Rain Gardens Could Make Runoff Safe For Salmon – Sightline

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Al Bergstein

 

The local Marine Resources Committees of the North Sound are working on a variety of rain garden projects, along with WSU. We’d love to have the funding to expand them. Think about protecting Chimicum Creek from the runoff of the Chimicum High School parking lot, which is only about 100 feet away.

When Northwest scientists collected rainwater runoff from Seattle’s Highway 520 and exposed juvenile salmon to the stormwater, all of the fish were dead within 12 hours.

Rain Gardens…

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$1.12 million rain garden project in Port Angeles nears completion – PDN

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Al Bergstein

New raingardens are being implemented in PA and here in PT. WSU  will be doing some talking about them today, actually.

A $1.12 million stormwater project in west Port Angeles to relieve flooding and improve stormwater runoff water quality is nearly complete. The city has installed rain gardens at eight intersections on South H, K, L and M streets, as well as a new, larger drain pipe system to relieve flood problems on South H Street. Rain gardens are designed to transfer surface stormwater to groundwater by providing planted “wells” for water to pool and soak into the ground, rather than entering the stormwater system, and to provide a natural filter for surface stormwater. Arwyn Rice reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20141120/NEWS/311209986/-112-million-rain-garden-project-in-port-angeles-nears-completion

And in Port Townsend:

Catching the Rain: Rain Gardens 101

Thurs. Nov. 20, 5-6 pm

WSU Extension Office, 380 Jefferson St, Port Townsend

Stormwater from landscapes and roadways is the number one contributor of pollutants to Puget Sound.  Bob Simmons, Water Resources Specialist with WSU Extension, is presenting a free 1-hour seminar on the basics of rain gardens–how rain gardens help improve water quality, what rain gardens are and how they work, and the four steps to creating and sustaining a rain garden.  The newest “how to” manual from WSU will be also available (or you can download it from www.raingarden.wsu.edu).  Attending this workshop provides an introduction to the Nov. 24-25th installation events, but is not required to participate in those events.

 

Please RSVP to Sally Chapin, WSU Extension (360-379-5610 x 200 or wsujeffersoncounty@gmail.com.).

Rain Garden Planting

Mon, Nov. 24, 1 – 4 pm

Tues Nov. 25, 9 am – 12 noon

Garfield St., Port Townsend

Learn by doing, whether you are new to rain gardens or already a pro.  Join WSU Extension, Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee and the City of Port Townsend as we install two new rain gardens on Garfield Street.  WSU experts Erica Guttman and Bob Simmons will provide instruction and answer all your questions as we plant two new rain gardens to treat stormwater before it flows into Port Townsend Bay. Bring your own digging tools, gloves, etc. More details when you register.

 

Please RSVP to Sally Chapin, WSU Extension (360-379-5610 x 200 or wsujeffersoncounty@gmail.com.).  Let her know which workday(s) you prefer.

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Death by dirty water: Storm runoff a risk for fish  – Bellingham Herald

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Al Bergstein

As if you needed to better understand the importance of rain gardens, stormwater runoff and salmon, after my last post, here’s the next thing in my inbox. Another recent experiment that shows the affects that stormwater has on aquatic species.

Just hours into the experiment, the prognosis was grim for salmon that had been submerged in rain runoff collected from one of Seattle’s busiest highways. One by one, the fish were removed from a tank filled with coffee-colored water and inspected: They were rigid. Their typically red gills were gray….. This was the fate of coho salmon exposed to the everyday toxic brew of dirt, metals, oil and other gunk that washes off highway pavement after rains and directly into Puget Sound. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2014/11/16/3977239_scientists-study-stormwater-deadly.html

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