Salish Sea News and Weather: October 2020

Friday, October 30, 2020

10/30 Diatryma, wolf protection, warm Pilchuck R, Colstrip sale, glass sponge reef, PS crabber

Diatryma [Marlin Peterson/WWU]

Diatryma
Fifty million years ago, there were giant, 7-foot-tall chickens wading around palm trees in the subtropical swamp that is now Whatcom County. And the remnants of this geology are still present. Those chickens were Diatryma, a flightless bird whose tracks were found in sandstone slabs uncovered by a mudslide above Racehorse Creek east of Deming and discovered by Western Washington University geologists in 2009. Ron Kleinknecht writes in "The Chuckanut Formation in Our Backyard." (Whatcom Watch)

Wolves To Lose Federal Protection In Washington And Oregon, Conservation Groups Vow A Fight
The federal government says it will remove endangered species protections for gray wolves in the Lower 48. The move will reduce protections for the predators in the western two-thirds of Washington and Oregon. “Today’s action reflects the Trump administration’s continued commitment to species conservation based on the parameters of the law and the best scientific and commercial data available,” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in a statement. Several conservation groups have already vowed to fight the decision. The final rule will be officially posted Nov. 3. States and tribes will then take responsibility for wolf management on Jan. 4, 2021. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to monitor wolves for the next five years. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Development has made the Pilchuck River warmer, harming fish
The Pilchuck River is getting warmer, and that’s not a good sign for future salmon runs. The temperature of the water has risen about 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit above the historic norm, according to the state Department of Ecology. Higher temperatures stress fish — including endangered species of salmon — and make them more susceptible to disease while affecting their reproductive system. The Department of Ecology released a plan this month detailing strategies to cool down the river. Development is the main cause of warmer water into the river, Ecology watershed planner Heather Khan said. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Everett Herald)

Deal falls through to sell Puget Sound Energy's stake in Montana's Colstrip coal plant.
The future of Colstrip, the Northwest’s largest coal plant, got more uncertain Monday as a deal fell through to sell Puget Sound Energy’s stake in one of the four generating units in Montana. Puget Sound Energy is required by a 2019 Washington law to have a coal-free energy supply by 2025. And, in announcing the deal in December of last year, PSE said the sale of generating capacity in Colstrip Unit 4 to two other companies — NorthWestern Energy and Talen Montana — would help to meet that deadline. But the transaction, which also included the sale of PSE’s interest in a Montana transmission line, needed the approval of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. And in early October its staff recommended the sale be rejected by the commissioners because PSE had not shown this was the lowest, reasonable cost option for meeting the requirements of the 2019 law. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

'Otherworldly' glass sponge reefs a symbol of what this world has to lose
It takes an experienced deep-water diver like Hamish Tweed to reach most of the glass sponge reefs. You have to descend more than 60 metres into the depths of Howe Sound where, even in the middle of the day, you're sinking into total darkness. Tweed has seen plenty of glass sponges in his years diving off of B.C.'s South Coast, but those were individual animals; the enormous reefs are different. He still remembers the date of his first visit to one of them: Feb. 23, 2013, a Saturday. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

A Day in the Life of a Puget Sound Crabber, Fourth-Generation Whatcom Fisherman Kaegan Gudmundson
As the season turns to fall, Kaegan Gudmundson knows he will soon depart Blaine Harbor on his small commercial crabbing boat Njordor, named after the Norse God. His vessel—at 25 feet—is one of the smaller boats in the fishery. But for Gudmundson’s style, it works well. He often operates a one-man crew and never has more than one other person crabbing with him. “There’s not very many people that crab alone with two permits,” Gudmundson says. “There’s a few of us, but inherently it’s a lot more dangerous; if you fall off, there’s no one there to help you get back on.” Tony Moceri writes. (Whatcom Talk)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 247 AM PDT Fri Oct 30 2020
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY W wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds building to 14 ft at 12 seconds in the afternoon. A chance of rain in the morning then a slight chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming S to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 12 ft at 11 seconds subsiding to 9 ft at 11 seconds after midnight. A slight chance of rain in the evening.
SAT SE wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT NIGHT SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.
SUN SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 18 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.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

Thursday, October 29, 2020

10/29 Chicken of the woods, Duwamish parks, youth climate, TM pipe, Vancouver climate, Tongass, BC hornet plan

Chicken of the woods

Chicken of the woods Laetiporus sulphureus
A brilliant sight to come upon unexpectedly in the woods in late summer and fall on rotting logs or stumps or occasionally from a wound in a live tree. When young the margins are tender and makes an excellent dish. The name Laetiporus means "with bright pores". (The New Savory Wild Mushroom, Wikipedia)

Six Parks Along the Duwamish River Get New Names, Four Are in Lushootseed
After more than six months of community outreach and coordination, six parks along the Duwamish River have new names. The new identities of the parks were announced at a virtual Port of Seattle meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The public spaces on the industrialized Duwamish River previously all had names with numerical subjects, but now all six of them have names that correspond more with the ecological significance and cultural history of their individual locations. Four of the properties have new names in Lushootseed, the Indigenous language of people who lived near the Salish Sea, and two of the new names are in English. Jack Russillo reports. (South Seattle Emerald)

Youth-led climate change lawsuit dismissed by Federal Court
A Federal Court judge ruled Tuesday that the Canadian government won't be going on trial for contributions to climate change — striking down a lawsuit brought by 15 young Canadians who argued the government was violating their charter rights. Federal Court Justice Michael Manson rejected a lawsuit initiated by the youths aged 10 to 19 years old. Their case called on the court to compel Ottawa to develop a science-based climate recovery plan. But Manson ruled the claims don't have a reasonable cause of action or prospect of success, so the case cannot proceed to trial. Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

Trans Mountain expansion may not be economically viable, says think tank report
The future of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project is once again being called into question — this time by a new report that argues the mix of competing pipelines, changes in energy demand and shifts in international prices could wreak havoc on the project's business case.The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, a left-leaning think-tank, warns in an assessment released this morning that the federal government may need to rethink its commitment to expanding the pipeline. David Thurton reports. (CBC)

Vancouver outlines its Climate Emergency Action Plan
The City of Vancouver on Wednesday released its Climate Emergency Action Plan (CEAP), with ambitious proposals to tackle climate change by cutting excess carbon in half by 2030. The city declared a climate emergency in 2019, and since then it has been working to come up with solutions to drastically cut emissions, and accelerate the transition off of fossil fuels. Under the plan, 90 per cent of people would live within an easy walk/roll of their daily needs, more people would work from home and at least 80 per cent of trips would be made on foot, bike or transit in the next decade, according to the report. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Trump to strip protections from Tongass National Forest, one of the biggest intact temperate rainforests
President Donald Trump will open up more than half of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest to logging and other forms of development, according to a notice posted Wednesday, stripping protections that had safeguarded one of the world’s largest intact temperate rainforests for nearly two decades. As of Thursday, it will be legal for logging companies to build roads and cut and remove timber throughout more than 9.3 million acres of forest – featuring old-growth stands of red and yellow cedar, Sitka spruce and Western hemlock. The relatively pristine expanse is also home to plentiful salmon runs and imposing fjords. The decision, which will be published in the Federal Register, reverses protections President Bill Clinton put in place in 2001 and is one of the most sweeping public lands rollbacks Trump has enacted. Juliet Eilperin reports. (Washington Post)

B.C. plans for Asian giant hornet different; Washington "got lucky"
B.C.’s top apiculturist says the province is taking a different approach than Washington state in tracking down the Asian giant hornet, using traps and sightings to root out nests instead of radio tracking. “Radio tagging is only possible when one collects a number of live specimens,” said Paul van Westendorp. “Our survey efforts in the Fraser Valley have focused on trap monitoring and the support of beekeepers and other organizations.” Van Westendorp said monitoring areas on the Lower Mainland and the Island include reporting from 170 beekeepers, several municipalities and their parks departments, RCMP, Canada Border Services, Semiahmoo First Nation and area residents. All sightings are reporting through websites at the Environment Ministry and Invasive Species Council of B.C. Darron Kloster reports. (Victoria Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 256 AM PDT Thu Oct 29 2020
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT
TODAY S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT SE wind to 10 kt becoming S 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft after midnight. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the evening then rain after midnight.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

10/28 Black turnstone, Snake R dams, kids climate, pandemic power, Cooke fish farm

Turnstone [Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren]

Black turnstone Arenaria melanocephala
A characteristic bird of wave-washed rocky shorelines along the Pacific Coast in winter. Against the background of dark rocks it is hard to see when it sits still, but it is usually moving, clambering about in search of barnacles and limpets.

Fight over Snake River dams is likely going back to court
The fight over salmon and dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers could be headed back to the courtroom. Conservation and fishing groups say the federal government’s newest plans to manage dams and protect salmon are inadequate. Now, the groups are ready to sue. This could be the sixth time federal hydropower plans for the Columbia and Snake River dams end up in court. In each previous trial, federal judges have sent the plans back for revision. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW New Network)

Oregon Supreme Court rules against youth plaintiffs in climate change lawsuit
The Oregon Supreme Court ruled against two young plaintiffs this week in a lawsuit that alleged the state has failed to address the mounting threats posed by climate change...Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued their case in front of the state’s highest court last year, but on Thursday the justices affirmed a lower court ruling and sent the case back to circuit court, rejecting the claims of Chernaik and Juliana. Those claims included that the state has a duty to protect natural resources from the effects of climate change. The case hinges on the court’s interpretation of an idea known as the public trust doctrine, which dates back to the Byzantine Empire. Kate Williams reports. (Oregonian)

B.C. election latest example of governments being ‘rewarded’ for response to pandemic
British Columbia Premier John Horgan has been re-elected with a majority government...Stewart Prest is a political scientist at Simon Fraser University. He says these results mirror other recent elections in Canada and New Zealand, where the fight against the coronavirus has gone well. “Governments that have been taking the pandemic seriously and really exerting the powers of the state to try to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of the citizens during this this prolonged crisis have been rewarded,” Prest said. Craig McCulloch reports. (KNKX)

GAA defends Cooke over trout plan for Puget Sound
The Global Aquaculture Alliance has stepped in to defend Cooke Aquaculture in its bid to switch from farming Atlantic salmon to steelhead trout in Washington state’s Puget Sound. In a letter submitted to Washington state’s Department of Ecology, GAA commended the New Brunswick-based company for its history of responsible aquaculture. Robert Outram reports. (Fish Farm Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 241 AM PDT Wed Oct 28 2020
TODAY SW wind 5 to 15 kt easing to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain.
TONIGHT SW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

10/27 Squirrel, Justice Barrett, Trump's clean energy, freighter anchorage, hornets, Takaya

Douglas squirrel [V.J. Anderson/Wikipedia]

Douglas squirrel Tamiasciurus douglasii
The Douglas squirrel is also known as the pine squirrel and the chickaree. It can be found from south west British Columbia south to northern California. The Douglas squirrel eats pine seeds. In the fall, it cuts green pine cones from tree limbs and buries them in special piles called middens. The Douglas squirrel also eat acorns, berries, mushrooms and fruits. (NatureWorks)

With Justice Barrett, a Tectonic Court Shift on the Environment
The accession of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court will cement a conservative majority that is likely to give polluting industries freer rein, limit the ability of citizens to sue, and call into question the very basis of the EPA to issue and enforce regulations. Beth Gardiner reports. (Yale 360)

Trump administration buries dozens of clean energy studies
The Department of Energy has blocked reports for more than 40 clean energy studies. The department has replaced them with mere presentations, buried them in scientific journals that are not accessible to the public, or left them paralyzed within the agency, according to emails and documents obtained by InvestigateWest, as well as interviews with more than a dozen current and former employees at the Energy Department and its national labs. Peter Fairley reports. (Investigate West)

MacGregor introduces bill to address freighter anchorages along the South Coast
Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP Alistair MacGregor has introduced a Private Member’s Bill in Ottawa to amend the Canada Shipping Act to prohibit the anchoring of freighter vessels using coastal waters along the Salish Sea. It’s becoming a long-standing issue particularly for residents of Saltair, Chemainus, Thetis and Penelakut Islands, other Gulf Islands, Cowichan Bay, Ladysmith and Nanaimo. Don Bodger reports. (Vancouver Island Free Daily)

Scientists remove 98 ‘murder hornets’ in Washington state
Workers from the state Department of Agriculture managed to destroy the first nest of so-called murder hornets discovered in the U.S. without suffering any stings or other injuries, the agency said Monday. Scientists removed 98 so-called murder hornets from a nest discovered near the Canadian border in Washington state over the weekend, including 13 that were captured live in a net. Nicholas K. Geranios reports. (Associated Press)

The Lone Wolf That Was Loved to Death
The question of who killed Takaya, British Columbia’s famous solitary wolf, goes far beyond who pulled the trigger. Larry Pynn reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 240 AM PDT Tue Oct 27 2020
TODAY E wind to 10 kt becoming S 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds.
TONIGHT SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain.

Monday, October 26, 2020

10/26 Puffin, NDP majority, WA hatcheries, orca recovery, hornet nest, Soos Cr stormwater, Padilla Bay plan, Gulf Is trees, Oly oysters, Colstrip sale, oil futures

Puffin [Tristan Ferne/BirdNote]

How Does a Puffin Fill Its Beak?
Puffins fly under water into schools of slender fish, filling their large beaks. Fish are wedged into the gape, the stretchy skin at the beak hinge, but the bill edges still line up neatly. The dangling fish won’t slide out because the puffin’s tongue and roof of the mouth are heavily lined with backward-angled spines. When its beak is full, the adult flies back to its nest and feeds it all to a single chick. Bob Sundstrom writes. (BirdNote)

B.C. NDP will form decisive majority government, CBC News projects
The NDP will form a historic majority government in British Columbia for the first time in more than 20 years, CBC News projects, as voters opted to stay the course in a tumultuous year and send Leader John Horgan back to the legislature as the only consecutive two-term premier in his party's history...It will be the first NDP majority since 1996. Rhianna Schmunk reports. (CBC) See also: B.C. election: what Horgan’s NDP majority government means for climate and the environment Arik Ligeti reports. (The Narwhal)

Controversy flares up over proposed policy revisions for state salmon hatcheries
A state policy revision that could boost salmon production at fish hatcheries in Washington state has raised red flags among scientists and environmental groups worried about potential damage to wild salmon runs.
The proposed hatchery policy, under review by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, could derail a 20-year effort to implement critical hatchery reforms, opponents argue. Major concerns revolve around threats to the future of wild salmon populations — including declines in genetic diversity and increasing competition from large numbers of hatchery fish. At the same time, a variety of sport and commercial fishing groups have thrown their support to increased hatchery production, saying that policies to protect wild salmon have reduced fishing opportunities while doing little to save wild salmon. Christopher Dunagan writes. (Puget Sound Institute)

Millions have been spent on orca recovery: Is it working?
Restoring destroyed salmon habitat is the key to regaining Southern Resident killer whale numbers. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Everett Herald)

Crews vacuum 'murder hornets' out of nest in Washington state
Heavily protected crews in Washington state worked Saturday to destroy the first nest of so-called murder hornets discovered in the United States...The nest found near the Canadian border in Blaine is about the size of a basketball and contained an estimated 100 to 200 hornets, according to scientists who announced the find Friday...The tree will be cut down to extract newborn hornets and learn if any queens have left the hive already, scientists said. Officials suspect more nests may be in the area and will keep searching. A news briefing was planned Monday on the status of the nest. (Associated Press)

Combining bugs and chemistry in Soos Creek stormwater study
Many creeks and waterbodies in Puget Sound may look pristine, but most face serious threats from stormwater pollution. A new study at Soos Creek shows how mud-dwelling bugs, traditional chemistry and digital "heatmaps" can be used to track stormwater impacts and identify the most polluted areas. Scientists and planners hope that this may one day lower the price tag on costly stormwater fixes. Eric Wagner reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

State details Padilla Bay bacteria issue
The state Department of Ecology released Thursday a draft report ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-quality/Water-improvement/Total-Maximum-Daily-Load-process/Directory-of-improvement-projects/Padilla-Bay-FC-TMDL. that details the problem of fecal coliform bacteria in sloughs that flow into Padilla Bay and that lists possible solutions. The document is open for public comment until noon Nov. 22, and online public meetings are set for 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

10,000 trees per year across the Gulf Islands
A popular tree-planting, carbon-busting program run by Conservancy Hornby Island has so far planted 4,000 trees on private lands on the island, and if enough interest is expressed on Gabriola, the program will find its way here, too. A team of volunteers, including Grant Scott, conservancy chair and Islands Trust trustee for Hornby Island, began their Gulf Islands reforestation plan last year. In addition to the Douglas fir seedlings planted on Hornby, another 3,000 will be planted on Galiano Island this month. Rachelle Stein-Wotten reports. (Gabriola Sounder)

Olympia oysters continue to thrive in Fidalgo Bay
Lab-grown baby oysters, shipments of empty shells and muddy boots: Those are some of the ingredients that have made restoring the Olympia oyster successful in Fidalgo Bay. Since the estimated number of the oysters climbed into the millions in 2015, the population has remained strong. There are now an estimated three million of them in Fidalgo Bay waters. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Indecision postpones Colstrip sale public discussion
Montana regulators will postpone hearing from the public about a key Colstrip Power Plant sale until it’s clear the deal can pass muster in Washington state. Public Service Commissioners said a fog of uncertainty in Washington state led to the postponement of the Oct. 29 listening session concerning the future ownership of the Colstrip Power Plant. Seattle-based Puget Sound Energy is attempting to sell its 25% share of Colstrip Unit 4 to two other owners, NorthWestern Energy and Talen Energy...But the future of the sale is in doubt in Washington, where Puget needs approval from the Utility and Transportation Commission. In Washington, UTC staff and the state’s consumer advocate have recommended against the agreement, arguing that it’s bad for Puget’s customers. Several other groups, including Washington state legislators, say it would be better for Puget to retain ownership and work the shut down the power plant. Tom Lutey reports. (Billings Gazette)

Oil Industry Turns to Mergers and Acquisitions to Survive
The once mighty oil and gas industry is flailing, desperately trying to survive a pandemic that has sharply reduced demand for its products. Most companies have cut back drilling, laid off workers and written off assets. Now some are seeking out merger and acquisition targets to reduce costs. ConocoPhillips announced on Monday that it was acquiring Concho Resources for $9.7 billion, the biggest deal in the industry since oil prices collapsed in March. Clifford Krauss reports. (NY Times)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 246 AM PDT Mon Oct 26 2020
TODAY Light wind becoming W to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 14 seconds.
TONIGHT SW wind to 10 kt becoming SE after midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 13 seconds.

Friday, October 23, 2020

10/23 Russula, whale watch rules, Tulalip elders, BC youth, fish-blocking culverts, Thurston HCP, tear gas

Rose-red russula [Amy Nelson]

Rose-red russula Russula rosacea
Rose-red russula are found in the fall in conifer forests or in open grassy places near conifers. It has a rose or red stem and yellowish gills. Edibility unknown and best avoided because of the intense peppery taste. Russula emetica has stems and gills of pure white. Russula xerampelina stains brown when bruised and has an odor of shrimp. (The New Savory Wild Mushroom)

Comment period opens on whale watching rules
A public comment period has opened for proposed commercial whale watching rules. The state Department of Fish & Wildlife released a draft of the rules Wednesday, opening a comment period that will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 5. The rules are aimed at protecting endangered Southern Resident orcas from underwater noise associated with whale watching boats. That noise can interfere with the ability of the whales to find food, to rest and to socialize among their family groups of J, K and L pods. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

As Tulalip elders die from COVID-19, tribes lose more than family
When sisters Geraldine Williams and Christine Enick died, Tulalip youth lost generations of language, tradition and knowledge. Andy Yamashita reports. (Crosscut)

‘It is our future on the line’: young B.C. voters say climate action a top election issue
As industrial projects in the province push ahead, four young climate leaders say politicians need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in clean energy. Nicole Gonzalez Filos reports. (The Narwhal)

WSDOT tries a ‘bridge-in-a-backpack’ in Duvall as an innovative way to replace fish-blocking culverts
Steelhead, coho and other fish may soon enjoy more room to swim Loutsis Creek, where Washington state just built its first bridge using composite fibers. The new kind of structure, nicknamed bridge-in-a-backpack, can be assembled faster than concrete or steel, especially in deep ravines. It’s an innovation that could benefit the state’s long-term effort, costing at least $3.5 billion, to rescue endangered and blocked fish species by opening hundreds of streams, from Quillayute to Asotin. Mike Lindblom reports. (Seattle Times)

Public meetings set to discuss next steps in Thurston HCP
Thurston County residents, at two virtual meetings next week, can learn about and weigh in on the next steps for a plan that would set aside land for federally protected species in the area, including the Mazama pocket gopher. In part, the 30-year Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) would streamline what can be a burdensome permitting process for people who want to build on the species’ habitat. The draft HCP and other documents are available online. Sara Gentzler reports. (Olympian)

4 months of tear gas in Portland raises concerns for environment
Portland has entered a fourth straight month of street protests, often met with a barrage of police-deployed crowd-control munitions, making Portland the most tear-gassed city in America. This has environmental groups, public health and human rights advocates questioning the short- and long-term effects of tear gas — not just on those demonstrating for racial justice, but also on the environment. There is no shortage of information and research about what tear gas exposure does to the human body...But the answers become much murkier when it comes to what those chemical agents do to the environment. Monica Samayoa reports. (OPB)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 400 AM PDT Fri Oct 23 2020
TODAY E wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at 7 seconds. Rain.
TONIGHT E wind 15 to 25 kt becoming NE 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft after midnight. W swell 7 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the evening.
SAT E wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT NIGHT NE wind 20 to 30 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds.
SUN E wind 15 to 25 kt becoming 15 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 3 ft at 13 seconds.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

10/22 'Fly amanita,' BC seal cull, Site C dam, BC LNG, 2020 election climate, Nooksack water, NOAA website, PFAS comments

Fly amanita [Amy Nelson]

Fly amanita Amanita muscaria
Most abundant in late autumn in conifer forests or mixed woods or on their edges. This is the mushroom often pictured in European fairy tales. It is called the "fly amanita" because it was thought a decoction made from it killed fins. It is definitely dangerous but fortunately easy to recognize. (The New Savory Wild Mushroom)

What Would a British Columbia Seal and Sea Lion Cull Actually Entail?
Cast an eye upon Canada’s Pacific coast and it shouldn’t take long to spot its most ubiquitous marine mammal, the harbor seal. At least 100,000 are thought to occupy the coves and nearshore waters along British Columbia’s coast. You may view seals with wonder, as evidence of a productive marine ecosystem on the doorstep of civilization. Or, just as easily, as a ravenous predator gobbling up the same fish populations sought by humans...University of British Columbia (UBC) professor emeritus of oceans and fisheries Carl Walters is pushing for the slaughter of 50,000 harbor seals and 25,000 Steller sea lions—half their populations on the BC coast. Another 3,000 seals per year would be killed on an ongoing basis to keep the animals in check. Larry Pynn reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Top B.C. government officials knew Site C dam was in serious trouble over a year ago: FOI docs
Two top B.C. civil servants, including the senior bureaucrat who prepares Site C dam documents for cabinet, knew in May 2019 that the project faced serious geotechnical problems due to its “weak foundation,” according to documents obtained by The Narwhal. Energy ministry assistant deputy minister Les MacLaren and deputy finance minister Lori Wanamaker also knew the following month that the over-budget project had almost exhausted its $858 million contingency fund, a likely sign of another cost overrun, according to the documents, which were released under B.C.’s freedom of information act. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

LNG in BC Is a ‘Losing’ Bet, Report Finds
A respected U.S. energy group has criticized a rosy Conference Board of Canada report championing more liquefied natural gas development in British Columbia as “a lobbying effort for government subsidies, support and flexibility.” The scathing critique by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis characterized the Conference Board report as “misleading,” short on facts and unrealistic. Andrew Nikiforuk reports. (The Tree)

There's A Lot At Stake For The Climate In The 2020 Election
Despite the cascade of other crises this year, climate change has emerged as a key election issue. Two-thirds of Americans want the government to do more about it, and the same share of Biden supporters say it's very important to their vote. While not many Trump supporters overall agree, there's more concern among younger Republicans. The stakes are high as more Americans experience record heat, wildfires, hurricanes and flooding, and the two candidates could not be further apart. Joe Biden calls climate change an existential threat to our health, economy, and national security. President Trump continues to question climate science. Jeff Brady, Nathan Rott and Jennifer Ludden report. (NPR)

Ericksen blasts Nooksack basin adjudication
State Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, is calling on the state Department of Ecology to abandon plans for an enormous court review of water rights in the Nooksack River basin, saying it would launch “a years-long litigation nightmare” for thousands of Whatcom County property owners and threaten the area’s agricultural economy... Ericksen says he will oppose any effort during the 2021 legislative session to allocate money for Nooksack adjudication. (Lynden Tribune/paywall) Also see: Whose water is it in Whatcom County? Eric Hurst writes. (Salish Current/Community Voices)

NOAA: Assessing Our Marine Ecosystems
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has launched a real-time website that provides data on major marine ecosystem indicators, capturing the status and trends of seven U.S. ecosystem regions, as well as an overall national status. It also directs users to more detailed sources of NOAA data and information. (NOAA)

Ecology seeking comments on action plan to address PFAS contaminants
The Washington state Department of Ecology is seeking public comment on its plan to address a class of highly persistent chemicals that don’t break down in the environment. The Department of Ecology is in the process of drafting a Chemical Action Plan (CAP) that finds a way to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Individuals who are interested offering input have until Dec. 7 to submit comment. Andrew Hammond reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 236 AM PDT Thu Oct 22 2020
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. Rain likely after midnight.

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

10/21 J46 pregnant?, fish farm disease, Stanley Park, Skagit mining, spill response base, cow methane

J46 [Brittany Philbin/PNW OPS Photography]

Photos show pregnant southern resident orca J46 in Puget Sound
More great news for the southern resident orcas, a J-pod member is pregnant, according to recent reports from a Puget Sound whale watcher who captured photos of the whale on Sunday. Brittany Philbin, a West Seattle resident, said the southern residents started swimming in the area around Friday, and observed the pod make their way to Point Robinson off of Vashon Island on Sunday, where she spotted J46. Ken Balcomb with the Center for Whale Research told Q13 News on Tuesday he could not officially confirm the orca was pregnant, but says based on recent photos and reliable observers, the whale looks "very pregnant." "I cannot confirm from our CWR observations, but there are several reliable observers who took photographs of a whale that looked very pregnant, and one of our trained ID specialists agrees that the photos are of J46. The photos that I have seen are off-angle and I trust our ID specialists and the original observers that reported to Orcanetwork are correct," said Balcomb. (KCPQ)

New study suggests fish farms raise risk of exposure to infectious disease for wild B.C. salmon
A new study suggests that the presence of active fish farms in B.C. waters can more than double the chance of finding genetic material from pathogens that cause disease in wild salmon. In research conducted over three years, scientists discovered that the likelihood of finding DNA from viruses, bacteria and other microscopic organisms that infect salmon was 2.72 times higher near active aquaculture operations. "This suggests that the management of salmon farms and the conservation of wild salmon are absolutely not distinct issues," said the lead author on the new paper, University of Toronto PhD candidate Dylan Shea. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

Vancouver’s Stanley Park aquatic life on ‘red alert’: ecology report
Stanley Park’s tree cover is growing, but aquatic life in Beaver Lake isn’t doing very well at all, according to a new report on the park’s ecological health. The report by the Stanley Park Ecology Society found that the park has 1,031 native species that include 239 birds, 27 mammals and two reptiles. The biggest group are invertebrates and zooplankton at 325. “Water temperatures are high in Beaver Lake and Lost Lagoon and oxygen levels are exceptionally low in Beaver Lake to the point they are reaching lethal levels for salmonids and amphibians,” the report summary says. “Without proper intervention, the situation is expected to worsen.” Kevin Griffin reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Residents push back against mining proposals
Proposals to mine rock from three sites in Skagit County have neighbors of the sites on edge. As of this week, Skagit County Hearing Examiner Wick Dufford is reviewing a mine proposal for an area south of Anacortes and the state Department of Natural Resources has decided to extend a comment period for a mine proposal near Marblemount. A third proposal, for mining in an area northwest of Sedro-Woolley, is under review by Skagit County Planning and Development Services. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Sc'ianew First Nation signs deal on spill response base
The organization tasked with cleaning up oil spills around Vancouver Island, the Strait of Georgia and Metro Vancouver’s coastline has signed a deal with the Sc’ianew First Nation to build a response base in its East Sooke territory. Western Canada Marine Response, which has undertaken a $150 million spill-response program to establish a network of response bases and procure as many as 48 new vessels in preparation for the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion, will establish a marine base at Cheanuh Marina and a warehouse nearby. Andrew Duffy reports. (Times Colonist)

Belching Cows and Endless Feedlots: Fixing Cattle’s Climate Issues
The United States i home to 95 million cattle, and changing what they eat could have a significant effect on emissions of greenhouse gases like methane that are warming the world. Henry Fountain reports. (NY Times)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 520 AM PDT Wed Oct 21 2020
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING
TODAY NW wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 6 ft at 6 seconds.
TONIGHT NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming E 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 7 ft at 8 seconds subsiding to 5 ft at 9 seconds after midnight.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

10/20 Boletus, Shared Waters forum, Tongass logging, Vic sewage spill, BC elections, Great Bear Rainforest, Trump & Exxon

Blue-staining boletus [Adolf Ceska]

Blue-staining boletus Suillus caerulescens
Found throughout the fall season in conifer forests most often associated with Douglas fir. It is edible but not very good. It is one of the most common boletes in the Puget Sound area and Cascade Mountains. (The New Savory Wild Mushroom)

Salish Sea Shared Waters forum wraps up third and final year of work to reduce risks of oil spills
Washington has been stepping up systems to prevent and reduce the risk of oil spills, due in part to the looming expansion of Canada’s Trans Mountain Pipeline. It could result in as much as a sevenfold increase in the number of oil tankers traveling from Vancouver, B.C., through Puget Sound. In 2018, the state Legislature passed the Strengthening Oil Transportation Safety Act. Among its requirements, along with a barrel tax on crude oil and updates to contingency plans for oil spills, was the establishment of the Salish Sea Shared Waters forum. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Alaska tribes say agency ignored Tongass exemption request
The U.S. government ignored the requests of some Alaska Native groups to uphold national Roadless Rule restrictions in the Tongass National Forest, tribal officials said. The U.S. Forest Service recommended lifting the rule completely and is expected to make the decision official before the end of October, CoastAlaska reported Friday. The agency started a 30-day clock last month to completely exempt Tongass National Forest from the 2001 regulation. (Associated Press)

District investigating damage caused by 130-cubic metre sewage spill in Victoria area
A ruptured pipe at a Victoria-area landfill caused some sewage to leak into a nearby regional park, but the majority of the spill was contained, a district official says. However, the exact environmental impact remains to be seen, according to Elizabeth Scott, deputy project director for the Capital Regional District (CRD) wastewater project. Scott told CBC on Friday that the district was dealing with 130 cubic metres of sewage that leaked at the Hartland Landfill and into Mount Work Regional Park on Oct. 13. (CBC)

B.C. election: where the NDP, Greens and Liberals stand on climate and environment issues
As Sonia Furstenau's Greens pledge to end oil and gas subsidies and Andrew Wilkinson's BC Liberals promise to expand LNG, John Horgan's NDP sticks to the middle road. Ainslie Cruickshank writes. (The Narwhal)

Finding Unity in the Great Bear Rainforest
How corporations, conservationists, and First Nations came together to share the rainforest. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tree/Hakai Magazine)

Exxon clarifies Trump phone call: 'It never happened'
Oil giant Exxon has clarified a fundraising comment by Donald Trump that he could raise more money than rival Joe Biden. The US president invoked the company's name at a rally in Arizona, saying all he had to do to raise funds was call Wall Street and oil executives. He suggested calling Exxon's boss to offer permits in exchange for funds - adding he would never make such a call. Exxon said on Twitter: "Just so we're all clear, it never happened." (BBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 219 AM PDT Tue Oct 20 2020
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING TODAY SW wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NW 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the evening.

Monday, October 19, 2020

10/19 Shaggy mane, Elwha salmon, Leque Is, Hood Canal Bridge, Pressentin Park, TM protest, SnoCo climate warriors, giant hornets

Shaggy mane [Jerzy Opiota/Creative Commons]

Shaggy mane Coprinus comatus
Found in the fall after a rain in the open along roadsides, near garbage dumps or decaying sawdust along old logging roads. A well-known edible mushroom of good flavor and consistency when young. (The New Savory Wild Mushroom)

The Elwha dams are gone and chinook are surging back, but why are so few reaching the upper river?
They were the king of kings in Puget Sound, the biggest chinook of them all, strong enough to muscle up the falls at the Goblin Gates and power on all the way through nearly 4 miles of chutes and falls in the Grand Canyon of the Elwha....Scientists have been tracking nature’s response. Some of what they are finding is surprising, even to them. Summer steelhead, nearly extinct in the Elwha, have come booming back to the river, all on their own. Once locked up behind the dams, rainbow trout are re-expressing their ability to go to sea as steelhead. Adult chinook returns to the river since dam removal are the highest since the late 1980s, with more than 7,600 estimated in the 2019 count. While that’s still a modest number, the Elwha represents one of the only watersheds in Puget Sound with such an uptick in population, said Sam Brenkman, chief fisheries biologist for the Olympic National Park, in an email. Colonization of the lower and middle river has been steady. But fewer chinook are reaching the deliciously cold, uppermost reaches of the watershed. Why? It’s a puzzle scientists are working on. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Healing a habitat: Leque Island estuary comes a long way in year since dikes removed
A year after breaching its dikes, Leque Island’s mudflats are now tinged with green hues. Native grasses are returning, many more bird species are visiting and new channels are being formed, helping to unlock more fish habitat. Converting former farmland on Leque Island between Stanwood and Camano Island into salt marsh finished about a year ago. The project, 15 years in the making, restored about 250 acres of tidal marsh to the Stillaguamish River watershed — one of several area habitat restoration projects. (Stanwood-Camano News)

Minor bridge modifications could help young steelhead escape from Hood Canal
Help could be on the way for migrating steelhead and salmon in Hood Canal, where many young fish are killed each year by seals and other predators that lie in wait at the Hood Canal floating bridge. As many as 50 percent of the steelhead migrants perish as they arrive at the bridge, where predators pick them off one by one. The bridge is supported by floating concrete pontoons, forming a nearly solid barrier across the waterway. Young steelhead generally swim near the surface, making them especially vulnerable to predation, although some fish will dive under the bridge to get to the other side. Engineers are currently designing minor modifications to a few bridge pontoons to help the fish find their way through existing gaps in the structure. Chris Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

Small step taken in Pressentin Park project
At Skagit County’s little-known Pressentin Park in Marblemount the landscape is awash in fall colors and the fast-moving Skagit River has turned a rain-fed brown to match. The real star of this scene, though, is less obvious. It’s the fish moving from the river to a slower-paced side channel called Marblemount Slough. A patient observer might see their underwater silhouettes and the occasional splash of a tail leaving ripples in its wake. This time of year those glimpses may be of coho salmon returning to the slough to spawn. The slough is also visited during winter by spawning chum salmon and at other times of the year serves as a resting place for young coho, chinook salmon and steelhead trout. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

5 arrested after standing in way of Trans Mountain pipeline construction in B.C. Interior
Five people including a Secwepemc hereditary chief and his daughter have been arrested after standing against construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project on Secwepemc territory in Kamloops, B.C. A statement from the Sacred Woman's Fire Council said the group was arrested near a work site on Mission Flats Road on Thursday as pipeline crews prepared to drill underneath the Thompson River. Those arrested include Hereditary Chief Segwses, Loralie Dick, April Thomas, Billie Pierre and Romilly Cavanaugh, the latter of whom is a former engineer for the Trans Mountain pipeline. (CBC)

From worriers to warriors, they’re fighting climate change
Local environmental groups are forming, growing and attracting new members, young and old. Julie Titone reports. (Everett Herald)

Asian giant hornet could spread quickly in B.C., says study
A new study says a large invasive hornet could spread throughout western North America unless coordinated mitigation efforts are implemented...The new study was published last month in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. It said the insect "could rapidly expand its invasive range throughout western North America absent coordinated mitigation efforts." Paul van Westendorp, B.C.'s provincial apiculturist, is skeptical of the study's assumptions. He said the methodology of the study relied in part on the distribution of another invasive species of hornet in Europe, Vespa velutina. Frédérik-Xavier Duhamel reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 219 AM PDT Mon Oct 19 2020
TODAY W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of rain.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming NW after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds.

Friday, October 16, 2020

10/16 Sweetgum, wildfire smoke, coming winter, oil futures, viewing salmon, Skeena sockeye, anemone, Site C dam

American sweetgum

American Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
The Sweetgum tree is native to the southeastern United States and a member of a genus made up of only six species. The others are found only in Asia. The first historical reference to the tree comes from the author and soldier, Don Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who accompanied Cortez in 1519 and was a witness to ceremonies between Cortez and Montezuma, who both partook of a liquid amber extracted from a sweetgum tree. The tree itself was first noticed and recorded by the historian Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in 1542. Once commercially popular for soaps, adhesives and pharmaceuticals, today its wood is valuable for fine furniture and interior finishing. (Arborday.org)

Wildfire smoke in US exposes millions to hazardous pollution
Wildfires churning out dense plumes of smoke as they scorch huge swaths of the U.S. West Coast have exposed millions of people to hazardous pollution levels, causing emergency room visits to spike and potentially thousands of deaths among the elderly and infirm, according to an Associated Press analysis of pollution data and interviews with physicians, health authorities and researchers. Matthew Brown and Camille Fassett report. (AP)

Winter in Seattle area expected to be colder, wetter than usual, says new report
The Puget Sound region is likely to have a La Niña winter this year, meaning it will be a colder and wetter season than usual, according to a new report. Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times) B.C.'s South Coast could be colder and snowier than normal this winter, meteorologists say Experts say a developing La Niña could mean more winter storms on B.C.'s South Coast. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

The End Of Oil? Battle Lines Drawn As Industry Grapples With Energy's Future
Oil is facing an existential crisis. There has never been so much uncertainty about the future of a commodity that keeps the global economic engine running. And it's not just environmental activists calling for the end of oil: New reports out this week show the battle lines are shaping up within the industry. Camila Domonoske reports. (NPR)

Interactive map leads to salmon viewing locations
The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) is continuing to offer folks a chance to see salmon returning to spawn in local streams. SFEG has launched “Salmon Sightings,” a website complete with an interactive map of the best stream banks in Skagit County from which to catch a glimpse of returning salmon. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Skeena sockeye returns jump 50 per cent in three years thanks to Indigenous leadership
B.C. First Nations voluntarily closed their food fishery or limited the catch for two decades to help rebuild salmon populations. This year, those sacrifices are paying off. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

One Great Shot: Packing Stingers
Don’t mess with the aggregating anemone. The aggregating anemone is so common in British Columbia’s tide pools and shallows that most people wouldn’t give it a second glance. But up close they are otherworldly creatures with amazing structures and behaviors. Underneath a ring of green tentacles are acrorhagi—stubby, specialized tentacles loaded with stinging nematocysts. The anemone keeps these tentacles retracted deep inside its body until it needs to defend its territory from other boundary-pushing anemones. Patrick Keeling reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Scrapping B.C.’s Site C dam could lead to $116 million in savings every year: energy economist
Serious geotechnical issues and the project's escalating cost make the dam uneconomical, according to two new reports that call for the newly elected government to cancel it immediately. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 235 AM PDT Fri Oct 16 2020
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY SW wind 15 to 25 kt becoming W 20 to 30 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds building to 7 ft at 8 seconds in the afternoon. Rain in the morning then rain likely in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 8 seconds. Rain likely in the evening.
SAT W wind 5 to 15 kt in the morning becoming light. Wind waves 2 ft or less in the morning becoming less than 1 ft. W swell 8 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon.
SAT NIGHT Light wind becoming SE 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less after midnight. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds.
SUN E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

10/15 Dogwood, BC spotted owls, Trump's environment, warmest Sept, beavers, climate injustice

Pacific dogwood [OSU]

Pacific Dogwood Cornus nuttallii
Pacific Dogwood is found from southwest British Columbia, western Washington and Oregon and on the west slopes of the Californian mountain ranges. Blooms April-June, flowering may occur again in late summer. Fruit ripens September to October. To propagate: Seeds should be collected in fall, removed from their fleshy fruit covering and planted immediately into outdoor seed flats. Germination may take 18 months or more. (Dana Kelley Bressette/Native Plants PNW)

Canada’s last breeding pair of endangered spotted owls found in valley slated for imminent logging
Environmental law charity Ecojustice is petitioning the federal government to step in and halt logging in B.C.’s Spuzzum Valley, where a spotted owl pair with chicks has been found after the species was presumed extinct in Canada. Ecojustice, which submitted the petition on Wednesday calling for an emergency order to be issued under Canada’s Species at Risk Act, said it only recently learned of the existence of the breeding pair, discovered in 2019 by B.C. government biologists. The northern spotted owl pair hatched one chick last year, and two chicks this year, according to Ecojustice, which is acting on behalf of the Vancouver-based conservation group Wilderness Committee. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal) See also: Feds urged to step in to stop B.C. logging in refuge of last breeding pair of spotted owls Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

Under Trump, Criminal Prosecutions for Pollution Dropped Sharply
Prosecutions of environmental crimes have “plummeted” during the Trump administration, according to a new report. The first two years of the Trump administration had a 70 percent decrease in criminal prosecutions under the Clean Water Act and a decrease of more than 50 percent under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Crimes Project at the University of Michigan law school found. John Schwartz reports. (NY Times)

Earth has warmest September on record, and 2020 may clinch hottest year
The planet just recorded its hottest September since at least 1880, according to three of the authoritative temperature-tracking agencies in the world. The data, most of which was released Wednesday, shows that 2020 is on track to be one of the hottest years on record, with the possibility of tying or breaking the milestone for the hottest year, set in 2016. In addition, 2020 is likely to be the hottest year when a La Niña event was present in the tropical Pacific Ocean. This climate phenomenon is characterized by cooler-than-average ocean temperatures near the equator in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, and it tends to lower global temperatures slightly. (El Niño events, on the other hand, add even more heat to the planet, causing temperature spikes on top of global warming.) Andrew Freedman reports. (Washington Post)

Beavers: Good environmental stewards, but lousy neighbors
...Since 2014, wildlife biologists working with the Tulalip Tribes have moved beavers from areas in the Snohomish River watershed, where they’re considered nuisances, to new homes in Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.Last month, the national forest signed an agreement with the tribes to expand that work to the South Fork of the Stillaguamish River watershed — a critical habitat for endangered fish like Chinook, steelhead and bull trout, Tulalip chairwoman Teri Gobin said. Wildlife biologists working with the tribes find beavers that are interfering with human activity, capture them and pick the best place to release them. Jul9a-Grace Sanders reports. (Everett Herald)

Protection for the Rich, Retreat for the Poor
As the climate warms, coastal communities are dealing with rising seas, more intense storms, and increased flooding. To tackle these threats, governments are investing in various protection measures, from building sea walls to managed retreat. But there is increasing evidence that these adaptation efforts are being applied inconsistently and, as a result, are exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities. Michael Allen writes. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 204 AM PDT Thu Oct 15 2020
TODAY SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT SE wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft after midnight. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of showers in the evening then rain likely after midnight.

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

10/14 Great Barrier Reef, Orcas in Disguise

Chestnut

Chestnut
Chestnut, genus Castaneo has seven species of deciduous trees in the beech family (Fagaceae), native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The burrlike fruits contain edible nuts and several species are cultivated as ornamental and timber trees. Some members of the genus are known as chinquapins, which is also a common name for trees in the related genus Castanopsis.

Warming has killed half the coral on the Great Barrier Reef, study finds. It might never recover.
Half of the coral populations on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef — from “big mamas” to the little baby coral they spawn — have been wiped out in the warming ocean, a new study says. Studying coral as if it were a residential demographic, and counting its abundance over 30 years starting in 1995, four Australian researchers determined that size didn’t matter when bleaching events, such as two that occurred in recent back-to-back years, strike the giant reef. “The decline occurred in both shallow and deeper water, and across virtually all species — but especially in branching and table-shaped corals,” Terry Hughes, a professor at the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Queensland and a co-author of the research paper, said in a statement Tuesday. Darryl Fears reports. (Washington Post)

At Home Science Activities with South Sound GREEN: Orcas in Disguise
In the face of COVID-19 and recent stay at home order, parents and guardians may find themselves looking for activities that not only keep students engaged, but also provide information about local environmental science and concerns. In our South Sound GREEN Home Based Science Project series, we will introduce and demonstrate various hands-on and at-home activities for children of all ages to do either indoors or outside! (South Sound Green/Thurston Talk)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 141 AM PDT Wed Oct 14 2020
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING
TODAY W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at 10 seconds subsiding to 8 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon. A chance of showers in the morning then a slight chance of showers in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming N after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds. Areas of fog after midnight.

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

10/13 Hazelnut, Eba whale dog, murder hornet, Chico Cr park, Pt Moody log boom, BLM chief, dam wars truce

Hazelnut

Hazelnut Corylus avellana
The Celts believed hazelnuts gave one wisdom and inspiration. There are numerous variations on an ancient tale that nine hazel trees grew around a sacred pool, dropping into the water nuts that were eaten by salmon (a fish sacred to Druids), which absorbed the wisdom. A Druid teacher, in his bid to become omniscient, caught one of these special salmon and asked a student to cook the fish, but not to eat it. While he was cooking it, a blister formed and the pupil used his thumb to burst it, which he naturally sucked to cool, thereby absorbing the fish's wisdom. This boy was called Fionn Mac Cumhail (Fin McCool) and went on to become one of the most heroic leaders in Gaelic mythology. (Wikipedia)

Eba the Whale Dog and owner, whale biologist Deborah Giles, star in episode of PBS show shot around San Juan Islands
Eba the Whale Dog is ready for her close-up. Again. The latest starring role for the San Juan Islands canine comes in the second episode of the three-part PBS series “The Age of Nature” after previous appearances in the series premiere of Disney+’s “It’s a Dog’s Life” and Episode 2 of Netflix’s “Connected.” While the “It’s a Dog’s Life” episode is more about Eba, Episode 2 of PBS’s “Age of Nature,” airing at 10 p.m. Oct. 21 on KCTS-TV, includes Eba’s work in a story about the interconnectedness of the natural world and the impact that building dams on the Elwha River had on the whales’ feeding supply of chinook salmon. Rob Owen reports. (Seattle Times0

Washington state again fails to live-track murder hornet
Washington state officials said Monday they were again unsuccessful at live-tracking a “murder” hornet while trying to find and destroy a nest of the giant insects. The Washington State Department of Agriculture said an entomologist used dental floss to tie a tracking device on a female hornet, only to lose signs of her when she went into a forest. The hornet was captured Oct. 5 and kept alive with strawberry jam, which she seemed to enjoy, said Sven Spichiger, a department entomologist. Sally Ho reports. (Seattle Times)

Park reopens as project to help Chico Creek salmon wraps up
There's a new bridge, a restored stream, and now all that's left to wait for are the surging salmon. Fall chum runs will soon fill Chico Creek, and thanks to a $4.4 million project that replaced a box culvert with a bridge on Golf Club Hill Road, their journey to spawn should run a little easier. Kitsap's most abundant salmon stream is no longer steered through a 36-foot culvert and can flow freely underneath a 140-foot-long bridge. Nearby, the Chico Salmon Park has also reopened, just in time to view the fall migration.
Josh Farley reports. (Kitsap Sun)

‘A real disaster’: advocates fear removal of Port Moody log boom threatens baby seals
Marine scientists, environmental advocates and a sea captain are raising the alarm after a set of log booms was towed away from the old Flavelle mill site, prompting concerns that Port Moody’s local harbour seal population has been robbed of its primary location to bread and raise young pups. The sawmill — which stands as both a monument to the city’s roots and a source of income for 70 workers — has boomed logs in the eastern portion of the Burrard Inlet for over 100 years. In that time, the thousands of square feet of floating timber has doubled as an important habitat for both the seal population and migrating birds. Stefan Labbé reports. (Tri-City News)

A Judge's Ruling Aims to Oust Public Lands Chief. Now Some Want His Decisions Tossed, Too
William Perry Pendley’s “acting” status as head of the Bureau of Land Management calls into question his rulings on energy leases, monuments and conservation plans. Judy Fahys reports. (Inside Climate News)

Environmentalists and Dam Operators, at War for Years, Start Making Peace
The industry that operates America’s hydroelectric dams and several environmental groups announced an unusual agreement Tuesday to work together to get more clean energy from hydropower while reducing the environmental harm from dams, in a sign that the threat of climate change is spurring both sides to rethink their decades-long battle over a large but contentious source of renewable power. Brad Plumer reports. (NY Times)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 230 AM PDT Tue Oct 13 2020
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY SE wind 30 to 40 kt becoming W in the afternoon. Combined seas 7 to 10 ft with a dominant period of 9 seconds. Rain and a slight chance of tstms.
TONIGHT W wind 25 to 35 kt easing to 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Combined seas 16 to 17 ft with a dominant period of 11 seconds subsiding to 13 to 14 ft with a dominant period of 12 seconds after midnight. Rain likely in the evening then a chance of showers after midnight.