8/19 Fir Island winter, anaplasmosis, pilings removed, marine noise reduction, northern leopard frogs, sewage discharges, week in review

Wintering Trumpeter Swans, Fir Island
[Ruth Childs]

Fir Island
Tony Angell writes: "Fir Island is a nearly 10,000 acre wedge of alluvial soils facing Skagit Bay and bordered by the north and south forks of the river of the same name.  Before the end of each year each it becomes a premier wintering ground and migratory stop off point in North America for tens of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl often in the unsettling company of the predatory eagles, falcons and hawks that pursue them.  Witnessing them from roadside in flight or as they blanket or bustle over the waters and land is an unforgettable spectacle.  It's also a powerful example of what responsible land and water stewardship can do to sustain both essential wildlife habitat and responsible agricultural enterprises."

First locally acquired human case of tick-borne disease anaplasmosis hospitalizes Washington resident
The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is reporting the first locally acquired human case of the tick-borne disease anaplasmosis in a Washington resident discovered on August 8. A Whatcom County man in his 80s was hospitalized with severe disease, and is now in recovery, after working in the brush in Mason County where he was likely bitten by an infected tick...the disease is spread by the western blacklegged tick which are mainly found in the western part of the state as well as along the eastern slopes of the Cascades. (WA Dept. of Health)
    
1,800 Old Pilings Removed From Mouth Of Duwamish-Green River
More toxic pilings have been removed from Puget Sound, this time at the mouth of the Duwamish-Green River in Seattle.  King County reports crews pulled 1,800 of the creosoted timbers while taking out an old 72,000-square-foot dock at Harbor Island, on the edge of Elliott Bay, as part of an $8.1 million project that’s expected to wrap up late next month. Andy Walgamott reports. (Northwest Sportsman)

$3.1 million pumped into B.C. marine noise reduction as advocates call for targets
The federal government is putting $3.1 million into projects aimed at reducing underwater noise from vessels to protect marine mammals like southern resident killer whales...Part of a previously announced $26-million investment over five years, the $3.1 million will support 22 projects, including developing real-time tools to track underwater noise from marine vessels, detect marine mammals and alert nearby vessels, among other things...Announced Aug. 11, these investments in research technology are positive, but tangible results and benchmarks are consistently missing from these types of announcements, Christianne Wilhelmson, executive director of the Georgia Strait Alliance, told Canada’s National Observer. Natasha Bulowski reports. (National Observer)

Northern leopard frogs released as part of Calgary Zoo project
More than 1,900 tadpoles of the endangered northern leopard frog have been released into the wild in the last few months. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo says it has been working with other conservation groups, governments and zoos to breed, translocate and release the frogs into wetlands in interior British Columbia. (Canadian Press)

Two spills discharge sewage into Dyes Inlet, Oyster Bay
Thousands of gallons of sewage seeped into local Puget Sound waters this week from two different area sewer systems. On Thursday, a ruptured force main running under Chico Way NW near Silverdale spewed about 7,700 gallons into Dyes Inlet. The roadway, near the intersection of Holly Park Drive NW, was shut down for much of the day while Kitsap County Public Works crews worked to replace the broken 10-inch pipe. Crews were able to contain the spill in the morning by using trucks to capture and haul away sewage flowing at the source of the main break. Josh Farley reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 8/19/22: Orangutan Friday, BC glass sponge, defamation lawsuit, steelhead meddling, Big Rock salmon, Skeena sockeye, green biz boost, BC marine noise

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  638 AM PDT Fri Aug 19 2022   
TODAY  W 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 8  seconds. A chance of tstms in the morning then a chance of showers  in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NW to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 3 ft at 9 seconds. 
SAT  Light wind becoming N 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W  swell 3 ft at 9 seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt in the evening becoming light.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft in the evening becoming less than 1 ft. W  swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. 
SUN  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. SW  swell 2 ft at 8 seconds.

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