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.

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