SOUND STEWARDS
January 2021
Go with the flow - Free the Deschutes!
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Message from David Monthie,
President, DERT Board of Directors
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Welcome to the first DERT newsletter of 2022!
Below is a message from Sue Patnude - a DERT co-founder, and retiring Executive Director - that lays out in detail where DERT has been in the past, and what we intend to do in the near future.
2021 was a watershed year for DERT and our partners. In June, the Washington Department of Enterprise Services (DES) issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that, clearly and unequivocally, showed that removal of the Fifth Avenue Dam, and restoration of the free-flowing Deschutes River and its estuary, is the best option for Capitol Lake from both an environmental and an economic perspective. The Olympia City Council, by a formal resolution, unanimously endorsed moving forward with this option. The Squaxin Tribe, environmental organizations, and other entities and people provided extensive written comments that likewise urged moving forward with this alternative.
We plan to build on this momentum in support of the Deschutes River and Estuary in 2022. DERT is now a member of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, and is broadening its activities to protection and restoration of Budd Inlet and South Puget Sound. We will continue to participate in the DES process of finalizing the EIS by June. We will be pushing state agencies, the Governor, and the Legislature to move forward with removal of the Fifth Avenue Dam, and restoration of the Deschutes. And we hope to help establish the Deschutes Watershed Council to link restoration and enhancement activities throughout the entire Deschutes watershed.
We hope you will join us in our efforts in 2022 and beyond.
And finally, many, many thanks to Sue Patnude for her 12+ years of tireless and dedicated service to DERT as Executive Director (and, up until recently, the only staff person). DERT would not be where it is, or what it is, today without Sue. Thankfully, she will become a member of the Board and continue to support DERT's efforts in that role.
Dave Monthie
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Where we have been ~ Where we are going!
By: Sue Patnude
DERT Co-Founder and retired Executive Director
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At the end of January 2022, I will be retiring from the Executive Director position with the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team but will remain on the Board of Directors. Since DERT was born in 2009 we have been working to educate the community and state government on the benefits of estuary restoration for the Deschutes watershed. Dave Peeler, Zena Hartung, Paul and Lori Allen, Jana Wiley, Doug Myers were all involved in the early days of DERT. I personally and professionally owe them many thanks and appreciation! I am also forever grateful to the Squaxin Island Tribe for their support and inspiration. I am confident we are moving forward into the future in good hands with the hiring of Paige Anderson as DERT's new Executive Director. If you get a chance, you might send her a message of welcome to anderson@deschutesestuary.org.
In reflection, I know we have built a strong and engaging organization despite all the controversy surrounding dam removal and estuary restoration. We have had to push back hard on the idea of Capitol Lake maintained by constant dredging at a cost prohibitive to future generations. We have had to push back hard on the State of Washington and the hypocrisy of a dammed river that destroyed the Deschutes estuary in the front yard of the capitol campus even though hundreds of millions of dollars are spent to clean up Puget Sound.
In the beginning, educating the average citizen was a challenge. Many people did not know what an estuary was. Some were not aware the Deschutes River actually flowed through Thurston County, Tumwater, and Olympia only to be dammed to form Capitol Lake. One person remarked they lived here over 27 years and did not know about the river. DERT volunteers were surprised when we realized the level of education had to start at estuary 101. But if you have lived in the Olympia/Tumwater area your whole life and never really thought about how the lake came to be it is understandable.
And now we watch as the “lake” becomes more and more stagnant only moving where the river flows through it. In the summer and fall, the water reaches over 70 degrees, invasive plants in the “lake” die off and algae blooms. Those blooms are becoming larger, starting earlier and are more frequent. There are areas in the basins where sediment has built up to create islands. And it smells terrible!! To exacerbate the situation, there is no tidal flushing into an estuary to help move sediment around and improve water quality. This issue in itself brings significant economic peril to our wastewater discharge system and permit limits to manage nutrients. LOTT has stated over 50% of the low dissolved oxygen issues in Budd Inlet are caused by Capitol Lake.
In 2022 we find ourselves at the precipice of a “final” recommendation on whether or not to restore the Deschutes estuary, maintain the lake or attempt to create a hybrid solution. There really is only one answer to the recommendation question: restore the Deschutes estuary. It is by far the better choice for watershed protection and public health – and is far less costly than any other recommendation.
And DERT will continue our work to track water quality issues in South Puget Sound by staying involved with the Puget Sound Nutrient Forum and wastewater discharge permits limits. Through our Waterkeeper Affiliate status with Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and the International Waterkeepers, we will update the South Sound Healthy Watershed Program to get the community out on kayak patrols, collect water samples and bring in guest speakers to lead on the water learning experiences. We will sponsor community science forums. We are gearing up to hold a workshop on developing a vision for the landscape of a restored Deschutes estuary – what will it look like?
In the next few years, we will be working with other organizations and governments to form the Deschutes Watershed Council bringing together major interests in water issues along the watershed corridor. DERT always wants to collaborate with the community, the Squaxin Island Tribe, industry, the port, local, state, and federal governments to help develop the estuary restoration vision, one that ensures a thriving natural system of clean marine and freshwaters, healthy and abundant native species, natural shorelines and public recreation. All of these attributes lead to a vibrant economy and keeps the State of Washington true to its goal of protecting Puget Sound.
To help implement DERT strategies and goals, our Board of Directors works hard. Every one of us plays a role in the organization and provides hands-on help. Here is the crew!
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David Monthie,
Board President
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Katrina Keleher
Vice President
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Dave Peeler
Past President
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South Sound Healthy Watershed Program |
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We are resuming our kayak patrols and community forums in February. You can find dates for kayak patrols HERE. We are actively looking for field guides to join our patrols and educate participants on specific topics relating to the environment. If you are interested in serving as a field guide, please contact Matthew (mkaras@deschutesestuary.org).
In February, we are hosting a community forum outlining DERT's goals and activities for 2022, including information on the Deschutes Watershed Council, the Nutrients General Permit issued by Ecology, and an update on the Environmental Impact Statement for the Deschutes Estuary / Capitol "lake". More information on community forums can be found HERE. We welcome industry experts and environmental advocates as guest speakers. Please contact us if you have a topic that you would like to share with the community!
Below you will find information on the first year of SSHWP. In February, we will share a detailed report on the first year along with a vision for the future. Stay tuned!
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Volunteer Metrics
Year 1: 2020-21
Total Volunteers: 56
Total hours of service: 551
Most service: Emily Wonch (77 hours)
Longest Tenure: Ann Butler (September 2020 to present)
Number of Events: 17 (excluding weekly microplastic analysis & Core meetings)
Number of Patrols: 8 (+2 trainings in Seattle, 1 boat & 1 kayak)
Number of Patrol cancellations: 5 (3 due to weather, 2 due to no participants)
Number of volunteers who participated in patrols: 26
Attendance of Patrols: 1 to 10 participants
Volunteer Core Meetings: 11
Community Forums: 4
First Event: March 2nd, 2021 Kayak patrol training at Boston Harbor Marina
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What's Up with Nutrients?
Puget Sound Nutrients General Permit Issued by Ecology
Dave Peeler, DERT Board of Directors
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Way back in the mid to late 1980s, the WA Dept. of Ecology (Ecology) took a bold step: it proposed and then adopted a requirement for enhanced sewage treatment for every sewage treatment plant throughout the state. Under the new requirement, every sewage treatment plant had to meet “secondary wastewater treatment” standards. This was the first sewage treatment upgrade since the early 1950’s when “primary treatment” was first required (before the 1950’s no treatment at all was required). And can you guess what happened then? Many local treatment plant operators filed appeals, first to then Governor Gardner and then to the courts, but thankfully all were eventually denied and all treatment plants were eventually upgraded across the state, albeit with very large grant and loan assistance from EPA and Ecology.
About 15 years ago, Ecology initiated a water quality study of the Deschutes River, Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet. That study eventually found that significant portions of the river, lake and Budd Inlet do not meet water quality standards. Budd Inlet mainly suffers from excessive nutrients and low dissolved oxygen. The study also identified the sources of nutrients – in addition to local sources such as the LOTT sewage treatment plant and stormwater runoff, a significant amount of nutrients enters Budd Inlet from contaminated marine waters entering Budd Inlet from the north, carrying nutrients from treatment plants and other sources well beyond Budd Inlet. The waters of Puget Sound have proven far more connected than most people imagined, which is why pollution released in one place contributes to problems miles and miles away.
Click HERE to read the full article by Dave Peeler.
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Ecology Issues Permit Placing Washington Waters and...
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Files Appeal Seeking Stronger Controls, Sooner FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 22, 2021 Contacts: Nicole Loeffler-Gladstone, Puget Soundkeeper Communications Manager 206.297.7002 x109 nicole@pugetsoundkeeper.org Janette ...
Read more
pugetsoundkeeper.org
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A couple of bills that we are tracking....
SB 5786 - Protecting Puget Sound from wastewater pollution by requiring the department of ecology to strengthen the Puget Sound nutrient general permit.
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NWIFC Tribes Urge Legislature to Pass Lorraine Loomis...
Gov. Jay Inslee's proposed Lorraine Loomis Act is a positive first step toward honoring the legacy of the former chairperson of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, who passed away in August. Tribal leaders urge Inslee and the Washington...
Read more
nwtreatytribes.org
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Bill Introduced to Modernize Washington's Recycling...
RENEW Recycling Act bill would modernize our recycling system and reduce waste FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 6, 2022 Contacts: Senator Mona Das, (360) 786-7692 Representative Liz Berry, (206) 709-5260 Pam Clough, Environment Washington,...
Read more
pugetsoundkeeper.org
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Pollution Reporting Resources |
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As a community dedicated to protecting the Deschutes watershed and South Puget Sound, we must all keep an eye out for pollutant sources when out and about. We have added a new page to our website that lists contacts for reporting pollution.
Read more
deschutesestuary.org
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It has been a really big year for DERT! We became an affiliate of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, launched the South Sound Healthy Watershed Program, led an effort to form the Deschutes Watershed Council, and spent many long hours participating in the EIS process and spreading the word to our community members - And we are just getting started!
Your donation ensures that we are able to build upon these accomplishments and sustain them into the future. Any donation that you can offer will be deeply appreciated. Thank you!
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Thank you for reading!
If you enjoy this content, please consider forwarding it to a friend!
Past newsletters can be accessed HERE.
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Thank you to our supporters!
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