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May 4th, 2012

Samish Bay closed to shellfish harvest again due to high fecal coliform bacteria counts

SKAGIT COUNTY - The Washington State Department of Health has temporarily closed Samish Bay for commercial and recreational shellfish harvest due to high fecal coliform bacteria levels in samples collected by Skagit County personnel on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. This closure was unusual in that the high bacteria counts were detected when flows in the Samish River were declining from higher flows early in the week caused by recent heavy rains. Concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria usually peak when the river reaches maximum flows during a rain event.

Due to the unusual nature of the closure, Samish Bay shellfish farmers were required to halt shipments of shellfish that were harvested earlier in the week and return these products to the bay for harvest at a later date. “Closures like these have a significant economic impact to shellfish growing operations”, said Bill Dewey, spokesperson for Taylor Shellfish, Samish Bay’s largest shellfish grower. This closure comes just weeks after an unusual closure occurred on April 10th. The April 10th closure was not associated with a rain event and was detected during weekly sampling. Since it was unexpected, shellfish growers had to recall product that was already loaded on trucks on its way to distributers. None of these shellfish made it to consumers.

This closure is just another in a series of seven closures that have occurred since March 1st. Aside from the number of closures, concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria have increased in recent weeks throughout the Samish Bay watershed to some of the highest levels ever detected. “We have seen things deteriorate rapidly with regards to fecal coliform concentrations in the past few weeks”, said Skagit County Public Works Water Quality Analyst, Rick Haley. Areas that have seen particularly bad fecal coliform levels include Swede, Thomas, Parsons, Willard, Weir, and Friday Creeks, as well as the entire middle and lower Samish River itself. A sample collected on Monday from Bob Smith Creek, which flows from near the Bow Hill Road exit on Interstate 5 to the Samish River near Old Highway 99, had a fecal coliform concentration of 16,000 colony forming units per liter, which is 160 times the state standard of 100 colony forming units per liter. Results of the most recent sampling can be found at www.skagitcounty.net/cleanwater.

Above normal precipitation this spring has caused increased runoff in the basin which is picking up fecal coliform bacteria on its way to the Samish River and its tributaries and ultimately to Samish Bay. Precipitation levels in the Samish Watershed in April were approximately 170 percent of normal.

High fecal coliform counts this spring have come after an increased effort by state and local organizations in the past two years has focused on the fecal coliform problem in the basin as part of the Clean Samish Initiative. Work to address fecal coliform from livestock, septic systems, and pet waste appeared to have been bearing fruit as the number of closures and the overall concentrations of fecal coliform fell through this winter. The results even led to optimism that the State Department of Health could upgrade the status of Samish Bay this spring from “conditionally approved” to “approved”. This upgrade could have happened if there was no more than one closure during the critical evaluation period from March 1 through June 30.
All of the agencies in the Clean Samish Initiative, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington Departments of Agriculture, Ecology, and Health as well as Skagit County have already begun to increase efforts in the past few weeks. “We have made considerable progress in the Samish Basin, but obviously there is still a lot of work left to do”, said Skagit County Commissioner Ron Wesen. “Please take another look at your property to make sure you are not a source of pollution.” said Water Quality Analyst Rick Haley. “We’re going to need everyone to do their part if we’re going to solve this problem.”

The major sources of polluting bacteria are:
• Residential and business onsite septic systems
• Various small and commercial farming operations with livestock
• Farming operations that spread animal manure as fertilizer
• Human recreational activities including boating, hunting, fishing, and hiking
• Marine live-aboard boats
• Waterfowl attracted to fields planted in grain mostly during the winter months
• Mishandled pet waste

All of these sources, if managed properly, need not pose a threat to water quality. Livestock owners are encouraged to contact the Skagit Conservation District at (360) 428-4313 to make sure you are using appropriate management practices to keep livestock out of the waterways. Homeowners are required to ensure that their septic systems are in proper working order by having their systems inspected. Contact the Skagit County Health Department at (360) 336-9380 for more information on septic systems. Pet owners are encouraged to pick up after their pets. If you have questions about other potential sources of fecal coliform pollution, please contact the Skagit County Public Works Department at (360) 336-9400.
For more information on clean water efforts in the Samish Watershed, current status of the bay (open or closed for harvest), a calendar of Samish bay shellfish bed closures to date, or to report a water quality problem, visit www.skagitcounty.net/cleanwater.

For more information, contact Patti Chambers at 360-360-9400 or pchambers@co.skagit.wa.us