2/28 Elwha, Big Bar, Columbia dams, BC herring, BC LNG, anti-Indigenous racism, Rayonier cleanup, whale sanctuary, 'Sounders,' treed city, Trump's gas & oil, big big bang

Elwha nearshore 2/26/20 [Coastal Watershed Institute]

Elwha nearshore, 2/26/20
Anne Shaffer at Coastal Watershed Institute writes: "A few lovely moments to remind us that spring is well on the way. After weeks of rain and wind the weather has settled for a bit. The in-river hydroograph has dropped dramatically and double digit Northwest swell has settled-for the moment. The Elwha nearshore? The lower river side channels are full and the fascinating and sediment dynamics continue, reminding us of the  work we have done and the restoration left to do."

Successful blast removes portion of Big Bar landslide obstructing salmon migration
The federal government has announced a successful initial blasting of the Big Bar landslide site. The rock slide in 2019 blocked the migration of sockeye and chinook salmon swimming upstream to spawn.  Planned blasting took place on Feb. 18 to remove a large portion of bedrock extending into the river at the site of the slide. Following the blast, there is a widened channel and more flow directed toward the east river bank, according to the provincial government. (CBC)

For first time in 20 years, feds take deep look at hydroelectric dam removal on Lower Snake River
...Federal agencies are set to release a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) of dam operations on Friday, opening a 45-day public comment period. On the table will be a range of alternatives for operation of 14 dams in the federal Columbia River hydropower system, including a preferred alternative. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Tensions rise ahead of B.C. herring fishery season
Wildlife advocates on Vancouver Island say their calls to close the province's last remaining herring fishery have never been so loud, as commercial fishing boats enter the Strait of Georgia for herring fishery season expected in early March. PacificWild's Ian McAllister said many people in B.C. are deeply concerned that the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is allowing the commercial fishery to open once again in 2020. This is despite government estimates that the total mass Pacific herring in the area will fall from 130,000 metric tons in 2016 to around 54,000 metric tons in 2020 — a  nearly a 60 per cent decrease over four years. Adam van der Zwan reports. (CBC)

Federal, B.C. ministers wrap talks for the day with hereditary chiefs who oppose gas pipeline
Hereditary chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en who oppose a B.C. pipeline sat down Thursday with senior government ministers to discuss the dispute that has caused protests across the country, shutting down freight and passenger rail services. Federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and British Columbia Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser began the long-sought talks in the late afternoon and wrapped after about three hours, with a plan to resume Friday morning. Hina Alam reports. (Canadian Press)

Rise in anti-Indigenous racism and violence seen in wake of Wet'suwet'en protests
As protests in support of Wet'suwet'en hereditary leaders continue to sweep Canada, hate experts say anti-Indigenous racism and violence is on the rise and should be addressed. There's a sea change at foot, with white supremacists and hate groups are re-directing their attention to Indigenous people, says Evan Balgord of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network. Angela Sterritt reports. (CBC)

Opposition to Rayonier site plan pours in
Dozens of respondents to a cleanup plan that has been proposed for the former site of the Rayonier pulp mill want removal of all of the contaminated soil on the 75-acre waterfront site. But the option most desired by area residents is not required under state law, making it a difficult task to accomplish, a state Department of Ecology official said Thursday. Opponents include representatives of Port Angeles city, Clallam County and tribal governments, as well as 140 of more than 170 respondents to a proposed Rayonier cleanup plan that calls for capping Port Angeles Harbor sediments as well as upland pollutants instead of trucking them away. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Whale sanctuary, originally considered for the Pacific Northwest, to open in Nova Scotia
The Whale Sanctuary Project that was considering sites in Western Washington and British Columbia has announced it will not be setting up here anytime soon. It has chosen to start its work in Port Hilford, on the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. That location will be primarily dedicated to rehabilitating beluga whales that are retiring form marine parks and aquariums. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Local gray whales named ‘Sounders’ may hold clues to mystery of 2019 die-off — and scientists are investigating
...Puget Sound and its near-shore ghost shrimp may be a food refuge for grays in tough migration years...The work with the Sounders this spring should help scientists understand if the whales overall are in poorer condition. It also should help them learn whether the Sounders have developed a strategy to hedge their bets, and better cope with nutritional stress the rest of the population might be facing. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Can a Smart City Get Smart About Trees?
Rapid residential development in Seattle, the nation's top growing city, is resulting in the loss of thousands of mature trees. The Emerald City hasn't kept track, but tree advocates are sounding the alarm. They're calling for the city to update a tree protection ordinance last written in 2009. That was before trees were recognized for their ecosystem and public health benefits and as natural allies in a climate crisis Can density and trees co-exist? Martha Baskin reports. (PRX)

Judge voids nearly 1 million acres of oil and gas leases, saying Trump policy undercut public input
A federal judge in Idaho ruled Thursday that a Trump administration policy limiting public input on oil and gas leasing decisions was “arbitrary and capricious,” overturning the 2018 directive and voiding 1 million acres of leases out West that were auctioned off under the new approach. Juliet Eilperin reports. (Washington Post)

Scientists detect biggest explosion since Big Bang
Scientists have detected evidence for a colossal explosion in space - five times bigger than anything observed before. The huge release of energy is thought to have emanated from a supermassive black hole some 390 million light years from Earth. The eruption is said to have left a giant dent in the Ophiuchus galaxy cluster. Researchers reported their findings in The Astrophysical Journal. (BBC)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  202 AM PST Fri Feb 28 2020   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT  
TODAY  S wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 or 2 ft building to 2 to 4 ft. W swell 8  ft at 12 seconds. Rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell  10 ft at 12 seconds. Rain. 
SAT  W wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 12 ft at  12 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning. 
SAT NIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming N to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 10 ft at 14 seconds. 
SUN  N wind to 10 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 9 ft at 13 seconds.



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