HomeMy WebLinkAbout20260514_CWDACmeetingNotesAlways 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, May 14, 2026
3:00 to 4:30 pm
Attendees: Mike Dawson, Greg Brotherton, Monika MickHager, Carol McCreary, Sierra Young, Lee
Steele. Guests: Jacquelyn Stenman, Tim Weissman, Michaela Martin, Emma Erickson, Trevor Swanson,
Sarah Longacre, Andrew Jauhola
Call to Order – 3:05
1. Introductions (3:07-3:10)
2. Public Comment: None
3. Hood Canal #3 Data Report, Quilcene Threatened Area – Trevor Swanson, Dept. of Health (DOH)
(3:10-3:30)
Upgrade evaluation for Conditional area around Duckabush delta:
a) Must meet National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) Systematic Random Sampling (SRS)
Approved standards based on 30 samples. DONE!
b) Must have stable or improving trends. DONE!
c) Must have restoration work accomplished or underway. DONE!
d) Must meet Adverse Pollution Condition (APC) Approved standards for last 15 closed period (May
through Oct) samples (10% of samples below 43 fecal coliform (FC)/100mL). DONE! At 6.7% (one
sample at 240 FC in August 2024). We’re starting another closed period in May so will be
watching for any numbers above 43 FC/100mL. Declining stats at Station 137 are due to a 41.0
FC/100mL in April.
e) Must not have pollution sources directly affecting area. We’ve evaluated Jefferson County’s
Pierce Creek data and other possible sources and are satisfied they don’t affect the growing area
significantly.
Swanson shared loading calculations of the Duckabush River and Pierce Creek, and discussed evidence
for Pierce Creek being less significant as a bacteria source that could be affecting the station 137 area.
He also shared Duckabush and Dosewallips rolling estimated 90th percentiles over time, showing general
improvement.
Dawson added that Pierce Creek flows are estimates and Duckabush stream gauge is a couple miles
upriver. Swanson did take this into account when making loading calculations and will forward to
Jefferson County Public Health.
Upgrade evaluation for Restricted area around Dosewallips delta:
a) Meeting NSSP SRS criteria.
b) Has improved and stable water quality trends.
c) We’ve confirmed there are fewer seals than in the past (when we downgraded).
d) Shoreline conditions support upgrade.
e) No outstanding direct pollution sources.
f) FC geomeans and E90ths look great.
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
Quilcene Station 123 in Point Whitney Lagoon is on Threatened list in annual report and is failing now
with 43.1 FC/100mL. Not downgrading right now but may if it stays above 43 FC/100mL through the
year – small area. Possibly associated with rainfall, birds. One high hit in 2021 and one in 2022 could
bring the average down in the next couple of years. Dawson added that staff recently took an
Enterococcus sample and it was low.
4. Agenda and Minutes Approval (3:30-3:34) – Quorum of 5 members obtained
MickHager motions to approve agenda, McCreary seconds, no discussion, all in favor, none opposed,
motion passes.
MickHager motions to approve minutes, McCreary seconds, no discussion, all in favor, none opposed,
motion passes.
5. Onsite Septic Local Management Plan (LMP) Update – Emma Erickson, Michaela Martin, Jeff Co
Public Health (JCPH) (3:34-3:47)
Current LMP written in 2007, required by state. Develop and maintain inventory of On-site Septic
System (OSS), records of operations and monitoring (O&M) inspections, identify areas of increased
health risk, enforcing repairs by tracking deficiencies, capacity to fund septic programs, and education
and outreach to homeowners. Showed new O&M reminder postcards with peel-off magnet. Mentioned
that there have been lots of changes since 2007 – O&M and WQ programs, permitting database. New
2025 code update – a few additions to the LMP requirements include identifying flooding and
phosphorus areas of concern. Awaiting updated guidance from DOH, but still working internally on
updating LMP – presented rough draft to DOH but our current draft doesn’t follow template.
Timeline: Introduce draft plan to Board of Health (BOH) in July, outreach in August, targeted technical
advisory groups and discussions with community reps in September, final draft to BOH in December,
adopted by April 2027 – DOH deadline.
McCreary: Do you have enough septic professional availability? Erickson: Someone can get inspection or
pumping within a couple of weeks. Rebate program provides incentive for septic work – grant funded,
reviewed and adjusted as needed.
6. Lakes Early-Season Cyanobacteria Harmful Algae Blooms (CyanoHABs) 2026 – Tim Weissman, JCPH
(3:47-3:56)
Cyanobacteria are present seasonally in our lakes, can sometimes produce toxins. JCPH monitors four
lakes at public access points from spring to fall, take samples when blooms are present.
Anderson Lake generally has very high toxins April-October, has caused dog casualties.
For the first time since program started in 2006, Anatoxin-a exceeded state guidelines in Lake Leland in
April – Anatoxin has been present in Leland in spring in the past, but not above state guidelines. Bloom
has now dissipated, warning signs removed.
Heavy bloom, anatoxin detected in Gibbs Lake in April as well. This bloom has also dissipated.
McCreary: Are you communicating with Olympic Discovery Trail staff? Weissman: We only communicate
with State Parks, Jefferson County Parks, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Dawson:
Spoke with state representatives and State Parks administrators in the past, but they wanted to move
forward with trail development despite cyanobacteria concerns.
7. Chimacum Watershed Plan – Sierra Young, Jeff Co Conservation District (JCCD) (3:56-4:04)
Chimacum Drainage District reactivated; new board met for the first time this week.
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
Proposed plan outlines and describes the routine drainage system maintenance activities in Drainage
District. Also described are potential special projects, including habitat restoration projects. A brief
overview of the drainage district area and the predominant management and maintenance concerns is
included. Best management practice factsheets prepared by Whatcom Conservation District in
collaboration with Whatcom County drainage districts and their local, state, and federal agencies are
included as appendices for guidance to help ensure maintenance activities are carried out with minimal
adverse environmental impacts. A sample annual work plan template is also included. Plan has been
approved by Ecology and is a deliverable in Chimacum-Port Hadlock Pollution Identification and
Correction (PIC) grant.
Swanson: What will you replace reed canarygrass (RCG) with? Young: Replant with native trees and
shrubs.
8. Wet Season 2025-26 Summary – Mike Dawson, Jeff Co Public Health (4:04-4:12)
Wet Season = October-March. Precipitation: October-December slightly under average, January-March
very dry. Low snowpack (47% of median) projected to melt early, probably resulting in lower than
normal spring streamflow. The Duckabush River remained below action level, even during the December
atmospheric river.
During wet season 80% of stream stations passed state bacteria standard – Big Quilcene River and Pierce
Creek each had one high hit in October, Donovan had one high hit in November.
Completed 72 of 85 high priority miles of shoreline monitoring (85% of goal) – extended season into
April. Eight new shoreline hot spots in Duckabush, Marrowstone Island, Paradise Bay, Adelma Beach,
and Oak Bay – one confirmed septic failure in Adelma Beach.
9. Shoreline Prioritization 2026 – Mike Dawson (4:12-4:24)
Shoreline monitoring recap: Wet season/dry season, freshwater inputs to shoreline, E. coli or
Enterococcus.
High Priority shoreline factors:
1. Shellfish growing areas
2. Near recreational shellfish beaches
3. Near public water recreation sites
4. Previous threats/hot spots
Current shoreline:
• 200 total miles
• 85 high priority miles
• 14 growing areas
Boat access is used when there is limited upland access (Dabob Bay, Toandos Peninsula, Coyle,
Discovery Bay). Drop off staff who then walk the shoreline and pick them up later.
Commercial shellfish – access issue. Oyster bags along shoreline. Extensive operations in Discovery Bay
and other areas. Need to avoid impacts during boat access. Inaccessible stretches in high priority areas.
JCPH is proposing marine monitoring to replace some shoreline stretches. Will utilize DOH marine
sampling stations in parts of Discovery Bay once each during wet season and dry season, alternating
months with DOH, sampling Enterococcus.
The new prioritization would change 3.78 miles of high priority shoreline to medium priority in Discovery
Bay at stations 50, 60, 61, 62 (map in presentation).
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: Do you have the equipment? Dawson: Yes, we have a new boat.
McCreary: How many staff? Dawson: Only requires one, but would usually use two so that one could
walk other parts of shoreline while the other is doing the marine sampling.
Swanson: We wouldn’t be able to combine the data for official reporting purposes as this is a different
parameter, but Enterococcus data would be interesting.
10. Announcements (4:24-4:25)
Advisory Council open position – possible stipend opportunity for citizen positions
11. Room clean-up and exit (building closes at 4:30)
Adjourn – 4:27
Possible agenda topics for August 13, 2026:
• Chimacum/Snow & Quilcene/Tarboo project updates – Gaylen Trent-Sinclair, Dept. of Ecology
• Chimacum-Hadlock PIC project update, final meeting announcement
• OSS Cost Share project
• WQ Staffing update
• Port Townsend stormwater update