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COMMUNITY WILDLIFE HABITATS - CITY OF sAMMAMISH     
Do you have a passion for conserving natural habitat for our local wildlife?

Then here's how you can have fun, reconnect with nature, educate your children, and be part of helping Sammamish become one of the first certified Community Wildlife Habitats in the nation with the National Wildlife Federation.

A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community – in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas, such as parks, golf courses, places of worship and businesses – creating a place where residents, flora and fauna can all flourish.

For details, go to:  http://sammamishwildlifehabitatproject.blogspot.com/

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EPA GRANTS    
EPA is now soliciting proposals that will help local and tribal governments implement the Puget Sound Partnership’s Action Agenda.  EPA is asking for proposals that integrate land use decisions and watershed protection efforts and projects that help meet EPA’s goals for Puget Sound that include

- Improving shellfish growing areas;

- Cleaning-up contaminated sediments and control up-stream sources of contamination;

- Restoring and protecting estuarine wetlands.

Grant proposals are due to the EPA by January 5, 2010.  For more information about the Grant program, visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/ecocomm.nsf/puget+sound/funding

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MOUNTAINS TO SOUND GREENWAY VOLUNTEER EVENTS    
Sat, Dec 5th
Tree Planting or Native Plant Nursery Maintenance at Lake Sammamish State Park (Issaquah)
Full Day: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm 
Half Day: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Sat, Dec 12th
Tree Planting or Native Plant Nursery Maintenance at Lake Sammamish State Park (Issaquah)
Full Day: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm 
Half Day: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

To sign up, go to:

http://www.mtsgreenway.org/volunteer/events/copy_of_vol-restoration-form

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GRANT FUNDS FOR SALMON RESTORATION PROJECTS    
Do you have an idea for a salmon habitat restoration or protection project in King County that has a strong community involvement component?  If so, have you considered applying for grant funds through the King County Community Salmon Fund?

The King County Community Salmon Fund is a competitive grant program established by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and King County to stimulate small-scale, voluntary action to support salmon recovery in King County.  The goals of the King County Community Salmon Fund are to fund salmon habitat protection and restoration projects that have a substantial benefit to watershed health, are consistent with local salmon plans, and stimulate creativity and leadership in the community to address conservation needs.

Applications are currently being accepted for Round 13 of this semi-annual grant opportunity with a final due date of November 6.  Interested parties with questions about the Community Salmon Fund are encouraged to contact Brian Ferrasci-O'Malley ( bferrasci-omalley@evergreenfc.com ) at (206) 691-0700.

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KC WEED News – OCTOBER 2009   

To read about the topics below, go to: 

  http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsAndPlants/noxious-weeds/weed-news.aspx

     TOPICS

Weed of the Month: Reed Sweetgrass (Glyceria maxima) 
Weed Tips for October
Garden Loosestrife:  just a weed or GIANT MUTANT CLONE?
New Weeds for King County and Old Weeds in New Places
State Adds Species to Quarantine List of Prohibited Plants
Nov. 4 to 6 – WA State Weed Association Conference in Yakima
Aquatic Weed and Saltwater Algae Grants from Department of Ecology
Knotweed Workshops Popular, Will Be Expanded Next Year
Collect Knotweed to Help with Biocontrol Research
Knotweed Success on Lower Soos Creek
Knotweed Project Manager Moves On (But Leaves Some of Her Know-How Behind)

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SHORELINE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM UPDATES - LAKE SAMMAMISH
The Cities of Bellevue, Issaquah and Sammamish are in the process of updating their Shoreline Management Programs (SMP). In 1972 the State's Shoreline Management Act was passed by referendum to "to prevent the inherent harm in an uncoordinated and piecemeal development of the state's shorelines."  It was an attempt to protect the environmental benefits of our rivers, lakes and saltwaters for all citizens - see http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sma/  (Note the City Council of Redmond adopted its Shoreline Master Program Update in August 2008.)

These regulations affect both the Lake's health and how property owners use their shorelines. Therefore, it is important for us to let our City Councils know that we continue to want to keep Lake Sammamish fishable and swimmable for this and future generations.

Save Lake Sammamish recommends the following points be made to the Councils:

1) Adopt strong standards for vegetated buffers and building set backs:
   a) vegetated buffers control runoff into the Lake by capturing chemicals, pollutants and sediment. Grass cannot do that!
   b) the view you save could be your own - a neighbor's remodel waterward could block your view and decrease your property value

2) Limit percentage of impervious surface on Lake Sammamish to:
30% Urban Conservancy, 40% Shoreline Residential
30% lots less than 3,000 SF in size
   a)  lot line to lot line neighbor houses diminish your privacy and property enjoyment
   b)  runoff with pollutants goes directly into the Lake - no room for filtration
   c)  keeps houses in proportion with neighborhood

3) Encourage bulkhead removal - currently bulkheads may be constructed to
protect a legally permitted structure only from imminent danger. This has been
poorly enforced.
   a) bulkheads destroy gradual beaches damaging shallow water areas with
vegetation essential for the survival of salmon fry
   b) wave action against bulkheads churns up sediment
   c) water displaced by your neighbor's bulkhead could damage your property
(concrete bathtub effect)

4) Retain 80% of significant trees within shoreline buffer (non hazard trees)
15% or 200 SF buffer area allowed for access or active use, remainder vegetated
Retain 70% trees in shoreline jurisdiction
   a)  large trees frame views of the Lake
   b)  provide habitat for bald eagles, osprey, herron, kingfishers and others
   c)  intercept rainwater, hold shoreline in place, prevent erosion and produce oxygen
   d) provide shade in summer - you save electricity!

5) Mandate low impact development (LID) techniques
   a)  insufficient room to filter runoff and pollution from built hardened surfaces along shoreline
   b)  over time you will save resources and money
   c)  maintain your property value on a clean, healthy Lake

6) Control dock size
    a)  little room is left for swimming when docks are too close together
    b)  numerous docks destroy salmonid habitat

Thank you for taking the time to get involved at the following sessions!

-May 19, 2009 6-9pm Public Open House at the Eagle Room, Issaquah City Hall
http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/News.asp?NewsID=1197

-May 21, 2009 at 6:30pm Bellevue City Hall - Open House
http://www.bellevuewa.gov/shoreline-master-plan.htm

-May 28, 2009 at 6:30pm Issaquah Planning Policy Commission Workshop and Public
Comment at City Council Chambers, 135 E. Sunset Way.
http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/News.asp?NewsID=1197

-May 29, 2009The Draft SMP Update for the City of Sammamish is scheduled to be released on

June 2, 2009 at 6:30pm Sammamish City Hall - Council Public Hearing #2

http://www.ci.sammamish.wa.us

The City Council of Redmond adopted its Shoreline Master Program Update in August 2008 and have submitted it to Washington Department of Ecology for review and approval. Comments about this document may be submitted to DOE http://www.redmond.gov/intheworks/shorelineprogram/

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KOKANEE IN THE MEDIA    
Check out the short video telling some of the Kokanee story and documenting Kokanee returns last fall:  http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsAndPlants/salmon-and-trout/sammamish-kokanee-video.aspx  .

And check out page 64 of the current edition of the national Trout Unlimited magazine for a focus on the plight of our Kokanee and what TU is doing to pitch in on solutions: http://www.tu.org/site/c.kkLRJ7MSKtH/b.5067579/k.4220/2009_Archive/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp#e6470671

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U S Fish and Wildlife accepts petition to study listing the late-run Kokanee as an endangered species  

USF&W is initiating a 12-month status review process through which they will decide on the question of listing the population.  For more info, see their Press release .  To view the petition, go to:  www.scn.org/savelake/Kokanee.Petition.pdf

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kokanee op-ed

Following is an article that appeared in the August 3, 2007 Post Intelligencer.

Obscure salmon struggles to survive

MARK TAYLOR AND MATT MATTSON - GUEST COLUMNISTS

Beneath the surface of Lake Sammamish, a little slice of Washington's native salmon legacy is silently struggling to survive. Far from the minds of the water skiers and too few to register much of a blip on anglers' fish finders, the native run of Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon languishes in relative obscurity compared with the lake's other attractions.

Once so common that our ancestors harvested them to fertilize gardens, fewer than 1,000 remain today. The largest run of native kokanee in Issaquah Creek quietly blinked into extinction a few years ago, while the responsible federal agency did nothing to respond to citizen cries to protect them.

Today we have another chance to save a remaining native run of Lake Sammamish kokanee and, in doing so, preserve and restore another chapter in Washington's salmon tradition that would otherwise merely become a part of its history. We should not squander the chance to act this time.

Because of its acute need for cold, clean water and intact, healthy habitat, kokanee -- landlocked cousins of sea-going sockeye -- are indicators of a healthy watershed, and, conversely, their disappearance is among the first signals that something of ecological importance has gone wrong or has gone missing. That signal amplifies as it moves downstream toward Puget Sound. A healthy watershed fosters a healthy community and a functioning ecosystem that reaps economic and quality-of-life benefits throughout, for all its residents and visitors. That means not just the kokanee, but chinook, steelhead, whales and people.

The Lake Sammamish kokanee have survived this long facing much of the worst that human progress can dish out, even when it is exacerbated by Mother Nature's torrent. This past fall, it was amazing that a few of the little red fish made it up the rushing water to spawn, and even more surprising, their nests of eggs were not all washed away in the floods. They have hung on despite the worst of our land-use decisions, pollution and heating of the cool water they require, and now they are migrating to Lake Sammamish only to face ever-warmer waters and predatory warm water fish.

Rather than see how much more the kokanee can take, it seems like now would be a good time to offer these great fish some much-needed help.

Although a number of individuals and organizations in the basin are doing good things for kokanee, and the kokanee are responding, we can do more. Merely dodging their extinction for a few more years should not be the goal here; rather, real and lasting recovery should be.

Recently, a number of organizations, including ours, filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect Lake Sammamish kokanee under the Endangered Species Act. Giving these fish that safety net will bring together current activities aimed at saving the fish, and encourage others to join us.

We failed to act sufficiently in time for the Issaquah Creek stock, and the result is that it is now a part of our unfortunate history with salmon. But we certainly have the time and the means to act to save the remaining stocks, and to keep another critical part of Washington's native salmon legacy going. This time, we should remember the Lake Sammamish kokanee in time to act, not just remember them in history.

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Mark Taylor is president of the Washington Council of Trout Unlimited. Matt Mattson is tribal administrator of the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. Other authors of this essay are Joanna Buehler, president, Save Lake Sammamish, and Kathy Fletcher, executive director, People for Puget Sound.

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petition submitted to list  Sammamish late run Kokanee as an endangered species  

Trout Unlimited has submitted a petition to place the Sammamish late run Kokanee on the endangered species list.  SLS was a co-signer along with King County, the City of Issaquah,  People for Puget Sound and the Snoqualmie tribe.  Our thanks go to Trout Unlimited and all those who volunteered to count the Kokanee fry in Lewis Creek at night and in all kinds of weather to provide data for this petition.  To view the petition, go to:  http://www.scn.org/savelake/Kokanee.Petition.pdf

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past SLS summer newsletters 

To read any of the following SLS newsletters, click on the corresponding date:

SPRING, 2009

SPRING, 2008

FALL, 2007

SPRING, 2007

SPRING-SUMMER, 2006

FALL, 2005

SUMMER, 2005

SPRING, 2005

FALL, 2004

SUMMER, 2004

SPRING, 2004

FALL, 2003

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Is Lake Sammamish dying?

This is the headline of an excellent article on many facets concerning the quality of Lake Sammamish.  The article was written by Sarah Koenig and published in the Redmond Reporter.  This newspaper does not have its own web site and gave permission to include it in the SLS site. 

Go to article.

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