Salish Sea News and Weather: 2021

Thursday, December 23, 2021

12/23 Green darner, manure management, salmon flooded, GasLink indigenous identity, Saanich slopes, MPAs, pileated woodpecker, week in review

Salish Sea News and Weather will take a break and return in the new year. Stay safe and happy holidays. Mike Sato.

Green Darner [Bruce Marlin]

Green Darner Anax junius
The green darner, named after its resemblance to a darning needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America, it is well known for its great migration distance from the northern United States south into Texas and Mexico.It also occurs in the Caribbean, Tahiti, and Asia from Japan to mainland China. It is the official insect for the state of Washington. (Wikipedia)

Whatcom farmers face manure management challenges after flooding
Flooding in Whatcom and Skagit counties in November put major stress on local dairies, including lost animals and lost revenues for some. Now there’s another hurdle: With storage lagoons overtopping, where can they store all that manure? Farmers and county and state agencies are stepping up to the challenge, to prevent pollution downstream and restore infrastructure. Lauren Gallup reports. (Salish Current)

Already-endangered WA salmon may take a hit from flooding
As region's rivers overflowed from historic rainfall, the next generation of the struggling fish may have been swept away, too. Kylie Mohr reports. (High Country News)

‘Dangerous precedent’: pipelines, land defenders and the colonial policing of Indigenous nationhood
When a Coastal GasLink lawyer raised questions about Indigenous identity in court proceedings following arrests on Wet’suwet’en territory, it sparked widespread outrage — and pointed to a larger, complicated conversation about governance and who has the right to enforce Indigenous title on unceded lands. Stephanie Wood reports. (The Narwhal)

Unstable waterfront slopes being assessed in Saanich
Saanich police are asking residents to avoid the waterfront area between Arbutus Cove Park and Hollydene Park due to unstable slopes. Heavy rainfall has resulted in erosion which appears to have caused unstable slopes. No injuries have been reported. Saanich engineering was on scene to assess the damage Wednesday evening and to determine if there are safety concerns. Andrew Duffy reports. (Times-Colonist)

How Marine Protected Areas Can Pay for Their Own Protection
The area right next to a marine protected area is a prime fishing spot—and researchers think fishermen will pay to access it. Greg Noone reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Nonprofit donated more than 200 acres on Nisqually River for threatened woodpecker
A Washington-native threatened woodpecker will be getting a new preserve along the Nisqually River, after 265 acres were donated to an environmental nonprofit. The Nisqually Land Trust announced on Wednesday that the North Cascades Buddhist Priory donated the forested land full of wildlife to create one of the state’s first pileated woodpecker preserves... The woodpecker is the largest in North America. Josephine Peterson reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Salish Sea News Week in Review: Yule log, climate adaptation, derelict vessels, GasLink protest, climate ambitions, Growler noise, ghost river, shoreiine returned, pileated woodpecker, manure management

Now, your Christmas weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 204 AM PST Thu Dec 23 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY W wind 10 to 20 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of showers.
TONIGHT SW wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SE after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 12 seconds. Rain in the evening then showers after midnight.
FRI S wind 10 to 20 kt becoming E 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 12 ft at 11 seconds. Showers likely.
FRI NIGHT NE wind 20 to 30 kt becoming E 20 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 9 ft at 13 seconds.
SAT E wind 20 to 25 kt becoming SE 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 8 ft at 13 seconds.
SAT NIGHT E wind 15 to 25 kt rising to 20 to 30 kt after midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 11 ft at 13 seconds.
SUN E wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 10 ft.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.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

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

12/22 Green Man, BC lockdown, Little Skookum land, tribe fish farm, ghost river, BC old growth, Growler noise, Zim Kingston fire, bag ban, world climate

Green Man

Green Man
The Green Man, and very occasionally the Green Woman, is a legendary being primarily interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of new growth that occurs every spring. (Wikipedia)

Omicron Threat Brings New Lockdown Rules
British Columbia is cancelling thousands of scheduled surgeries, shutting down bars and gyms and limiting gatherings in an effort to prevent the Omicron COVID variant from overwhelming hospitals. The highly transmissible variant is causing “explosive” outbreaks in the Lower Mainland in particular, and now makes up about 50 per cent of new cases each day, health officials said today. Moira Wyton reports. (The Tyee)

Timber company returns 2 miles of waterfront property to Squaxin Island Tribe
Port Blakely Companies, a family-owned company with timber operations in the U.S. and New Zealand, has returned 2 miles of waterfront and 125 acres of tidelands on Little Skookum Inlet in Mason County to the Squaxin Island Tribe, at no cost. The return of the tideland property is part of a growing “Land Back” movement, in which landowners are returning property lost by tribes when white settlers arrived and began colonizing the landscapes where Indigenous people had lived and thrived for thousands of years. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Tribe: Court of appeals ruling won’t stop fish farm attempt
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Chairman Ron Allen vowed Tuesday to move forward with plans to establish a fish farm in Port Angeles Harbor despite a recent state Court of Appeals decision upholding the termination of its business partner’s lease. The three-judge panel Dec. 14 affirmed a Thurston County Superior Court decision that struck a blow to the joint plans of the tribe and Canadian aquaculture company Cooke Pacific LLC. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

A ghost river showed its face during the recent Nooksack floods
The Nooksack River starts in small streams around the base of Mount Baker, and empties into Bellingham Bay on Puget Sound. But a few hundred years ago, it used to flow north into Canada. In November, 2021, the flooding Nooksack rediscovered that old route north. Only now, there were towns in its path. We think of the Nooksack as a river belonging entirely to Washington state. Human-built levees help reinforce that perception. But scientists have been converging around a different conclusion: That over time, the river has done more than just flex its oxbows in some direction or other. It has completely changed direction. Joshua McNichols reports. (KUOW)

MLA, environmentalists push for funding to protect old-growth forests
Environmentalists gathered at the B.C. legislature Tuesday to call on the provincial government to provide funding to forestry-reliant First Nations considering old-growth-logging deferrals in their territory. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times-Colonist)

Navy releases jet noise monitoring study
On the heels of a U.S. District Court critique of the Navy’s environmental review for increasing its EA-18G jet fleet and related flight operations at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the Navy has released a noise monitoring report that was requested by Congress...The Navy’s noise monitoring report that is dated Nov. 30 concludes that the modeling it used to predict the impact of aircraft noise, such as for the EIS for NAS Whidbey Island, is accurate. In fact, according to the report, monitoring data shows jet operations often create less of an impact than modeling suggested. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Fire breaks out on Zim Kingston while docked at Port of Nanaimo for salvage work
A fire broke out on the container ship Zim Kingston on Tuesday while it was docked at the Port of Nanaimo’s Duke Point. The fire was discovered just after 1 p.m. and was extinguished after about 90 minutes by the ship’s crew and salvage workers, port officials told CHEK News. (Times-Colonist)

Plastic bag ban coming to Vancouver
Vancouver is set to ban single-use plastic bags starting in 2022 and join nine other cities in B.C. with similar bans. Kevin Griffin reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: Feds moving to ban plastic straws, bags by end of 2022: Guilbeault Mia Rabson reports.(Canadian Press)

In 2021, climate ambitions soared and crashed in US and around the world
After four years of near-silence about climate change in the White House, 2021 brought an abrupt shift. President Biden turned it into one of the defining issues of his presidency, proposing ambitious efforts to replace fossil fuels with clean energy sources and lead a global campaign to cut greenhouse gases. But as the year ended, it appeared that the most significant of those proposals had crashed into a wall of opposition from Republicans in Congress and one notable Democrat — Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. And at a global summit, efforts to fight climate change lagged well behind promises to do so. Dan Charles reports. (NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 209 AM PST Wed Dec 22 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY S wind 20 to 30 kt easing to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds building to 6 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon. Showers and a slight chance of tstms.
TONIGHT SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds in the evening. Showers and a slight chance of tstms in the evening then a chance of showers after midnight.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

12/21 Greenling, GasLink protest, Sumas flood, lifetime fishing ban, Kitsap derelict vessels, jumping slug

Kelp Greenling [Steve Lonhart]

Kelp Greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus
The kelp greenling is a species of greenling that occurs in rocky nearshore areas of the northern Pacific especially around British Columbia and Alaska, and is common on kelp beds and on sand bottoms. They feed on crustaceans, polychaete worms, brittle stars, mollusks, and small fishes. (Wikipedia)

Wet'suwet'en protesters block Coastal GasLink site again, 1 month after RCMP crackdown
One month after the high-profile arrests of dozens people on Wet'suwet'en territory, a group identifying themselves as land defenders returned Sunday to reoccupy a protest camp, blocking access to a Coastal GasLink pipeline drill site in northern British Columbia. "The Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs' eviction notice to Coastal GasLink still stands," Jennifer Wickham, media co-ordinator for the Gidimt'en Checkpoint told CBC News. Betsy Trumpeter reports. (CBC)

This flooded NW Washington town is still 'being put back together' as risk of winter storms grows
The threat of severe weather looms over a small northwest Washington community that is still recovering from November floods. Sumas Mayor Kyle Christensen says about 85 percent of homes were damaged when the Nooksack River overflowed onto their streets. Katie Campbell and Angela King report. (KUOW)

Nanaimo fisherman handed lifetime ban following midnight poaching of hundreds of crabs in Vancouver harbour
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has banned Nanaimo fisherman Scott Stanley Matthew Steer from fishing for life. The sentence was delivered on Nov. 12, 2021, and it is the first lifetime ban for a Pacific region fisherman in more than a decade. In May, Steer was found guilty of five offences under the Fisheries Act. Joel Ballard reports. (CBC)

Lots of derelict vessels in Kitsap, few funds to deal with them
At least 18 derelict boats are sitting on the Kitsap shoreline of Puget Sound, according to a recent count by the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office. Some have occupants, and others are close to sinking to the bottom of the sea, potentially bringing with them environmentally damaging waste. The county has fielded numerous calls and complaints about the vessels — which dot the shoreline as far south as Yukon Harbor in South Kitsap to as far north as Apple Tree Cove in Kington. Jesse Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Jumping slugs: the tiny, slimy acrobats of Northwest forests
The Pacific Northwest is home to a group of rare species you’ve probably never heard of. Their name alone might horrify or delight you: jumping slugs. Environmentalists and the federal government are clashing over a species whose populations seem to be declining along with its habitat on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. It’s not a salmon or a spotted owl or even a salamander. It’s a slug, and it jumps, sort of. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 232 AM PST Tue Dec 21 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
TODAY SE wind 15 to 20 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming S 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft after midnight. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. Rain.

Monday, December 20, 2021

12/20 Green heron, Bessie timber sale, climate adaptation, BC forestry, spotted-owl, coyote attacks, Doug Ericksen

Green heron [Alan Fritzberg]

Green heron Butorides virescens
Small, dark heron with a blue-green back, rusty-colored neck and dark cap. Usually in a crouched position, partly concealed in vegetation, waiting patiently for prey. In flight, looks like an awkward crow with broad wings, neck tucked in, and legs extending just beyond the tail. Often vocal when flushed; gives a sharp "skeiw!" (eBird)

Washington plans to log a century-old Whatcom forest, but opponents aren’t giving up yet
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources plans to sell the estimated $2.2 million in timber in spring 2022 called the Bessie timber sale. It sits on Anderson Mountain, between the southern tip of Lake Whatcom and Sedro-Woolley. These are trees that have lived through pivotal inventions, world wars and social revolutions. Some are four feet in diameter, a challenge for even the longest-limbed tree hugger. Ysabelle Kempe reports. (Bellingham Herald/paywall)

Adapting to Climate Change Will Only Get More Expensive
A new estimate puts the cost of adapting and repairing coastal infrastructure damaged by climate change in the United States at hundreds of billions annually. The sooner adaptation planning begins, the less expensive it will be. Michael Allen reports. (Hakai Magazine)

For B.C.'s forestry industry, unpredictability expected to be the norm
Timber supply crunch, volatile weather and legislation seen in 2021 forbearing an increasingly unpredictable future for the forestry industry. Matt Scace reports. (Vancouver Sun)

The Northwest Spotted-Owl Wars: No Happily Ever After
Northern Spotted Owls caught a break on November 10, when the Biden administration announced it would restore nearly all of the 3.4 million acres that the departing Trump administration tried to cut from the threatened owl’s critical habitat. That cut represented more than one-third of the 9.6 million acres that in 2012 the feds had deemed “critical habitat” – that is, the area needed to prevent jeopardizing the species, which may require special management. Dan Chasen writes. (Post Alley)

Coyote attacks in Vancouver's Stanley Park drop to zero following September cull, province says
In the three months since the B.C. Conservation Officer Service trapped and killed the last of 11 aggressive coyotes in Vancouver's Stanley Park, there have been no reports of people being bitten by the remaining animals. injured. Forty-five people, including children, reported being bitten or nipped in the park by a coyote between December 2020 and late August of this year. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

Washington state Senator Doug Ericksen dead at 52; follows COVID diagnosis
Longtime Washington state Sen. Doug Ericksen, a Whatcom County Republican, has died following a COVID-19 diagnosis while traveling in El Salvador last month. He was 52. Austin Jenkins reports. (NW News Network)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 207 AM PST Mon Dec 20 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY E wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 3 ft at 11 seconds. A slight chance of rain after midnight.

Friday, December 17, 2021

12/17 Burke specimens, herring closure, Quiet Sound, LNG Canada, coho stream, kokanee, northern cannabis, week in review

Cleared and Stained Specimens [Burke Museum]

Burke Museum Ichthyology: Cleared and Stained Specimens
Approximately 350 lots, representing 210 species in 63 families, are stored in full strength glycerin and maintained separately from the main collection. These skeletal preparations are augmented by an extensive library of X-rays of North Pacific fishes. Begun in 1981, this library now includes some 765 X-rays, including representatives of 135 species in 66 families. (Ichthyology at the Burke Museum)

Federal government announces closure of most Pacific herring fisheries
Most commercial fisheries for Pacific herring on the West Coast have been closed with the exception of harvests by First Nations for food and ceremonial purposes. Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray says in a statement that this "cautious" approach to Pacific herring management is based on recently intensified risks to wild salmon. Pacific herring are an important food source for salmon, sea birds, marine mammals and other fish. (Canadian Press)

Washington launches program to cut underwater noise in Puget Sound
Quiet Sound plans to work with the Northwest shipping industry to make it easier for marine creatures to navigate, find food and communicate. Ashley Braun reports. (Crosscut) See also: Mossback's Northwest: Before the Kraken, what lurked in the Salish Sea? Area waters have a history of monster sightings, many of them way stranger than Bigfoot. Knute Berger & Stephen Hegg report. (Crosscut)

Why LNG Canada could be B.C.’s last kick at the liquefied natural gas can
Much has changed since LNG Canada made the decision in 2018 to proceed with its multibillion dollar natural gas project in British Columbia. Three years later, the project is caught up in a dispute about who will pay for billions of dollars in cost overruns that have threatened the commercial success of the joint venture and cast doubts about whether any other project of its kind will ever get the green light. In fact, this project “could be the last liquefied natural gas project built in British Columbia,” according to a recent report by the U.S.-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

At this newly-built Arlington stream, the coho have arrived
It offers some brief respite, but the journey through civilization’s waterways is still difficult. A lone coho salmon lazily swam its way up a newly built stream on Wednesday, flopping its tail from side to side. When it found a log blocking the current, it stopped and hung out for a bit. Fish need to catch their breath, too. This coho has had a long journey, and it’s almost reached its destination. Zachariah Bryan report. (Everett Herald)

Little Red Fish of Lake Sammamish
Street Smart Naturalist David Williams tells a story about watching kokanee in action.

Growth in local cannabis business amplifies challenges as well as revenues
Cannabis industries in Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties have experienced a large increase in both revenue for retailers and excise tax proceeds for governments over the past two years. But sales growth means competition for supplies and workspace, and smaller, more locally based businesses are struggling to keep a foothold among the bigger players. Kenneth Duncan reports. (Salish Current)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/17/21: Simpson family Friday, Haida Gwaii dig, honey bee kill, Eagle Wing Tours, EV rebates, seagrass wasting, Wishkah, natural gas bans, zero-carbon future, WA salmon recovery, Navy Growlers, TMX shutdown, Swinomish clams, herring closure, Quiet Sound

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 244 AM PST Fri Dec 17 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PST TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY SE wind 10 to 20 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT E wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SE 20 to 30 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft building to 3 to 5 ft after midnight. W swell 3 ft at 10 seconds. Rain.
SAT SW wind 20 to 30 kt becoming W 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. SW swell 4 ft at 12 seconds building to W 6 ft at 15 seconds in the afternoon. Rain.
SAT NIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming S 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 7 ft at 8 seconds.
SUN SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming E 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

12/16 Burke dry skeletons, Swinomish clam gardening, who owns water?, world climate change, Sumas Prairie, TMX shutdown, SRKW, Denman conservation, stuck barge

Dry Skeletons [Burke Museum ]

Burke Museum Ichthyology: Dry Skeletons
The Skeleton Collection contains approximately 950 lots, representing 150 species in 50 families. Many are disarticulated specimens in boxes, but there is a large collection of Columbia River fish skeletons displayed partially embedded in clay in petri dishes. This preparation allows for easy comparisons of bone shape and size between species. (Ichthyology at the Burke Museum)

Swinomish Tribe wants to resurrect U.S. clam gardening
With climate change threatening culturally important foods, a Puget Sound tribe pushes to build the country's first clam garden of the modern era. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

As West withers, corporations consolidate land and water rights
With farms, ranches and rural communities facing historic drought, a worrying trend leads to a critical question: Who owns the water? Eli Francovich reports. (Columbia Insight)

Opinion: Climate Change’s Effects on 193 Countries
These 193 stories show the reality of climate change. In every country in the world. (NY Times)

Washington's floodwaters revived a Canadian lake wiped out 100 years ago
At the bottom of an old, dry lake bed are farms that supply British Columbia with a lot of its milk, butter, and cheese. Recent flooding throughout the region could cost hundreds of millions of dollars while raising complex questions about whether Canada or the United States is responsible for the damage. The Sumas Prairie spans the U.S.-Canada border. It’s shaped like a bathtub, with mountains on all sides. The bottom of the bathtub slopes down to Canada. Joshua McReynolds reports. (KUOW)

21-day TMX shutdown a warning of how vulnerable the fuel supply is to climate change disasters
After the longest shutdown in its 70-year history, the Trans Mountain pipeline restarted Sunday, but won't be at full capacity or pressure until January, according to engineers. Trans Mountain Corp. (TMX) chief operations officer Michael Davies says the fact the 1,150-kilometre pipeline withstood unprecedented flooding, as a series of atmospheric rivers deluged the province, is a testament to the line's resilience but also serves as a warning about B.C.'s tenuous energy supply. Critics of the pipeline expansion say flooding exposed the vulnerability of fossil fuel infrastructure and the need to shift to solar or other alternatives. Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

B.C.'s 'southern resident' orcas have been wandering far from home. Could this be the end?
The orca family known as J pod have been swimming far away from their Salish Sea digs. Will they return in 2022? Bill Donahue writes. (MacLeans Magazine)

Denman conservation charity buys 80 acres of forest and wetlands
It is home to the red-legged frog and habitat for many other species at risk, likely including the wandering salamander, little brown bat and western screech owl. Louise Dickson reports. (Times Colonist)

Park board installs 'Barge Chilling Beach' sign next to Vancouver's runaway barge
The Vancouver Park Board has bestowed the city a holiday gift (its words, not ours) in the form of an official sign commemorating the barge that crashed into the seawall after becoming unmoored during the storms of Nov. 15. The sign — which reads 'Barge Chilling Beach' — appeared on Sunset Beach on Wednesday morning. The barge, which had not budged from its spot over the past month despite multiple attempts to move it, has become an unlikely source of joy — or distraction... Roshini Nair reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 255 AM PST Thu Dec 16 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY NW wind to 10 kt becoming W in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at 13 seconds subsiding to 8 ft at 13 seconds in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds.

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

12/15 Burke otoliths, Growlers, WA salmon recovery, Cascadia climate, natural gas buildings, Wishkah, BC grizzly habitat, Zim Kingston, Fred Koontz

Burke Museum Otoliths [Burke Museum]

Burke Museum Ichthyology: Otoliths
The Otolith Collection is comprised of roughly 2.4 million pairs of fish otoliths, representing 83 species in 41 genera and 17 families, collected by AFSC personnel over the past 40 years in conjunction with North Pacific Groundfish Observer programs and annual shelf and slope surveys along the West Coast of the U.S., from California to Alaska, and from the Gulf of Alaska, Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean. (Ichthyology at the Burke Museum)

Federal magistrate finds flaws in Navy environmental study of Growler jet impacts
A U.S. federal magistrate has found that the Navy in an environmental impact statement “turned a blind” eye to data that did not support the goal of increasing Growler jet operations from an air station at Whidbey Island. Chief Magistrate Judge J. Richard Creatura, in a sometimes scathing 38-page report filed in U.S. District Court this month, found the Navy failed to disclose the basis for greenhouse gas calculations from the jets, and failed to quantify the impacts of the noisy, often low-flying EA-18G Growlers on classroom learning. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Whidbey anti-noise group gets wins in Navy Growler lawsuit Jessie Stensland reports. (Whidbey News-Times)

Gov. Inslee unveils new $187 million plan for Washington salmon recovery
Gov. Jay Inslee wants to invest $187 million in salmon recovery as part of his 2022 budget and policy proposals. The governor unveiled his salmon proposals on Tuesday, Dec. 14, at the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community reservation’s Swadabs Park. Inslee announced proposed legislation that would set new standards for salmon habitat protection and conservation efforts. It is called the Lorraine Loomis Act, in honor of the prominent Swinomish tribal elder and salmon advocate who died this summer. (Ysabelle Kempe reports. (Bellingham Herald)

After a year of climate disaster, B.C. grapples with the urgent need to adapt to its dangerous future
‘Climate change is upon us,’ but B.C.’s not yet prepared to face the heat, wildfires and floods ahead. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

Cascadia’s Chance for a Zero-Carbon Future: What We Learned
Lessons from a year of reporting on climate solutions for the bioregion spanning BC, Washington and Oregon. Worried about the climate crisis? You’ve got plenty of company after the events of 2021: heat waves, hurricanes, fires and floods hit new and deadly extremes. Global leaders belly-flopped well short of the pool at a pivotal climate-protection summit, even after the United Nations declared a “code red” emergency. Robert McClure and Peter Fairley write. (Investigate West)

Natural gas furnaces, water heaters in crosshairs of some Northwest policymakers
Fossil fuel use in buildings looks to be the next frontier for climate activists at the state and local level. There's a convergence of activity in the Pacific Northwest aimed at phasing out natural gas furnaces and water heaters. Cities from Eugene to Bellingham have teed up bans on natural gas in new commercial buildings. But natural gas has its defenders, too, who have beaten back proposed phase outs before. Burning fossil fuels in homes and businesses is the second biggest source of global warming pollution in the Northwest, after the transportation sector. That prompted Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to propose an array of new measures Monday to transition away from natural gas for heating and hot water. Tom Banse reports. (NW News) See also: Bellingham poised to join electrification movement against climate change Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Washington state’s next ferry officially has a name
The next Washington state ferry will bear the name Wishkah when it sails in 2024. That name honors the river flowing south from the Olympic foothills into Grays Harbor, the ancestral home of the Lower Chehalis people. The Wishkah River was formerly crossed by a ferry called Wishkah Chief. Mike Lindblom reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. couple gifts property with pristine grizzly habitat to conservation group
A B.C. couple has gifted a large parcel of land near Bella Coola containing pristine old growth forest and rich riverside habitats to the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Harvey and Carol Thommasen donated the 122-hectare parcel, now called the Snowshoe Creek Conservation Area, through the federal government's ecological gifts program. (CBC)

Battered ship finds a port. 105 of its cargo containers presumed sunk
The ship that spilled more than a hundred cargo containers off the Washington coast, then caught fire has made it safely into port. The same cannot be said for much of the Zim Kingston’s cargo. Two months after it left Busan, South Korea, the Zim Kingston docked on Saturday at the Port of Nanaimo on Canada’s Vancouver Island. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Washington wildlife commissioner resigns, citing ‘politicized quagmire’
A member of the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has resigned, saying in his resignation letter that the commission is stuck in a “politicized quagmire.” Fred Koontz was appointed on Jan. 5 by Gov. Jay Inslee to a six-year term. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is appointed by the governor and sets policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Some hunters and hunting organizations believed Koontz’s appointment nearly a year ago, alongside Jefferson County resident Lorna Smith, threw the commission off balance and disenfranchised hunting. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 452 AM PST Wed Dec 15 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING
TODAY SE wind 20 to 30 kt becoming E 25 to 30 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 6 to 8 ft. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. Rain likely.
TONIGHT E wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 ft after midnight. W swell 10 ft at 14 seconds. A chance of showers.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

12/14 Burke Ichthyology, Wiley Slough, Elwha and Snake, seagrass wasting, BC Indigenous Rights Act, WA EV rebates, Antarctic glaciers, dispersants

Burke Museum Ichthyology [Burke Museum]

Burke Museum Ichthyology: Early Life History
The early life history collection continues to grow rapidly. There are approximately 115,000 lots, representing 53 families, 130 genera, and 181 species, including 35 identified only to "type.” Most lots were taken in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, primarily from the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea and the U.S. Pacific Northwest Coast... The habitats represented range from the nearshore intertidal zone to offshore oceanic waters. The eggs are stored in glass vials of 3% buffered formalin. Specimens of different species taken together in a haul are frequently stored in the same vial, so the egg collection is arranged by year, cruise, station, haul, etc. (Ichthyology at the Burke Museum)

State proposes raising dike around Wiley Slough to prevent flooding
In the south Skagit River delta, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing to again reshape the landscape around Wiley Slough. The slough is one of several freshwater ribbons that pull away from the Skagit River on Fir Island and fan into Skagit Bay.More than a decade ago, Fish and Wildlife undertook a project to restore the reach of the bay’s tides to about 160 acres of land around Wiley Slough that had previously been closed in by dikes and used as farmland. The project was a compromise between Skagit River salmon and Skagit Valley farming. The problem is that while successful for fish, a new diking system built at the site has proven problematic for neighboring farms and for flood protection. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

In western Washington’s Elwha River, the removal of two dams led to a resurgence of fish runs; could a similar scenario play out on the Snake River?
Mel Elofson thought of his ancestors when he spotted a chinook salmon swimming past the old Glines Canyon Dam site on the Elwha River here...For decades, members of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe called for the removal of two dams blocking the river and preventing several species of salmon and steelhead from reaching spawning grounds and they worked to make that vision a reality...In 2012, the Elwha Dam came down. Two years later, Glines Canyon Dam was gone and the intrepid chinook spotted by Elofson pushed upstream just a day and a half later...Members of the Nez Perce Tribe share a similar vision. They have led a decadeslong fight to breach the four lower Snake River dams and free the lower Snake River so its salmon, steelhead and lamprey can thrive. Eric Barker reports. (Lewiston Tribune)

Seagrass wasting disease is fueled by climate change
Seagrass is suffering from a wasting disease across the Pacific Northwest, and climate change is driving the destructive outbreak, according to a new study from Cornell University. Seagrass wasting disease (SWD) is particularly threatening to a temperate species known as eelgrass. In the new study, experts report that the pathogen responsible for SWD, Labyrinthula zosterae, is thriving in warmer ocean temperatures. According to the study authors, the heat sensitivity of Labyrinthula zosterae prompts the need for a greater understanding of the impacts on host health under climate change. Chrissy Sexton reports. (Earth.com)

Two years after B.C. passed its landmark Indigenous Rights act, has anything changed?
Two years after B.C. legislated the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), busloads of RCMP officers arrived on Wet’suwet’en territory in northwest B.C. They were there to enforce a civil injunction against land defenders acting on the authority of Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs to prevent the Coastal GasLink pipeline from being built on unceded Indigenous land. The ensuing conflict saw more than 30 people, including journalists, arrested. For those who, on Nov. 26, 2019, celebrated the introduction of B.C’s landmark legislation — the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA) — the events cast a deep shadow over B.C.’s stated commitment to reconciliation. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Jay Inslee, Washington lawmakers propose electric vehicle rebates and other climate initiatives ahead of legislative session
Gov. Jay Inslee Monday rolled out his latest plans to fight climate change, including an idea to spend $100 million annually to fund rebates for people buying electric vehicles. The latest measures are part of the governor’s proposed supplemental budget package, which is being unveiled this week. Washington state lawmakers will return for the regularly scheduled legislative session in January. Joseph O'Sullivan reports. (Seattle Times)

Crucial Antarctic ice shelf could fail within five years, scientists say
Scientists have discovered a series of worrying weaknesses in the ice shelf holding back one of Antarctica’s most dangerous glaciers, suggesting that this important buttress against sea level rise could shatter within the next three to five years. Until recently, the ice shelf was seen as the most stable part of Thwaites Glacier, a Florida-sized frozen expanse that already contributes about 4 percent of annual global sea level rise. Because of this brace, the eastern portion of Thwaites flowed more slowly than the rest of the notorious “doomsday glacier.” But new data show that the warming ocean is eroding the eastern ice shelf from below. Sarah Kaplan reports. (Washington Post)

A Key Tool for Cleaning Up Oil Spills Is More Hazardous Than Helpful
In the decade since the record-breaking use of oil dispersants in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response, science shows they’re dangerous, potentially deadly, and rarely useful. A new court case is forcing the US EPA to reconsider their use. Ryan Stuart reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 250 AM PST Tue Dec 14 2021
TODAY S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 14 seconds. A chance of showers. TONIGHT S wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 10 to 20 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 7 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of showers in the evening then rain likely after midnight.

Monday, December 13, 2021

12/13 Burke ichthyology, Nooksack flood, talking turkey, Eagle Wing Tours, logging landslides, Gig Harbor culvert, bee kill, WA redistricting, Haida Gwaii secrets

Burke Museum Ichthyology {Andrew Waits]

Burke Museum Ichthyology: Juvenile and Adult Specimens
There are approximately 400,000 specimens in 55,000 lots, representing some 4,100 species in 1,390 genera and 330 families. About 15% of the lots are freshwater fishes, mainly from the states of Washington, Oregon and Alaska. The remaining 85% are marine fishes collected primarily from the eastern North Pacific, the Aleutian Islands to Baja California, the western tropical Pacific, Christmas Island to Guam and the Philippines. The collection also includes smaller numbers of lots from many other locations around the world. All specimens are stored in glass jars or stainless steel tanks containing 70% ethanol. (Ichthyology at the Burke Museum)

Tensions rise as Whatcom contemplates this flood prevention strategy
Removing sediment from the Nooksack River has become a contentious topic in Whatcom County, as community members who have lost everything are desperate to see immediate, tangible action to prevent flooding that climate change will make more frequent and severe...But the decision to remove sediment from the river is far from simple, say officials, tribal leaders and environmentalists: It could destroy salmon habitat and have unintended consequences on communities downstream. Ysabella Kempe reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Talking turkey in the San Juans: strutting the line between welcome wildlife and pest
The American wild turkey, introduced for hunting in the San Juan Islands around 1980, seems to have learned well how to live near humans — to the extent of unwelcome encroachment, in the minds of some. Given mixed responses in human-dominated environs, what makes a wild creature a charming neighbor to some and a pest to others? Gretchen K. Wing reports. (Salish Current)

Road to Recovery: How a Victoria company became the first carbon neutral whale watching business in Canada
Eagle Wing Tours prides itself on being the first — and still the only — carbon-neutral whale watching company in Canada. Brett Soberg, owner-operator of Eagle Wing Tours, speaks about the many logistical hurdles his company needed to jump through in order to achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral. Kevin Charach reports. (CHEK)

B.C. forest conservationist warns of increased risk of landslides from logging
A B.C. conservationist and forest management expert is sounding the alarm about logging and climate change, with a warning that logging roads built on hillsides can increase the frequency and severity of landslides. Concerns have been raised in the past by B.C.'s independent watchdog for forestry management practices about unsafe logging roads being built. Michelle Gomez reports. (CBC)

It’ll cost many millions to fix salmon barriers in Gig Harbor. Culvert removal ahead
It’s not easy for fish to cross Harborview Drive next to Donkey Creek Park in Gig Harbor. First, depending on tide and water flow, they have to jump about a foot to make it into the culvert underneath the road. “A small-height jump for them is a big waste of energy,” Harbor WildWatch education director Rachel Easton said. Then, without any places to take a break, they have to swim about 60 to 70 feet upstream to make it into North Creek on the other side. Alexis Krell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

What killed millions of honey bees at this Everett farm?
In the summer, a beekeeper lost 240 hives on Ebey Island. An investigation found they died from pesticides, but whose? State investigators and entomologists suspect pesticides that can be bought over the counter were the cause of death. Likely, they surmised, the bees foraged nectar and pollen from flowering plants ladened with the toxic chemicals, or drank from a contaminated water source. But they couldn’t figure out where the pesticides came from. Nor could they confirm the exact death toll. By the time investigators got to the farm, the beekeeper had cleaned out some of the hives and moved many others to a nearby property, fearing more would get poisoned. Zachariah Bryan reports. (Everett Herald)

Watchdogs sue WA redistricting panel over secret deal-making
A new lawsuit argues that members of Washington state’s bipartisan Redistricting Commission broke the law by crafting new political maps in secret — and that their work should be thrown out as a result. The allegations of secret deal-making, outlined in a complaint filed Thursday by the Washington Coalition for Open Government, are backed up by screengrabs and other information legislative staffers provided to Crosscut this week. Melissa Santos reports. (Crosscut)

Archaeologists Have Unearthed Exciting Secrets on Haida Gwaii
Archaeological excavations have revealed the oldest domestic dog remains ever reported in the Americas, roughly 11,000-year-old stone tools, and the tantalizing signs of far more to come. Devon Bidal reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 218 AM PST Mon Dec 13 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY SE wind 20 to 30 kt becoming E 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 14 ft at 15 seconds subsiding to 12 ft at 15 seconds in the afternoon. Showers.
TONIGHT N wind to 10 kt becoming SW after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at 15 seconds. Showers in the evening then a chance of showers after midnight.

Friday, December 10, 2021

12/10 Cougar Mtn, stormin', flood damage, Shoreline natural gas ban, BC habitat protection, NY oysters, week in review

View from Cougar Mtn [WikiCommons]

Cougar Mountain
Cougar Mountain is a peak in the Issaquah Alps in King County, Washington. It is part of the highlands in the Eastside suburbs of Seattle, and at 1,614 feet (492 m) it is the lowest and westernmost of the Alps. formed in the Miocene when tectonic forces folded western Washington along a northwest axis and created the Newcastle Anticline. The anticline exposed earlier sedimentary and volcanic rocks that, due to erosion, now form the surface of Cougar Mountain. The northern edge of Cougar Mountain is distinct due to the Seattle Fault, which runs along I-90. The Seattle Fault caused a large earthquake approximately 1100 years ago.(Wikipedia)

Storm to bring snow to mountains Friday, strong wind to Puget Sound lowlands (MyNorthwest) And Strong winds expected in Victoria area Friday night (Times Colonist)

B.C. floods caused at least $450M in damage, insurance bureau says
The Insurance Bureau of Canada estimates the insured damage caused by flooding in British Columbia last month at $450 million, calling it the "most costly severe weather event in the province's history." However, the overall costs are expected to be much higher since many people affected by the flooding in southwestern B.C. were located in high-risk areas where flood insurance was not available, the bureau said in a news release. Brieanna Charlebois reports. (CBC)

Shoreline becomes latest city to ban natural gas in new buildings
San Francisco. San Jose. Seattle. Shoreline. All these cities have now banned most uses of natural gas in new buildings as part of their efforts to help protect the global climate. The Shoreline City Council unanimously approved a new energy code on Monday that prohibits most uses of fossil fuels in new commercial buildings and larger residential buildings. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

B.C. holding out on federal conservation targets and large-scale protected areas
Canada pledged to protect 25 per cent of land and water by 2025, but British Columbia has added only one percentage point in the past decade. Many say Indigenous protected areas are the way forward. Will the province agree? Stephanie Wood reports. (The Narwhal)

11 Million New Oysters in New York Harbor (but None for You to Eat)
The oysters, which act as nonstop water filters, were added to the Hudson River as part of an ongoing project to rehabilitate the polluted waterways around the city. Karen Zraick reports. (NY Times)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/10/21: Human Rights Friday!, TM pipe, WA redistricting, Skagit dams, Zim Kingston, GasLink violations, Tacoma climate plan, new salmon habitat, EPA WQ suit, Cascadia climate, BC flood damage, Shoreline natgas ban

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 234 AM PST Fri Dec 10 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING
TODAY S wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW 20 to 30 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 3 to 5 ft in the afternoon. W swell 7 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of showers in the morning then showers in the afternoon.
TONIGHT S wind 30 to 40 kt becoming SW 25 to 35 kt after midnight. Combined seas 6 to 9 ft with a dominant period of 10 seconds. Rain.
SAT SW wind 10 to 20 kt rising to 25 to 35 kt in the afternoon. Combined seas 11 ft with a dominant period of 11 seconds building to 13 to 14 ft with a dominant period of 11 seconds in the afternoon. Rain in the morning then showers and a slight chance of tstms in the afternoon.
SAT NIGHT SW wind 25 to 35 kt easing to 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Combined seas 14 to 16 ft with a dominant period of 16 seconds.
SUN S wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 13 ft at 13 seconds.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

12/9 Oyster Dome, another Hat Is, WQ suit, TM oil tugs, heat wave, Cascadia climate, Springer story, Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Oyster Dome [Mountaineers]

Oyster Dome
Oyster Dome is a rocky promontory on the western slope of Blanchard Mountain, the grandest member of the Chuckanut Mountain range, an extension of the Cascades that rises directly from the ocean. The sheer cliffs of Oyster Dome offer year-round access to commanding views of the San Juans, Skagit River flats, Olympic Mountains, and Samish Bay. (Washington Trail Association)

Hat Island
Regarding yesterday's item about Hat Island in Snohomish County, Dave on Fidalgo notes that there is also a Hat Island in Skagit County. (Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition)

Northwest Environmental Advocates Sues EPA Over Water Quality Impairment
On Tuesday, plaintiff Northwest Environmental Advocates filed a suit against the Environmental Protection Agency claiming that they have impaired the water quality in Puget Sound in Washington state. The plaintiff is claiming that the “EPA has violated its mandatory duty to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads for the Puget Sound” and that approving “TMDL Alternatives” is in violation of the CWA. “A TMDL is the total daily loading of a pollutant for a particular waterbody or segment.” According to the plaintiff, the Puget Sound is a body of water that has been degrading due to population growth and that nitrogen levels in the water will grow harmful algal blooms, which could injure other wildlife and humans within the next few decades. Failing to require TMDLs is a main reason to be exacerbating this occurrence, the Plaintiff claims. Jose Rascon reports. (Law Street Media)

KOTUG Canada wins three-vessel contract for Trans Mountain expansion project
KOTUG Canada, a partnership between KOTUG International and Canada’s Horizon Maritime, has signed a long-term agreement with Trans Mountain, which operates Canada’s only pipeline system transporting oil products to the West Coast. Under the agreement, KOTUG Canada will provide escort towage to tankers loaded at Westridge Marine Terminal. Kim Biggar reports. (Splash247)

PNW scientists find ruin and resilience after summer heat wave
Northwest researchers find some signs of heat resilience, despite scorched kelp beds, parched trees and a 'hawkpocalypse.' Julia Rosen reports. (High Country News)

A 2022 Agenda for Cascadia’s Climate Dreams
There are many decarbonization goals the bioregion can act on right now. Here are 25. Peter Fairley reports. (Investigate West)

Telling the Story of Springer
Almost 20 years ago a young killer whale named Springer brought the Northwest together. The young orca first spotted alongside ferries in Puget Sound turned out to be an orphaned Northern Resident killer whale hundreds of miles from home. Panelists Donna Sandstrom, author, Orca Rescue!, and founder, The Whale Trail; Lynne Barre, recovery coordinator, NOAA Fisheries, Southern Resident killer whales; John Ford, research biologist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Lance Barrett-Lennard, Director, Marine Mammal Research Program, Ocean Wise; and Robert Lohn, former Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries, gather to recount how Sprinter was rescued. Today, Dec. 9, 3 p.m. Register here.

Virtual Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference 2022
"Honoring our Ancestors: Visions for Future Generations and the Salish Sea," April 26-28, 2022. Early registration is now open.

Alaska’s Absent Snowy Owls
The only reliable snowy owl breeding site in the United States has a conspicuous shortage of owls. Kylie Mohr reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 222 AM PST Thu Dec 9 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING
TODAY W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less in the afternoon. W swell 12 ft at 13 seconds. Showers and a slight chance of tstms in the morning then rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 12 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain.

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

12/8 Hat Island, Tacoma climate action, fighting climate change, new salmon habitat, B'ham Bay sewage, Duwamish R tour

Hat Island [Reddit]

Hat Island
Hat Island (A.K.A. Gedney Island) is a small private island, located in Puget Sound, in Snohomish County. The island lies west of Everett, between Whidbey Island and Camano Island, and is the permanent or vacation home to approximately 260 “Hat Islander” families. (Hat Island Community)

Tacoma adopts Climate Action Plan to eliminate carbon emissions and save $4 billion by 2050
For Tacoma, it’s now or never. City leaders say they can choose to continue to operate the way they always have, or they can make drastic changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in a green future. On Nov. 30, Tacoma City Council made the decision to approve a 2030 Climate Action Plan they say will keep the city on the course to achieving zero emissions by 2050. Allison Needles reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

How Cascadia can fight climate change in 2022 — and get back on track
Climate scientists set a 2030 deadline for us to reduce emissions and prevent further environmental devastation. Peter Fairley writes. (InvestigateWest)

Retreating glaciers could create new salmon habitat, B.C. study shows
The retreat of glaciers in the Pacific mountains of British Columbia and Alaska could produce thousands of kilometres of potential new salmon habitat, a study led by researchers at Simon Fraser University shows. The study, published Tuesday in Nature Communications, projects that more than 6,000 kilometres of new streams could be accessible to salmon by 2100, and just under one-third of that could be suitable for spawning. (Canadian Press)

Here’s why recent flooding sent millions of gallons of sewage into Bellingham Bay
Recent storms sent nearly 30 million gallons of raw sewage into Bellingham Bay over the past three weeks, according to the city of Bellingham. The sewage overflow events — one for about 30 hours Nov. 14-15 and another for 7.5 hours Nov. 28-29 [happened because] Bellingham’s sewer and stormwater systems are connected. Ysabelle Kempe reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Duwamish River Virtual Tour
Tour the historic and contemporary Duwamish River watershed and Superfund site with BJ Cummings (author, The River That Made Seattle) and James Rasmussen (Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition). Co-produced by the UW Superfund Research Program and EcoResource Group. 20 min. (YouTube)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 256 AM PST Wed Dec 8 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT
TODAY NW wind 20 to 25 kt becoming W 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 10 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then rain likely in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 15 to 20 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 12 ft at 12 seconds. Rain likely in the evening then rain after midnight.

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

12/7 Rattlesnake Ridge, Van Is snow, storm front, Sunset Beach barge, GasLink violations Nooksack R., halibut stock

Rattlesnake Mountain [WikiCommons]

Rattlesnake Ridge
Rattlesnake Ridge, known as daʔšədabš to the Snoqualmie people, is the ridge of Rattlesnake Mountain located south of North Bend, Washington. Rattlesnake Ledge is a rock outcropping and viewpoint 1160 feet above Rattlesnake Lake. Rattlesnake Ledge is a very popular hike destination. (Wikipedia)

Thousands without power, some schools closed as snow hits Vancouver Island
While areas of the capital region saw a dusting of snow including the Goldstream Park area, inland and northern parts of the Island are reporting up to 20 centimetres of snow. More than 8,000 B.C. Cindy E. Harnett reports. (Times Colonist)

Western Washington in for a week of stormy, winter weather; 'potentially impactful' snow in the mountains
A stronger weather system is expected to move through the region starting early Wednesday. The NWS says that system could bring 10 to 18 inches of snow to Snoqualmie and Stevens passes... The lowlands won’t see much snow but will see strong winds through Wednesday, with gusts between 20 and 30 mph throughout much of the Puget Sound. Those in coastal areas could see gusts as strong as 35 mph. The NWS also expects minor flooding along areas near the Salish Sea at high tide Wednesday. That means harbors, shorelines and low-lying coastal roadways and parks near interior waters could see some overflow. (Seattle PI)

Celebrity storm barge still stuck at Sunset Beach
The City of Vancouver said it's likely going to take more time to remove the barge than originally suggested and that more details would be known in the following weeks. Joanne Lee-Young (Vancouver Sun)

Coastal GasLink failed to fix nearly 2 dozen environmental violations along pipeline route, B.C. officials say
Officials have flagged numerous, ongoing environmental violations by Coastal GasLink that could harm sensitive waterways along the pipeline's route through northern B.C. Inspectors with B.C.'s Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) said Coastal GasLink failed to comply with orders in 2020 to fix nearly two dozen sediment and erosion problems on watercourses and wetlands. The pipeline project has been slapped with two enforcement orders to fix the problems, after failing to comply with conditions of the environmental permits that allow the pipeline to be built. Betsy Trumpeter reports. (CBC)

Has this U.S. river gone rogue? After B.C. floods, locals in Washington State think the answer may be sedimentary
The overflowing Nooksack River played a big part in Abbotsford’s devastating floods, but communities and researchers are still debating whether the river is more flood-prone than it used to be – and if so, why. Nathan Vanderklippe reports. (Globe and Mail)

Pacific halibut stock increases after four years of decline
The Pacific halibut stock appears to be on an upswing that could result in increased catches for most regions in 2022. (Anchorage Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 222 AM PST Tue Dec 7 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then rain likely in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming W 20 to 30 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft building to 3 to 5 ft after midnight. SW swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. Rain in the evening then rain likely after midnight.

Monday, December 6, 2021

12/6 Ancient faces, north flooding, Omnicron, TM pipe, WA redistricting, Skagit dams, BC old-growth, Zim Kingston, dike building, ship lights, Skagit Center

The Ancients

Meeting the Ancients
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "We often meet unusual characters when we go kayaking. Sometimes they’re remarkable enough to transport me – at least in my imagination – to destinations half way around the world. So it was with the oddballs in the photo above, whom I chanced upon this past summer at the edge of Queen Charlotte Strait. Contemplating the long row of ‘carved’ faces lined up in stony silence, staring out to sea, I couldn’t help but feel like I was meeting the famous moai of Easter Island..."

Devastated after flooding, north Whatcom County moves into recovery mode
Well over 700 homes have been reported damaged in Whatcom County after the area endured three atmospheric rivers in less than three weeks. While cleanup is underway, the impacts on lives and livelihoods will continue for some time. (Salish Current) See also: Small batches, partnerships and goats: family dairies evolve to survive Lauren Gallup reports. (Salish Current)

Omicron variant detected in three Washington state counties
Three cases of the omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in Washington state, according to health officials. The cases, the first detected in the state, were found in a man in his 30s from Thurston County, a man in his 20s from Pierce County, and a woman in her 20s from King County. Kate Walters reports. (KUOW)

Trans Mountain pipeline to restart Monday after shutdown during B.C. floods
The Trans Mountain pipeline is set to restart Monday after record-setting rainfall, devastating flooding and landslides last month prompted a three-week precautionary shutdown that led to fuel rationing in parts of B.C. Drivers who aren’t operating essential vehicles have been asked to limit their fuel purchases to 30 litres per visit to a gas station until Dec. 14. The restrictions are in place on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, as well as in the Lower Mainland from Vancouver to Hope, the Sea-to-Sky region, and the Sunshine Coast. (Canadian Press)

Voter redistricting maps by commission can go forth, WA Supreme Court says
In a surprise order Friday morning, the Washington Supreme Court declined to take on the job of drafting new congressional and legislative maps. Instead, the court declared that the state's Redistricting Commission had finished its work on time last month. Austin Jenkins reports. (KUOW)

Fish passage, dam removal studied as Seattle City Light aims to relicense three Skagit River dams
As Seattle City Light moves to extend its use of the dams for another 30 to 50 years, at stake is the cost and supply of cheap, carbon-neutral power from the dams — about 20% of the city supply; the fate of salmon and steelhead at risk of extinction; and treaty rights of tribes fishing the Skagit for thousands of years...Now tribes and other river users are pushing City Light to do more for salmon in this round of relicensing. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. forests ministry says flooding, pandemic has affected First Nations consultations on old-growth deferrals
A 30-day deadline for B.C. First Nations to respond to a plan that calls for the deferral of old-growth logging in forests at risk of permanent biodiversity loss has passed while the province says the process has been affected by recent emergencies. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

It could take weeks to unload damaged containers from Zim Kingston cargo ship
Removing 60 containers damaged by fire and rough weather aboard the cargo ship Zim Kingston could take up to 12 days and involve multiple salvage contractors, and safety and regulatory agencies, says the Port of Nanaimo. The 260-metre Zim Kingston, which spilled 109 containers off Vancouver Island and saw other cargo catch fire in late October, left its anchorage at Constance Bank off Victoria on Friday, headed for Nanaimo with about 2,000 containers aboard. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Building higher dikes may be a losing battle, experts warn
Tough decisions lie ahead as climate change means "we're not going to be able to permanently exclude water from some of these areas." Glenda Luymes reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Light from Ships Disorients, and Even Kills, Seabirds
Some of the most remote islands in the world provide habitat for large seabird colonies. But even these remote places aren’t safe from light pollution. Jenny Howard reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Skagit River Interpretive Center open for the season
The Skagit River Interpretive Center, located at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, offers free one-and-a-half-hour guided nature walks Saturdays and Sundays through Jan. 30. Walks depart at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. from the center. Jacqueline Allison reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 249 AM PST Mon Dec 6 2021
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. Rain in the morning then rain likely in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of rain in the evening then a slight chance of rain after midnight.