HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230209_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, February 9, 2023, 3:00 to 4:30 pm
In attendance: Mike Dawson, Kate Dean, Joe Holtrop, Monica MickHager, Gordon King, Carol McCreary,
Kara Cardinal, Richard Hull, Trevor Swanson, Alena Reynolds, Glenn Gately, Jacquelyn Stenman, Lara
Gaasland-Tatro, Tim Weissman, Amanda Christofferson.
The meeting was called to order by Dawson at 3:03. Dawson described how the meeting would run as a
Zoom webinar.
3:05 – 3:10 Introductions. Gordon King filling in as alternate for Dave Steele, Kate Dean filling in for
Heidi Eisenhour (new BoCC representative for 2023).
3:10 – 3:15 Agenda and Minutes Approval. King moved to approve agenda, Hull seconded, all in favor.
Hull moved to approve minutes, MickHager seconded, all in favor (King and Cardinal abstained).
3:15 – 3:16 No public present, no public comment.
3:20 – 3:35 Hood Canal #3 Data report – Trevor Swanson, DOH
Dosewallips station 125 bacteria levels improved, and Duckabush stations 142 and 137 declined. The
Duckabush River delta is still seeing some elevated fecal coliform during the closed season. One sample
failed standards in April 2021. Six samples failed standards during the warm season when it is closed;
some failures coincide with ebb tides and less marine dilution. An upgrade of the Duckabush
Conditionally Approved area is not possible until the water quality improves further. Reclassification of
the Restricted area at the mouth of the Dosewallips may be possible once a septic failure there is
corrected. Annual Growing Area Reports will be out in April.
3:35 – 4:10 Chimacum Microbial Source Tracking results – Glenn Gately, Mike Dawson
In 2021-22, JCPH and JCCD participated in a microbial source tracking (MST) study by EPA Manchester
Lab to help determine the sources of high bacteria in stream water. JCCD and JCPH collected E. coli and
MST samples over 8 months in water year 2022 at 19 stream stations in the Chimacum Creek watershed.
In the wet season 4 stations failed the state E. coli standard and 11 stations failed in the dry season.
Stations high in E. coli tended to be in the upper watershed.
DNA analysis by EPA showed the presence of human markers at 3 stations in wet season and at 11
stations in dry season. Cattle markers were found at 3 stations in wet season and 5 stations in dry
season. Human markers were present at substantially fewer stations in 2021-22 than they were in a
previous 2011-12 study, both in the wet months (3 vs. 16) and in the dry months (11 vs. 17).
The percentage of stations passing the standard was much higher in 2021-22 than it was in the three
previous monitoring periods. Septic improvements and agricultural BMPs implemented from 2012 to
2021 probably contributed to the improvements. It is also likely that some of the observed improvement
resulted from a change in the standard from fecal coliform to E. coli in 2019.
Regression analysis showed a high correlation between the presence of human markers and E. coli
concentration both for wet season (p=0.002) and for dry (p=0.002). The highest correlation (p=0.0002)
was obtained when dry season human and cattle markers were combined. E. coli concentration was
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
positively correlated to the previous 3-day high air temperature recorded at a Bremerton weather
station (p=0.04). Gately and Dawson plan to continue to analyze the data and produce maps to go with
the narrative of the report. The results will be used to guide areas of focus in the Chimacum-Hadlock PIC
project, which starts this year.
4:10 – 4:15 Draft Clean Water District Annual Report – Mike Dawson
Dawson summarized the previous year of monitoring and PIC work in the Clean Water District, including
funding, program status/changes, program success, challenges and barriers, and pollution control
implementation. There were no major changes to the program. Two water quality projects were
completed in March 2022, and another one was completed at the end of the year. The status of
approved shellfish growing areas in Jefferson County was maintained in 2022. A new Chimacum-Hadlock
PIC project is planned for 2023. The implementation table was mostly complete, but metrics from JCCD
and Ecology will be added. Dawson requested that any questions about the report be emailed to him,
and that he will send the final draft to the council, when the final metrics were completed, for approval
before sending to DOH.
4:15 – 4:20 Foundational Monitoring Project Summary – Tim Weissman
Weissman summarized the Foundational Monitoring project accomplishments, and shared a two-page
summary that will be posted on the water quality website. This included a project overview, project
goals, water quality results, PIC work results, and next steps for JCPH.
4:20 – 4:25 Jefferson County Septic Cost Share Program – Amanda Christofferson
Christofferson presented a new septic cost share program available for low income residents, and
shared a flyer that has been distributed to the public. She shared that she was already receiving
applications and hoped that the program can help make septic repairs more affordable and achievable.
The program is not funded through the Clean Water District, but supports its goals.
4:25 – 4:30 BEACH 2023 draft beach monitoring list – Jacquelyn Stenman
Stenman shared the proposed list of beaches to be monitored through the BEACH program in summer
2023: Fort Worden State Park, Chetzemoka Park, Mystery Bay State Park, and Point Whitney. Irondale
Beach is planned to be monitored under the Chimacum-Hadlock PIC project. The program is not funded
through the Clean Water District, but supports its goals. The draft list goes to the State BEACH program
for public comment and approval as the funding agency.
4:30 – 4:31 Announcements
• Next meeting May 11th, 2023
Adjourn at 4:31