the edges. The new lot had nothing! That rain went right through – no puddling or runoff at all. It must be strange to drive in there in the rain … almost no one parked in the new lot! Maybe we just like squishing along!
The Puget Sound Partnership has released the awaited draft of their Action Plan for saving Puget Sound by 2020. That website with the draft plan available for review and comment is noted below. The comment period runs through November 20, and comments can be submitted right on-line there at the website. There is also a public meeting on Friday November 21 in Edmonds at 9:00am and all are invited to come and listen, participate, and comment. It is at the Edmonds Conference Center, 201 4th Ave. N.
The draft is 95 pages long, the result of thousands of hours from hundreds of people during the past year or more. Some of you have been participating all along, and so the report won’t be so overwhelming. But, if it is pretty new to you, I hope you will at least find a few spots that are your hot buttons. Then DIG IN and see if you can submit some commenting that might help this thing along!
This past Wednesday evening the Watershed Masters class heard from Christina Maginnis from the Bellingham office of the Washington Department of Ecology. Christina’s topic was storm water and she described, and showed, many of the problems that uncontrolled storm water can inflict on our watersheds. We then saw examples of good ideas for managing stomacher, especially on our own properties or places of business. Finally we had a free-for-all where we brought up ideas, barriers, solutions, and experiences.
The second half of the class was about the Backyard Wildlife Habitat programs in our area, and we learned a lot of good ways to attract wildlife, birds, bees, and even bats! to our yards or businesses. Anne and Jack Middleton showed us some of the things they have done on their property, and also demonstrated how to take a good inventory of what you already have so you then know what to add or where to make changes!
One more class session to go!
The Local-Organization-You-Might-Want-To-Be-Involved-With this week is the Puget Sound Partnership http://www.psp.wa.gov The Puget Sound Partnership is a community effort of citizens, governments, tribes, scientists and businesses working together to restore and protect Puget Sound. The following are words directly from the PSP website.
Despite its size, Puget Sound is ecologically delicate; and while its symptoms of trouble are not easily visible, they are undeniable and getting worse.
The charge given to the Puget Sound Partnership by Governor Gregoire and the Legislature is to create a real Action Agenda that turns things around and leads to a healthy Puget Sound.
Our Action Agenda will prioritize cleanup and improvement projects, coordinate federal, state, local, tribal and private resources, and make sure that we are all working cooperatively. We will base decisions on science, focus on actions that have the biggest impact, and hold people and organizations accountable for results.
Our goal is to make Puget Sound healthy again, and create a roadmap for how to get it done. If we work together, we can have both a thriving Puget Sound economy and a clean and healthy Puget Sound ecosystem
Here are some near-term activities to consider:
Tue. Nov. 11 Hiking in the North Cascades Presentation 7pm Skagit Valley College, Roberts Hall room 19. Author Craig Romano hosted by the Skagit Alpine Club .. A slideshow presentation and book signing of Romano’s great trail guide, Day Hiking North Cascades.
Fri. Nov. 14 Dessert with Friends 5:30pm - 8:30pm Libation Station Wine Shoppe, 110 North First Street, Suite B Mount Vernon (behind Calico Cupboard.) Fundraiser to benefit the work of Friends of Skagit County. Wine and desserts to taste and desserts to take home if you place the winning silent bid! $25 per person, please RSVP by November 12th to 419-0988. Coffee, tea and local apple juice also served.
Sat. Nov. 15 Help Plant Riparian Trees and Shrubs 9:00am Elysian Meadows, Cape Horn (about 45 min. from I-5) Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group and Skagit Land Trust. Take Hwy 20 east toward Concrete; go 1.64 mi. past Baker Lk Rd and turn right onto Cape Horn Rd. N.E. (note: this is the eastern end of Cape Horn Rd.); drive .57 mi. to Elysian Meadows Ct. on left. Drive past gate, follow signs for parking. 336-0172 or for more directions and to let them know you are coming.
Sat. Nov. 15 Work Party at Little Cranberry Lake 9:00am Anacortes Forest Lands An eroded and degraded area along trail 101 on the eastern shore of the lake is in need of rehabilitation. Come help us replant this site to its natural beauty. Meet us at the Little Cranberry Lake parking lot off Georgia Ave. Bring good gloves and boots. There is only a 2-minute walk to the site. We’ll have the tools and plants. Any questions please call Ranger Dave at 661-3554.
Tue. Nov. 18 Rockport State Park Area Public Meeting 6:30pm Concrete High School 7830 S. Superior Ave. Review planning alternatives and share ideas, comments and suggestions about them. or 360 755 9231 for more info. Also http://www.parks.wa.gov/plans/rockport/
Sat. Nov. 22 Help Plant Riparian Trees and Shrubs 9:00am Jackman Creek, Concrete (about 1 hr. from I-5) Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group Go 5 minutes on east of Concrete, watch for parking signs on the right. 336-0172 or for more directions and to let them know you are coming.
Sun. Nov. 23 Marblemount Fish Hatchery Tour Guide Training 11:00am – 2pm Marblemount Fish Hatchery Learn to lead tours (2) on weekends between Dec. 6 and Feb. 1 Lucy or Ona at 336-0172 or for more directions and to sign up.
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.)
