Green-Duwamish Watershed Symposium Panels
Panel 2: Communicating Knowledge
Sharing our wealth of knowledge and modeling strategies are keys to connecting current challenges to new solutions. The following presentations provide new information, solutions and lessons learned. Regardless of location, the essence of these solutions could be translated throughout the watershed.
Measuring Atmospheric Pollution Using Moss
Amanda Bidwell, University of Washington
Tree canopies are complex biogeochemical components of our ecosystems, accumulating and processing nutrients and other chemical elements critical to habitat health and ecological services that they provide. Recent research focusing on comparing canopy and ground-floor moss communities across urban-to-wildland gradients in Western Washington; specifically looked at using mosses as a tool to identify hot-spots of heavy metal pollution/deposition associated with the transportation sector (including Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, Zn).
Micro Plastic Distribution throughout the Green-Duwamish Watershed
Kathryn Davis and Marlowe Moser, Puget Soundkeeper and University of Puget Sound
The global plastic crisis contributes 8 million metric tons of plastic to the world’s oceans each year, equivalent to dumping one garbage truck every minute. This plastic doesn’t break down. Instead, it breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces. Wastewater treatment plants don’t have the capacity to trap most microbeads and microfibers, so many are discharged into waterways; where they act like chemical sponges that bind toxic compounds including DDTs, PCBs, pesticides, and pathogens. When ingested, these contaminants have the potential to enter the food web, including seafood destined for human consumption.
To better understand microplastic distribution throughout a freshwater system, volunteers recruited through the Duwamish Alive Coalition collected 36 water samples throughout the Green- Duwamish Watershed during the April 2017 Duwamish Alive! restoration event. These water samples were analyzed through a partnership between Puget Soundkeeper, University of Puget Sound and Unleash the Brilliance with the results being shared at this symposium.
Beyond Hard Armoring: Urban – Industrial Restoration Techniques
George Blomberg, Port of Seattle
Working in a complex environment which includes native intertidal, shallow sub-tidal, and riparian fish and wildlife habitat in a highly industrial/urban area which includes communities of diversity; the Port has adapted its restoration actions to include riparian slopes and emergent marsh area, protected with large-woody-debris. It has designed and tested durable urban estuary shoreline restoration techniques, including re-shaping degraded bank-lines, to provide inter-tidal and bank-line elevations critical for establishing native emergent and riparian vegetation.
Through inclusive engagement with local communities in the planning process, the Port integrated passive public shoreline access improvements with habitat restoration, encouraging public education and stewardship.
Lessons Learned in Restoring Kent’s Salmon Habitat
Matthew Knox, City of Kent
A primary limiting factor in the Lower Green River for Chinook salmon is the lack of rearing and refuge habitat. Four large projects in Kent have been proposed and designed to address this limitation – Leber Homestead, Riverview Park, Downey Farmstead and Lowest Russell Road. Two of these are now completed (Leber in 2016 and Riverview in 2012) and the other two have advanced designs and will built in 2018-2019. Lessons have been learned from the first two completed projects that have led to design changes in the latter two. Once all four are completed, well over a mile of linear off-channel habitat and approximately 40 new acres of salmon accessible habitat will have been created. A discussion of the designs and early results will be presented.
Questions and Answers to Follow
Panel 2: Communicating Knowledge
Sharing our wealth of knowledge and modeling strategies are keys to connecting current challenges to new solutions. The following presentations provide new information, solutions and lessons learned. Regardless of location, the essence of these solutions could be translated throughout the watershed.
Measuring Atmospheric Pollution Using Moss
Amanda Bidwell, University of Washington
Tree canopies are complex biogeochemical components of our ecosystems, accumulating and processing nutrients and other chemical elements critical to habitat health and ecological services that they provide. Recent research focusing on comparing canopy and ground-floor moss communities across urban-to-wildland gradients in Western Washington; specifically looked at using mosses as a tool to identify hot-spots of heavy metal pollution/deposition associated with the transportation sector (including Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Ti, Zn).
Micro Plastic Distribution throughout the Green-Duwamish Watershed
Kathryn Davis and Marlowe Moser, Puget Soundkeeper and University of Puget Sound
The global plastic crisis contributes 8 million metric tons of plastic to the world’s oceans each year, equivalent to dumping one garbage truck every minute. This plastic doesn’t break down. Instead, it breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces. Wastewater treatment plants don’t have the capacity to trap most microbeads and microfibers, so many are discharged into waterways; where they act like chemical sponges that bind toxic compounds including DDTs, PCBs, pesticides, and pathogens. When ingested, these contaminants have the potential to enter the food web, including seafood destined for human consumption.
To better understand microplastic distribution throughout a freshwater system, volunteers recruited through the Duwamish Alive Coalition collected 36 water samples throughout the Green- Duwamish Watershed during the April 2017 Duwamish Alive! restoration event. These water samples were analyzed through a partnership between Puget Soundkeeper, University of Puget Sound and Unleash the Brilliance with the results being shared at this symposium.
Beyond Hard Armoring: Urban – Industrial Restoration Techniques
George Blomberg, Port of Seattle
Working in a complex environment which includes native intertidal, shallow sub-tidal, and riparian fish and wildlife habitat in a highly industrial/urban area which includes communities of diversity; the Port has adapted its restoration actions to include riparian slopes and emergent marsh area, protected with large-woody-debris. It has designed and tested durable urban estuary shoreline restoration techniques, including re-shaping degraded bank-lines, to provide inter-tidal and bank-line elevations critical for establishing native emergent and riparian vegetation.
Through inclusive engagement with local communities in the planning process, the Port integrated passive public shoreline access improvements with habitat restoration, encouraging public education and stewardship.
Lessons Learned in Restoring Kent’s Salmon Habitat
Matthew Knox, City of Kent
A primary limiting factor in the Lower Green River for Chinook salmon is the lack of rearing and refuge habitat. Four large projects in Kent have been proposed and designed to address this limitation – Leber Homestead, Riverview Park, Downey Farmstead and Lowest Russell Road. Two of these are now completed (Leber in 2016 and Riverview in 2012) and the other two have advanced designs and will built in 2018-2019. Lessons have been learned from the first two completed projects that have led to design changes in the latter two. Once all four are completed, well over a mile of linear off-channel habitat and approximately 40 new acres of salmon accessible habitat will have been created. A discussion of the designs and early results will be presented.
Questions and Answers to Follow