7/15 Cle Elum sockeye, Avatar Grove, B'ham waterfront, Growing Vine St., native bees, GMO food, Sakinaw Lake, crayfish, milfoil, Keith Seinfeld

Avatar Grove

For the first time in more than a century, sockeye salmon are returning to Lake Cle Elum high in the Cascades. The project led by the Yakama Indian tribe - on a bare bone's budget - is getting applause across the continent. And this weekend, tribal members were there to witness something not seen in more than 100 years - sockeye salmon returning from the Pacific Ocean back home to Lake Cle Elum at last. So historic is this for the Yakama Tribe that they call it simply "the return." Jeff Burnside reports. After a 100-year absence, sockeye return to Lake Cle Elum

From the logging road just outside Port Renfrew, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, there is no obvious sign that you are in the presence of megaflora. But a small sign announcing the Avatar Grove trailhead and a few vehicles pulled over onto the dusty margin of the road make it clear this is the place to encounter ancient life. Mark Hume reports. Avatar Grove: Seeing the forest for the ancient trees   See also: Big Trees, Old Trees: What makes an Old Growth Forest?

The Port of Bellingham has received eight proposals from developers who want to be involved in the first phase of a long-awaited waterfront renaissance on dormant industrial land south of Roeder Avenue. The proposals are focused on a 10.8-acre parcel in and around the Granary Building - a small slice of the 237 waterfront acres controlled by the port and the city. Most of those 237 acres once were home to Georgia-Pacific Corp. pulp, chemical and tissue operations that shut down in 2007. John Stark reports. Port will review developers' plans for Bellingham waterfront

Seattle's Growing Vine Street project began as a small, grassroots effort among residents and property owners to turn their stretch of a former industrial neighborhood into an urban watershed. Twenty years later, it is a big part of the answer to the largest single source of pollution fouling Puget Sound and most of the major bays and freshwater ecosystems of the United States — stormwater. Cynthia Barnett reports.  Water Works: Miracle on Vine Street

Bee enthusiasts beat the bushes Sunday to see if the colony of rare insects is still active, and biologists are planning conservation efforts. Sandi Doughton reports.  Native bee species spotted for first time since ’90s  

A national fight over labeling of genetically engineered foods is touching down in Washington this fall, fueled by money from organic and food-safety advocates. On the other side, large agribusiness and food industry groups are giving mightily to efforts that oppose Initiative 522. Like Proposition 37 that failed narrowly in California a year ago after opponents spent $46 million to defeat it, I-522 would require that food products with genetically modified or engineered contents be labeled. Genetically engineered foods are those that come from plants that have had genes transferred from another organism. Brad Shannon reports. The fight over engineered food lands in Washington

On the surface, Sakinaw Lake is a vacationer’s paradise – a freshwater gem tucked among the steep ridges of British Columbia’s sunshine coast. But 30 metres down, the lake undergoes a serious personality change. That’s where it becomes a salty, oxygen starved-haven for microbes that thrive in an utterly alien world. Now Sakinaw Lake’s hidden depths have become part of a massive effort to explore some of the least understood branches of the tree of life. Ivan Semeniuk reports. B.C. lake explored for clues to life's beginnings  

Gumbo and jambalaya may not be at the top of Northwest menus. But if the invasive red swamp crayfish has its way, that could change. The Red Swamp Crayfish – also known as “crawfish” or “crawdad” – is native to the Southeastern U.S. and the Gulf Coast. But over the past decade this crimson-clawed invasive has moved in on some Northwestern lakes and rivers, and it could be impacting native species of trout and bass. Ground zero of the invasion? Pine Lake - It’s a small body of water 40-feet deep, about 20 miles East of Seattle. The shores are lined with nice homes. Yellow labs patrol well-maintained yards and docks. Bass and trout fishermen share the water with laughing kids on paddleboards. Ashley Ahearn reports. Crayfish Turf Wars Of The Northwest

Just as we head into a week of nice weather, several beaches on the Eastside will be shut down - due to an invasion. It's milfoil - an invasive plant species. Left unchecked it can choke a lake, robbing it of oxygen. Now it's in Lake Washington - and it's very hard to get rid of. Some of the most popular swimming spots on the Eastside are affected. Now, crews with Bellevue Parks are working with neighbors to attack the creeping plant. But to do it, they will have to shut down three parks for a day this week - putting a crimp in summer plans. Theron Zahn reports. Invasive plant closes popular Bellevue swimming beaches  

After 15 years at KPLU, Keith Seinfeld is off to a new adventure at Public Health - Seattle & King County. And he's handing off the baton to our new health and science reporter Gabriel Spitzer, who has been covering the education beat at KPLU. So Long, Keith Seinfeld!

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUL 15 2013
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.

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