7/17 Spiraea, 'Lyra,' gray whales, Bigg's whales, Klamath dam, Cowichan R salmon, Port Renfrew catch limit, intertribal canoe journey, refinery safety, Petrogas lawsuit, all-electric tug, northern pike

Douglas Spiraea [Native Plants PNW]

Douglas Spiraea Spiraea douglasii
The word Spiraea comes from a Greek plant that was commonly used for garlands.  Douglas Spiraea is named after David Douglas.  Douglas Spiraea is native from southeast Alaska to northern California.  Although it mostly occurs west of the Cascade Mountains, it is also found in eastern Washington, Idaho and western Montana.  Douglas Spiraea has also been found growing in isolated counties of Colorado, Missouri, and Tennessee. (Native Plants PNW)

‘Lyra’ sheds light on power, dangers of journalism
“Lyra,” showing July 18 at Bellingham’s Pickford Film Center, documents the story of murdered Northern Ireland journalist Lyra McKee and spotlights the dangers and power of journalism — and why that matters. Matt Benoit reports. (Salish Current)

Hopeful signs for declining population of gray whales along West Coast
The population of the eastern north Pacific Gray whale has been sliding downward since reaching a peak in 2016 with an estimated 26,960 whales. This year, scientists put the estimate at 14,526 whales. The estimate is based on counts of migrating whales off the Central California coast and statistical analyses. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Single-day record 72 Bigg's killer whales spotted in Salish Sea
Ten different groups of the whales were reported, ranging from the Hood Canal of the Puget Sound all the way north to Vancouver Island’s Campbell River region in British Columbia, the PWWA said in a written release. The largest group — 18 killer whales — was seen near the northern San Juan Islands. (KOMO)

With one down, Klamath dam removal proceeds on schedule
The first of four hydroelectric dams along the Oregon-California border has been removed from the main stem of the Klamath River. All that remains of the dam known as Copco 2 in Siskiyou County, California, is the headworks of a diversion tunnel adjacent to the now free-flowing river. Juliet Grable reports. (Jefferson Public Radio)

Hundreds of dead young salmon and trout found in rivere
Hundreds of tiny silver salmon and trout fry have been discovered dead at the bottom of a canyon at the base of Skutz Falls on the Cowichan River system and the cause of the mass die-off is a mystery. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Port Renfrew fishers shocked by sudden salmon cuts
Anglers will only be allowed to retain one chinook a day. Charter-boat operators worry clients will cancel visits. (Times Colonist)

After hiatus, intertribal canoe journey returns
For the first time since 2019, the intertribal canoe journey is returning to the Pacific Northwest and includes multiple stops along the North Olympic Peninsula as crews make their way to the Muckleshoot Indian Nation near Auburn. The annual canoe journeys began in 1989 with the “Paddle to Seattle” and have been held each year since, except for three years during the pandemic, with a different tribe hosting the trip each year. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

New regulations proposed for refinery safety
The state Department of Labor and Industries announced last month that it’s proposing changes to safety regulations for refineries. The regulations would affect two Anacortes refineries. The Labor and Industries news release announcing the proposal referenced previous explosions at the March Point refineries as part of the need for regulation changes. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

High court ruling in Petrogas lawsuit could mean millions in taxes for Whatcom County
Whatcom County has won a lawsuit that could mean $10 million or more in back taxes from a Cherry Point petrochemical company. In a one-sentence decision issued late Wednesday, the state Supreme Court upheld an appellate court ruling from November 2022 that said Petrogas Pacific must pay taxes as set by the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

First all-electric tugboat in the world now plying the waters of B.C.
HaiSea Marine, a collaboration between the Haisla Nation and Seaspan, welcomed the arrival of the HaiSea Wamis this week. Joseph Ruttle reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Washington state biologists prepare for invasive northern pike
Right now, an invasive fish species is trapped behind Grand Coulee Dam in eastern Washington. If northern pike make it past the two giant cement dams in their way, it could spell trouble for salmon.  Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  303 AM PDT Mon Jul 17 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. Showers likely  in the morning. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 1 ft at 7 seconds.

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