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PLANT
SALVAGE PROJECT
Eastside Audubon will salvage plants from the former Group Health campus in Redmond's Overlake area and replant them later in the winter on the Audubon Bird Loop at Marymoor Park. Volunteers at the Dec. 1 event bring their own shovels and Audubon experts will show them what plants to remove. Those you wish to help can contact Tim McGruder, 425-822-8580, or tmcgruger@gmail.com
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FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS EAT ENDANGERED SPECIES!
IS THAT A KOKANEE SALMON IN YOUR MOUTH?
WE ARE WHAT WE EAT, SO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE EATING
Not sure what a Kokanee looks like? Click on www.scn.org/earth/savelake/Kokanee.salmon.pdf to see a picture of and information about an endangered Kokanee, in its normal form and when it is spawning.
Click on www.scn.org/earth/savelake/Cutthroat.pdf to see a picture of and information about a cutthroat trout that might be confused with a Kokanee.
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NEW
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS
If you visited the SLS booth at Salmon Days this year you would have seen some wonderful new aerial photographs we added to our display. We have SLS member Jerry Klein to thank for them. He has been very generous with his time and expertise and continues to allow us free use of his images. Expect to see more of them on our new website that will hopefully be operational by year's end. To see more of Jerry's work you can visit the following web
addresses:
http://www.jkleinartphotography.com/
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BELLEVUE/ISSAQUAH TROUT UNLIMITED KOKANEE FUN RUN
All, thanks so much for your support of our 2012 Run with the Kokanee!
Mark Taylor
(206)200-2840
Washington Council Trout Unlimited www.troutunlimitedwashington.org/
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KC
WEED NEWS – SEPTEMBER 2012
For the latest info on weed problems in king county, go to:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsAndPlants/noxious-weeds/weed-news.aspx
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RUTH KEES ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY AWARDS
The City of Issaquah is now seeking nominations to recognize the
outstanding work of individuals, projects and programs which have helped to
advance sustainability in the Issaquah community. New for 2012, the City will
be accepting nominations in two categories: the Ruth Kees Environmental Award
and a Sustainable Community Award. Nomination forms are available at:
http://www.ci.issaquah.wa.us/Files/Sustainability%20Award%20Nomination%202012%20Form.pdf
and must be received by Friday, October 19.
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ISSAQUAH PASSES PLASTIC BAG BAN
The vote was 5-2, of which one dissent was due to the belief that the structure could be changed and that it did not go far enough. Thanks to all who supported this change. Hopefully, the other cities on the Eastside will follow the lead of Issaquah.
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NON-NATIVE INVASIVE FISH AND THEIR IMPACTS
Course Description: In this course, attendees will explore efforts to understand and combat invasive fishes through early detection and assessment of newly established invaders, monitoring of invading populations; improving understanding of the ecology of invaders, and factors in the resistance of habitats to invasion. Development and testing of prevention, management, and control methods will also be reviewed.
Invasive species threaten the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems worldwide and are considered the second greatest threat to biodiversity loss in North America. Exotic species introductions (illegal and intentional) were a factor in 68% of fish extinctions in North America, and the rates of introductions have increased dramatically in the last 50 years, impacting nearly every major watershed in the United States. Predation, competition for food and habitat, food web alterations, interbreeding, disease and transmission of parasites are some of the major problems with non-native fish species. Habitat loss and degradation, climate change and urbanization have also contributed to the establishment and spread of non-native fish.
After attending, participants will have a greater understanding of what constitutes a non-native species, when they become a problem, and how to respond to potential threats by invasive species.
Intended audience: This course is intended for biologists,
ecologists and managers seeking an improved understanding of non-native invasive
fish species and strategies for preventing and controlling them.
August 30 in Issaquah – Cost $295.
For more information and to register, go to:
http://www.eosalliance.org/schedule/event/non-native-invasive-fish-and-their-impacts
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KING COUNTY CUTS TO WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM
King County’s Department of Natural Resources has recently produced a Report on King County’s Water Quality Monitoring Program, April 2012. This report was due in large part to input from SLS and action of a concerned King County Council last year. It is unfortunate the efforts of SLS to restore monitoring, was used as a justification for additional cuts to these programs, which have been reduced by nearly two-thirds. Lake and stream monitoring in the Lake Sammamish watershed is less than a fourth of what it was three years ago. None of the previous monitoring locations, water quality parameters of sampling events that had been cut since 2009 were restored; in fact additional cuts to these programs were implemented.
These are difficult budget times and there are not sufficient funds available for everything that needs to be done, and these programs are expensive. So what is the incremental cost of restoring the water quality monitoring program? To restore the program to the 2008 level would add approximately thirty cents on the proposed monthly sewer rate, about 1.2 cents per one-hundred thousand of assessed property. For a propose rate of $39.85, less than a 1% increase to the rate. It looks like King County and WTD is being pennywise and Sound, and lake, and stream, and environmentally foolish. If you think environmental protection based on science and accurate data is valuable for our regions, please E-mail King County Executive Dow Constantine at kcexec@kingcounty.gov and county councilmen from http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/councilmembers.aspx and ask them to fund this program.
For more information, go to: http://www.scn.org/savelake/Additional%20Cut%20to%20Water%20Quality%20Monitoring.pdf
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ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IN KING COUNTY
2011 Department of Natural Resources and Parks Annual Report
Environmental Stewardship in King County, the 2011 Annual Report for King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, describes the department, what it was tasked to do and what it accomplished in 2011. The report provides maps, facts and figures to convey the breadth of department responsibilities and includes overviews of executive initiatives, performance measures and results, and awards won by the department in 2011.
The 2011 Annual Report describes accomplishments by the department's four divisions including:
•Wastewater Treatment
•Water and Land Resources
•Solid Waste
•Parks and Recreation
To download this report, go to:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/dnrp/library/natural-resources/annual-report/2011.pdf
To request a paper copy of this report, please call: 206-296-6500
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MEDIA COVERAGE OF JOANNA BUEHLER’S DEPARTURE
The Issaquah Press has a great article on Joanna Buehler’s work as President of SLS – go to the following link and scroll down a page:
http://www.issaquahpress.com/index.php?s=joanna+buehler
Also, King 5 TV news covered the event with an interview – go to
http://www.iecforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=199
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READERS: GO PAPERLESS!
Our Fall newsletter is at the printers. Highlights are announcement of the new SLS president and the SLS position on the high lake levels the past two Springs. People who are on our Listserve will not be receiving a hard copy but this Newsletter is available NOW on our web site - in COLOR - at http://www.scn.org/savelake/NL.Fall.2011.pdf .
Our Listserve members will continue to receive not only announcements of when the new Newsletters are posted on-line, but also receive official SLS messages on current issues and activities a couple times a month.
Printing and mailing of the SLS Newsletters are our biggest expenses, so we are encouraging readers to switch to the paperless version. Doing so will help us save money - and trees, too, of course!
To go the paperless route, no action is required. Those who want to receive hard copies in the future can just send a message to info@savelakesamm.org and provide their name and e-mail address. (We do not provide addresses to any other organization.)
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past SLS newsletters
To read any of the following SLS newsletters, click on the corresponding date:
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