Welcome to the Drops Of Water

Issue 12 September 1997

This newsletter appears monthly in 45,000 households throughout the watershed. Printing is done by The Chronicle, and distribution is by the Chronicle, the Olympia Daily Olympian, the Tenino Independent, the Rochester Sun News and the Aberdeen Daily World. This is an early edition available only to WWW users. Please send us your feedback. The first people to find errors in spelling or word structure receive a free map of the Chehalis watershed. Send us an e-mail note telling us about the error.

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Stories of interest in this issue:

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TASK FORCE WATERSHED COORDINATOR SELECTED
WDFW Emphasizes Cooperation with RFEGs
Managing Wetlands to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution
This Month in the Library:
TOWN HALL MEETINGS.
Make a Splash with Washington WaterWeeks in Southwest Washington
Zebra Mussels, A Potential Threat to the Chehalis River
SHADE THE CHEHALIS
Do and Don'ts Around the Home
Lighting the Way For Salmon
COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS FORMED
What's Your Opinion?
A Glossary of Some Water Related Words
Readers Opinion:
Youth Corner
Youth Corner Answers:

This is an early electronic copy of Drops of Water. Drops of Water is distributed monthly to newspaper receiving households throughout the basin. It goes to print mid-August and will be distributed during the following week. Watch for it in the Tenino Independent, the Rochester Sun News, The Olympian, The Chronicle and the The Daily World.

The newspaper insert is funded with a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This electronic edition is sponsored by the CRC.

Letters to the Editor, contributed articles and contributing partnerships are encouraged.
Comments via email to The Chehalis River Council
Back to CRC Home Page

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TASK FORCE WATERSHED COORDINATOR SELECTED

The Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force (Task Force) is pleased to announce the selection of Mr. Bruce Fortune as its new Watershed Coordinator.

Bruce brings more than twenty years experience in the environmental research and assessment arena to his new position. He has participated in such long-term environmental projects as an estuarine mussel culture research project in Canada; a highly successful king mackerel fish tagging and data collection program in Mexico; a Marlin sonic tagging project at selected sites off Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and more than ten individual research studies in Florida; as well as being the project manager for a grassroots campaign to develop a citizen's master plan for the preservation and protection of the Nisqually River Delta, called "The Delta Project".

As project Manager, he worked with a diverse mix of citizen groups across Puget Sound to develop a strategy for public involvement and information, and to create a newsletter, brochures, displays, as well as plan events, such as benefit concerts and educational field trips.

He has worked closely with staff from the US Fish & Wildlife Service; Washington State Departments of Ecology and Natural Resources, and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission; Thurston County Regional Planning Agency; the City of Olympia; the Port of Olympia; the Nisqually River Council; the Nisqually Tribe; and numerous private property landowners, among others.

Bruce has a B.A. in Natural Resources from the California State University in Long Beach, and graduate course work in River Basin and Coastal Zone Management from the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg.

He hopes to use his extensive skills and abilities to design at least several habitat restoration projects; coordinate the completion of same; meet with and maintain good relations with such diverse Task Force partners as the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Chehalis Tribe, and other watershed restoration partners including the Port of Grays Harbor, the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife, Weyerhaeuser Corporation, and Grays Harbor County officials to develop a list of prioritized project objectives in which the Task Force will participate; as well as the Columbia Pacific RC&D, the Chehalis River Council, the Chehalis Watershed Coalition, and as many private property landowners as necessary.

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WDFW Emphasizes Cooperation with RFEGs

Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Bern Shanks has reemphasized his Department's determination to work in support of Washington's Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs).

He emphasized, in a memo to his Management Team (along with the RFEGs), that his Management Teams must work with and through the RFEGs (of which the Task Force is one) to expedite the identification and resolution of man-made fish barriers on private lands. "The Wild Salmonid Policy references barriers to 3,000 miles of Anadromous fish stream or rivers. Considering all the challenges in restoring salmon, this has captured the publics' attention as an obvious problem to fix," he stated.

He also believes that "...it is absolutely essential that we provide...[the RFEGs]...with both short-and long-term supplementation and habitat enhancement activities so that we can jointly restore wild salmon populations," and that these activities "...must include some key enhancement actions that can be started immediately."

While he knows "...that this agency cannot solve the salmon crisis without help and advocacy from local communities...", he is "...looking for commitment from top management to the technical level to make this happen."

"If we are to succeed in the challenge facing us today we will have to begin doing a better job of reaching out to the public with information and guidance to assist them in helping the salmon resource," he stated.

He believes that "...local community-based volunteer groups..."[like the Task Force]..." will play a key role in the implementation of the Wild Salmonid Policy and the recovery of salmon in this state."

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Managing Wetlands to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution

States, territories, and tribes identify nonpoint source (NPS) pollution as the Nation's leading source of surface water and ground water quality impairments. When properly managed, wetlands can help prevent NPS pollution from degrading water quality. Wetlands include swamps, marshes, fens, and bogs.

Properly managed wetlands can intercept runoff and transform and store NPS pollutants like sediment, nutrients, and certain heavy metals without being degraded. In addition, wetlands vegetation can keep stream channels intact by slowing runoff and by evenly distributing the energy in runoff. Wetlands vegetation also regulates stream temperature by providing streamside shading. Some cities have started to experiment with wetlands as an effective tool to control runoff and protect urban streams.

Improper development or excessive pollutant loads can damage wetlands. The degraded wetlands can no longer provide water quality benefits and become significant sources of NPS pollution. Excessive amounts of decaying wetlands vegetation, for example, can increase biochemical oxygen demand, making habitat unsuitable for fish and other aquatic life. Degraded wetlands also release stored nutrients and other chemicals into surface water and ground water.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends three management strategies to maintain the water quality benefits provided by wetlands: preservation, restoration, and construction of engineered systems that pretreat runoff before it reaches receiving waters and wetlands.

Wetlands Preservation

The first strategy protects the full range of wetlands functions by discouraging development activity. At the same time, this strategy encourages proper management of upstream watershed activities, such as agriculture, forestry, and urban development. Several programs administered by EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, as well as other government agencies, protect wetlands by either controlling development activities that would affect wetlands or providing financial assistance to people who wish to protect them. In addition, nongovernmental groups that purchase wetlands for conservation purposes, such as The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, and local land trusts, are playing an increasingly important role in protecting water quality.

Wetlands/Riparian Restoration

The second strategy promotes the restoration of degraded wetlands and riparian zones with NPS pollution control potential. Riparian zones are the vegetated ecosystems along a water body through which energy, materials, and water pass. Riparian areas characteristically have high water-tables and are subject to periodic flooding and influence from the adjacent water body. They encompass wetlands and uplands, or some combination of these two landforms.

Restoration activities should recreate the full range of preexisting wetlands functions. That means replanting degraded wetlands with native plant species and, depending on the location and the degree of degradation, using structural devices to control water flows. Restoration projects factor in ecological principles, such as habitat diversity and the connections between different aquatic and riparian habitat types, which distinguish these kinds of projects from wetlands that are constructed for runoff pretreatment.

Engineered Systems

The third strategy promotes the use of engineered vegetated treatment systems (VTS). VTS are especially effective at removing suspended solids and sediment from NPS pollution before the runoff reaches natural wetlands.

One type of VTS, the vegetated filter strip (VFS), is a swath of land planted with grasses and trees that intercepts uniform sheet flows of runoff, before the runoff reaches wetlands. VFSs are most effective at sediment removal, with removal rates usually greater than 70%. Constructed wetlands, another type of VTS, are typically engineered complexes of water, plants, and animal life that simulate naturally occurring wetlands. Studies indicate that constructed wetlands can achieve sediment removal rates greater than 90 percent. Like VFS, constructed wetlands offer an alternative to other systems that are more structural in design.

Saving a Precious Resource

Healthy wetlands benefit fish, wildlife, and humans because they protect many natural resources, only one of which is clean water. Unfortunately, over half of the wetlands in the lower-48 states were lost between the late 1700s and the mid-1980s, and undisturbed wetlands still face threats from development. To help prevent NPS pollution from further degrading the Nation's waters and to protect many other natural resources, wetlands protection must remain a focal point for national education campaigns, watershed protection plans, and local conservation efforts.

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This Month in the Library:

Do you have trouble understanding what TMDLs are all about? The Chesapeake Bay Journal (July/August 1997) has an excellent background and interpretive article on what Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) means and how it got that way. This journal is only one of the many sources of information in the Chehalis River Council resource library--drop in and read all about it! Weekdays from 12 to 4 p.m., 104 East Pine Street, Oakville.

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TOWN HALL MEETINGS.

Review and comment on the report and recommendations of the South Thurston County Water Focus Group to the county commissioners. The report grows out of citizen concerns about water issues, voiced in five public meetings throughout the South County from April through June. The county commissioners created the focus group and asked them to listen to the problems and suggested solutions of south country residents regarding water quality, water quantity including flooding, and water resource allocation. The report will be presented to the commissioners in October.

Thursday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Rochester-Grand Mound High School Auditorium.

Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., United Citizens Betterment Organization, Yelm.

Thursday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., New Tumwater High School.

Locations are tentative; call Thurston County for more information or to confirm locations, (360) 357-2491.

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Make a Splash with Washington WaterWeeks in Southwest Washington

"Nisqually Festival of Waters," the Chehalis River Council "Shade the Chehalis Planting/Picnic" on October 4, and the Friends of the Chehalis "Salmon Derby and Squaw Fish Derby" are just a few of the many water-related educational awareness events in Southwest Washington during Washington WaterWeeks (September 1 to October 5). A complete list of WaterWeeks events throughout the state can be found in the WaterWeeks "Activity Guide," available at local libraries and other locations.

Now in its 14th year in Washington state, WaterWeeks is a month-long water awareness and involvement program made up of more than 125 community and regional events statewide. The events help people experience, appreciate, and take action to protect our state's shorelines, waterways, rivers, lakes and watersheds. The goal of WaterWeeks is to get residents, young and old, involved in fun local events and connect them with organizations that can help them become year-round stewards.

"WaterWeeks events are great opportunities for people to make a real difference in their communities," said Tom Fitzsimmons, director of the Washington Department of Ecology. "By learning more about ways to protect and enhance our state's waters, concerned citizens are helping to preserve our quality of life."

In addition to the WaterWeeks "Activity Guide," a "Washington Water User Guide" has been published, featuring tips on protecting Washington waters year-round, in addition to information on water recreation sites, boat sewage pumpout locations, and water protection enhancement sites across the state.

For more information about Washington WaterWeeks, call or write the Washington WaterWeeks office in Olympia, at (360) 943-3642, P.O. Box 1354, Olympia, WA 98507-1354. For information on the CRC "Shade the Chehalis" event, call the Chehalis River Council at (360) 273-6137. You can also pick up a WaterWeeks "Activity Guide" or "User Guide" at the Oakville CRC Resource Library, 104 E. Pine St., Oakville.

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Zebra Mussels, A Potential Threat to the Chehalis River

The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is an introduced freshwater bivalve (two matching shell halves) mollusk native to eastern Europe and western Asia near the Aral, Black, and Caspian Seas. They are thought to have been introduced into North America in 1986 via the exchange of ballast water from large ships. It is estimated that monitoring and control of zebra mussels cost Great Lakes water users $30 million annually.

Zebra mussels were first discovered in the Great Lakes in 1988 and have since firmly established themselves east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. They now impact 19 states and 2 provinces and are still expanding their range. The California Department of Food and Agriculture check stations have been looking for zebra mussels on boats and boat trailers entering the state since 1992. They have found 10 dead and 2 live zebra mussels as of June 1997. One of the infected boats had passed through the state of Washington. Therefore, the risk of zebra mussel introduction to Washington is very real.

Zebra mussels could potentially thrive in the Chehalis River Basin. They prefer water temperatures ranging from 8-25oC (46-77oF), but can tolerate from 1-30oC (33.8-86oF). Zebra mussels are generally found between 2 and 7 meters (6-23 feet) deep, but adults have been found as deep as 55 meters (180 feet). Adult zebra mussels can survive out of water for more than 10 days in moist, cool conditions.

Juvenile zebra mussels settle on any hard surface such as rock, concrete, metal, wood, vinyl, plastic, glass, rubber, fiberglass, paper, crayfish, turtles, aquatic plants or other shellfish. Zebra mussels produce byssal threads (fibers) for attaching themselves. Adults range in size from 0.8- 5.0 centimeters (0.3-2.0 inches) and live for 3 to 5 years. They are filter feeders that feed mainly on algae. Zebra mussels have been found in colonies with densities as high as 30,000 to 100,000 mussels per square meter.

Zebra mussels can completely plug water pipes (up to 0.6 meters (2 feet) in diameter), cooling and condenser tubes, and water intake screens. Zebra mussels have also caused recreational impacts such as reducing boat performance by blanketing hulls, and overheating boat motors by clogging cooling water intakes. They create an aesthetic nuisance and health hazard by accumulating and decomposing on beaches. When zebra mussels become established they can cause changes in aquatic communities, which is an important environmental concern. For example, zebra mussels can reduce zooplankton and native freshwater mollusk populations. The long term effect of zebra mussels on fisheries is unknown.

As their common name suggests, zebra mussels are often striped. However, their species name (polymorpha) actually means "many forms," and refers to their range of shell color patterns. The best characteristic to look for is the byssal threads that they use to attach themselves. There are mussels and clams native to the Chehalis Basin, but the only thing likely to be attached by byssal threads is a zebra mussel. So you can look for these threads if you want to be sure.

Because Washington has yet to be invaded by zebra mussels, it is important that we all take part in prevention and monitoring activities. Prevention activities include checking boats and trailers, or anything like buoys and docks that have been in the water, before moving them to another place. Educating others about the threat of zebra mussels is also a good way to help. Monitoring Washington lakes and rivers for zebra mussels is also very important so that control or eradication efforts can be initiated as soon as possible if zebra mussels are discovered.

For more information on zebra mussels, or to report a possible sighting contact:

Kevin Aitkin with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (360) 753-9508.

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SHADE THE CHEHALIS

Here's how to be a part of "Shade the Chehalis."

Form a subbasin watershed council to protect your creek in various ways, including sponsoring planting projects.

Let the CRC know you would be willing to help on a project.

Donate native trees, plants and shrubs.

Contact the CRC to register your "Shade the Chehalis" project and for help organizing or technical assistance. The CRC can direct you to other agencies such as the Conservation Districts for assistance with large projects.

Plant your shrubs and trees!

Let the CRC know what you did. We'll send you a certificate and publicize some projects.

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Do and Don'ts Around the Home

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Lighting the Way For Salmon

"Fish vs. dams" is a generations-old conflict on the West Coast. Ever since the great dams were thrown across the Columbia River and its tributaries, eliminating at least 55% of the original spawning habitat in the Columbia Basin, Westerners have watched an irresistible force, the salmon's migratory instinct, come up against a set of immovable objects--the curtains of concrete that have blocked many of their ancient highways.

Dams affect salmon in may ways. Where they do not block passage outright, they change the pattern of river flow, alter the temperature of the water and allow predators to congregate and accost the fish while they are vulnerable.

Most large dams are built to generate electricity, and this creates another type of impact. Million of smolts (young salmon migrating toward the sea) are killed every year as they are drawn through the power-generating turbines. About 70% of the electricity used by consumers in the Pacific Northwest comes from those turbines--and this fact connects each of us to the fate of the salmon every time we throw a switch.

To the extent that homes, businesses, farms and industries can limit their use of energy, water that might have gone through turbines can instead be spilled over dams to speed salmon on their way to the sea, increasing survival.

There are countless ways in which consumers can conserve energy. Here are a few steps to consider:

For more information on how you can help salmon recovery efforts in the Pacific Northwest, please write the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, 45 SE 82nd Drive, Suite 100, Gladstone, OR 97027-2522.

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COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS FORMED

A coalition of organizations was formed at Oakville, Wa. The newly formed Chehalis Watershed Coalition establishes a cohesive network that will deal in a proactive manner with stewardship of the activities in the Chehalis River Basin.

The 2,600 square mile Chehalis River Basin covers most or parts of five counties (Lewis, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Pacific and Mason) and empties into the Grays Harbor estuary where it meets the Pacific Ocean.

This Coalition brings together many organizations which represent citizens and stakeholders who live, work and recreate in the basin and are concerned about the health and quality of life in the basin. Areas of interest and concern for the Coalition are flooding, pollution (of all types), wetland and floodplain filling, habitat and water resources.

Among the members of the Coalition are the: Critical Issues Council, FOGH (Friends of Grays Harbor), Chehalis River Council, Sasquatch Group of the Sierra Club, and Citizens for the Preservation of the Upper Chehalis River. Each member of the Chehalis Watershed Coalition accepts the mission of the Coalition which is:

"To establish a cohesive network that works to protect and enhance the natural resources of the Chehalis River Basin through education, stewardship and activism. Encourage responsible and environmentally sound policies. Empower basin residents and Coalition members by supporting them on critical issues, promoting cooperating problem-solving, and einforcing accountability of agencies, citizens and businesses."

One of the first public activities of the Chehalis Watershed Coalition was to host an August 13 public meeting to introduce the parameters and requirements of the State Environmental Policies Act (SEPA) and how the general public can participate in the process.

Membership in the Coalition is open to established organizations and applications may be sent to the Chehalis Watershed Coalition at P.O. Box 586, Oakville, WA.

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What's Your Opinion?

This edition is the 12th issue of Drops of Water. It is time to find out what your opinion of this newsletter is. Some of the questions we have are:

Are we bringing you useful information?

What do you like best?

What do you like least?

What would you like to see added?

What should be covered?

What should not be covered?

Send your comments to:

Drops of Water, P.O. Box 586, Oakville, WA 98568

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A Glossary of Some Water Related Words

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Readers Opinion:

"Decisions regarding the management of Washington's open ocean beaches have put the future of our beautiful coastline at risk. In recent years we have seen a trend of erosion on Washington's open ocean coast. Situations like the breach of the South Grays Harbor Jetty in Westport, WA or the erosion of the beach near the North Grays Harbor Jetty in Ocean Shores, WA have brought many concerns to property owners and coastal municipalities alike. It is believed that because of the breakdown of the massive Columbia River Delta and similar deltas off Grays Harbor and elsewhere, the supply of sand that has caused accretion in our state for the past 100 years may finally be over. The problem with coastal erosion is fairly new in Washington State, but not in most coastal states in our nation.

The recent decisions regarding erosion in our state are alarming. We have 100+ years of lessons to learn from the East Coast, the Gulf Coast and California Coast. Washington State has chosen to ignore those lessons and has begun implementing the same mistakes that have destroyed open ocean beaches in other states.

This spring in Ocean Shores the first seawall on an open ocean sand spit beach in Washington State was constructed. When we use hard solutions to erosion problems, such as the seawall in Ocean Shores, or the proposed South Jetty Extension Project in Westport, the result is the permanent loss of the beach. The seawall in Ocean Shores is already causing massive erosion scares on either side of its construction.

Although, the Ocean Shores seawall is already in place, the proposed Westport Jetty Extension Project can still be stopped. This project, which would be illegal in four states (NC, SC, ME, and RI), will seawall a 4,300 foot section of beach. This will cover the entire beach now known as Half Moon Bay in Westport, WA. Half Moon Bay is the location of excellent surfing and kayaking as well as being frequented by thousands of beach enthusiasts annually.

The Surfrider Foundation's Environmental Issues Team (compromised of 40 scientists with expertise in water quality, epidemiology, oceanography and coastal engineering.) has reviewed many background documents and the proposed Alternative 3B - South Jetty Extension Project and found drastically different results than the Army Corps of Engineers. It is the Surfrider Foundations conclusion that the construction of the seawall will mean the loss of Half Moon Bay. Our chapter, with full support from our national Environmental Issues Team and the Legal Issues Team, is taking the lead in defending this wonderful resource of waves and beach.

It is our belief that soft beach nourishment or an artificial reef are the best alternatives to this erosion problem. The Army Corps of Engineers own figures show a combination of direct beach and near shore placement of soft nourishment to maintain more beach with less erosion at Half Moon Bay and neighboring Westhaven State Beach. This type of alternative consists only of soft nourishment, without any permanent hard solution. This maintains the beauty, usefulness, and wave action of the beach for beach strollers, surfers, kayakers, and anyone else who enjoys and uses the beach.

The Washington State Surfrider Foundation is working for the continued preservation of Half Moon Bay and the rest of our Washington Coast. We will not tolerate the loss of Half Moon Bay. We need to think of the next generation of beach users and the delicate coastal ecosystem when looking at Washington States coastal management. We need to stop the armoring of our coastline. "

Kevin Ranker 
Chairperson 
Washington State Chapter 
Surfrider Foundation
PO Box 2407
Westport, WA 98501
(360) 705-8202 

(The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots-based, nonprofit environmental organization that works to protect the coast. Founded in 1984, Surfrider now has 33 Surfrider chapters located along the East, West, Gulf, Puerto Rican, and Hawaiian coasts. The Surfrider National USA headquarters are in San Clemente, California. Surfrider has over 25,000 members in the U.S.; in addition, Surfrider chapters and affiliates have been established in 6 foreign countries.)

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Youth Corner

This months edition is the source for the questions.

Grab your pencil and work out the answers!

1. What are these acronyms (word made of first letter of other words) abbreviations for?

2. The Director of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife is: ___________.

3. _____________ can keep stream channels intact by slowing runoff.

4. There are three strategies recommended to maintain water quality benefits that are provided by wetlands. What are they?

5. Zebra mussels are thought to have arrived in America in what year? _______

6. How can you tell the difference between a zebra mussel and native mussels? ______

7. How much electricity, used in the northwest, comes from power generating turbines? ____

8. Which household appliance can use up to 30% of the electrical power of the household?

9. How many counties are part of the Chehalis watershed? What are their names?

10. The average discharge of the Humptulips River is 1,344 cubic feet per second. How many gallons per second is that?

11. Evaporation and transpiration together are known as: _________________

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Youth Corner Answers:

1.

2. Bern Shanks.

3. Wetlands

4. Preservation, Restoration and Construction of engineered systems

5. 1986

6. byssal threads

7. 70%

8. electric hot water heater

9. 5 Thurston, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Pacific, Mason

10. From the glossary: Acre foot ... 43,560 cubic feet equals 325,851 gallons. Therefore 1 cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons. 1,344 cubic feet per second times 7.48 gallons is the same as 10,053.12 gallons per second.

11. evapotranspiration.

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