10/13 Elephant seal, WA hydrogen, orca population status, Edmonds Marsh salmon, WA redistricting, week in review

Northern elephant seal [WikiMedia/Jan Roletto]

Northern Elephant Seal Mirounga angustirostris
The northern elephant seal is the largest of the “true” seals in the Northern Hemisphere. Adult males use their large, inflatable noses during the winter breeding season to resonate sound when vocally threatening each other. The largest colonies of northern elephant seals are found off southern California in the Channel Islands. They have one of the longest migrations of any mammal; some have been recorded traveling over 13,000 miles roundtrip. (NOAA)

WA hydrogen production to get a boost from share of $1B in funding
Washington, Oregon and Montana will receive $1 billion from the federal Department of Energy to establish eight hydrogen production sites across the three states. The money, allocated to the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association, comes from a new program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and makes the Pacific Northwest one of seven hydrogen hubs. The proposed sites include Bellingham, Centralia, East Wenatchee and Kennewick in Washington; Portland, Boardman and Baker City in Oregon; and St. Regis in Montana. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

A no-death census year for Puget Sound’s orcas, with observations about a recent shift to more female births
Christopher Dunagan writes: "For the first time since Census Year 1993, no deaths were reported this year among the Southern Resident killer whales, which frequent Puget Sound, according to the official census report. Two new births were reported among the whales, increasing the population from 73 to 75. I would also like to share some potentially hopeful information about what appears to be a shift in the male-to-female ratio at birth." (Puget Sound Institute)

Advocates of Edmonds Marsh want salmon back, but they disagree on how
Over a century ago, the Edmonds Marsh enveloped about 100 acres and featured tidal openings that welcomed salmon. Now, the brackish marsh is 22½ acres with no trace of the Chinook and coho salmon that once swam through its shallows. City officials and environmentalists are interested in about an adjacent 21 acres of possible marsh expansion. But city leaders disagree on who — the city or the state — should buy the property. Ta'Leah Van Sistine reports. (Everett Herald)

How well did WA do with redistricting? New report grades the state's process
Washington’s framework for redrawing legislative and congressional districts is working OK but there’s room for improvement, particularly with transparency and keeping politicians away from the process. That’s according to a new report that looks at redistricting across the country. Washington scored B-minus. Ten states did better, receiving an A-minus or a B. But 35 were further down the list, with grades of C-plus or lower, including seven with F grades. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 10/13/23: Paddington Friday,Tacoma warehouse, Meadowdale Beach Park, hottest summer, Elwha fishing, wind power, wildfires, BC spotted owl, orcas status.

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  309 AM PDT Fri Oct 13 2023   
TODAY  SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell  4 ft at 10 seconds building to 10 ft at 10 seconds after  midnight. Rain likely. 
SAT  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. SW swell 7 ft at  11 seconds. Showers in the morning then rain in the afternoon. 
SAT NIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft building to 4 to 6 ft after  midnight. SW swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. 
SUN  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 to 3 ft. SW swell 9 ft at  13 seconds.

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