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| Western water hemlock [R.D. Ness] |
Water hemlock
Ethnobotanist H.D. Harrington once wrote that Water hemlock “has
gained the reputation as being the most poisonous plant in the
North Temperate Zone.” Its toxin, called cicutoxin, can cause
delirium, nausea, convulsions, abdominal pain, seizures, and
vomiting within 60 minutes of ingestion – frequently leading to
death. Cicuta maculata (spotted water hemlock) in the
strict sense occurs over most of North America but is replaced by
Cicuta douglasii (western water hemlock) in the
northwestern United States and western Canada. (Walter Fertig
USDA)
Today's top story in Salish Current: Legacy and Life in Odlin Park
BC Aims to Revive Spotted Owls in the Wild. So Why Log Fire Lake?
The province allowed clear cutting old growth previously set aside as key habitat for the endangered raptor. Sarah Cox reports. (The Tyee)
UW study: Ditching Roadless Rule would degrade drinking water
Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave the public just 21 days to weigh in on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ proposal to rescind the Forest Service’s Roadless Rule, a federal regulation that prohibits road construction, reconstruction and timber harvests on nearly 60 million acres of national forests and grasslands. The proposed rescission of the rule has proven wildly unpopular. Kendra Chamberlain reports. (Columbia Insight)
Rare Whidbey prairie protected forever
One of Whidbey Island’s most ecologically significant properties near Coupeville has been permanently protected under a conservation easement preserving 143 acres of rare prairie, Garry oak savanna and mature forest while ensuring continued public access to the land’s trail system. Jessie Stensland reports. (Whidbey News-Times)
Trans Mountain Looks to Slash Pipeline Shipping Fees
The deal would leave the public on the hook for more of the TMX megaproject’s cost overruns. Zoë Yunker reports. (The Tyee)
Low oxygen
In response to the article "Case studies provide new details on impacts of low oxygen on Puget Sound species," a reader writes: "[D]espite the fact that rising temperatures both lower dissolved oxygen levels while concurrently increasing species’ needs for oxygen, this paper merely notes the climate change issue and moves on. Granted that not all studies can address all issues but since this is a very message driven report intended to undermine efforts to control a major pollutant, it is irresponsible for its authors to not address the known impacts of climate change on oxygen levels, including warming water and its domino of effects: increased and more severe algal blooms, warmer water in the fall, loss of coastal habitat from sea level rise and ocean acidification, loss of essential estuarine habitat for salmon due to drought, adverse effects of warming on the lowest part of the food chain (copepods), etc. In addition, this paper makes its calculations on what is the lowest possible level of dissolved oxygen that the species can withstand, while ironically noting that the levels it examines in great detail are not actually high enough to sustain active swimming, growth, and reproduction, as if these are optional to aquatic species’ survival."
Democracy Watch
The province allowed clear cutting old growth previously set aside as key habitat for the endangered raptor. Sarah Cox reports. (The Tyee)
UW study: Ditching Roadless Rule would degrade drinking water
Last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave the public just 21 days to weigh in on Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ proposal to rescind the Forest Service’s Roadless Rule, a federal regulation that prohibits road construction, reconstruction and timber harvests on nearly 60 million acres of national forests and grasslands. The proposed rescission of the rule has proven wildly unpopular. Kendra Chamberlain reports. (Columbia Insight)
Rare Whidbey prairie protected forever
One of Whidbey Island’s most ecologically significant properties near Coupeville has been permanently protected under a conservation easement preserving 143 acres of rare prairie, Garry oak savanna and mature forest while ensuring continued public access to the land’s trail system. Jessie Stensland reports. (Whidbey News-Times)
Trans Mountain Looks to Slash Pipeline Shipping Fees
The deal would leave the public on the hook for more of the TMX megaproject’s cost overruns. Zoë Yunker reports. (The Tyee)
Low oxygen
In response to the article "Case studies provide new details on impacts of low oxygen on Puget Sound species," a reader writes: "[D]espite the fact that rising temperatures both lower dissolved oxygen levels while concurrently increasing species’ needs for oxygen, this paper merely notes the climate change issue and moves on. Granted that not all studies can address all issues but since this is a very message driven report intended to undermine efforts to control a major pollutant, it is irresponsible for its authors to not address the known impacts of climate change on oxygen levels, including warming water and its domino of effects: increased and more severe algal blooms, warmer water in the fall, loss of coastal habitat from sea level rise and ocean acidification, loss of essential estuarine habitat for salmon due to drought, adverse effects of warming on the lowest part of the food chain (copepods), etc. In addition, this paper makes its calculations on what is the lowest possible level of dissolved oxygen that the species can withstand, while ironically noting that the levels it examines in great detail are not actually high enough to sustain active swimming, growth, and reproduction, as if these are optional to aquatic species’ survival."
Democracy Watch
- Homeland Security Intensifies Pursuit of Noncitizens on Voter Rolls (NY Times)
- ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks (AP)
- Judge again bars Trump administration from implementing order that sought to limit mail voting (AP)
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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 130 PM PDT Tue Aug 11 2026
WED W wind around 5 kt, veering to NW in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8 seconds. WED NIGHT W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 7 seconds.
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 130 PM PDT Tue Aug 11 2026
WED W wind around 5 kt, veering to NW in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8 seconds. WED NIGHT W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 7 seconds.
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"Salish Sea News
& Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike
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