Minutes
November 17, 2004
Members Present: Laura Arnold, David Hoopes, David Loyd, Jim Slocomb, Dennis Willows
Absent: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Mike Bertrand, Brian Calvert, Peter Fromm, Terrie Klinger, Mary Masters, Kevin Ranker, Kit Rawson
Guests: Mark Billington, Shannon Davis, Jody Kennedy, Liz Martin, Rich Osborne, Mike Queisser,
Erin Riordan, Rowann Tallmon
Guest speaker: Jan Newton, UW School of Oceanography
Chair Jim Slocomb called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. in the Community Room at Islanders Bank Annex, Friday Harbor.
Citizens’ Comments:
David Hoopes said that the Nooksack Recovery Team will be holding its Salmon Summit 2400 tomorrow, an all-day conference In Bellingham, to answer important questions about Pacific salmon restoration.
Jim distributed a copy of this year’s “Protecting B.C.’s Rock Fish,” a booklet which is handed out along with fishing licenses in British Columbia. Jim pointed out that there are new bottomfish closures in southern B.C. and each page has a map of a different rockfish conservation area in B.C.
Minutes: Review of minutes of the 11/3/04 meeting was held over to the next full quorum meeting.
Guest presentation:
Jan Newton works at the UW Applied Physics Lab, studying local and external effects on marine water quality for the diverse and dynamic ( as opposed to similar and stagnant) Pacific Northwest waters. She pointed out the Puget Sound area on a satellite image, noting the very turbulent, seasonal nature of these waters, as opposed to areas with relatively stagnant waters. She said the large, dark ocean areas off the Columbia River inlet, rather than indicating the presence of sediment, likely indicate phytoplankton which may, perhaps, be affected by Columbia River discharge (iron sediment for example).
Jan said that two of the big drivers of change to water quality are climate and human behaviors. Water quality parameters include temperature changes, contaminants, and invasive species. Jan said that the oceans are changing, and so are the rivers and watersheds; likewise, marine estuaries (where rivers meet the sea) are also changing.
Monitoring (repeated observations of systems over time) is a research tool that helps in understanding the underlying mechanisms of change, Jan said. Modeling and experimentation are some other tools of scientific research.
Jan said that oceans off our coast are not homogeneous in terms of water properties; for example, Puget Sound has been called a “messy place” where, oceanographically speaking, it is not “distinct” unto itself but is very much affected by several diverse open sea connections. The five basins in Puget Sound have flushing times that are diverse and times differ in summer and winter (generally between 120 and 140 days). Seawater density here can be mixed or stratified, with cold, salty water in deeper layers and warm, fresh water in the top of the water column.
Jan said that students in the UW Friday Harbor Labs’ apprenticeship course are finding very turbulent environments, here such as in San Juan Channel, where water column structure cannot persist.
Jan discussed some human impacts to water quality, including chemicals, stormwater runoff (sewers), leaking septic tank systems, animal manures, adding “new” nutrients from fertilized lawns, alteration of river flow for power generation, etc. She pointed out that high nutrient content goes along with reduced oxygen levels. Jan emphasized that if changes in the oceans themselves are changing oxygen content, then, there is even less room for human harm to marine water quality.
Climate variability, as Jan’s example from 1990 to 1998 showed, results in a quite variable, dynamic ocean; she said that the Fraser River plume, for instance, goes either north or south depending on the influence of the winds. Climate can also have effects on biology; the 1998 strong El Nino oscillations, followed by a strong La Nina, saw a doubling of phytoplankton here. Jan said there is a higher abundance of phytoplankton in Georgia Strait than in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (less turbulent, warmer waters on overall surface in Georgia Strait?). The 2000-01 severe drought reduced river flow and river flow defines marine water quality (e.g. its rate of flush of pollutants to the ocean, size of sediment, phytoplankton growth, and presence of animals). Jan used DOE’s monitoring data to show that the pattern of changes in water layering suggests a mean of 50% difference in stratification.
Jan said that the UW Oceans and Human Health Center keeps an eye out for changes in marine conditions, including, for instance, the presence of poisonous demoic acid in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which may be due to increased iron content; the Center is also studying possible causes of the algae bloom phenomenon. The WA Department of Ecology is mandated to provide a monitoring database to fulfill the Federal Clean Water Act, sections 303d an 305b. Washington state has a long-term marine water monitoring program. The Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program will contribute data by Spring of 2005.
Jan said that she is now working in the DOE’s “JEMS” program (Joint Effort to Monitor the Strait), which began in 1999 as a partnering of MEHP, King County, UW PRISM (now Sea Doc Society), Friday Harbor Labs, NOAA, and Roche Harbor Resort. A boat out of Friday Harbor has been doing monthly monitoring at three stations here (Eastsound, Friday Harbor, Fishermans Bay + south Lopez) nothing exceptional has been recorded. Generally, there is a low gradient of concern here in the San Juans in terms of water quality indicators of oxygen concentration, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, light transparency, nutrients, chlorophyll, temperature, salinity, density, pH, fecal coliform bacteria, ammonium concentration, and density stratification; although there may not be much problem in the area with these traditional water quality indicators, more subtle issues come to the fore here, Jan said, like species composition, trophic linkages, invasive species, and unmeasured parameters. Jan suggested contacting Mike Gallagher of DOE for information on chemical pollutants, such as the work of the Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins (PBTs) program; there was brief mention of the impacts and possible concentrations of PCBs, TBT, hormones and other pharmaceutical residues being flushed to the oceans...chemicals that can persist in the environment, including marine waters and marine life. David Loyd added that Washington Toxics Coalition also has information on PCBs, hormones, etc. Jan said that EPA’s BEACH (Beach Environmental Assessment and Community of Health) program might provide free bacteria monitoring.
Outflowing water in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (from Puget Sound and Strait of Georgia) is fresher and warmer than the colder, saltier, denser water flowing in from the Pacifc Ocean. The three monitoring stations here, then, are characterizing both inflow and outflow water. Jan introduced Rowann Tollman, who was an early technician for the monitoring effort here.
Jan discussed the Westcott Bay phenomenon of disappearing eelgrass and how much of that is influenced by water quality. She was part of an MEHP study out of Roche Harbor following the 2000-01 drought; the Bay is quite shallow and is well mixed; salinity level changed but within tolerable range during the drought. She said it is unknown what’s going on in Westcott Bay (changes in available light? sediment load? etc.); five different hypotheses were proposed by the study.
Jan distributed copies of “Resources,” a list of programs that deal with marine water quality issues and their websites. Information on JEMS can be found at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap; observations are archived and Jan asked that people write the Environmental Assessment Program to register their comments on institutionalizing JEMS’ to continue monitoring and water quality measurement work in the San Juans. The JEMS boat trips and growing database also provide an excellent platform for local educational groups.
In the drought of 2000, marine water here was cooler and saltier (less fresh inflowing water); a weaker density gradient resulted in a decreased outflow speed so that water stayed in inland waters longer (a four-fold difference). Jan suggested that the implications of this need to be further researched (e.g. for contaminants, larvae, oxygen content). There will a Georgia Basin/Puget Sound Research Conference in Seattle, March or April of 2005.
Jan distributed copies of the NANOOS (Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems) brochure that is a joint effort providing sustained monitoring of California, Oregon and Washington marine and estuarine waters. The US. Ocean Commission recommended a national, integrated system for reliable marine observational data. (There are just two pilot coastal ocean-to-estuary programs that are federally funded, Jan said, one in Florida and one in our region.) NANOOS is user driven and a workshop for user communities will be held in Seattle in February (what do communities want?). As the brochure explains, the NANOOS logo, painted by Mr. Tom Guthrie, a Tsimshian Tribal member, depicts a story about the continuity and interconnectivity of all life. The “Circle of Protectors,” Raven, Wolf, Eagle, Killer Whale, indicate the importance of protecting the entirety of our environment in this unique representation of Pacific Northwest art and culture. See http://www.nanoos.org to join or find more information.
Jan’s suggestions for water quality actions we can take included:
• write to DOE Environmental Assessment Program and your elected officials to support JEMS;
• support and join NANOOS;
• form local water quality monitoring groups (with quality control);
• alert DOE and NANOOS about your issues.
David Hoopes applauded Jan’s presentation and suggested that all the MRCs and NWSC should sign on to support JEMS. He also liked the mention in the NANOOS’ brochure about their Pacific Northwest native-inspired logo.
Boaters Guide: There was discussion about MRC’s purchase of an ad for both the “Boaters Guide” and the “Washington Waterways” map. The issue and vote were dropped for lack of a quorum and deadline requirements.
Updates: David Hoopes said there was an outstanding shorebird presentation at the NWSC MRC Conference. David Loyd reported on the recent abalone workshop; he said the DFW is aware of declines in populations of pinto abalone, which have low breeding opportunity in nature; poaching is another issue. The breeding program is working, in terms of re-introduction, and there are monitoring and survey stations here. One concern is the unknown interface between abalone, sea otters, sea urchins, etc. Dennis said the data sets from index sites show an abundance, that is now in decline. Jody will email a related website.
Jim reported on the recent Marine Managers Work Session, that hoped to conceptualize new, cooperative ways to work together on environmental health and resource conservation issues. After initial take-off the effort tapered off, he said, but a variety of proposals resulted. However, there was no endorsement of the MSA...yet! Some concrete steps that have been taken include State Parks working with DNR and an MRC to expand tidelands management; also, management of National Wildlife Reserves now includes Aquatic Reserves. MRC will host DFW’s comprehensive plan public hearing around the reserves issue. Dennis Willows said it is clear that we can gather up our priorities “to do it.” David Loyd said that “pocket estuaries” are a viable resource and concern in the San Juans; discussion followed.
Jim suggested that Laura’s discussion of the Westcott / Garrison Bays Watershed Plan at the Work Session should be a future agenda item. The Plan is complete but hasn’t progressed through public process; the MRC, therefore, needs to be a voice to have the process continued. There will also be outreach related to the Shoreline Master Program revision next year.
Waldron outreach meeting: David Loyd said the anectodal evidence is there! He was glad to see people from the Deer Harbor community at the meeting. With a show of hands, David said the vote was nearly unanimous that the
MSA is a good thing. Community stewardship is a wildly popular idea on Waldron and it’s agreed that working with the MRC is the way to maximize efforts and resources. One concern is that the science be done first, and in a systematic fashion.
Laura appreciated hearing views from Waldron and said it reminded here how invaluable interviews with locals are. The population here is changing, she said. A bio-cultural view (map) of the changes being recorded in all the communities with monitoring projects and all the Islands would be a useful tool for students.
David Hoopes mentioned the Foxfire Program. Jim said the meeting brought up some very interesting and valuable consistencies. Jody said she’s very interested in feedback on the meeting from the Waldron view. David Loyd said that the key to the future is the agreement that humans need to better manage themselves, although harvesters are also interested in future harvest.
MRC Retreat: A draft agenda was discussed; Jody will distribute the edited version by email. She mentioned that the BOCC has published announcements to recruit new MRC members.
Jim said that DNR’s Derelict Vessel Project is moving ahead; three local governments are partnered in the junk boat collection, for $100-150,000 after January 1st.
David Loyd said he wonders about the implication that iron levels may contribute to toxic demoic acid dynamics.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
Submitted by Helen Venada
