Welcome to Skagit County
November 30th 2009
Clean Samish Initiative Seeks Public’s Help
MOUNT VERNON – Samish basin residents can learn about clean-water actions under way in that area and how small steps at homes and farms can help the newly-formed Clean Samish Initiative at a community open house Dec. 3.
More than 20 non-profit groups, businesses and government agencies formed Clean Samish earlier this year to speed cleanup in the river, bay and nearby streams. Several of these water bodies do not meet state clean-water standards for fecal coliform, bacteria from digestive systems of people and animals.
Clean Samish representatives from the Skagit County departments of Health and Public Works, Skagit Conservation District, Skagit Conservation Education Alliance, WSU Cooperative Extension and the Department of Ecology will describe efforts currently under way and assistance available for landowners. Watershed residents will be encouraged to share their ideas on sources of the fecal coliform bacteria and solutions at the meeting Thursday, Dec. 3, at the Allen Elementary School gym, 17145 Cook Road. An informal open house begins at 6:30 p.m., brief presentations start at 7 p.m., followed by small-group discussions. The open house will run through 9:30 p.m.
Other Clean Samish participants include Samish Bay shellfish farmers, the Samish Indian Nation, the Western Washington Agricultural Association, the Puget Sound Partnership, and the state departments of Health and Agriculture.
“Clean Samish represents a community-wide commitment in the broadest sense,” said Ecology’s regional director Jeannie Summerhays, who chairs the Initiative. “If you’ve ever had questions about the Samish cleanup, many of the organizations working on it will be under one roof at this open house.”
Summerhays added that owners of septic systems and farm animals can make very significant contributions. “When managed properly, none of these uses represents a threat to water quality,” she explained.
Teams from the county Health Department and Ecology have been visiting homes and farms in selected sub-basins to provide information and assistance on meeting local and state requirements to prevent contamination from reaching Samish waters.
Fecal coliform bacteria indicate the likely presence of disease-causing organisms in the water. Elevated levels of this pollutant have led to Washington Department of Health closures of commercial shellfish harvests in Samish Bay for a total of ten weeks in 2008 and 2009. Bacteria levels frequently reach levels too high for safe non-commercial shellfish harvesting and for recreational water-contact activities such as swimming and fishing.
“A clean Samish adds a critical value for farmers, especially those who irrigate from surface waters or grow shellfish” said Mike Rundlett of the Western Washington Agriculture Association. “Consumers need to be assured their food products are safe.”
Marine monitoring is conducted by the state Department of Health. Freshwater monitoring is conducted by Ecology, Skagit County and the volunteer Skagit Stream Team.
The Clean Samish Initiative has developed a plan to coordinate its members’ cleanup activities, based on an Ecology water-quality improvement strategy for the Samish, approved last month by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under the federal Clean Water Act. In addition to proper management of septic systems and animal waste, the plan addresses other pollution sources, including:
- farming operations that spread animal manure as fertilizer;
- various human recreational activities, including boating, hunting, fishing, hiking;
- marina live-aboard boats;
- waterfowl attracted to fields planted in grain.
For more information, or to get involved with Clean Samish, please contact:
Corinne Story, Skagit County Public Health, 360-336-9380, corinnes@co.skagit.wa.us
Pete Haase, Skagit Conservation Education Alliance, 360-419-3161, sceamail@verizon.net
Kristi Carpenter, Skagit Conservation District, 360-428-4313, kristi@skagitcd.org
Rick Haley, Skagit County Public Works, 360-336-9400, rickh@co.skagit.wa.us
Related: Clean Water Web Site: www.skagitcounty.net/cleanwater