HomeMy WebLinkAbout20230511_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, May 11, 2023, 3:00 to 4:30 pm
In attendance: Mike Dawson, Heidi Eisenhour, Glenn Gately, John Fleming, Monica MickHager, Gordon
King, Carol McCreary, Kara Cardinal, Richard Hull, Trevor Swanson, Ben Watson (Ecology), Lawrence
Sullivan (Ecology), Jacquelyn Stenman, Amanda Christofferson.
The meeting was called to order by Dawson at 3:03. Dawson described how the meeting would run as a
Zoom webinar.
3:03 – 3:14 Introductions. Gordon King filling in as alternate for Dave Steele. Ben Watson and Lawrence
Sullivan, guests from Ecology.
3:14 – 3:17 Agenda and Minutes Approval. Hull moved to approve agenda, King seconded, all in favor.
MickHager moved to approve minutes, Hull seconded, all in favor.
3:17 – 3:17 No public present, no public comment.
3:17 – 3:31 Hood Canal #3 Data report – Trevor Swanson, DOH
Station 125 improved, with the 90th percentile going from 19 to 13-14. The Duckabush River delta is still
seeing some elevated fecal coliform during closed season. Station 137 unsorted 90th percentile is
meeting NSSP standards (was failing last time we met). A full upgrade in the Duckabush area is not
possible at this time, but DOH is looking into shaving off some closed months so the open period will be
longer. Station 137 during the open period had a 90th percentile of 12.1, and in the closed period 54.9
(exceeding standards). There was one open-period high hit, and six closed-period high hits – one will be
aging out of the calculation soon, which will help. PIC work in the area is still important and could help
change classification. Annual Growing Area reports are out. No early warning report in Jefferson County.
Christofferson commented that a lot more people in the Duckabush area are using properties full-time,
causing more strain on OSS.
3:31 – 3:41 Seal Rock septic failure, parcel closure? – Mike Dawson, Amanda Christofferson
Property owner called to ask about the Jefferson County septic cost share program two days before the
O&M inspection report came in that said that the steel tank was rusted and near caving in. The parcel is
located right on beach, on a 0.14 acre lot, north of Seal Rock. A pumper refused to pump the tank due to
safety risks. The owner qualified for cost share, and funding is in process, with coordination between the
designer and permitting staff for emergency measures, including a temporary tank with no use of the
built-in plumbing. The resident is an elderly woman on limited income. Christofferson completed
shoreline monitoring three months ago, and found no high bacteria in area. Brad Stone also made a site
visit, and found no effluent from tank reaching beach. A dye test was not feasible3
3:41 – 4:06 Chimacum/Snow Creek TMDL Study – Ben Watson and Lawrence Sullivan, Ecology
TMDL stands for total maximum daily load – the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can
receive and still meet WQ standards under the Clean Water Act. TMDL studies lead to cleanup plans
based on the amount of pollution that needs to be reduced. It is a regulatory mechanism. EPA grants
states the authority to develop TMDLs in waterways. Complex TMDLs can take decades to develop. Final
TMDLs require review and approval from EPA and tribes. There can be little on-the-ground payoff until
the implementation phase.
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
TMDLs:
• very effective for point source
• wasteload allocations (WLAs)
• often complex and resource intensive
• no additional regulatory teeth for nonpoint
Alternative Restoration Plan (ARP):
• middle ground – quicker, less technical
• still EPA reviewed/approved
• no WLAs
• work best with mixed-use watersheds with few or no point sources
Straight to Implementation (STI):
• direct implementation of BMPs
Goals:
1. Continue project scoping in Chimacum/Snow and Quilcene/Tarboo
2. Determine type of Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP)
3. Restore WQ by identifying restoration priorities, opening doors to funding (fewer strings
attached, no required match for nonpoint work), providing framework
4. Boost WQ programming and restoration efforts
Chimacum/Snow (1st Priority):
1. Multiparameter WQIP
2. ARP – bacteria and temperature
3. Extended scoping for source assessment
4. QAPP for sampling
5. Sources: livestock, ag, OSS
6. Timeframe: scoping 1-2 years, ARP 1 year, completion by 2026
7. Benefit local WQ and shellfish
Quilcene/Tarboo (2nd Priority): Multiparameter
1. ARP – bacteria, temp, DO and pH also present
2. Extended scoping for source assessment
3. QAPP for sampling
4. Sources: livestock, ag, OSS
5. Could coincide with Chimacum/Snow
6. Benefit local WQ, shellfish, and swimming beaches
Summary:
Partner with Jefferson County. Work on Chimacum/Snow first, then Quilcene/Tarboo. ARPs best project
type, but flexible and looking for feedback. Temp and bacteria are the parameters of concern. Are still in
the early stages of project scoping Local jurisdictions know the water best.
Dawson: There may be some overlap with the new centennial grant Chimacum-Hadlock PIC. Shellfish
protection through DOH, and Ecology’s Clean Water Act work give two perspectives and ways of
achieving water quality.
Gately: Chimacum MST report, 19 stations, 3 times more stations that are affected by human markers
than cattle markers, how OSS works if functioning properly, between DF and creek is soil, flowing
straight through soil to creek, how does that get fixed?
Watson: Some solutions not obvious, targeting monitoring to certain reaches and parcels, work groups
to combine technical knowledge.
Sullivan: Ecology work would help provide planning and monitoring to identify localized pollution
sources. Dye testing. Soil treats water pretty well.
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
McCreary: Where do you start, so many players feeding you data?
Watson: Start with data, already sharing, feeding data into modeling, where we can start. Building more
complete picture helps focus in. Starting a dialogue.
Cardinal: Is temperature a standard or are these streams high in temperature, what do you do about
that?
Watson: Planting. We don’t do these plans unless there is an impairment, WQ standards not met.
Sullivan: Good work at JCPH laying foundation with monitoring and PIC work and funding. Collect all
data sources out there to complete puzzle.
Gately: Planting a lot of trees, seeing improvements. Air temps going up, tree canopies fully grown and
fighting against temperatures.
McCreary: What is a 303d impairment?
Watson: Waterbodies that we know are impaired through the Clean Water Act section 303d List.
Thousands of them across the state, capacity issues. Focus on action happening based on activity of
partners.
4:06 – 4:10 Final Clean Water District Annual Report– Mike Dawson
Dawson summarized the final changes made to the Annual Report in the Implementation Table.
McCreary requested more acronym definitions. Hull moved to approve the report with the suggested
added definitions, MickHager seconded, all in favor, none opposed.
4:10 – 4:19 Wet Season 2022-23 results/hot spots – Mike Dawson, Jacquelyn Stenman
Dawson and Stenman summarized the stream and shoreline results from wet season (October 2022 to
March 2023). 15 stream stations were monitored monthly and 94 miles of shoreline were monitored. All
stream stations passed water quality standards. April 2023 was wetter than normal, so the wet season
sampling was extended and dry season delayed until May. Most shoreline goals were accomplished, but
about 15 miles on the Toandos Peninsula could not be accessed due to a combination of high tides, bad
weather and limited access (boat required). Previous hot spots included Irondale Creek and Thorndyke
201. New hot spots were Marrowstone Island 88 and South Point 3.
4:19 – 4:32 Chimacum Microbial Source Tracking and Septic Corrections – Mike Dawson, Glenn Gately
Gately shared information about the inclusion of Microbial Source Tracking results where the marker
was identified but below the level of quantification. Including them in the analysis Expands number of
sites in watershed with markers. Dawson showed a map that was made to compare location of markers
to septic repair work.
4:32 – 4:34 Announcements
• WQ Internship position open until 5/26 at www.co.jefferson.wa.us/jobs.aspx
• Next meeting August 10
• Cardinal: Two Puget Sound Partnership Strategic Initiative opportunities are open
Adjourn at 4:34