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615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, WA 98368
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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, May 9, 2024
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 – 3:08
Present: Michael Dawson, Richard Hull, Carol McCreary, Monica MickHager, Joe Holtrop, Heidi
Eisenhour, Lee Steele, John Fleming, Trevor Swanson, Kara Cardinal (arrived at 4:00), Jacquelyn
Stenman.
3:08 – 3:09 Hybrid meeting/Zoom webinar etiquette
3:09 – 3:11 Introductions
3:11 – 3:13 Agenda and Minutes Approval
Hull moves to approve agenda, MickHager seconds, no discussion, all in favor. MickHager moves to
approve minutes, McCreary seconds, no discussion, all in favor (Holtrop abstains)
3:13 – 3:13 Public Comment: None. No public in attendance
3:13 – 3:35 Hood Canal #3 Data Report, EWS Report – Trevor Swanson, DOH
Several stations, including 137 and 124, have improving water quality from one year ago, when all data
is included (unsorted). Station 137 decreased from 38.7 to 21.0, 124 decreased from 20.6 to 14.1. The
Duckabush R. 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. High hits are not very far over
the threshold. Looking into shortening the season, but the shorter we go the harder it will be to upgrade
due to needing to go back further in time (when the area had worse WQ) to get 30 samples. Looking
into Dosewallips upgrade, Restricted to Approved. Upgrades require APC evaluation (adverse pollution
condition). Evaluations to happen in late summer/early fall, after we get a few more closed period
samples.
Shoreline Surveys Scheduled for 2024: Mats Mats Bay – writing Sanitary now, should be done soon.
Hood Canal 1 – begin late 2024. Three-year reports (short re-evaluations): Oak Bay, Kilisut Harbor,
Mystery Bay.
Dawson: What would be the timing for upgrades? Swanson: August writing report, Duckabush will take
another year, maybe May 2025.
Classification Report: No threatened/failing stations in Jefferson County, 14 growing areas, 178 stations,
24,450 acres – 21,091 approved, 716 conditionally approved, 123 restricted, 2,520 prohibited (WWTPs
and marinas).
Eisenhour: Are the WWTP causing pollution to make it prohibited or is that just the nature of WWTP?
Swanson: Just the nature of WWTP
3:35 – 3:43 Clean Water District Annual Report – Mike Dawson
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
Updated implementation metrics table to include more septic data, including Craft3 and Cost Share,
rebates, etc. though some data still missing due to permit database issues.
Eisenhour: New WQ funding is available in PSP (not PSAR)
McCreary: Some typos in report
Hull moves to approve report with typos corrected, Eisnhour seconds, McCreary clarifies staffing
situation, all in favor.
3:43 – 3:45 Chimacum – Hadlock PIC Project update – Jacquelyn Stenman
Ecology returned QAPP feedback. JCCD and Spectra have reviewed feedback. We have made updates,
will submit to Ecology soon. Hope to start monitoring in June.
3:45 – 4:09 Chimacum Drainage District update – Joe Holtrop
Chimacum Drainage District formed in 1919. 1974: commissioners resigned, formally declared inactive.
Individual landowners assumed drainage maintenance responsibilities ever since. 1980s-90s: Cows
fenced out of streams, reed canary grass flourished. 1990s-2000s: shade out reed canary grass, enhance
stream habitat. 2000s-Present: beaver dams exacerbated flooding issues. Chronic flooding and degraded
habitat. Fecal, temperature, dissolved oxygen issues. Management and Improvement Plan: Focus on
drainage, flood control, and ecosystem restoration.
Plan Elements: Drainage District Analysis: Identify and describe – drainage and flooding problems, long-
term viable farmland, habitat restoration opportunities (wetlands, streams. Watershed Assessment:
Identify and describe – ongoing drainage system management (regular maintenance, maintenance
practice guides). Stream reach inventory and analysis. Organic soils formation and response to drainage
(1956 soil plan not implemented).
Management & Enhancement Plan: Identify and describe – special/large-scale projects, drainage system
improvement, water quality improvement, habitat restoration. Implementation Mechanisms: Identify
and describe – legal structures, partner orgs, monitoring and adaptive management.
Community Engagement: Community meetings, website.
Dawson mentioned some issues with GIS stream layers (Swansonville, Naylor’s Creek)
Dawson: Is anyone documenting the extent of flooding?
Drone flight over the Short farm in February at its largest extent of flooding, mapped
Another drone flight when it’s gone, spot elevations
Photos throughout the winter throughout watershed
Dawson: How to quantify improvements?
4:09 – 4:24 Wet Season 2024 Water Quality – Mike Dawson
Water year 2023-2024. Wet season: October-March – extended through April for shoreline monitoring
due to staffing shortage. Precipitation: Under normal. April – Chimacum 92% normal, Quilcene 66%
normal, state drought declaration April 16 (68% WA snowpack). Mount Crag snowpack fairly close 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
average. Streamflow: Duckabush – five spikes much above normal, recently below normal and close to
much below normal. Stream monitoring: Four stations failed part 2 of the standard (Thorndyke, Tarboo,
Pierce, Duckabush), one station failed part 1 (Donovan) – October quite high at all stations (high
precipitation). 71% passing – lowest in the past four seasons. Shoreline monitoring: 67 high priority
miles, 78% complete. 300 E. coli, 7% high hits, 9 Entero, 0 high hits. E. coli > 1,000 MPN – 6 sites.
Previous hot spots: March samples high – SP011, SP090, SP094. Irondale Creek low. Low – PB042,
OB006, QU010, MI088, CG040. S Bay Way closed parcels and N Bay Way – non-detect.
4:24 – 4:27 Summer Fieldtrip/Site Visit? – Mike Dawson
WQ staff, monitoring areas? No consensus on specific location. Carol suggests November. John suggests
low tide
4:27 – 4:38 Announcements
• Next meeting August 8
Adjourn at 4:29