4/8 Bulkheads, SSEC16, feeder bluffs, restoration, ag pollution, oil spills, saving Blanchard Mt

Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

Ancient Romans ate young, fertile common horsetail shoots as if they were asparagus. They also used them to make tea and as thickening powder. Common horsetail is one of the most widespread plants in the world, and often turns up as a bad garden weed (sometimes called 'devil guts'). It was the first vascular plant to send green shoots up through the debris of the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. (Plants of the Pacific Northweat Coast)

Studies point to gap in permits for shoreline armoring  
A significant number of Puget Sound property owners have been altering their shorelines without required permits, according to studies. A new report suggests that state and local regulators should increase enforcement and make penalties more costly for violators. Chris Dunagan reports. (Encyclopedia of Puget Sound)

New blog: Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference 2016— What Do You Know?
It’s been just about two years since the last Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference brought together scientists, governments and activists and in a week we’ll see how much smarter and resolute we’ve become in preserving and restoring the health of the shared waters of Washington state and British Columbia….

Sources of sand: maps show crucial “feeder bluffs”
For more than a hundred years, property owners have seen shoreline erosion as the enemy. But it turns out that in many cases erosion is actually a good thing — crucial, according to scientists — because it provides the sand and gravel needed for healthy beaches. Chris Dunagan reports. (Encyclopedia of Puget Sound) For more: Puget Sound restoration depends on shorelines  Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

New Report Details Path to Improve Puget Sound Water Quality–and Recover Wild Salmon Populations
The Western Environmental Law Center announces a new report, Agricultural Pollution in Puget Sound: Inspiration to Change Washington’s Reliance on Voluntary Incentive Programs to Save Salmon. Puget Sound’s poor water quality is a problem for ecosystem health, wild salmon and shellfish. Our state and federal government spend taxpayer money on programs designed to fix the pollution problem, but recently only two of 17 reporting regions in Puget Sound showed any improvements in water quality. The Washington Department of Ecology acknowledges significant declines in Puget Sound water conditions and the Puget Sound Partnership reported in 2015 that of 27 vital sign indicators, only 10 show improvements and “few are at—or even within reach of—their 2014 interim targets.” (eNews Park Forest)

Oil spill fears remain one year after bunker fuel fouled Vancouver beaches
When the MV Marathassa leaked at least 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver’s harbour one year ago, the effects of the spill reached far beyond the city’s picturesque waters and beaches. Delays in clean-up and notification of the city sparked public outrage, drew attention to Conservative cuts to the Canadian Coast Guard and prompted a flurry of campaign promises from the New Democrats and Liberals. The miscommunication and uncertainty of roles that caused the delays were revealed months later in an independent report, which made a number of recommendations that the coast guard says it is implementing. But city manager Sadhu Johnston says despite improvements made by the federal government — including reopening the Kitsilano coast guard base and working toward a regional response plan — fears about oil spills still loom large. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Fishermen face federal charges for dumping waste in Blaine waters
The owner and captain of a commercial fishing vessel have been indicted on federal charges of conspiracy for dumping oil and other pollutants into Blaine Harbor and ocean waters, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Bingham Fox, owner of the fishing vessel Native Sun, and his son Randall Fox, the boat’s captain, first dumped the waste in 2011 and continued to do so into 2013, according to DOJ. The alleged discharges also were violations of the Clean Water Act and the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. Kyle Mittan reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Millions still needed to protect Blanchard recreation areas
The state Department of Natural Resources failed to receive the $7.7 million it sought from the Legislature to prevent logging in parts of Blanchard State Forest. That will likely mean more logging in the forest after July 1, 2017. Several conservation and recreation groups are concerned that logging may take place in popular recreation areas. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  250 AM PDT FRI APR 8 2016  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PDT TODAY THROUGH THIS  EVENING  

TODAY  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W  SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

TONIGHT  W WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W SWELL  8 FT AT 12 SECONDS.

SAT  SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES  1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 8 FT AT 11 SECONDS.

SAT NIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS...  SUBSIDING TO 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SUN  SW WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON.  WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. 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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