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Home My WebLink About20231109_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 Notes Thursday, November 9, 2023 3:00 to 4:30 pm Jefferson County Public Health Pacific Room 615 Sheridan St, Port Townsend 98368 Hybrid meeting in-person or Zoom Call to Order – 3:03 Heidi Eisenhour, Board of County Commissioners, Michael Dawson, Jeff. Co. Public Health, John Fleming, Jeff. Co. Public Works, Glenn Gately, Jeff. Co. Conservation District, Joe Holtrop, Jeff. Co. Conservation District, Monica MickHager, City of Port Townsend, Lee Steele, Commercial Shellfish, Carol McCreary, Citizen, District 1, Richard Hull, Citizen, District 3, Trevor Swanson, WA Dept of Health, Jacquelyn Stenman, Jeff. Co. Public Health, Brad Bebout, Guest 3:00 – 3:05 Hybrid meeting/Zoom webinar etiquette 3:05 – 3:10 Introductions Welcome shellfish representative Lee Steele 3:10 – 3:13 Agenda and Minutes Approval Suggestion to add discussion of Rich Earth Summit at the end of agenda. Hull moves to approve agenda as amended, second by Eisenhour, all in favor, none opposed. Eisenhour moves to approve minutes, second by Hull, all in favor, none opposed 3:13 – 3:15 Public Comment - none 3:15 – 3:30 Hood Canal #3 Data report – Trevor Swanson, DOH Station 124 improved: This time last year, Station 124 was 21.4 FC and now it’s 14.2. Stations 136, 139, 140, and 137 improved: Station 137 was 49.2 last year, this year it’s 29.0. The Duckabush River delta is still seeing some elevated FC during the closed season (nothing really bad – see individual data). Full upgrade not possible around Station 137 at this time but will be looking into partial upgrade in next few months (shortening the closed period perhaps?). Station 137 still at 45.1 during closed season (still an improvement from previous years) and 12.1 during open season. Systematic random sampling vs adverse pollution condition (closed season = apc). For upgrade need percentage of samples that are over 43 FC to be less than 10%, currently 17%. Station 137 has five high hits in the dataset still, not as high as they have been in the past. Dawson mentioned habitat monitoring by WDFW for the bridge replacement study, data loggers, and the possibility of utilizing the Salish Sea model. 3:30 – 4:20 Water Quality Annual Report – Mike Dawson Lower than normal precipitation (2/3 of average – 13” vs 19” in Port Townsend) – not many normal months in south county, though higher than north county. Record low flows in Duckabush River in September. Commercial Shellfish Growing Areas: No threatened areas in 2023, continued Duckabush conditional closure. Partial closure of Chimacum Tidelands recreational shellfish beach due to Irondale Creek hot spot. Closed parcels at Dosewallips River mouth, Little Goose Creek, and S Bay Way. BEACH program: One high hit at Fort Worden in June, one high hit at Mystery Bay in July, both returned to 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 normal within two days – wildlife, turbidity, suspected factors. Marine HABs and Vibrio: Typical PSP closures, Annual Vibrio warning in Hood Canal, Vibrio illness cases reported. Marine – Other: Coccolithophore blooms (Discovery Bay) – not a risk to human health. Dabob Bay DO – no hypoxic events known, but higher DO near surface, could be due to blooms. December 2022 King Tide flooding – no record of any damage to septic systems. Streams: Wet season – all streams passed both state standards (a first). Dry season – Snow Creek failed both parts, Donovan Creek failed part 1, Pierce Creek and Duckabush River failed part 2. Stations in all five monitoring areas, most near mouth Percentage of stream stations passing standards improving in wet season, fluctuating in dry – more passing stations in wet season in general. Statistical analysis of Snow Creek (three years of EC data) had homogenous data but no trend towards improving or worsening. Cooper Creek and Piddling Creek (four years of data) had non-homogenous data and no trend towards improving or worsening. Shoreline: Prioritized shellfish beds and public access beaches. Sampled 85 high priority miles and 92 total miles in wet season. Sampled 83 high priority miles and 85 total miles in dry season. Sampled 99% of goal in wet season, 97% of goal in dry season. Short staffed this summer. Hot spots were prioritized based on geomean – high priority > 320 MPN, medium priority 100-320 MPN, no problem < 100 MPN. Wet season: 434 E. coli samples, 5% high hits, 9 Entero samples, 0% high hits. Dry season: 190 E. coli, 45% high hits, 27 Entero samples, 26% high hits – 26 hot spots (8 > 1,000 MPN). Expect less samples (less flow) and high bacteria (less dilution) in dry season. Notable hot spots: Dosewallips 103 – shellfish closed parcels site • Site dry in 2023 • All DW sites in wet and dry were non-detects • Restaurant failed septic system emergency measures in place • Approved repair permit • Installation scheduled after Thanksgiving 2023 • Reevaluate parcels after installation complete Duckabush Estuary • Conditionally approved shellfish area • Duckabush River mouth DUC/0.0 o Passed wet and dry season standards o September 2023 and October 2023 high hits • Pierce Creek PIE/0.3 o Dry season GMV = 99.2 EC o October 2023: 1,732.9 EC • Petitjean Creek DU099 o Dry season GMV = 152 EC Hull: Are there a lot of houses near Pierce Creek? Dawson: Duckabush Rd, Shorewood Rd, lots of houses, sanitary surveys in the past but need more, don’t know of any failed systems or surfacing sewage, various septic issues such as old systems with no inspections, poor soils. Other Hot Spots: Paradise Bay 042 (previous), Little Goose Creek (previous), South Point 003, Quilcene 010, Marrowstone Island 088, South Point 012 (previous), Cape George 040, Port Hadlock 004 (Irondale Creek – previous). S Bay Way: Oak Bay 207 – non-detects both seasons. Approved septic permit for one parcel, other parcel has system which needs an inspection. N Bay Way - Oak Bay 053: Wet GMV = 133 • Exceedance in October 2022 Dry GMV = 175 Lakes: Anderson Lake cyanotoxins above guidelines several times this year, bloom severity very high throughout the year. No closures at other lakes, though blooms were present. Fecal bacteria very low. 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 Gibbs seasonal bacteria GMV = 2.94. Leland seasonal bacteria GMV = 4.47.McCreary: When will the report be done? Dawson: Hopefully before Thanksgiving. 4:10 – 4:15 Water Quality Staffing – Mike Dawson Tim Weissman shifted to the septic permit department, continues in Lakes program. Amanda Rose water quality seasonal intern this summer for BEACH program. Amanda Christofferson moved to the courthouse – she was part-time water quality in the Brinnon area and championed financial assistance for septic repairs and replacements (Craft3 may be starting a cost-share program). Lara Gaasland-Tatro moving to climate and health department (wildfire smoke, heat events, etc.). Several positions to fill, advertise for full-time positions, increase capacity for code compliance in septic – advertise on county webpage soon, will send out to council. Increased interaction between water quality and natural resources department, need to provide more provide support. Hull: Grant status update? Dawson: Chimacum Hadlock PIC program, submitted QAPP for review to Ecology but no word yet – Ecology has had some staffing issues. JCPH and JCCD started monitoring stream sites under our regular monitoring program in the meantime to avoid data gaps. Hull: How are state funds looking? Dawson: Grants are available. JCPH did not apply last round and no other LHJs applied, PSP money also available. 4:20 – 4:21 2024 Meeting Schedule • February 8 • May 9 • August 8 • November 11 Email agenda ideas to mdawson@co.jefferson.wa.us 4:21 – 4:30 Rich Earth Summit – Carol McCreary Extremely impressed by conference. Summit for the past 6-7 years, virtual and now hybrid. Circular sanitation, NPK, urine reuse. Many labs around the world working on sanitation solutions McCreary would like to pass along some presentations. Dawson: Any presentations at the scale of wastewater treatment plants? McCreary: Yes, PAE office building in Portland, urine reactor. Dawson: Monica have you heard anything about the city WWTP upgrades? MickHager: No, still in process with data and cost, rate increase, upgrades needed, more info in April, new loans and grants. Dawson: Might discuss Hadlock sewer during the next meeting. 4:30 – 4:32 Announcements None Adjourn – 4:32