7/26 Lamb's quarter, BC pipe, dead orca, toxic algae, Columbia R treaty, dam water, kelp forests, Green R.

Lamb's quarter [Brittanica]

Goosefoot genus Chenopodium
Chenopodium is a genus of several weedy salt-tolerant plants belonging to the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), found in temperate regions around the world. Goosefoot plants are often rank-smelling, and a number of species have leaves that resemble the foot of a goose—hence their common name. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), native to the Andean region of South America, is the most economically significant goosefoot species and is grown commercially for its nutritious seeds. Lamb’s quarters, or pigweed (C. album), is a common weedy species found throughout the world. Its leaves and seeds are edible, and the plant is cultivated as a food crop in some places, particularly in India. (Brittanica)

Canada's purchase of Trans Mountain faces at least 1 more hurdle: Donald Trump
The federal government's plan to purchase Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline and related infrastructure still faces a potential spoiler in the form of a U.S. national security review — setting up the possibility that U.S. President Donald Trump could veto the deal. According to the purchase agreement, obtained by CBC News, the completion of the deal is contingent in part on getting clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, a U.S. inter-agency committee chaired by Trump's treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. The purpose of the committee, also known as the CFIUS, is to review transactions that could have an effect on the national security of the United States. Brennan MacDonald and Vassy Kapelos report. (CBC)

A mother grieves: Orca whale continues to carry her dead calf into a second day    
For two days she has grieved, carrying her dead calf on her head, unwilling to let it go. J35, a member of the critically endangered southern resident family of orcas, gave birth to her calf Tuesday only to watch it die within half an hour. All day, and through the night, she carried the calf. She was seen still carrying the calf on Wednesday by Ken Balcomb, founder and principal investigator of the Center for Whale Research. “It is unbelievably sad,” said Brad Hanson, wildlife biologist with the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, who has witnessed other mother orcas do the same thing with calves that did not survive. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)


Report Algal Blooms And State Can Identify, Warn Of Toxicity
Lakes close because of toxic algae every year, especially as temperatures climb in summer. Pierce County’s Lake Tapps is the latest example. Authorities warned people not to swim in the northeast part of the lake last week. In King County, caution signs remain up at Mallard Lake in White Center, where a sample showed toxicity at levels higher than the state’s guidelines advise on July 10. Warmth, light and nutrients from runoff can cause growths of so-called cyanobacteria to flourish. It appears as blue-green scum in or on the water and can make people and animals sick if ingested. It has killed dogs in recent years. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Columbia River Treaty Negotiators Ask For Patience Ahead Of Further Talks
The U.S. and Canadian governments have scheduled a second and third round of negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty. The 54-year-old treaty provides flood protection to Portland and smoothes out Northwest hydropower production. The two nations laid out their broad goals at the formal opening of treaty modernization talks in Washington, D.C., in late May. Now the talks will come to the Northwest—to Nelson, British Columbia in mid-August and a third round in Portland in September. American chief negotiator Jill Smail of the U.S. State Department said the U.S wants to maximize "shared benefits" from transboundary coordination of water storage behind inland Northwest dams. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network)

Releasing water over dams means higher electric bills in Mason County
Mason County ratepayers will see a surcharge in their electricity bills this summer as a result of the cost of a federal judge’s mandated fish spill over the Columbia and Snake river dams. For August, Mason County Public Utility District No. 3 customers, which include the majority of electricity ratepayers in Mason County, can expect their bill to rise $1.32. Bills for the next three months will be comparable, bringing the utility district’s total estimated share of the cost to $150,000 this year, said Joel Myer, public information officer for PUD No. 3. “This is another court-ordered change in how the Columbia River system is managed for fish, hydropower, irrigation, barge navigation and recreation,” Myer said. “It’s happening more often, without regard to the cost to electricity customers and without adequate scientific review.” aria Shephard Bull reports. (Mason County Life)

SFU researcher discovers unique relationship between sea stars and kelp forests
It’s like Joni Mitchell sang, Jenn Burt says: You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. The Simon Fraser University doctoral student had set out to study the effects of sea otters in areas off the B.C. coast — studying the seaweed and shellfish on rocky reefs with active sea otter populations, with no sea otters, and some reefs where sea otters had just arrived. “Instead, I essentially wrote a paper on sea stars,” Burt said after measuring how their disappearance can devastate a kelp forest. The paper was published Tuesday in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B. Gordon McIntyre reports. (Vancouver Sun)

County project to enhance salmon habitat along the Green River
To mitigate for tree removal that occurred along levees nearly a decade ago, King County will soon begin work to place a large wood structure in the lower Green River and plant more than 1,000 trees near the river that improves habitat for migrating juvenile salmon. The project, funded by the King County Flood Control District, is in Kent on the former Teufel Nursery site, now owned by the county. Construction of the 85-piece log structure will begin in late July, once nesting eagles at the site have fledged. If eaglets do not fledge by then, construction activities will adhere to an eagle management plan that outlines avoidance and mitigation activities to minimize impacts. Tree planting will begin in October. (Kent Reporter)


Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  157 AM PDT Thu Jul 26 2018   

TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 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 4 ft at 8 seconds.

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