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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20221208_CWDACminutesAlways working for a safer and healthier community 615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, WA 98368 www.JeffersonCountyPublicHealth.org Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) (f) 360-379-4487 Jefferson County Clean Water District Advisory Council Quarterly Meeting Zoom Webinar Thursday, December 12, 2022, 3:00 to 4:30 pm In attendance: Mike Dawson, Heidi Eisenhour, Monica Mickhager, Carol McCreary, Dave Steele, Richard Hull, Alena Reynolds, Jean Frost, John Fleming, Jacquelyn Stenman (staff). The meeting was called to order by Dawson at 3:03. Dawson described how the meeting would run as a Zoom webinar. 3:06 – 3:10 Introductions 3:10 – 3:14 Agenda and Minutes Approval. Dawson explained that Jean Frost, of DOH, requested to have the data update earlier in the agenda since she had to leave early and was presenting for Swanson who was unable to attend. Steele made a motion to accept the amended agenda, Hull seconded, all in favor. Steele made a motion to accept the minutes, Hull seconded, all in favor. 3:14 – 3:14 Public Comment. No public comment. 3:14 – 3:40 Updates from DOH. Frost, filling in for Swanson, presented a data update comparing marine station data from November 2022 and November 2021. DOH does not anticipate any changes in Jefferson County – good water quality throughout several bays. DOH will conduct 2023 shoreline surveys for Mats Mats Bay and Hood Canal 1. Station 125 improved, Station 142 and 137 declined. Elevated FC levels during closed season in conditionally approved area, not as high as they used to be but more frequent. Station 137 not on list for re-evaluation at this time. Quilcene stations 114 and 116 no longer Threatened. Discussion with Eisenhour and Steele concerning Station 137 related to wildlife and freshwater inputs. Dawson reported septic and water quality improvements in the area, as well as continuing investigations. Follow-up activities in Quilcene Bay and Hood Canal 4 pertaining to any changes to pollution sources, DOH will contact JCPH staff about water quality and PIC activities. 3:40 – 4:19 Annual Water Quality Report – Mike Dawson. JCPH Annual Water Quality Report summarizes bacteria monitoring for the past water year. Foundational Monitoring project was the basis for monitoring, ending in December but monitoring will continue. Overview of weather events and stream flow. No marine sampling this year. Early warning report last year for Quilcene, associated with heat wave, no concern about human sources. Overview of marine stations in Dosewallips and Duckabush areas. BEACH monitoring this summer, clean results this year other than Irondale one week, perhaps related to Irondale Creek. HABs caused many closures, some still ongoing. Vibriosis illness reports associated with commercial sources, food safety team assisted. No reports of hypoxia in Dabob Bay or Hood Canal. Stream monitoring compared to state standards, improving or worsening water quality. Pass/fail table: wet season had three part 2 failures, dry season had one part 1 failure and two part 2 failures. Partnering with JCCD to do MST sampling in Chimacum watershed, use PCR test to test if bacteria is associated with humans or wildlife. No results yet, maybe this winter. Collected E. coli at the same time, four months each in wet season and dry season. There were 5 part 2 failures in wet season, 9 part 1 failures and 17 part 2 failures in dry season. Three years of data for three creeks to perform trend analysis using Mann-Kendall test, no trends, data not homogenous. Shoreline monitoring of freshwater discharges at high priority miles resulted in 850 E. coli samples and 47 Entero samples. There were 114 high hits (18%) at 104 sites. Concluded with summary of important hot spots. Always working for a safer and healthier community Community Health Environmental Health Developmental Disabilities Water Quality 360-385-9400 360-385-9444 360-385-9401 (f) (f) 360-379-4487 4:19 – 4:39 Shoreline Priorities for 2023 – Mike Dawson. Jefferson County has 200 miles of shoreline, ranked by impact to shellfish beds and recreation. About 15 miles of high priority per monitoring group. Monitored affected by staff capacity, number and severity of hot spots, impacts to shellfish harvest, threats to human health, and frequency of sampling needed to reduce impacts. Reprioritizing Oak Bay areas. With so many hot spots, JCPH may need to reconsider criteria, which was derived from state water quality standards. JCPH staff often find single result > 1000 MPN sites end up being low/dry, low flow is lesser impact, signs of wildlife, and few human sources. Limited number of investigations find failing OSS or agricultural sources clearly tied to hot spot. Options: increase high priority threshold, eliminate >1000 single result sites, increase minimum flow for sampling, use professional judgement, or make no changes. Discussion with McCreary, Steele, and Hull concerning WDFW assistance, basis for criteria, and council decision versus staff professional judgement. 4:39 – 4:44 Update on Agricultural Surveys – Alena Reynolds. Windshield surveys in spring, found high cooperation rate. Four in Chimacum, one in Tarboo, three in Donovan. Refer to JCCD as applicable. Ecology uses aerial imagery to identify sites in specific areas close to main stems, looking for all manner of livestock but non-dairy especially (pigs are potent producers of pathogens). 4:44 – 4:50 Announcements • Foundational Monitoring Final Project Meeting 12/6, 6:00 – 7:00 PM, o Zoom link: us06web.zoom.us/j/86079336329v • 2023 quarterly meeting dates: 2/9, 5/11, 8/10, 11/9 • Reynolds: Clean water guidance for agriculture, out for public comment, webinar on December 14, 2022 4:50 The meeting was adjourned.