North Olympic Peninsula Solutions Network

By Marcie Miller
Peninsula Daily News

The Dungeness River is a mere trickle of its former self, and the Elwha is not far behind.

Both rivers are major sources of water for key population centers in Clallam County, and both have reached levels low enough to meet the state definition of drought conditions…

On Monday, the Dungeness was at 52 percent, while the Elwha was at 60 percent, according to the U.S. Geological Survey “Water Watch” Web site, http://tinyurl.com/pbkv39…

read the full article at http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090818/news/308189996

BLYN, Wash. – The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe has worked too hard to let an innocent-looking lilac-scented shrub take over its restoration efforts of the Dungeness River. Much like knotweed, Scotch broom and English ivy, the butterfly bush, also known as Buddleia, has become an invasive species in recent years.

“It’s only recently that we’ve realized the threat invasive species may pose to our long-term restoration goals for the Dungeness River,” said Hilton Turnbull, the tribe’s habitat biologist. “There’s not a lot of research available from our area on this species but we’ve been watching it spreading rapidly since 2004 and are concerned it’s affecting salmon habitat.”…

read the full article at http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/53565217.html

OLYMPIA - Despite recent showers, the summer’s prolonged dry weather has left fish vulnerable, including on the Dungeness River, where two anglers were recently caught poaching…

read full article at http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=806

Learn how GIS mapping and groundwater modeling are being used to help promote sustainable groundwater development. The webinar will present project case studies of GIS work with two Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) in Nebraska, and the results from a groundwater model developed specifically to evaluate the potential impacts of new high capacity wells near the community of Hastings, Nebraska.

By Paul Gottlieb
Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — Those unused prescription drugs that are taking up space in medicine cabinets across the North Olympic Peninsula can now be dropped off at Jim’s Pharmacy in Port Angeles and Frick Rexall Drug Store in Sequim — anonymously and free of charge.

The pharmaceutical-waste take-back program is part of a joint effort among the two drug stores, the state Board of Pharmacy, the state Board of Health and the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office

…

Prescription drugs that make their way into the water supply have “become the new form of hazardous waste,” said Dr. Tom Locke, public health officer for Clallam and Jefferson counties.

Benedict and Locke said discarded hormones have been known to “feminize” fish, giving them characteristics of both sexes.

“More and more people are using prescription medications, and that raises significant disposal issues,” Locke said, adding that it’s no longer advised to flush medications down the toilet.

“People were told to flush unused pills down the toilet for years and years,” he said. “That was the public message.”

Pharmaceuticals entering the water supply is “a nationwide problem,” Frick said.

He said pharmaceutical waste abounds in particular in Sequim.

A water test at SunLand in Sequim showed traces of 54 pharmaceutical chemicals, he said, though Locke said the last test he was aware of at SunLand was around 2000.

Locke said water in Clallam and Jefferson counties is not routinely tested for pharmaceuticals, but it’s not considered an “imminent threat.”

“It’s more one of those problems that if you don’t do something now, it could get to a point in Washington state where it was a problem.”

Pharmaceuticals in dangerous quantities tend to enter the water supplies of communities that draw water from rivers in industrialized areas, he said.

“The problem here is that what we are getting in he Dungeness River is affecting the fish population and eventually going out into the ocean,” Locke said.

“Here, it’s more of an environmental protection issue than it is an imminent human health issue.”

…

full article at http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090812/NEWS/308129995

In response to the economic slowdown, the 2009 Legislature provided $11 million to local communities to improve water availability, water quality and fisheries habitat across the state.

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is awarding:

*$4 million to fund 10 projects to improve stream flows and fish habitat in the Elwha Dungeness, Entiat, Island, Quilcene-Snow and Walla Walla watersheds. Six counties will be affected: Chelan, Clallam, Island, Jefferson, Walla Walla and Whatcom.

…

Olympic Peninsula grants totaling $810,000 for stream flow improvements will be used as follows:

* $450,000 to the Clallam Conservation District to replace 8,250 feet of open irrigation ditch with pipeline, part of a multi-phase project that will ultimately pipe the entire Dungeness Irrigation District;

* $265,000 to Clallam County to continue work with Jamestown S’Klallam tribal water users and Washington Water Trust to secure sources of water for the launch of a Dungeness water exchange; and

* $95,000 to Public Utilities District No. 1 of Jefferson County for a water storage feasibility study of Peterson Lake.

…

In Western Washington, 12 watershed planning units are receiving grants:

* Elwha-Dungeness - $100,000 to help put a water management rule in place for the Dungeness River basin and $180,000 for plan implementation.
…

* Elwha-Dungeness, Quilcene-Snow and Wind - $60,000 for continued stream gauging to manage water supply and demand.

full article at http://www.yelmonline.com/articles/2009/08/12/first_report/doc4a82f90bdc2d1637003380.txt

The COMET Program is pleased to announce the publication of Distributed
Hydrologic Models for Flow Forecasts – Part 1. This 1-hour module is the
first in a two-part series focused on the science of distributed models
and their applicability in different situations. This module makes use
of rich illustrations, animations, and interactions to provide a basic
description of distributed hydrologic models and how they work.

Presented by Dr. Dennis Johnson, the module begins with a review of
hydrologic models, and then examines the differences between lumped and
distributed models. It explains how lumped models may be distributed by
subdividing the basin and suggests when distributed hydrologic models
are most appropriate. Other topics covered include the advantages of
physically-based versus conceptual approaches and some strengths and
challenges associated with distributed modeling. Please follow this link
to start the module:
http://www.meted.ucar.edu/hydro/DHM/dhm2/part1/index.htm

This module requires a web browser with Flash Player version 9 (or
higher). For technical support, please visit the MetEd Support page:
http://www.meted.ucar.edu/about_support.htm#C.

NOTE TO NWS and other NOAA EMPLOYEES: This module is available in the
NWS Learning Center (https://doc.learn.com/noaa/nws). Please access it
in that system in order to get credit.

We welcome any comments or questions you may have regarding the content,
instructional approach, or use of this module. Please email your
comments or questions to Amy Stevermer (stevermer@comet.ucar.edu) or Lon
Goldstein (lgoldstein@comet.ucar.edu). For technical support, contact
support@comet.ucar.edu.

Sincerely,

Wendy Abshire
UCAR/COMET
Senior Project Manager/Meteorologist

People may be enjoying this stretch of warm, dry weather, but some east county residents could be asked — or required — to conserve water soon if it continues.
“Rainfall is off from the norms and thus so are the stream flows,” said Clallam Public Utility District spokesman Jeff Beaman…

see full article at http://www.sequimgazette.com/gazettetop/articleDetail.exm/Index/article/2009-07-29_Too_little_water_flows_under_the_bridge/