7/12 Fireweed, Meadowdale estuary, Nooksack water, BC drought, tree fungus, Kitsap bacteria

Fireweed [US Forest Service]

 
Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium
Fireweed is a tall showy wildflower that grows from sea level to the subalpine zone. A colorful sight in many parts of the country, fireweed thrives in open meadows, along streams, roadsides, and forest edges. In some places, this species is so abundant that it can carpet entire meadows with brilliant pink flowers. (US Forest Service)

At Meadowdale Beach, the salmon will return to a new estuary
One day not long from now, threatened salmon species will return to Lunds Gulch at Meadowdale Beach Park. After a decade of planning, construction has begun on renovations at the waterfront park to create a 1.3-acre pocket estuary that will bring back Chinook, chum and coho salmon, as well as cutthroat trout. The centerpiece of the renovations is a new five-span railroad bridge that will create a 90-foot opening for the creek to flow through. It will replace the current six-foot culvert — essentially a hobbit-sized tunnel to the beach for visitors who make the mile-and-a-half trek down the ravine trail. Zachariah Bryan reports. (Everett Herald)

Clock starts on Nooksack basin water rights inventory; stakeholders yet to discuss solutions
Weeks of sparse rainfall and a historic heat wave marked the end of June — and the start of a process to establish water rights among various users in Whatcom County’s Nooksack River basin. (Salish Current)

This is what the heat wave did at Mount Baker and what that means for Whatcom County
Western Washington’s deadly June heat wave melted the heavy North Cascades snowpack so fast that it exposed glaciers and threatened to leave fish and farmers high and dry later this summer. And it’s a harbinger of how Whatcom County’s climate could change as the global warming trend continues, scientists, agricultural interests and wildlife officials told The Bellingham Herald. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Drought affecting most of southern British Columbia and the central Interior, says province
Officials are asking people to conserve water in areas affected by low rainfall and the extreme heatwave in late June and early July. The province says drought is affecting most of southern British Columbia and the central Interior. (CBC)

Newly discovered fungus spores spurred by heat and drought are killing Seattle street trees
...So-called sooty bark disease is named for the black, powdery patches that are the telltale marks on tree bark of the fungus Crypotostroma corticale. At least 46 street trees have been observed to be suffering or killed by the disease so far in the city, but many more trees may be infected, said Nicholas Johnson, an arborist for Seattle Parks and Recreation. The disease has emerged as a growing concern because it is expanding in the variety of trees it infects, including native Pacific dogwood and big leaf maple. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

High bacteria levels plague three swimming beaches in Kitsap County
The Kitsap County Health District advised the public on Friday to avoid three area swimming holes after tests showed high levels of bacteria. No-contact advisories were issued on Friday for the swimming beaches at Illahee State Park and Lions Park swimming beaches in Bremerton because of high levels of Enterococci bacteria. The health district temporarily closed the swimming beach at Island Lake County Park in Central Kitsap because of high levels of E. coli bacteria in the water, according to the press release. (Kitsap Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  301 AM PDT Mon Jul 12 2021   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.

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