Salish Sea News and Weather

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

7/13 Smoke bush, wildfires, clear seas

Smoke bush [Adrienne Legault]

Smoke bush Cotinus coggygria
Smoke bush is a deciduous shrub that's also commonly known as royal purple smoke bush, smokebush, smoke tree, and purple smoke tree. Smoke bush is often used as a garden specimen thanks to its beautiful purple-pink smokey plumes and the purple leaves found on some cultivars. (The Spruce)

More than 300 wildfires burn across British Columbia; more blazes in Washington, Oregon and California
With another stretch of extreme heat, one of the worst droughts in recent history, 300 fires burning in British Columbia, 24 in California, 14 in Idaho, 13 in Oregon, and four in Washington, it’s safe to say wildfire season is here. In Washington, the Batterman Road fire near Wenatchee has burned more than 14,000 acres and 12,000 acres have been consumed by the Burbank fire near Yakima, which is 20% contained. In Canada, 77 of the blazes started over the weekend. British Columbia’s Premier John Horgan says he will lobby Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to use Canada’s military to help clear fire danger zones to prevent future wildfires. Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Wildfire smoke difficult to predict for Puget Sound area (KING)

Marbled murrelet gets endangered status in Oregon as climate change threatens its survival
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted Friday to reclassify the marbled murrelet’s status from threatened to endangered under the Oregon Endangered Species Act. The decision comes five years after a 2016 petition to “uplist” it from its 1995 classification as threatened. While it signals Oregon’s official position that the bird needs greater protections to avoid extinction, the commission’s 4-2 vote triggers only voluntary conservation measures on the part of private landowners. David Steves reports. (OPB)

Clear Seas Launches Interactive Mapping Dashboard That Visualizes Marine Shipping Safety in Canada
An online dashboard developed by the Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping (Clear Seas) provides a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind publicly available picture of marine shipping incidents and accidents in and around Canadian waters. (Clear Seas)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 238 AM PDT Tue Jul 13 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT TODAY Light wind becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 2 ft or less after midnight. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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Monday, July 12, 2021

7/12 Fireweed, Meadowdale estuary, Nooksack water, BC drought, tree fungus, Kitsap bacteria

Fireweed [US Forest Service]

Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium
Fireweed is a tall showy wildflower that grows from sea level to the subalpine zone. A colorful sight in many parts of the country, fireweed thrives in open meadows, along streams, roadsides, and forest edges. In some places, this species is so abundant that it can carpet entire meadows with brilliant pink flowers. (US Forest Service)

At Meadowdale Beach, the salmon will return to a new estuary
One day not long from now, threatened salmon species will return to Lunds Gulch at Meadowdale Beach Park. After a decade of planning, construction has begun on renovations at the waterfront park to create a 1.3-acre pocket estuary that will bring back Chinook, chum and coho salmon, as well as cutthroat trout. The centerpiece of the renovations is a new five-span railroad bridge that will create a 90-foot opening for the creek to flow through. It will replace the current six-foot culvert — essentially a hobbit-sized tunnel to the beach for visitors who make the mile-and-a-half trek down the ravine trail. Zachariah Bryan reports. (Everett Herald)

Clock starts on Nooksack basin water rights inventory; stakeholders yet to discuss solutions
Weeks of sparse rainfall and a historic heat wave marked the end of June — and the start of a process to establish water rights among various users in Whatcom County’s Nooksack River basin. (Salish Current)

This is what the heat wave did at Mount Baker and what that means for Whatcom County
Western Washington’s deadly June heat wave melted the heavy North Cascades snowpack so fast that it exposed glaciers and threatened to leave fish and farmers high and dry later this summer. And it’s a harbinger of how Whatcom County’s climate could change as the global warming trend continues, scientists, agricultural interests and wildlife officials told The Bellingham Herald. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Drought affecting most of southern British Columbia and the central Interior, says province
Officials are asking people to conserve water in areas affected by low rainfall and the extreme heatwave in late June and early July. The province says drought is affecting most of southern British Columbia and the central Interior. (CBC)

Newly discovered fungus spores spurred by heat and drought are killing Seattle street trees
...So-called sooty bark disease is named for the black, powdery patches that are the telltale marks on tree bark of the fungus Crypotostroma corticale. At least 46 street trees have been observed to be suffering or killed by the disease so far in the city, but many more trees may be infected, said Nicholas Johnson, an arborist for Seattle Parks and Recreation. The disease has emerged as a growing concern because it is expanding in the variety of trees it infects, including native Pacific dogwood and big leaf maple. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

High bacteria levels plague three swimming beaches in Kitsap County
The Kitsap County Health District advised the public on Friday to avoid three area swimming holes after tests showed high levels of bacteria. No-contact advisories were issued on Friday for the swimming beaches at Illahee State Park and Lions Park swimming beaches in Bremerton because of high levels of Enterococci bacteria. The health district temporarily closed the swimming beach at Island Lake County Park in Central Kitsap because of high levels of E. coli bacteria in the water, according to the press release. (Kitsap Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 301 AM PDT Mon Jul 12 2021
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.

Friday, July 9, 2021

7/9 Pacific Madrone, Salmon Orca Summit, Puget Sound shellfish, Gulf Is water, bad algae, news week in review

Pacific Madrone [Louis-M. Landry]

Pacific Madrone Arbutus menziesii
Pacific madrone is native to the west coast. It occurs from southwestern British Columbia, where it is restricted to water-shedding sites on southeastern Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and adjacent coastal mainland, southward through Washington, Oregon, and California in the coastal mountains and west slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The southern limit of Pacific madrone is on Mount Palomar in San Diego County, California. In British Columbia, Pacific madrone grows with lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta). The open woodlands of the San Juan Islands are characterized by Douglas-fir and Pacific madrone in a fescue matrix. (US Forest Service)

Historic summit of tribes across Pacific Northwest presses dam removal on Inslee, Biden, Congress
In a historic gathering of more than 15 Indian nations, tribal leaders from around the Northwest called for immediate action to save endangered orcas and the salmon they depend on. The call for salmon and orca recovery was joined by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, who each stated dam removal on the Lower Snake River, a tributary of the Columbia, must remain on the table and a comprehensive solution quickly reached to save salmon and orcas from extinction. Their statements were delivered at the Salmon Orca Summit here, co-hosted by the Nez Perce Tribe and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, representing more than 50 Indian nations. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Tribes call for action on salmon, dams Rep. Mike Simpson was the only member of the Northwest congressional delegation to attend the first day of the Salmon and Orca Summit [in Shelton WA], where all involved expressed the need for urgent action to save the two species intertwined in the culture and natural history of the Pacific Northwest. The Republican from Idaho has largely been alone since he introduced his $33 billion salmon and dams concept back in February but has won the support of tribes throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Eric Barker reports. (Lewiston Tribune)

Extreme heat cooks shellfish alive on Puget Sound beaches
A record-shattering heat wave June 26-28 coincided with some of the year's lowest tides on Puget Sound. The combination was lethal for millions of mussels, clams, oysters, sand dollars, barnacles, sea stars, moon snails, and other tideland creatures exposed to three afternoons of intense heat. A shellfish farmer on Little Skookum Inlet in south Puget Sound reported the muddy sand on his beach reaching 135 degrees. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Gulf Islands under some of the worst water shortages ever, authorities say
After this summer's unprecedented heat wave across B.C., authorities in the Gulf Islands say the season's drought is one of the worst they've experienced in recent memory....For years, freshwater shortages have plagued the Gulf Islands because of the warming climate, and they're of particular concern during dry spells because most of the islands' water supply comes from rainfall. Adam van der Zwan reports. (CBC)

California nixing algae that crowds out food for sea animals
For the first time, scientists say they have seen a species of bright green algae growing in the waters off California — and they are hoping it’s the last. The invasive algae can overtake the environment and displace critical food sources for ocean animals on the Southern California coast. Amy Taxin reports. (Associated Press)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/9/21: Pink salmon, pipeline support, L25, feed lot rules, WA burn ban, shellfish deaths, climate change heat, salmon summit, Gulf Is water

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 301 AM PDT Fri Jul 9 2021
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 11 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 8 seconds.
SAT NIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 7 seconds.
SUN W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. NW swell 3 ft at 7 seconds.

Thursday, July 8, 2021

7/8 Oregon ash, NW heat wave, wildfire smoke, Fairy Cr protest, Bjorn the sea lion

Oregon Ash [Native Plants PNW]

Oregon Ash Fraxinus latifolia
Oregon Ash is found from the southern coast of British Columbia, west of the Cascades in Washington and Oregon, to the coast ranges and Sierra Nevadas of California.Natives used Oregon Ash wood for canoe paddles and digging sticks. Today the hard wood is used for tool handles, furniture, sports equipment, and barrels. It also makes good firewood. Latifolia means “wide leaves.” Oregon Ash has wider leaflets than most Ashes. (Native Plants PNW)

Study: Northwest heat wave impossible without climate change
The deadly heat wave that roasted the Pacific Northwest and western Canada was virtually impossible without human-caused climate change that added a few extra degrees to the record-smashing temperatures, a new quick scientific analysis found. An international team of 27 scientists calculated that climate change increased chances of the extreme heat occurring by at least 150 times, but likely much more. Seth Borenstein reports. (Associated Press)

Study: How smoke affects birds in Washington ... and our ability to see them
We know that people suffer when smoke from wildfires fills the air. It’s a nuisance and a health hazard. But how does it affect wildlife? Researchers at the University of Washington are tackling that question. Bellamy Paithorp reports. (KNKX)

More smoke from BC wildfires could blow into western Washington by Friday, air quality to remain good
Though air quality around Puget Sound isn't expected to be impacted by the smoke, central Washington could see moderate impacts. (KING)

RCMP arrest nine at old-growth logging blockades on Vancouver Island
There have now been 376 arrests since police began enforcing the injunction in May, including at least 26 people who have been arrested more than once. (Canadian Press)

Bjorn the blind sea lion gets a second chance at life at Point Defiance Zoo
Amber Becerra traveled from Los Angeles to Tacoma for a short 24-hour trip ahead of the holiday weekend. She wanted to see an old friend get his happy ending. Bjorn the sea lion prepared for his public debut at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, swimming laps in a 30-foot circular pool behind the scenes at the Rocky Shores habitat...Becerra wasn’t sure if Bjorn would recognize her — not because it had been nearly two months since she had seen him, but because Bjorn is blind. Kari Plog reports. (KNKX)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 307 AM PDT Thu Jul 8 2021
TODAY SW wind to 10 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds.

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

7/7 Crabapple, L25, feed lot waste rule, WA bun ban, Canadian shipping, Chlor-Alkali Area cleanup, beach closures

Western Crabapple [Native Plants PNW]

Western Crabapple Malus fusca
Western Crabapple is our only native crabapple – easily discernible from its east coast cousins by the oblong shape of the fruit – and is a good large shrub/small tree for attracting birds to the garden. In April – May, small clusters of fragrant white to pink simple flowers appear, followed by clusters of tiny fruit of yellow to reddish purple which often persist into the winter, providing late-season food for a variety of birds. The fruit is edible by humans, though it is quite sour; any jam or jelly would require the addition of considerable sugar to make it palatable. (Portland Nursery)

Record heat, drought threaten even the toughest survivors: L25, the oldest orca, and the winter Chinook she depends on
...No one really knows when she was born, but if her estimated birth year of 1928 is correct or even close, L25 has been traveling the seas of our region over uncounted miles for some 93 years. And this year, with its record heat and drought, is testing even the toughest survivors, including winter-run Chinook that L25 and her family still travel all the way to the coast of Central California to hunt. These succulent salmon once were a staple of the southern residents’ diet, the prize of the Sacramento River system, once second only to the Columbia River in the Lower 48 as a salmon producer. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Washington court rules in favor of conservation groups in fight over cattle lots and groundwater
It’s back to the drawing board for state regulators, after the Washington Court of Appeals ordered the Department of Ecology to rework permits for confined animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs. A panel of judges ruled that current waste discharge permits don’t adequately protect groundwater and don’t take climate change into account. Conservation groups are calling the ruling a “watershed moment for the entire state of Washington.” Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Inslee declares wildfire state of emergency, burn ban
Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday declared a state of emergency throughout Washington relating to the growing risk of wildfires, including a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30. (Associated Press)

Conservationists Set Their Sights on Shipping
Canada already has the legal tools to restrict shipping activity in marine protected areas. These environmentalists think it’s time to start using them more rigorously. Erica Gies reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Cleaning up: On Bellingham’s waterfront, a cleanup plan for the Chlor-Alkali Area
The Department of Ecology is taking public comment through Aug. 4 on the cleanup plan for the Chlor-Alkali Area of the former Georgia-Pacific West pulp mill on Bellingham Bay. (WA Dept of Ecology)

More closures: 10 beaches in Puget Sound closed due to high fecal bacteria levels
A total of ten Puget Sound beaches in four different counties are under "no contact" advisories due to dangerously high bacteria levels present in the water. The Washington Department of Ecology announced on July 2 that several beaches were closing ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend after high levels of fecal bacteria were detected during routine samplings. The beaches are closed until further notice. Callie Craighead reports. (Seattle P-I)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 226 AM PDT Wed Jul 7 2021
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 7 seconds. Patchy drizzle in the morning. A slight chance of rain in the morning.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 7 seconds.

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

7/6 Hawthorn, Mt Rainier, Lytton, seashore bake, fossil fuels, sand lance, too many geese, Capitol Lake, salmon survivor, sea urchins

Douglas Hawtonrn [Gardenia]

Douglas Hawthorn Crataegus douglasii
This species is a handsome ornamental with showy white flowers, glossy foliage, and odd, shiny black fruits. It is named for its discoverer, David Douglas (1798-1834), the Scottish botanical explorer. Cattle and sheep browse the foliage; pheasants, partridges, quail, and other birds consume the berries. The most widespread western member of its genus, Black Hawthorn is also the only species north to southeastern Alaska. (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center)

Heat wave sends water pouring off Mount Rainier, exposing glaciers to summer heat sooner
A torrent of melted snow has flooded rivers and streams near Mount Rainier following record-setting heat throughout Washington. Eli Francovich reports. (Spokesman-Review) Climate crisis, shrinking habitat threaten ‘cute, funny’ WA birds U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers listing Mt. Rainier ptarmigan on the federal endangered species list. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

The town that broke Canada’s heat record has burned to the ground
A day after setting that 121-degree record, the small town of Lytton, B.C., evacuated Wednesday evening to escape rapidly encroaching forest fires. By Thursday, the town had mostly burned to the ground: 90% destroyed. John Ryan reports. (KUOW) Wildfire that decimated B.C. town was likely human-caused, says official The B.C. Wildfire Service says the fire that burned through Lytton, B.C., last week, resulting in two deaths, was likely human-caused. Maryse Zeidler reports. (CBC)

More than a billion seashore animals may have cooked to death in B.C. heat wave, says UBC researcher
Shoreline temps above 50 C and low tides led to mass deaths of animals like mussels, clams, sea stars. Alex Migdal reports. (CBC)

Canadian governments have spent $23 billion supporting three pipelines since 2018: report
A new report finds Canadian governments have provided billions to support pipelines — none of which have been completed to date — even as experts worry pipelines themselves undermine progress on climate goals. Sharon J. Riley reports. (The Narwhal) The time for U.S. oil and gas companies to pay for environmental devastation may be near An unprecedented wave of lawsuits in the U.S. aim to hold big oil and gas companies accountable for aggravating the climate crisis and covering up what they knew. Chris McGreal reports. (The Narwhal) Oil hits six-year highs after OPEC Plus fails to reach a deal Oil prices surged to their highest levels in years on Tuesday, a day after OPEC, Russia and their allies failed yet again reach agreement on production increases. (NY Times)

New evidence of spawning Pacific sand lance found in Salish Sea
Evidence of Pacific sand lance spawning has been discovered in a sampling region between Cowichan Bay to Bowser, BC, on the east side of Vancouver Island, and Gabriola Island, according to a new study published last Thursday by Vancouver Island University and WWF-Canada. Tina Knezevic writes. (World Wildlife Fund-Canada)

Protecting and Restoring Estuaries – From Geese
K’omoks First Nation lens on approaches to geese overpopulation means restoring estuary habitat, and harvesting geese to enhance community food security. Odette Auger reports. (Watershed Sentinel)

State issues draft environmental report on Capitol Lake’s future
The decades-long process to improve and manage Capitol Lake took a significant step forward last week when the state released a draft environmental report on the lake’s future...The report, which was released by the state Department of Enterprise Services, is officially known as the draft environmental impact statement for the Capitol Lake Deschutes Estuary long-term management project. Its release has triggered a 45-day comment period through Aug. 13. Rolf Boone reports. (Olympia)

Survivor: Salmon Edition
Pink salmon are competitive—for food, for mates, and for space to spawn. Today, pinks are the most abundant of all Pacific salmon species, but what lies ahead for them in a time of rapid climate change? Will different salmon species adapt before the climate votes them off the island? Brandon Wei reports. (Hakai Magazine)

The scientists fighting to save the ocean’s most important carbon capture system
The fate of the world’s kelp forests may depend on controlling its sworn enemy – sea urchins -- and the Nature Conservancy, an Arlington-based environmental group, says it has a plan. Lucy Sherriff reports. (Washington Post)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 331 AM PDT Tue Jul 6 2021
TODAY Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. NW swell 4 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. NW swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.

"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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Friday, July 2, 2021

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/2/21: Flag, Millenium coal, salmon heat, A/C, BC salmon fisheries, Saturnina Island, Fairy Cr protest, green energy planning, net pen rules, hornet traps, Camano orcas, mass bird death. boreal forest protection

Aloha Flag Friday!

Iris versicolor is also commonly known as the blue flag, harlequin blueflag, larger blue flag, northern blue flag, and poison flag, plus other variations of these names, and in Britain and Ireland as purple iris. It is a species of Iris native to North America, in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada. Wave on! (Wikipedia)

Justices deny Wyoming, Montana coal suit against Washington state

Pacific Northwest heat wave sets up ‘grim’ migration for salmon on Columbia, Snake rivers

Washington state board to uphold temperature limits in Columbia, Snake rivers

Environmentalists hope for silver lining to Seattle’s surging A/C demands

Ottawa to close 60 per cent of commercial salmon fisheries in B.C., Yukon to conserve stocks

$4 million donation helps save unique Salish Sea island ecosystems

Inside the Pacheedaht Nation’s stand on Fairy Creek logging blockades

NW tribes want to be at the table for green energy planning

Public comment sought on net pen aquaculture

How to make a trap for Asian giant hornets — and why one Puyallup teen has already made 40 of them

Orca takes Camano family by surprise pushing, spinning boat in Saratoga Passage

Mass bird death event in Seattle attributed to record heat Monday

Canada lobbies against California proposal to protect boreal forests, respect Indigenous Rights

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 212 AM PDT Fri Jul 2 2021
TODAY Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.
SAT Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.
SAT NIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds.
SUN SE wind to 10 kt becoming W in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds.

These news clips are a selection of weekday clips collected in Salish Sea News and Weather which is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe at no cost to the weekday news clips or to this weekly compilation, send your name and email to mikesato772 at gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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