6/16 Horsetail, Lk Washington fish, pollution cleanup, green crabs, BC wetlands, algae biofuel, food web studies, space for whales, week in review

 

Horsetail [USDA]

Common Horsetail Equisetum arvense
An herbaceous perennial relative of ferns. Being a relative of ferns, common horsetail does not reproduce via pollen but via spores which are borne on the plant’s reproductive stems. Equisetum arvense has a long history of cultural use with Native Americans and ancient Roman and Chinese physicians using it to treat a variety of ailments. It is still of interest today as an herbal remedy because of its purported effectiveness as a diuretic. (USDA)

Why are there so many dead fish along Lake Washington?
The annual die-off of yellow perch has been especially noticeable this year around Lake Washington, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Despite a larger-than-usual number of fish, finding dead perch around this time of year is completely normal, and its population is still abundant and healthy, according to the department. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

For the Love of the Lake
A contaminated shoreline property on Lake Washington faces an uncertain future as the slow process to rid the soil and water of toxic chemicals lurches on. For the last 15 years, the last empty piece of property on Lake Washington has sat untouched.  From 1916 to 1969, the Quendall Terminals took the shape of a creosote manufacturing plant, then a crude oil storage facility from 1969 to 1983. Chemicals and toxins from all those years have found their way deep into the soil, making it extremely polluted.  Megan Strom reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Pincher patrol: Over 400K invasive crabs trapped, killed as fight goes on
The European green crab threatens Washington’s shellfish industry and native wildlife. The state is spending millions to keep the pest in check. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

How BC Will Restore Wetlands with Beavers
A hundred human-made dams will soon be built across the province, promising to restore fish habitats and mitigate floods and wildfires. Liz McDonald and Curtis Seufert report. (The Tyee)

Biofuel Made from Algae Isn’t the Holy Grail We Expected
New research using real-world data casts doubt on the energy efficiency of diesel alternatives that come from phytoplankton. Lucy Sherriff reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Quantitative models, including Ecopath, take food web studies to a higher level of analysis
In the early 1980s, NOAA scientist Jeffrey Polovina and fellow researchers at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Hawaii developed what they called the Ecopath model, designed to describe the flow of energy through a food web. Since then, this food-web model has been expanded, refined and applied to ecosystems throughout the world, including Puget Sound. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Institute)

Celebrate Give Them Space!
The Whale Trail celebrates new legislation to keep people away from SRKW, with presentations by Dr. Julie Watson and Captain Alan Myers of Washington Fish & Wildlife, and House Majority Leader Rep.Joe Fitzgibbon and orca researchers Mark and Maya Sears. June 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m., C&P Coffee Company, West Seattle, $5, kids under 12 free. Tickets.

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/16/23: Montana youth suit, Miyawaki method, NOAA pledge, Indigenous salmon emergency, Mount Rainier glaciers, Terminus Project, sea star recovery, RBT2 opposition.

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  317 AM PDT Fri Jun 16 2023   
TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt becoming W in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 to 2 ft. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of rain in the  morning then rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. SW swell 4 ft  at 9 seconds. A chance of rain in the evening. 
SAT  W wind to 10 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 7 ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance of showers in the  afternoon. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 3 ft at 10 seconds  building to 5 ft at 10 seconds after midnight. 
SUN  W 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 5 ft at 10 seconds.

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