8/9 Rabbit, Sourdough Fire, marine heat wave, BC Inidgenous guardians, tufted puffins, Fidalgo Bay oysters, WSF budget

San Juan Island rabbit
[Ingrid V Taylar/Creative Commons]

European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus
The European rabbit or coney is a species of rabbit native to the Iberian Peninsula, western France, and the northern Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, often with devastating effects on local biodiversity. (Wikipedia)

Sourdough Fire takes bite out of Seattle’s electricity supplies
Seattle’s power utility has had to cut energy production at its Skagit River dams in half as the Sourdough Fire has forced workers at one of Seattle’s main energy sources to evacuate. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Marine heat wave off Pacific coast could prove dangerous for wildlife
A marine heat wave that's been raising the temperatures of waters off the Pacific coast for weeks has experts worried about the health of marine life. Data from the U.S.-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that some parts of the Pacific Ocean are experiencing a Category IV, or "extreme" heat wave — the most severe level in the organization's ranking system. Srushti Gangdev reports. (CBC) 

Indigenous guardians on BC's central coast given park ranger authority
The pilot program designates 11 Indigenous guardians with same legal authorities as park rangers within parks and protected areas in their ancestral territories. Gordon McIntyre reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Dispatch from the last colony
Colorful tufted puffins were once common in Puget Sound's northern waters, but since the 1980s, their numbers have dwindled by an estimated 90 percent across the state. Today, breeding colonies in Puget Sound are mostly confined to tiny Smith Island where biologists are keeping watch on the birds that remain. Eric Wagner reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

Olympia oysters flourishing in Fidalgo Bay
The only oyster native to the state is flourishing in Fidalgo Bay, according the most recent restoration survey. Last week, volunteers from the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, Northwest Straits Commission, Salish Sea Stewards, Swinomish Department of Environmental Protection and the Skagit Marine Resources Committee counted the Fidalgo Bay Olympia oyster population. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

State ferry system may face budget gap even with fare hike
A citizen panel is expected this week to approve two rounds of price increases. A new report says the move will raise less than expected, leaving the door open to a third hike. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  240 AM PDT Wed Aug 9 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of  rain in the morning then a slight chance of rain in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. A slight  chance of rain.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/8 Vole, carbon-pricing repeal, BC to WA pollutants, baby orcas, BC farm water, saving mature forests, oil spill fines

Townsend's vole [Princeton University]

Townsend's vole Microtus townsendii
The native Townsend's vole is a favorite food of the red fox, and depends on a healthy landscape to thrive. They live in underground burrows and open grasslands, and are primarily vegetarian with a diet of stems, leaves and roots of green plants. They breed all year and can have 2 to 3 litters per year with an average litter size of 4 to 6. This high reproduction rate is crucial because they have a good many predators, from owls and hawks to foxes, snakes, and great blue herons. (National Park Service)

Group petitions to dump Washington’s new carbon-pricing system
Advocacy organization Let’s Go Washington is gathering signatures on a petition to ask the Washington Legislature to repeal the state’s new carbon pricing system. Conservatives are saying the new program is causing Washington to have the highest gasoline prices in the nation. Oil companies with refineries in Washington must buy carbon allowances to keep emitting carbon dioxide. They appear to be passing those costs onto customers at the gas pump. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

Province confirms poor water quality in Washington state river is coming from B.C.
The province has confirmed water of poor quality flowing through the Nooksack River in Washington state is coming from multiple sources in B.C. This comes a month after Washington farmers and officials called upon B.C. to investigate and address high levels of fecal bacteria coming from the Canadian side of the border. Michelle Gomez reports. (CBC)

Two new baby orcas with no deaths over the past year could make for a remarkable census
This year’s census for the Southern Resident killer whales apparently will document two new calves but no deaths for the 12-month period ending July 1. According to my unconfirmed records, this will be the first time in nearly 30 years that no deaths will be reported in the annual census update. Consequently, the overall population for the three orca pods rises from 73 in 2022 to 75 in 2023. Christopher Dunagan writes. (Puget Sound Institute)

‘Train Wreck’ Feared as BC Water Use Rules Begin to Bite
Farmers who failed to seek licences face risk of losing water access in drought. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tyee)

Activists race to document mature forests in hopes of preserving them as carbon sinks
The League of Women voters and the Sierra Club’s Sno-Isle Group joined forces with the statewide Center for Responsible Forestry to launch a campaign, to protect all legacy forests in Snohomish County. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Oil spill fines aid restoration projects in Washington
Efforts to remove creosote-treated pilings, collect derelict fishing gear and replace a fish passage barrier are among the environmental restoration projects that will benefit from oil spill penalties, the state Department of Ecology announced Monday. Seven organizations in six counties will receive a share of $318,478 in funding. That money comes from an account into which fines are paid by a party found liable for an oil spill. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  303 AM PDT Tue Aug 8 2023   
TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 7 seconds. Patchy fog in  the morning. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds building to 4 ft  at 9 seconds after midnight. A chance of rain in the evening then  rain after midnight. Patchy fog after midnight.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/7 Red fox, fed fox, Columbia R salmon, Hwy 20, BC rivers, climate effects, tribal voyage, Fairy Cr, US ESA, spotted owl, crab lines, ship hits, Audubon name, fireweed

San Juan Island red fox [Molly Neely-Walker]

Red fox
Because the red fox can be orange, silver, black, or any combination thereof, look for its distinguishing mark: a bushy, white-tipped tail. They also commonly have black "stockings," white undersides, and ears that may be tipped in black outside with white inside. They look bigger than they really because of their thick, bushy coat, and even then can look rangy with tall, skinny legs. Weighing about 10 to 14 pounds, red foxes are members of the dog family Canidae, and look similar to dogs, wolves, and coyotes. They have long, pointed snouts and erect ears, and are often seen because they prefer open habitats and are not strictly nocturnal. While they are opportunistic, omnivorous feeders and will eat insects, birds, mice, snakes, rabbits, nuts, berries, and fruits, one of their favorite local foods seems to be the Townsend's vole. Watch as they creep low to the ground after their prey like a cat, stretch their head high to listen and look, then pounce with their forefeet. (National Park Service)

Humans urged to stay away from San Juan’s red foxes
“A fed fox is a dead fox,” warn signs on San Juan Island, urging humans to keep their distance from foxes in the wild — for the sake of the animals. Richard Arlin Walker reports. (Salish Current)  See: How one famous fox photo ignited a seasonal San Juan Island conflict (Seattle Times)

Billions spent on hatcheries, habitat fails to help native Columbia River salmon, study finds
Decades of data show that despite billions in taxpayer investment, salmon and steelhead hatchery programs and restoration projects in the Columbia River Basin have failed to support or boost native fish populations and in fact are contributing to their decline. Alex Baumhart reports. (Washington State Standard)

Fire causes Highway 20 to close over North Cascades
A wildfire burning near Diablo Lake forced the closure Friday night of a 36-mile stretch of Highway 20 that runs through the area. (Skagit Valley Herald) 

80% of B.C. rivers face high to extreme drought
Persistent dry and hot weather pushed Metro Vancouver to enact Level 2 watering restrictions Friday for the first time since 2015. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

How climate change is affecting B.C., from cattle to glaciers to wine grapes
Temperature extremes and wildfires are devastating industries and ecosystems across the province. Richard Raycraft reports. (CBC)

Tribes return to Salish Sea for canoe journey, reuniting after pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic postponed the traditional canoe journey, meaning a deep and emotional reunion for many participants. Joseph Huerta reports. (KING)

Old-growth protest blockades return to Fairy Creek area
Blockades are an effort to stop forestry company Teal Jones from accessing trees in an area north of Port Renfrew. Michael John Lo reports. (Times Colonist)

After helping prevent extinctions for 50 years, the Endangered Species Act itself may be in peril
Fifty years after the law took effect, environmental advocates and scientists say it's as essential as ever. Habitat loss, pollution, climate change and disease are putting an estimated 1 million species worldwide at risk. Yet the law has become so controversial that Congress hasn't updated it since 1992 — and some worry it won't last another half-century. John Flesher reports. (Associated Press)

State seeking comment for northern spotted owl
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking public input on a draft periodic status review for northern spotted owl that includes a recommendation to keep the owl on the state’s endangered species list. (Peninsula Daily News)

Oregon crabbers and environmentalists are at odds as a commission votes on rules to protect whales
Humpbacks, which migrate off Oregon’s coast, and other whales can get caught in the vertical ropes connected to the heavy traps and drag them around for months, leaving the mammals injured, starved or so exhausted that they can drown...The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to vote late Friday on whether to permanently set stricter rules and pot limits put in place in 2020 to protect whales. Ed Komenda reports. (Associated Press)

Researchers sound alarm after reports of whales hit by ships
Three whales were reportedly struck by vessels in northern B.C. waters over a 10-day period last month, raising West Coast humpback researchers’ concerns over the risk shipping poses to the marine mammals. Rochelle Baker reports. (National Observer)

Is Social Justice for the Birds? Audubon Attempts an Answer.
A battle over the group namesake’s ties to slavery grew into a conflict over diversity, highlighting complications that have arisen in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. Clyde McGrady reports. (NY Times) 

How fireweed offers hope amid B.C.'s worst wildfire summer on record
The purple flowering plants are the first sign of ecosystem recovery, says forest researcher. Tessa Vikander reports. (CBC)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  234 AM PDT Mon Aug 7 2023   TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/4 Osprey, illegal shooting, Site C dam fined, toxic chemical list, planting trees, rabbit disease, ancient salmon fisheries, week in review

Osprey [Marc Fasol/All about Birds]

Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on their huge stick nests, white heads gleaming. These large, rangy hawks do well around humans and have rebounded in numbers following the ban on the pesticide DDT. (All About Birds)

New study reveals illegal shooting of eagles and other protected birds
Illegal shooting along power lines is the leading cause of death for many protected bird species in Idaho and its neighboring states, according to new research from Boise State University. Between 2019 and 2022, the research team collected a total of 410 dead birds along 120 miles of power lines in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Oregon. Mia Maldonado reports. (Washington State Standard)

Site C dam builder fined $1.1 million for discharging contaminated wastewater
In B.C.’s Peace River, home to at-risk species, more than three million litres of wastewater contained a concentration of aluminum ‘acutely lethal’ to fish. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Conservationists Push EPA to Add 1,000+ Pollutants to 'Outdated' List of Toxic Chemicals
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's official documentation, no toxic pollutants have emerged in the United States in nearly five decades—and two advocacy groups on Monday demanded that the agency add more than 1,000 chemicals to its list to bring the inventory up to date. Northwest Environmental Advocates (NWEA) and the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a formal legal petition with a list of industrial and commercial pollutants—many of which have been outlawed in other countries—that they want the EPA to formally acknowledge as toxic. Julia Conley reports. (Common Dreams)

Republicans want to plant a trillion trees. Scientists are skeptical.
New research finds that planting a trillion trees would have a minimal effect on combating climate change. Maxine Joselow reports. (Washington Post) 

State's first case of rabbit hemorrhagic disease in a wild rabbit detected in Island County
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced July 21 the state’s first known case of rabbit hemorrhagic disease in a wild rabbit. Department staff picked up the dead rabbit, a non-native Eastern cottontail, near Langley on July 6. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Ancient salmon fisheries could help restore declining modern fish populations
Genome BC is working with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation along with archaeologists from SFU and UBC to study DNA from salmon bones in ancient middens, refuse piles that were left behind by ancient seafood harvesters. They found a significant number of male Chum salmon in all the sites they studied, suggesting they were selectively harvested, preserving the females to maintain future stocks. Grant Warkentin reports. (MyPowellRiverNow)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 8/4/23: 'Satchmo,' ocean temps, Pebble Mine, drought, Site C dam, BC wildfires, ticks, ocean heat, toxic pollutant list, dam fined.

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  214 AM PDT Fri Aug 4 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 2 ft at 8 seconds. Patchy fog in  the morning. 
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 ft after midnight.  W swell 3 ft at 6 seconds. 
SAT  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 3 ft  at 5 seconds. Patchy fog. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 4 ft at 6 seconds. 
SUN  W wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 3 to 5 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 3 ft at 6 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/3 Sea sacs, low tide, ocean heat, Antarctic ice, ticks, Tacoma paper mill, Sea Dragons

 

Sea sacs

Sea sacs Halosaccion glandiforme
Sea sacs were first described to science by S. G. Gmelin in 1768, in what is arguably the first book to focus on marine biology, Historia Fucorum. Franz Josef Ruprecht is responsible for the current taxonomic description. Wikipedia

Seattle’s last low tides of the summer are here.
The last of the summer low tides will grace Seattle’s shores Thursday, offering one of the last glimpses of the sea anemone and starfish along the city’s intertidal zones. The best time to go tide pooling will be between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the tide reaching its lowest point at 12:44 p.m. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Ocean heat wave comes to Pacific Northwest shores
An ocean heat wave has come ashore in the Pacific Northwest. While the world’s oceans have been hitting record temperatures in 2023, Northwest coastal waters have, until recent weeks, remained cooler than their long-term average. Now the Pacific Northwest has joined the rest of the world in having exceptional ocean heat. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)  See also: Ocean Temperatures Are Hotter Than Ever. What Does It Mean for Earth? Elena Shao reports. (NY Times)

A Look at How Much Less Antarctic Sea Ice There Is This Year
It’s winter in Antarctica, when sea ice cover typically grows. But this year’s sea ice is way behind, reaching record lows with implications for the planet. Delger Erdenesanaa and Leanne Abraham report. (NY Times)

Ticks spreading in the Pacific Northwest? Warming trends could worsen health threat
More commonly found in the Midwest and northeast, ticks are expanding their range. And Washington state is not immune. Warming trends, exacerbated by climate change, are creating a more hospitable environment for the parasites. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

Tacoma Tideflats paper mill to end operations this fall, affecting hundreds of workers
Westrock Co., owner-operator of the Tacoma Tideflats paper mill, announced that it will conclude production on September 30. The mill was build in 1929 and employs about 400 people. Debbie Cockrell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Sea Dragons recover pots
An estimated 12,000 crab pots are lost each year in the Salish Sea, killing nearly 180,000 harvestable crabs alone, in addition to other marine life caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Sea Dragons, a student-run underwater robotics team, combines a passion for environmental science with their knowledge of technology and seamanship to recover derelict pots using custom-designed remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs. Anna Tallarico reports. (Port Townsend Leader)

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Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  257 AM PDT Thu Aug 3 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. NW swell  2 ft at 7 seconds. Widespread fog in the morning. Patchy dense  fog in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 2 to 3 ft after midnight. W  swell 2 ft at 7 seconds. Patchy dense fog after midnight.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/2 Pacific cod, illegal water use, 'rights of nature,' BC wildfires, farms in drought, car tire chemical ban, jellyfish terror, sea critter relo, Penn Cove captures

 Pacific cod [NOAA]

Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus
Pacific cod range from Japan to the Bering Sea and to Santa Monica, California, but are rare south of northern California. The Pacific cod can grow up to 114 centimeters (3.7 feet) in length, weigh up to 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds), and live up to 13 years. Commonly caught off the Washington coast by commercial harvesters using otter-trawls and longline gear. Recreational harvest within Puget Sound is now closed, with the exception of restricted fishing in the San Juan Islands and Strait of Juan de Fuca. (WDFW)

News Release: Whatcom County farm fined for illegal water use
The Washington Department of Ecology has issued a $12,000 fine to RAN General Partnership for illegally irrigating about 40 acres of crops in Whatcom County in June and July of 2023. Despite being informed of the lack of water rights, provided technical assistance multiple times, and being issued a cease-and-desist order last summer, RAN proceeded to clear land, install irrigation equipment, and plant and irrigate blueberries on three parcels in northern Whatcom County. None of the parcels have water rights. (WA Dept. of Ecology)

Only in a society separated from nature does ‘Rights of Nature’ make sense
Commentary: There are many ways to interpret the idea of the “rights of nature” — so many layers that most of us can forget that we are nature. Elisabeth Robson writes. (Salish Current)

BC Breaks Records for Area Burned in Wildfires, Data Show
See this season’s damage on our timeline. And the year’s not even over. Christopher Cheung reports. (The Tyee)

‘Sell them for nothing or watch them starve’: farmers face difficult decisions amid B.C. drought
As B.C.’s drought worsens, farmers are scrambling to protect their livestock and crops. The impacts could be felt for years to come. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Tribes call for feds to ban chemical in car tires that is linked to salmon deaths
So far, a more environmentally-friendly alternative to keep tire rubber from degrading hasn’t emerged. Bill Lucia  reports. (Washington State Standard)

This jellyfish was the terror of the sea 500 million years ago
Burgess Shale fossils from B.C. are oldest adult swimming jellyfish ever found, scientists say. Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Scuba divers relocate Point Hudson creatures
On Thursday and Friday, 30 scuba divers carefully removed a shiny orange sea squirt and a sponge clump, 40 anemone, six-rayed sea stars, leafy hornmouth snails, mussels, crabs and other invertebrates from their old haunts on Hudson Point’s south breakwater to an underwater pile of rocks nearby...It was an unanticipated but satisfying outgrowth of the port’s $15 million Hudson Point breakwater demolition and construction project that began last September. Paula Hunt reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Remembering the Penn Cove captures
Celebrate Tokitae, the sole survivor, by gathering on Aug. 6 for the 53rd anniversary of the 1970 Penn Cove orca capture from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Coupeville Wharf. Dockside event, free. Boat tour, $75. Orca Network.

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  219 AM PDT Wed Aug 2 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft after midnight. W  swell 1 ft at 8 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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8/1 Creeping buttercup, veteran voters, Elwha timber, King County timber, drought, Fisheries & Oceans, Sidney deer cull, Site C dam

Creeping buttercup

Creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens
Creeping buttercup is a low-growing perennial with creeping stolons that's found in pastures, farmlands, natural wetlands, city gardens, and lawns. Reproduces by seed and vegetatively via long, branching stolons that root at the nodes. Stolon growth starts in spring, peaks in late summer. This plant is extremely aggressive and toxic to grazing animals. (King County)

Does military experience influence the veteran vote?
Military veterans have served their country and reintegrated into civilian life. When it comes to local elections, do they vote? Kai Uyehara reports.(Salish Current)

Controversial WA timber sale near Elwha River rankles conservationists, Port Angeles leaders
The 126-acre Power Plant timber sale, a few hundred feet from the site of the former lower Elwha Dam, has rankled local leaders from Port Angeles, who had requested the state Department of Natural Resources reconsider its plans, and spurred conservationists to file a lawsuit to stop the sale. They say the loss of forests like this one in the watershed could further warm streams, reduce flows in the river, and threaten drinking water and salmon. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

102-acre King County timber sale paused as politicians air climate concerns
More than 100 acres managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources were scheduled to be auctioned for logging Tuesday with a $1.62 million minimum bid. But DNR hit pause at the last moment, shelving the Wishbone sale of 4.7 million board feet of timber Monday night after environmentalists sued and seven of nine Metropolitan King County Council members shared concerns. Daniel Beckman reports. (Seattle Times)

A parched summer is posing difficulties for Washington farmers and fish
The record-warm May that burned off a sizable chunk of the state’s snowpack has left flows in many of Washington’s rivers and streams depleted heading into late summer. It’s not the driest year the state has seen. But it’s still bad news for fish that depend on cool water and ample streamflows for survival and farmers who tap snow-fed waterways to irrigate crops. With weeks of summer left to go, there are signs of the stress the conditions are creating for people and wildlife. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

Scientists Level New Critiques of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Scientific Rigor
Critics allege the federal department’s ability to provide vital scientific advice is weighed down by systematic industry and political interference. Larry Pynn reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Parks Canada seeks public input on Sidney Island deer cull
The fallow deer cull, which would involve marksmen on the ground and in a helicopter shooting as many deer as possible over up to 10 days, would also include native black-tailed deer. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Watch Site C workers build a massive dam using 16 million cubic metres of earth and rock
B.C. Hydro says it has completed an earth-fill dam made using material from the Site C dam construction site along the Peace River in northeastern B.C. It is 60 metres tall and used approximately 16 million cubic metres worth of dirt, rocks and other items from the area. (CBC)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Tue Aug 1 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. NW swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. NW swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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