Environmental Health

Marine Recovery Areas adopted in Skagit County Posted 9/25/08 Skagit County Commissioners Adopt Marine Recovery Areas For Onsite Sewage Disposal Systems Maps available for viewing online at www.skagitcounty.net SKAGIT COUNTY – On September 16, 2008 the Skagit County Board of Commissioners signed Ordinance #020080011 adopting Marine Recovery Areas for On Site Sewage Disposal Systems. The Skagit County Public Health Department held eight public meetings and open houses at multiple locations this year regarding establishing the boundaries and requirements of marine Recovery Areas and Sensitive Areas as outlined in the Skagit County On Site Sewage Management Plan. The Skagit County Board of Health adopted Marine Recovery areas as identified in the Skagit County On Site Sewage Management Plan and as amended from citizen comments as follows: Samish Island and Samish Bay Yokeko, Dewey Beach and Quiet Cove Similk Bay and Similk Beach Community Padilla Bay and Bay View Rural Village Guemes Island Colony Creek Lower Samish Basin The ordinance established the following areas as sensitive areas impacting Marine Recovery Areas due to water quality impairments and large numbers of unknown on site swage systems: Upper Samish River Basin Thomas Creek Basin Nookachams Creek Basin For further information, contact: Steve Olsen Environmental Health Specialist III On Site Sewage Program Lead 360-416-1500 x 3405 Posted 9/9/08 Response to Comments based on comments received at public hearing August 19, 2008 and in writing up to Friday, August 22, 2009 at 4:30 p.m. Deliberation and Possible Adoption of Marine Recovery Areas for On-Site Sewage Systems will be held Tuesday, September 16, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. RESPONSE TO COMMENTS (Pdf) Marine Recovery Comment Period Extended At the Marine Recovery Area Public Hearing held August 19, 2008 at the Commissioner’s Hearing Room the Board of Health extended the comment period to 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 22, 2008. Written comments may be sent to either the: Skagit County Public Health Department 700 South Second Street, #301, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, email health@co.skagit.wa.us or to the Skagit County Commissioners Office 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, email commissioners@co.skagit.wa.us Skagit County Public Health Department is proposing five (5) Marine Recovery Areas (MRAs) and five (5) Sensitive areas because of the large number of unknown on site sewage systems in specific areas where on site sewage system issues exist and/or where water quality standards are not met. To inform residents of these areas of the issues and the MRAs a series of eight (8) Open House Public Meetings were held throughout Skagit County (see schedule of meetings). At most of the meetings several agencies and organizations presented information about their water quality monitoring data. These water quality partners included: 1. Skagit County Public Works Water Quality Monitoring Program (Annual report) 2. Washington State Department of Ecology Water Cleanup Program and BEACH Program 3. Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Program 4. Skagit Conservation District and Padilla Bay Stream Team Each clinic was followed by a Septics 101 Clinic. A total of 255 people attended the public meetings and 385 attended the Septics 101 Clinics. As indicated during each meeting a public hearing will be held and is now scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 9:30 a.m. at the Skagit County Commissioners Hearing Room, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon. See resolution adopted by the Skagit County Board of Health July 22, 2008. What follows is a list of the Marine Recovery Areas (MRAs) proposed with a list of reasons why and a map that displays the status of the on site sewage systems in the areas. The colors on the maps indicate the status of the onsite sewage system at a particular parcel, and are as follows: Green = recent Operations and Maintenance (O&M) inspection or recent repair Yellow = No O&M inspection, on site sewage system permit or file or pump service record on file Red = Unknown on site sewage system; no permit, no O&M inspection or maintenance history on file White = no residence or business on site, vacant or abandoned The proposed Marine Recovery Areas and criteria are: 1. Samish Island and Samish Bay (May 22, 2008) closed commercial shellfish growing areas, threatened status of shellfish growing areas as indicated by marine water quality trends identified in WA Dept. of Health's May 23, 2007 review of shellfish growing areas, water quality monitoring data from Ecology and Skagit County Public Works indicates degrading water quality; substantial redevelopment of shoreline properties, poor soils that require pretreatment components in septic systems, and data indicating unknown septic systems and operational status. 2. Yokeko, Dewey Beach and Quiet Cove (YDQ) Currently an Area of Special Concern.(See Resolution R20050357) Substantial redevelopment Poor soils 3. Similk Bay and Similk Beach Community commercial shellfish growing area closed due to public health hazard status, substantial redevelopment of shoreline properties, poor soils that require pretreatment components in OSS, extremely small platted lots, current enforcement of O&M and repairs in process. 4. Padilla Bay and the Bay View Rural Village and Watershed commercial shellfish growing area closed due to public health hazard status, substantial redevelopment of shoreline properties, poor soils that require pretreatment components in septic systems, extremely small platted lots, current enforcement of O&M and repairs in progress. 5. Guemes Island recreational shellfish beds closed due to water quality impairment as evidenced by water quality monitoring data, poor soils that require pretreatment components in OSS; small lots in Rural Village zoned area; and data indicates large number of unknown septic systems. Proposed Sensitive Areas that impact Marine Recovery Areas due to: water quality impairments where standards are not met; and large number of unknown septic systems in the areas: 1. Colony Creek(Lower Samish River Watershed) Map (.pdf) 2. The Lower Samish River Basin (Lower Samish River Watershed) Map (.pdf) 3. The Upper Samish River Basin (including Friday Creek) Map (.pdf) 4. The Thomas Creek Basin(.pdf) 5. The Nookachamps Creek Basin Map (.pdf)

Related documents (pdf): Ordinance #020080011 Response to Comments 08/19/08 Public Hearing Notice Shellfish Growing Area Timeline Skagit County Public Health Department On Site Sewage Management Plan

Steve Olsen
Environmental Health Specialist III
Skagit County Public Health Department
700 South Second Street, # 301
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Tel: 360-416-1500 x 3405
Fax : 360-336-9401

Email: Steveo@co.skagit.wa.us

Thank you for your interest