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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20201112_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 Zoom Meeting due to COVID-19 Thursday, November 12, 2020, 3:00 to 4:30 pm Attending: Mike Dawson, Monica MickHager, Wendy Clark-Getzin, David Steele, Richard Hull, Kara Cardinal, Richard Wojt, David Sullivan, Glenn Gately, Jean Frost for Trevor Swanson at WA DOH Staff: Lara Gaasland-Tatro, Amanda Christofferson, Brad Stone, Jacquelyn Stenman Dawson called the meeting to order at 3:07 pm. Agenda and Minutes Approval Steele motioned to approve the agenda, Wojt seconded. All in favor, none opposed, no discussion. Steele motioned to approve the minutes for 2/13/2020, MickHager seconded. All in favor, none opposed, no discussion. MickHager motioned to approve the 8/13/2020 minutes, Hull seconded. All in favor, none opposed, no discussion. Annual Water Quality Report – Water Year 2020- Michael Dawson Dawson, WQ manager, summarized the draft water quality report for 2020. The plan is to do annual water quality reports that include all county water quality data in one place. The weather history included below average rainfall year, with some heavy precipitation events, and strong variability between months. There was a significant spike in stream bacteria in a late September heavy rain event. Little Goose Creek had improved in water quality early in the year, but declined again in summer. Autosampler results showed continued bacteria spikes in the evening. High hits of enterococcus was found in marine waters at Oak Bay County Park during a high wind event with suspended beach wrack in the water. E. coli hot spots were found in several shoreline areas of Oak Bay and Northern Hood Canal. Septic system corrections continued to be made in Duckabush. Shellfish biotoxins were high and widespread. Cardinal asked about the autosampler nightly spikes. Dawson responded that there can be a lag between when people are home using more water in the evening and when that wastewater makes it into the creek. Steele asked about the high priority shoreline in Northern Hood Canal vs. medium priority shoreline, specifically in South Point overlapping areas. Dawson clarified that medium priority areas have less potential for pollution, fewer sampling sites and development and/or are farther from shellfish harvesting areas. Clark-Getzin asked about testing for other animal E. coli, like otters and beavers. Dawson said there is a plan for future microbial source tracking in the Chimacum watershed with the Conservation District and the EPA, and interest in environmental DNA testing through the HCRPIC program. Clark-Getzin asked about the Duckabush Highway 101 bridge project and if we have been in communication with WDFW. Dawson replied that JCPH has had some communication with WDFW early on but hasn’t received much news on progress recently and asked if there was any recent outreach. Clark-Getzin replied that none that she knows of other than Public Works issues. Duckabush DOH Update – Jean Frost Frost summarized the DOH water quality data from Hood Canal #3. Station 124 declined, station 137 improved. The highest bacteria levels declined somewhat (mostly in the 70s rather than 100s) during the 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 six-month Duckabush closure, due to JCPH pollution correction work. The Conditionally Approved area was meeting standards for a while but then had a high count in late summer that bumped it back up to 45.1; it re-opened as scheduled in November. Bacteria levels still need to decline and stay low more consistently before re-classification could be considered. Pierce Creek high bacteria could be affecting this. DOH had data entry delays due to COVID-19. Christofferson, JCPH environmental health specialist, presented on her findings on Pierce Creek. Many of the houses are rarely-used vacation homes. Many have systems installed in the early 1970s. There are some problems found during operations and maintenance inspections that have not been repaired. Bracket sampling happened to coincide with the big rain event/high bacteria day in September, which will need to be repeated in different conditions. Frost asked if JCPH found any overt failures, and what are these deficiencies in the O&M reports? Christofferson replied that some O&M reports were deficient because the house was unoccupied and inspector didn’t inspect drainfield because it wasn’t being used. Portable toilets, baffles, root intrusion, residences with plumbing but no OSS, and outhouses are examples of deficiencies or survey failures found. Christofferson asked about flow and current of estuary, if Pierce Creek is a significant impact or if it’s mostly the Duckabush River. Frost said Pierce Creek is definitely a potential impact to the estuary. Wildlife could be a factor but it’s most likely human impacts. Dawson added that problem station 136 is closer to Pierce Creek and Petitjean Creek. Clark- Getzin mentioned the Duckabush bridge project will change some of the estuary dynamics. Jefferson County Conservation District Update -Glenn Gately Gately gave Jefferson County Conservation District updates. He described the Chimacum Creek project that was completed in summer 2020. 15 land owners participated, $45,000 was spent by landowners, 75% was reimbursed. Two excavators were used to clear reed canarygrass out of 5.8 miles of the creek. The water level looked like it dropped about 1 foot after excavation. JCCD is promoting the CREP program for buffers 150 feet on each side of the creek with plantings and fencing. However, the plantings make great beaver habitat and the beavers have been damming the creek contributing to flooding. Gately spoke about the plans for policy and balancing farmland protection with salmon and wildlife protection. In one area, restoration plantings made it impossible to get in with excavators. Beaver deceivers, which are pipes though dams to keep the water level down, have been installed in some places, but need regular maintenance. Beaver flooding has also killed buffer trees in some areas. Dawson asked if JCCD has any records of how much overbank flooding there was in past years compared to current flooding? Gately replied no, there were no records, but that there used to be a drainage district and less trees so that regular clean out was possible and regularly done. Some of the farmers are pressing to get the drainage district going again to manage the reed canarygrass. Gately mentioned that JCCD is looking to hire two people, a manager and a planner. Announcements Next meeting is February 11th 2021. MickHager thanked David Sullivan for all his work on the CWD, and that he will be leaving as he finishes his tenure as county commissioner. Cardinal mentioned the Farms and Fish program in Skagit valley that might have some interesting and useful resources on helping farmers with flooding. She will send information on it to the group. Meeting adjourned at 4:35. There was no public comment.