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Home My WebLink About20241114_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) Jefferson County Clean Water District Advisory Council Quarterly Meeting Notes Thursday, November 14, 2024 Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH), Pacific Room and Zoom Call to Order at 3:01 pm Attendance: Mike Dawson, Jacquelyn Stenman, Andrew Jauhola, Sage Ince, Carol McCreary, Monica MickHager, Richard Hull, Lee Steele, Joe Holtrop (left at 4:10), Trevor Swanson, John Fleming, Heidi Eisenhour (left at 3:42), Kara Cardinal (arrived at 3:43) 3:01 – 3:04 Hybrid meeting/Zoom webinar etiquette & Introductions 3:04 – 3:05 Agenda and Minutes Approval Richard moves to approve agenda, Monica seconds, no discussion, all in favor, none opposed. Heidi moves to approve minutes from August, Carol seconds, all in favor, none opposed. 3:05 – 3:05 Public Comment - No public present 3:05 – 3:28 Hood Canal #3 Data Report – Trevor Swanson, WA Dept. of Health (DOH) Compared to October 2023, 3 stations’ water quality have improved while one has declined (Station 137). Can’t upgrade Duckabush yet due to one high result (240 FC) in August this year (during the closed period). Will soon purge some high data points from 2022. Looking into Dosewallips upgrade soon from Restricted to Approved. One high result at Station 124 from 2020 will soon drop off. Any classification or condition changes will occur after DOH’s annual reports come out (May-June). Still seeing general water quality improvement. Upgrade evaluation for Conditional area around Duckabush delta from Conditional to Approved: 1. Must meet NSSP SRS Approved standards based on 30 samples. DONE! 2. Must have stable or improving trends. DONE! 3. Must have restoration work accomplished or underway. DONE! 4. Must meet APC Approved standards for last 15 samples (10% of samples below 43 FC/100mL). 5. At 13% now, need to wait till next closed season to purge data and reevaluate. 6. We’ll also look into seal population and any other outstanding sources. Can consider shortening the closed period now, but may be harder to upgrade to Approved if we do. This would be removing May which is usually low in bacteria. Upgrade evaluation for Restricted area around Dosewallips delta (Restricted to Approved): 1. Must meet NSSP SRS criteria. DONE! 2. Need to check status of seals (what we’ve seen is far fewer than in past = good). 3. Shoreline conditions must support upgrade. Outstanding sources of bacteria? Mike: Is there a correlation between high bacteria and ebb/flow tide? Trevor: Typically ebb has higher bacteria. Supposed to take samples at random tides. Flood pushes freshwater in so should be theoretically cleaner. Mike: For BEACH we look at where exactly in the tide stage the sample is taken. Trevor: Shallow water affects when samples can be taken. Mike: Conversation of potential pollution sources in Dosewallips? Trevor: Updated information on septic systems in the area, amount of wildlife? Mike: Dosewallips State Park will remove bathroom, which can flood on occasion. Trevor: Can discuss further details in the future. Mike: Schedule time to meet this winter. Heidi: Is 240 the highest sample we’ve ever had? Trevor: No, we can go up to 60,000 but our lab labels as >2,400. Not as common in saltwater. Not expected but not surprising. Could have been seals or birds. Mike: Some high bacteria in 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 Pierce Creek, biggest value later in season. Trevor: Can happen in summer due to less water outflow to dilute. 3:28 – 3:42 Chimacum Dissolved Oxygen/Reed Canarygrass (RCG) Report – Joe Holtrop Jefferson County Conservation District (JCCD) is working with the county and community in Chimacum watershed to identify main flooding issues and associate habitat impairment issues, and whether or not the Chimacum Drainage District should reactivate to deal with these issues. RCG and beaver create drainage problems. In 2020, JCCD received approval to remove RCG under a five-year permit through WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on behalf of landowners. Now the Port of Port Townsend has bought the Short Farm, one focal point of RCG removal. RCG grows over the top of stream and chokes it and is almost completely regrown after three years. Almost no flow before removal. One foot drop in water level after removal. Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels were measured and JCCD found an increase after removal: < 1 mg/L during the months before removal, up to 5-7 mg/L after removal. No change in DO from daytime to nighttime before removal, which usually happens in healthy streams due to aquatic vegetation releasing oxygen. Andrew: Is there something you can plant after removal to keep RCG out? Joe: Only way to control is to shade it out with tree and shrub canopy, which can take 30 years. Really hard to get woody vegetation established. Woody vegetation attracts beaver. Mike: No overlap with Chimacum-Hadlock PIC, but will data be included in final report for project? Joe: Yes, Glenn will write up a report soon and it will be included because it is interrelated and valuable information. Mike: Will it only include DO and temperature, or also bacteria? Joe: Quick report just based on RCG. DO, temp, turbidity. Easily incorporated in comprehensive report. Mike: Sometimes the flooding of the cattle pastures could affect bacteria. Joe: Not many cows out there this past year, probably not much impact. Mike: Will the flooding be smaller this year? Joe: Yes, but there still will be flooding. 3:42 – 4:02 Vessel Issues – Sage Ince, JCPH Environmental Health Specialist Sage Ince gave a presentation. JCPH receives complaints regarding derelict vessels and other marine concerns through Ecology’s Environmental Reporting and Tracking System (ERTS). Puget Sound has a No Discharge Zone managed by Ecology. PumpOutWashington.org is a resource for vessel pump-out locations. One case involved a large live-aboard tug, over-stayed moorage period in Port Ludlow, alleged to be dumping sewage. Reported to Coast Guard in June, but not beached or in distress – no action. JCPH collected weekly nearshore Enterococcus samples at Port Ludlow beach – all results were low. Sherriff deputy went by boat, talked to owner about moorage law – can’t anchor longer than 30 days in one place, then must move at least 5 miles away. DOH took fecal coliform samples near boat – results low. Owner moved boat to Port Townsend Bay. Second case: marine business in Port Hadlock. ERTS received: Alleged to be power-dredging tidelands, improper storage of hazardous materials and demolition of derelict vessels, dangerous crane, discharging oil into water, operating without current medical certification, shooting river otters. Investigated by Ecology, L&I, and JCPH pollution prevention assistance. No L&I violations. JCPH found improperly stored paints and solvents, degraded oil tanks, and derelict vessel. JCPH and Ecology are working to get proper storage for hazardous materials. Business working to demolish derelict vessel correctly. 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 Monica: What was L&I investigating? Mike: possible safety violations. Carol: How long have you been dealing with this? Mike: On this one WQ was only marginally involved. We had been called to this site years ago for a different issue. Third case: Vessel discharge at Point Whitney. Received public complaint about fishing boat Kristena Rose and possible sewage discharge in September. JCPH site visit, took samples, pictures of scum on shore – boat had moved by the time of site visit. Marine samples non-detect, one Enterococcus sample with scum slightly elevated. Closed case due to low samples and no vessel present. Fourth case: Kristena Rose and Aleutian (a sailboat). Both ran aground on Quilcene Bay shellfish beds in October, impacting commercial shellfish. Ecology observed a sheen, and placed a boom to contain it. Homeowners concerned about shellfish harvest contacted JCPH. JCPH took samples, all came back non- detect. Kristena Rose removed by DNR Derelict Vessel Program on 11/13. Aleutian to be removed on 11/14 or 11/15. Resources: Coast Guard Puget Sound, CleanMarinaWashington.org, wsg.washington.edu, JCPH Marine Trades Seminar, November 21, 5-6:30, Cotton Bldg, DNR Derelict Vessel Reporting Tool. Carol: Can we get those resources? Mike: Yes, we will send presentation. Carol: State is sending out pump-out boats? Mike: Unsure if that’s available in Jefferson County. Carol: Mason County hired for all state parks. There’s a resistance to pumping out. Accessibility to working pump-outs needs to improve. 4:02 – 4:24 Water Quality Annual Report 2024 – Mike Dawson Mike summarized the water quality data collected during the 2023-24 Water Year from October 2023 through September 2024. The summary included precipitation and river flow, marine conditions, stream conditions, shoreline conditions and lake results. Stream bacteria were worse, with more stations failing state standards than in recent years. Streams during dry season were slightly better when only considering permanent stations and excluding Chimacum-Hadlock PIC Project streams. Carol: What could be the cause? Mike: Land use concerns, old septic systems, seasonal land use, first flush rains, heavier rains, warmer temperatures in fall, wildlife. 16 shoreline bacteria Hot Spots were found, 12 were prioritized for investigation. At DOH closed parcel on S Bay Way: Oak Bay 207 had non-detects both wet and dry season. The Septic repair SEP2020-00138 was finalized July 2024. JCPH recommends removing this closed parcel. Report posted at https://www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/DocumentCenter/View/20302/Water- Quality-Annual-Report-2024 4:24 – 4:25 2025 Meeting Schedule – Mike Dawson Council wishes to continue second Thursday every three months, next meeting February 13, will publish schedule in January. 4:25 – 4:30 Announcements Carol: EcoSan, Rich Earth Institute, discussing wastewater treatment, permitting, resources. Carol will send email with link to doc and presentation Adjourn at 4:30 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