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September 28, 2011
Elwha Dams Coming Down
September is a historic month as we witness the start of the 3-year process to remove two dams on the Elwha River. Removing significant barriers of ecosystem processes and opening access to habitat is a priority action in the Action Agenda, and the Elwha is specified as a top priority.
The vision to remove the dams and restore the Elwha River ecosystem began with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and will be realized through the collaboration of governments, the private sector, and citizen efforts all working together. The river will return to its natural, free-flowing state, allowing salmon and steelhead to reach more than 70 miles of mostly pristine habitat, including critically important spawning grounds. Salmon populations will grow dramatically, jobs will be created, fishing opportunities will increase for treaty tribal and non-Indian sport and commercial fishers, and the Puget Sound will be a significant step closer toward recovery.
Protecting existing habitats is a priority for recovering Puget Sound, but it is not enough. When we have opportunities to rebuild entire ecosystems, at a large scale, it’s important to take them. By removing the Elwha dams and restoring the river, the federal Department of the Interior, and its partners, like the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, are doing just that. Congratulations to our partners and best wishes with this historic undertaking.
Shout Out to Our Partners – Bring on the Rain, Rain Gardens That Is
It’s hard to get excited about rain until you see the rain garden projects happening around Puget Sound. Washington State University and the non-profit group, Stewardship Partners, are spearheading a campaign to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Seattle and Puget Sound Region by 2016. So far, they report 706 installed. If they meet their goal, the 12,000 rain gardens would soak up 160 million gallons of polluted runoff, protecting our waterways. Read more at www.12000raingardens.org/index.phtml.
The City of Puyallup installed the third and last rain garden cluster of the year in a Clarks Creek Neighborhood (www.cityofpuyallup.org/services/development-services/puyallups-stormwater-management-program/puyallup-rain-gardens/). The City has installed more than 20 rain gardens in three neighborhoods with clusters of six to eight homes. The rain gardens are serving as demonstration sites to educate people about storm water. The City received the Association of Washington Cities “Going Green” 2011 Municipal Excellence Award for its innovative rain gardens program.
Rain gardens are shallow, planted depressions in your yard that capture and filter polluted rainwater after it runs off your rooftop, driveway, and other hard surfaces. Rain gardens manage storm water in your yard, where it originates, rather than letting it flow into storm drains. Storm drains in streets collect and carrying storm water away, but may not treat the water before it is dumped into a stream, lake, or river. Rain gardens not only reduce pollution but can help prevent flooding.
Dashboard Of Ecosystem Indicators – Web-based Tool to be Launched in September
This month, we will launch a new Web element that will display the vital signs of Puget Sound and will enable the public to see at a glance how fast we are progressing in our efforts to improve water quality and habitat, and increase the populations of important wildlife that inhabit Puget Sound.
The Web element, which we are calling the dashboard, will measure 21 ecosystem indicators and targets adopted by the Leadership Council in June 2011 and link them to actions and strategies, enabling the public to better track the progress being made to restore the health of Puget Sound.
While we hope the readings on the dashboard remain positive, they also can serve as a warning if we don’t see the improvements we need. Being able to measure our collective efforts and account for progress will help all of us keep our work on track.
The Web information will include messages about what our partners are doing to help reach the targets and what the public can do to help. We also will launch an interactive “Facebook” type element to engage the public in conversations about the targets. So stay tuned for more information.
Telling the Puget Sound Story
Our staff recently gave a presentation about the Puget Sound Partnership to the Washington Policy Center, a conservative think tank, in late July, and I spoke at the August meeting of the Bellevue Rotary Club. Our goal for these events is to help inform people about why Puget Sound is in trouble, what the Partnership’s role is in leading the restoration efforts, and what people can do to contribute to the efforts. I’m happy to say our message has been positively received. People in this region want to know how they can do their part to help in restoration and recovery efforts.
Action Agenda Update Workshops Set for September and October
The Action Agenda, which was developed with our many partners including scientists, government agencies, foundations, and business, is the blueprint for how to achieve the restoration and protection of Puget Sound. Since the first version of the Action Agenda was published in 2008, we’ve made a lot of progress to improve it. Just this year alone, we’ve worked to set priorities, create more measurable outcomes, and adopt recovery targets for the region to aim to achieve.
As part of updating the Action Agenda, we are holding a series of workshops and public meetings. Workshops for partners will be in Renton on October 12 and 13. The purpose of the workshops is for technical and policy experts to help refine strategies and actions for the next two years. Please visit our Web site for additional details, including location and topics to be covered at each meeting: www.psp.wa.gov/action_agenda_2011_meetings.php
We also are hosting a set of public meetings around the Sound on September 29 and October 3 and 10 in Olympia, Shoreline, and Burlington, respectively. The purpose is to give the public the chance to share ideas about Puget Sound recovery, highlight the role of the Partnership and local organizations in recovery efforts, and raise awareness of key issues of local significance in the regional effort. We hope to get public feedback on the priorities for local communities and what actions resonate with them. Details are on our Web site.
Assessing Places to Protect, Restore, and Develop
Near-Term Action Nearly Completed
Work is nearly finished on an important near-term action in the Action Agenda. Using an Environmental Protection Agency grant, the Department of Ecology and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, with assistance from us, characterized the Puget Sound watersheds to determine the relative importance of places to protect, restore, and develop.
The “Puget Sound Characterization” is several assessments that cover the entire Puget Sound drainage area — from the Olympic Mountains on the west to the Cascade Mountains on the east, including the San Juan Islands.
The watersheds are rated on water quality, flow, and fish and wildlife habitats. That information can be used in land use planning, prioritizing restoration projects, acquiring important lands, transferring development rights, and setting development regulations and standards. The assessment was the top priority in the protection category of the Action Agenda and will give us information about the best places to focus limited acquisition dollars.
A draft technical document is available for review at www.ecy.wa.gov/puget_sound/characterization/index.html. The document describes methods, models, and analyses for the water flow and water quality assessment of Puget Sound Water Resource Inventory Areas, as well as methods and guidance for applying the model results. A companion document describing the habitat assessment part of the project will be released in late November.
Once the information is finalized, the three state agencies will develop a Web-based display for assessment results that will assist local planners in applying the characterization results, including using the data for developing shoreline programs and comprehensive plans. The agencies also will create a grant program to fund protection and restoration of watershed resources by local governments.
New Low Impact Development Manual Coming Soon
A new draft Low Impact Development Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound is scheduled for release in late September. The guidance manual contains information about how to properly site, design, install, and maintain low impact development practices in the Puget Sound region.
Low impact development is a strategy to manage storm water that mimics natural water patterns by conserving and using natural features of the land in addition to small-scale storm water controls. The Partnership and the Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center are teaming up again with area experts to develop the manual.
Studies in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Japan indicate that low impact development practices can prevent pollution from getting into the Sound.
Scientists believe development and storm water runoff have contributed to the decline of Puget Sound Chinook and chum salmon and bull trout, all of which now are listed as threatened with extinction under the federal Endangered Species Act.
The release of this manual is important as local governments look for new, cost-effective techniques to manage runoff and comply with federal and state storm water permit requirements. Originally developed in 2005, the guidance manual will be the 2nd edition. The final manual is expected to be released in early 2012. For more information please see: www.psp.wa.gov/LID_manual.php.
Sincerely,
Gerry O’Keefe
Executive Director
PUGETSOUNDPARTNERSHIP
p: 360.464.1228 | c: 360.593.6620
326 East D Street | Tacoma, WA 98421-1801
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