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By Lee Napier, Lead Entity Coordinator for the Chehalis Basin
Citizens within the Chehalis Basin will have the opportunity to share their opinions about proposed strategies for salmon habitat restoration and protection during three workshops scheduled for this coming April.
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The Chehalis Basin Partnership's Habitat Workgroup is currently developing a strategy for restoring and protecting habitat important for salmon. The purpose of the strategy is to develop and fund voluntary habitat projects that benefit salmon on private and public lands. Examples of past projects completed through earlier versions of the strategy have included helping landowners with fencing to keep cattle away from streams and removing barriers along streams, such as undersized culverts.
Each workshop will begin with citizens having an opportunity to learn about problems facing watersheds within a local area and the potential approaches for solving them. There will be displays and salmon experts on hand to share information and answer questions. The workshop will end with citizens participating in a facilitated session to voice their issues and concerns about the strategy.
The Habitat Workgroup will use the opinions collected through the workshops to adjust priorities in the strategy. They will then forward a final draft strategy report in June for adoption by the Chehalis Basin Partnership.
Anyone interested in attending one of the three workshops can find out about dates and locations by contacting Lee Napier at 1.800.230.1638 x435 or lnapier@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.
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Mark Your Calendar!
April 27 - 29, 2007
Hoquiam, Washington
Featuring a Saturday night banquet and auction!
The 12th Annual Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival promises you a great nature experience. Witness the migrating shorebirds at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge. Take part in a variety of events including field trips, lectures, exhibitors, vendors, authors, a run/walk, banquet and auction.
1.800.303.8498
www.shorebirdfestival.com
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Pre-orders will be accepted through January 31, 2007 for pick up in mid-February. A wide variety of trees, plants, and groundcovers are available at affordable prices, ranging from .75 cents to $3.25 each.
Natives make great landscaping plants and are low maintenance. They are indigenous to our area, so they don't require watering after they've become established.
Don't miss this opportunity! To obtain an order form, visit the TCD website at www.thurstoncd.com or call our office at (360) 754-3588.
If you miss the pre-order deadline, or to pick up your plants, the Parking Lot Sale Event will be held Saturday, February 24th from noon to 4 pm at the former Tumwater Fire Station, located at the corner of Israel and Capitol Blvd. You may purchase as little as one and as many as hundreds of plants during this event, limited to stock on hand.
For those outside Thurston County, please contact your county conservation district to find out if they are planning native plant sales.
Kathleen S. Whalen, District Administrator, Thurston Conservation District
NOTE NEW ADDRESS:
921 Lakeridge Way SW, Suite 101
Olympia, WA 98502
(360) 754-3588, ext 114
(360) 236-0941 FAX
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 Western Sandpipers Photo: Don Johnson |
Amber Wells, Thurston County Solid Waste
The New Year has begun, but it's not too late to consider simple resolutions that can greatly benefit our environment. Here are tips from Thurston County Solid Waste and the California Department of Conservation.
1. Recycle: Choose to recycle wherever you are. On the road? Look for roadside bins, or save recyclables for when you get home. At the office? Start a recycling campaign, or put a bin next to your trash can for beverage containers and paper. If you are new to recycling and not in the habit, start today, and encourage others to do the same. Call your local recycling program coordinator or visit www.co.thurston.wa.us/wwm to find out how.
2. Remember the other important "Rs"-- reduce and reuse: Help lessen waste by buying items that have little or no packaging, or buying in bulk. Also, find ways to reuse items -- margarine tubs, for example, can be used to store tacks or nails.
3. Buy products made from recycled materials: Resolve to purchase at least one recycled-content product on a regular basis, such as paper towels or computer paper. Look for the recycling symbol (or "made from post-consumer material") on a wide range of products.
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4. Reduce e-waste: The United States generates more electronics-waste than any other nation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Instead of automatically upgrading to the latest models, consider using your current models longer or fixing broken items. Computers, TVs, laptops and monitors can be recycled for a fee at the Thurston County Waste and Recovery Center, 2418 Hogum Bay Road N.E. in Lacey. A broader range of items, like DVD players, stereos, and telephones can be recycled at Thurston County's Community Recycle Days in May.
5. Make your home toxic-free: Reduce the number of unnecessary toxic chemicals in your home. Paints, solvents and other toxic chemicals can be disposed of safely at Thurston County's HazoHouse, 2418 Hogum Bay Road N.E. in Lacey. HazoHouse is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Great non-toxic household cleaners can be found at many stores. Cut down, or eliminate, pesticides and fertilizers in your garden and you'll reduce the chance that chemicals will get washed into our waterways.
6. Learn to compost: Convert yard clippings and kitchen scraps into nature's fertilizer. Your garden will love you for it. See Thurston County's Web site, www.co.thurston.wa.us/wwm, for more information on workshops and discounted compost bins.
7. Fix drips and recycle motor oil: Motor oil is a leading cause of pollution in our waterways. When it rains, water runs over the ground and picks up oil, antifreeze, and other pollutants and carries them to our rivers, streams and Puget Sound. Resolve to fix leaks from your car and recycle used motor oil at HazoHouse. Even better, help stop water and air pollution by riding a bike or taking a bus.
8. Conserve energy: Cut your monthly energy bills 30 percent by replacing old equipment in your home with state-of-the-art Energy Star products. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs and install a digital thermostat to conserve even more energy. Turn off lights when you leave a room and use water wisely by installing low-flow fixtures. Of course, recycling is also a great way to conserve our nation's energy supplies.
Contact: Amber Wells, Thurston County Solid Waste, 754-3355 ext. 7669.
In Lewis county, information about recycling is available by calling (360) 740-1221. Lewis County Hazo Hut has new hours for the new year. Hazo Hut will now be open every Wednesday, and the first and third Saturday of each month, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hazo Hut is at the Lewis County Solid Waste transfer station at 1411 S. Tower Ave. in Centralia.
In Grays Harbor county, the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is at 4201 Olympic Highway. Hours are 9:00 a.m. -- 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays and the first Saturday of each month. For information call (360) 249-4222.
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Invasive Species of the Pacific Northwest
Edited by P.D. Boersma, S.H Reichard, and A.N. Van Buren.
University of Washington Press ISBN # 0-295-98596-8
Book review by Nancy Ness. Grays Harbor County Noxious Weed Control Board
 Eurasian watermilfoil Photo: Nancy Ness |
100 to 150 years ago the Pacific Northwest was virgin forest. Think of the changes that have occurred in our lifetimes, and then try to imagine what changes will take place in the next 10 or 20 years. Currently extinctions are at a rate comparable or greater than the loss of the dinosaurs, and one of the main contributors to the rate of decline is the invasion of non-native invasive species. The magnitude of the problem can overwhelm an individual, with a typical response of "What can I do? This is too big for me!"
Well, guess what? There is something you can do! Read a book! "Invasive Species in the Pacific Northwest" gives you a "big picture" view of the crisis but also breaks it down into what we can do as individuals. It also reveals that historically, small individual actions are usually what got us in this mess in the first place. For example, Eurasian water milfoil was introduced by someone merely dumping a fishbowl in a body of freshwater.
There are chapters on freshwater, marine and terrestrial plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates. The book also discusses disease and future threats to our local ecosystems, and habitats for birds, fish, shellfish, native plants, etc. Find out what is happening and what you can do to save our valuable forests, streams, and wildlife.
And then do it!
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By Elli McMillan, Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force
For 26 years, the volunteers of the CBFTF have successfully unified their efforts with private citizens, community businesses, and governments.
Working examples of this are the enhancement efforts on Smith Creek, a major tributary to the Middle Fork Satsop River that historically provides habitat for Winter Steelhead, Coho and Chum. The CBFTF annually conducts nutrient enhancement in the Satsop sub-basin. As part of the program, two carcass distribution sites were chosen on this tributary, not only because they meet the criteria of the protocols and guidelines for distributing salmonid carcasses in Washington State, but because the area is prime for spawning and overwintering habitat.
Fish carcasses are deposited by chute from the back of a dump truck for nutrient enhancement on Smith Creek. Coho were spawning in Smith Creek just off of the B-line Bridge on Weyerhaeuser property this year (11/9/06). Their offspring will directly benefit from the ocean-derived nutrients provided through nutrient enhancement in two ways: 1) by providing a food source for smolt, and 2) by providing a food source for the insects salmonids consume.
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In tandem, Weyerhaeuser Company in Twin Harbors has opened four fish blockage culverts directly between both distribution sites, as well as re-aligned one road that directly crosses one of the replaced culverts. These culvert replacements are important because they provide an additional 4,000 lineal feet of off channel rearing and overwintering habitat, on which coho depend heavily. The road that leads into this 1,800 acre drainage area is tentatively scheduled to be abandoned in 2009, which will eliminate barriers and road access to 9.7 miles of stream that provide habitat for salmonids.
It is through this type of partnering that we realize each individual effort is a benefit to the resource; however, the overlapping of efforts between parties provides a larger boost for the resource. In this case naturally spawned and reared salmonids have a greater chance of completing a life cycle by the improvement of access to spawning and overwintering habitat, and through mimicking nature by providing ocean derived nutrients necessary to improve the ecosystem that would historically have been available through larger numbers of spawning fish.
Yet another project that illustrates the partnerships in our watershed is the Vance Creek Bridge Project (VCBP), on Vance Creek, a tributary to the Chehalis River. The VCBP was conducted through a collaborative effort organized by the CBFTF. This project removed an undersized culvert 4 ft. in diameter and installed a bridge, donated by Grays Harbor County (GHC). The installed bridge now allows the 13 foot wide stream to function normally without restrictions and has increased over three miles of fish habitat for spawning and rearing. Prior to repair, fish populations affected by this barrier were coho, potentially chum salmon, and cutthroat trout. Now corrected, the stream no longer backs up during high flows, trapping sediments, impounding spawning gravels, flooding neighboring properties, or stranding juvenile salmonids at water rescission. With the donation of the bridge slabs from GHC (valued at $11,000), the use of a loader from Northwest Rock to load the slabs onto a truck, reduced contractor rates, donated labor from the CBFTF consulting biologist, the time and machinery donated by the landowner (Mr. & Mrs. Potts) to clear, haul and provide gravel for the bridge approach, and sow grass seed in exposed soils on the project site, along with other labor donated by East County students and teachers for riparian planting and water quality monitoring, this project was conducted on a budget of $15,700.
If you or your organization would like to become involved with the CBFTF to better our watershed please contact (360) 533-1766, cbftf@reachone.com, or visit us at http://www.cbftf.com.
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Hydrology and Quality of Groundwater in the Centralia-Chehalis Area Surficial Aquifer
This report presents the results of a 2003-05 hydro geologic assessment of the Centralia Chehalis area surficial aquifer. The study was undertaken by the Washington State Department of Ecology to pilot test a standardized technical approach for a new state groundwater assessment program.
The primary technical objectives of the pilot study were to characterize the hydro geologic setting of the study area, monitor and describe local groundwater/surface water interactions, and monitor and describe current ambient groundwater quality and water level conditions. Study activities in support of these objectives included developing a well inventory and database, conducting a dry-season seepage evaluation of the Chehalis and Newaukum rivers, and assembling and monitoring area-wide well and instream piezometer networks.
The Centralia/Chehalis area surficial aquifer, which is underlain by Miocene-age continental sediments and bedrock, is comprised of a complex assemblage of unconsolidated Pleistocene-age to Holocene-age glacial and alluvial deposits. Monitoring results indicate that groundwater in the aquifer system is in close hydraulic connection to study area rivers throughout most of the valley. Changes in the aquifer matrix and grain size strongly influence the local groundwater geochemistry, resulting in a marked contrast in reducing/oxidizing (redox) condition between the northern and southern portions of the study area.
Current overall groundwater quality is good, with only limited occurrences of nitrate (as nitrogen) above 5 mg/L.
This document serves as an example of the type of technical report that would be generated by a long-term state groundwater assessment program, if the proposed assessment approach were applied to other basins of interest. A separate report evaluating the overall success of this study is in progress.
This report can be seen at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0503040.html. A copy is available in the Chehalis River Council office in Centralia stored in pdf format on their computer.
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By Janet Strong
All of nature bows before her blows.
Creatures too rigid for the proper curtsy
May be broken or knocked asunder,
Victims of the battle between terra firma
And a shrieking spirit.
Violent shaking infects all,
An epidemic of lost parts
Hurtling off in every direction,
To appease the angry force.
For some, the ferocious wind
Reminds us of the awesome power
Of the natural world.
For some, the frightening wind
Brings loss and sorrow,
Stemming from an instant gust
Of an aerial steamroller.
For all, it is a remembrance,
A punctuation point in history,
Both human and natural.
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By Margaret Rader
On December 14 a major windstorm swept through western Washington, toppling trees and causing power outages for more than a million people throughout the area. The lights went out at Holm Farm near Rochester about 11 p.m. Thursday and did not come back on until Tuesday. Some folks got power back more quickly; some waited even longer. Thinking over the experience, I have some points to consider as I compile my long-delayed emergency plan.
1. Have an emergency plan. Don't just "plan to have an emergency plan," like me. There are many resources available to aid us, and I am not going to repeat the usual points here. Senator Swecker recently sent an excellent guide to emergency planning to his constituents.
 An historic oak takes out the house Pete Hom's grandfather built |
2. There will be another windstorm. Great windstorms of the past (called "blowdowns") include "the Great Olympic Blowdown" of January 1921; a severe storm on October 21, 1934 with winds from 70 to 90 mpg, leaving 18 dead (; the Columbus Day Storm, also called the "Big Blow," October 12, 1962; and the Inauguration Day storm of 1993. These storms are called "blowdowns" because of the large number of trees uprooted. With more people moving into forested lands, more humans are at risk from these storms than ever before.
3. There will be other weather-related disasters too. We remember the flood of February 1996 when I-5 was under water for days. And the folks in east Lewis county will remember the Cowlitz flood of 2006 for a long time. Let's not mention earthquakes and volcanic eruptions for now.
4. Wind storms are terrifying and dangerous. When the winds are predicted to hit 60 miles an hour, there is no shame in going to visit your relatives or friends who don't have trees around their house, or even checking into a motel. Go before the storm hits. Don't drive or walk around outside when tree limbs are flying, no matter how exciting it is. At the least, stay on the side of the house away from the trees.(This is how Pete Holm saved his life when the oak in the picture hit his bedroom.)
5. Figure out ahead of time how you are going to find shelter when the power is out. If you don't have a wood burning stove, which of your friends has the most efficient one plus some extra room? Think this through ahead of time. You are not going to want to stay in your house if the ambient temperature is an average 37 degrees, as our trailer was.
6. Think the unthinkable. What if you had to stay outdoors? Your tents and camping gear should be readily available in one accessible place that would not be destroyed if your house was uninhabitable. Be sure there are blankets and sleeping bags. Spare boots in case you need to "walk out" might be a good idea.
7. Where are you going to get water? If you have a well, the water in the tanks will not run out immediately. But you should have enough water for one gallon a day per person for three days in your emergency stash. Our experience with the recent storm proves that three days may not be long enough. There should be a method of purifying water in your emergency stash. Chlorine or iodine will do, or boiling, or check out the high tech methods for sale at places like REI for back packers. Which is the nearest place (like a neighbor or service station) you can get potable water? Do you have enough containers to bring a supply home?
8. Flushing the toilet. This issue has gotten complicated for us folks out in the country. (You may think you live in the suburbs, but if you are in a development with wells and septics, face it, you live in the country.) You have enough water in the tank to flush the toilet once, that's all. If you have an engineered septic system with an electric pump, you can't flush the toiler by pouring water through it. I don't know what you are going to do. Go visit Aunt Emma in town is my best advice. If you have an older septic system, you are in luck. Go down to the river and bring up water in buckets to flush the toilet. If you have time before the lights go out, it's a good idea to fill the bathtub for water for that purpose as well.
9. Lights. The smaller fluorescent battery lanterns were very useful. By the time we got power, we had run out of D batteries. LED flashlights are great. Store up on batteries. Everyone recommends against candles and they can be dangerous. Lantern candles are safest, and they should never be left burning alone.
10. Food. It's a morale builder to have hot food. Coffee is a necessity. Locate a hand coffee grinder and a cone drip coffee maker. Cooking over a wood burning stove is not difficult, except you have to watch it all the time. The even heat makes the best pancakes, if you have a cast iron griddle. Put cast iron pans in your emergency stash. You may be cooking over your propane stove, if you remembered to put enough propane in your emergency stash. In that case, you are cooking outside, I hope. You probably have enough food around to get you through almost any emergency, and it's likely you can get out to the store. Chocolate candy is a necessity and doesn't even have to be cooked!
11. Generators. Please, I beg of you, if you run out and buy a generator after the storm, read the manual. Read it before you buy it. The great majority of the deaths during this storm event were from carbon monoxide poisoning of people who brought their generators into the house or garage. Best strategy would be to buy the generator after much research and long before you need it.
12. If your emergency plan includes using the fireplace or wood stove for heat, be sure to store up lots of wood ahead of time.
13. Be sure you have a land line phone that plugs into a phone jack. The cordless answering machine phones don't work when the power goes out.
14. Go see your neighbors. It's a good time to forge community bonds. Even better, do it before the emergency.
15. Getting away. At some point you will need to drive out. Before the storm, if you don't own a chain saw, find out which neighbor does. There will probably be trees and limbs across your road. It's a good plan to keep your gas tank full. Keep some real money around -- some stores and gas stations may be open without power, and you might be able to manually pump your gas if you have cash.
16. The winter isn't over yet. February is frequently the month for our most severe winter weather.
Let's face it -- I had it easy after this storm with a kind neighbor with a good wood-burning stove and a friend in town for emergency showers. We have the Black River near by, and a neighbor with a pure water source, and lots of food. Still, I admit, I got what my mother used to call "cranky" before the power came back. We are very dependent on electricity in our culture. I really like to be warm. I kept remembering what faced the people in New Orleans or the folks who lost their houses up on the Cowlitz or the Skagit. Thinking through ahead of time what to do in a case of an emergency is really our best defense. That and a good supply of chocolate!
You can read about blowdowns in Arthur Kruckeberg's The Natural History of the Puget County, p. 51.