8/24 Blackberry, Fraser sockeye, methane pipe, Elwha birds, trash patterns, green crabs, indoor smoke

Himalayan blackberry

Himalayan blackberry Rubus armeniacus
A rambling evergreen, perennial, woody shrub with stout stems that possess stiff, hooked prickles. It may grow up to 13.1 feet. Plants grow into impenetrable thickets. It is a notorious invasive species in many countries around the world and costs millions of dollars for both control and in estimated impacts. This species spreads aggressively and has severe negative impacts to native plants, wildlife and livestock. (WA State Noxious Weed Control Board)

High hopes for Fraser River sockeye dashed by precipitous returns
Returns for the fabled Adams River sockeye run will likely be just one-third of expected abundance, according to revised estimates of the Pacific Salmon Commission. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun)

West Coast states band together to fight methane pipeline expansion
California, Oregon, and Washington have joined forces to push back against a methane pipeline along the West Coast...The pipeline is a subsidiary of Canadian company TC Energy. The company is currently asking for federal approval of the pipeline expansion. According to the AG's Office, this proposal would result in 150 million cubic feet of additional methane gas moving across the Northwest, each day. The gas is intended to be sold in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California.  On Monday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a motion opposing an expansion of the pipeline. Ferguson argues that about 3.47 million metric tons of carbon dioxide would be emitted from this project each year, for 30 years. Kim Malcolm reports. (KUOW)

Bird populations improve after Elwha Dam removals
Dam removals are often associated with salmon recovery, but new research on the Elwha River suggests that birds also benefit. Scientists say birds are a sometimes-overlooked indicator of river health. Alyssa J. Sargent reports. (Salish Currents Magazine)

Beach trash accumulates in predictable patterns on Washington and Oregon shores
Citizen scientists recorded trash on Pacific Northwest beaches, from southern Oregon to Anacortes, Washington, to contribute to the growing study of marine trash. A study by the University of Washington analyzed 843 beach surveys and found that certain beaches, and certain areas of a single beach, are “sticky zones” that accumulate litter. The study was published online Aug. 11 in Marine Pollution Bulletin. Hannah Hickey reports. (UW News)

More than 100,000 invasive crabs removed from WA waters this year
European green crabs can consume shellfish and other native marine life, and destroy habitats that much of the food web relies on. Erica Zucco reports. (KING)

Scientists work to protect indoor air quality from wildfire smoke
As smoke filled the skies over Portland during the Riverside and Beachie Creek fires in 2020, scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory gathered their air quality equipment to get a closer look at the air inside homes. What the scientists found could help people keep the air inside their homes cleaner, even as wildfire smoke season gets longer in the Pacific Northwest. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Restraining the Tide Exacerbates Climate Change
Saltwater wetlands store vast amounts of carbon. But when they are impounded and cut off from the sea, some wetlands begin releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Michael Allen reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Wed Aug 24 2022   
TODAY  Light wind becoming NW to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft. W swell 2 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds.

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