2/7 Dumbbell worm, Puget Sound protections, BC LNG protest, WA floods, seaweeds, bumblebees, national monument development

Dumbbell worm [U of Hong Kong]

Dumbbell worm Sternaspis affinis
The genus Sternaspis is comprised of sedentary invertebrates with short and thick anterior setae. The dumbbell worm can be found on the West Coast of North America, from Alaska to the Gulf of California. Known to our scientists as Sternaspis affinis Stimpson, 1864, the dumbbell worm has many names. It has been nicknamed the "mud owl" because of two colorful protective shields, called the "caudal shield", that cover its gills when its head is buried in the soil searching for tasty edible specks of organic matter. The shields look so much like eyes that scientists felt that the worms looked like tiny owls in the soil.

Bill to add federal protections to Puget Sound passes in U.S. House 
A bill to coordinate local, state, tribal and federal efforts to preserve and restore Puget Sound passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Feb. 5 by voice vote with bipartisan support. The Promoting United Government Efforts to Save Our Sound (PUGET SOS) Act was first introduced in 2015 by Reps. Derek Kilmer and Denny Heck to address environmental issues concerning Puget Sound at the federal level and coordinate preservation efforts between government entities. Callie Craighead reports. (SeattlePI)

6 arrested at Wet'suwet'en anti-pipeline camp
Six people were arrested at a camp on traditional Wet'suwet'en territory as RCMP conducted a pre-dawn raid to enforce an injunction order against those blocking construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in northern B.C. According to supporters of the blockade, more than a dozen RCMP officers moved past the police checkpoint on Morice Forest Service Road early Thursday morning. "It's a whole damn army up there," said Wet'suwet'en hereditary Chief Woos, who also goes by the name Frank Alec. "They've got guns on, they've got tactical gear on. They look like they're ready for war." (CBC)

17 rivers flooding across Western Wash. amid relentless rains
Relentless rain is triggering renewed flooding on more than a dozen rivers Thursday across Western Washington. Major flooding is expected or already occurring on four rivers - the Snoqualmie near Carnation, the Tolt above Carnation, the Carbon near Fairfax and the Cowlitz at Randle. Four other rivers are experiencing moderate flooding - the Cedar near Landsburg, the Snoqualmie near Snoqualmie Falls, the White at R Street Bridge, the Snohomish at Snohomish and near Monroe, and Issaquah Creek in Issaquah. (KOMO) See also: Army Corps monitoring Green and White river dams as storm waters reach peak  Reservoirs on two area rivers are filling fast, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has spotters keeping an eye on them 24 hours a day. Craig Sailor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Washington researchers tackle ocean acidification with new seaweed crops 
As seaweeds grow in the ocean, they naturally pull carbon dioxide from the water for photosynthesis, much as trees pull CO2 from the air. Many people in western Washington see an opportunity in that. Shellfish growers here have struggled with ocean acidification, which is increasing along with climate change and can prevent baby oysters from forming their shells. So, one farm on the north end of Hood Canal has devoted five acres to an experiment that is now licensed as a commercial operation. They're growing kelp along with oysters on lines to see if that co-culture can benefit both crops. It's been working well, says Charlie Delius, the farm manager at Hood Canal Mariculture. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Bumblebees Are Disappearing Because Of Extreme Heat
Extreme temperatures are driving a dramatic decline in bumblebees across North America and Europe, according to a new study, in yet another way climate change is putting ecosystems at risk. Researchers looked at half a million records showing where bumblebees have been found since 1901, across 66 different species. They found that in places where bumblebees have lived in North America, you’re about half as likely to see one today. The decline is especially pronounced in Mexico, where bumblebees once lived in abundance. Lauren Sommer reports. (NPR)

Trump Administration Finalizes Plans To Allow Development On Downsized Monuments
More than two years after carrying out the largest reversal of national monument protections in U.S. history, the Trump administration has finalized plans for the roughly 2 million acres of formerly protected land in southern Utah. The federal Bureau of Land Management released its plans Thursday to open up the lands, which were once protected as part of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante monuments, to use by energy developers and ranchers. Colin Dwyer reports. (NPR)



Now, your weekend tug weather--West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  836 PM PST Thu Feb 6 2020   
GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY  MORNING    
FRI  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming S 20 to 30 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 3 to 5 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 8 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain in the  morning then rain in the afternoon. 
FRI NIGHT  SW wind 25 to 35 kt becoming W 30 to 40 kt after  midnight. Combined seas 9 to 12 ft with a dominant period of  13 seconds building to 18 to 19 ft with a dominant period of  11 seconds after midnight. Rain. 
SAT  NW wind 25 to 35 kt easing to 20 to 25 kt in the  afternoon. Combined seas 18 to 20 ft with a dominant period of  13 seconds subsiding to 14 to 16 ft with a dominant period of  12 seconds in the afternoon. 
SAT NIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NE to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 14 ft at 13 seconds. 
SUN  E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at  17 seconds.



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