Squaxin Island Tribe comment on dioxin concentrations in Oakland Bay

SHELTON (April 1, 2009) – Preliminary data released today by the state Department of Ecology has identified dioxin in sediment throughout Oakland Bay.

Outside of Shelton Harbor, the dioxin is distributed uniformly with an average concentration of 35 parts per trillion (ppt or pg/g). “At first glance, the distribution pattern suggests the dioxin may be a historical legacy,” said John Konovsky, the tribe’s environmental program manager.

Oakland Bay is a very productive shellfish growing area. Studies elsewhere suggest there is very little connection between dioxin concentrations found in sediment and contamination in shellfish:

  • In a 2008 Ecology report on neighboring Budd Inlet, sediment samples weretested for dioxin and concentrations ranged from 3 to 60 ppt. Concentrations in littleneck/manila clam samples averaged 0.5 ppt.
  • In Similk, Fidalgo and Padilla Bays, a 2006 study by the Swinomish Tribe identified a range of concentrations of organic compounds including dioxin in sediment, but levels in shellfish from those same sites were more uniform and much lower. The report also suggested that health risks from sediment exposure – such as digging for clams – are even lower than eating shellfish.
  • A 2007 Humboldt Bay study concluded that dioxin concentrations in shellfish tissue were independent of dioxin levels in sediment. All the tissue directly tested and most reported in the worldwide literature was below concentrations considered to be a risk to human health. Without continual industrial output, dioxin levels in sediment and shellfish decline over time.

“It’s not surprising that shellfish accumulate very little dioxin and are safe to eat,” said Konovsky. “This is because dioxin builds up in fatty tissue and shellfish have a very low fat content.”

Scientists from the state Department of Health also believe that dioxin in the sediment of Oakland Bay does not pose a public health concern for shellfish consumers. When discovered in sediments elsewhere around Puget Sound, dioxin in shellfish has never been found at levels of public health concern.

“Oakland Bay has always been a favorite spot for tribal members to dig clams,” said Andy Whitener, natural resources director for the tribe. “The tribe is committed to working with state and federal governments to do whatever is necessary to clean up the bay. We want to absolutely guarantee the health of our tribal members and the entire community.”

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For more information, contact: Andy Whitener, natural resources director, (360) 432-3800. Jeff Dickison, assistant natural resources director, (360) 432-3815. John Konovsky, environmental program manager, (360) 432-3804.

Reports Cited

Science Applications International Corporation. 2008. Sediment Characterization Study, Budd Inlet, Olympia, WA: Final Data Report. Department of Ecology, Olympia.

Swinomish Tribe. 2006. Bioaccumulative Toxics in Subsistence-Harvested Shellfish—contamination results and risk assessment. La Conner, WA.

Pacific Shellfish Institute. 2007. Status Report and Synopsis of Organic Pollutants in Relation to Shellfish Safety in the Mad River Slough and Humboldt Bay, California. Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation and Conservation District, Eureka.

Increased Clam Mortality in Oakland Bay

Extremely cold weather combined with very low tides in November 2008 or the unusually large influxs of sediment from the December 2008 and January 2009 storms seems to be taking a toll on clams in Oakland Bay.  Growers report that there are many more dead clams than usual–maybe twice the ususal number especially in upper Oakland Bay and Chapman Cove.

The increase in clam mortality will set up an interesting experiment this summer.  There seems to be a relationship between clams dying and summer nutrient levels/bacteria concentrations in Oakland Bay.  If the hypothesis is correct, this summer’s bacteria concentrations should be higher than 2008 or 2007.   A hot and sunny summer will likely enhance the increase.  We will have the results of the experiment by October 2009.

Uncle John Creek Still a Leading Source of Water Pollution in Oakland Bay

Fecal Bacteria Concentrations (MF/100 ml) at Stream Mouths

oakland-bay-winter-08-09-results4

The Squaxin Island Tribe released their winter 2008-09 water sampling results to the Oakland Bay Clean Water District Advisory Committee on March 4th.  Five samples were collected at nine stream mouths between October 2008 and February 2009.  Two of the sampling days, 11/12 and 1/7, occurred during major storm events.  All the samples were analyzed for fecal coliform bacteria at the Department of Ecology Manchester Lab.

The sampling results from the storm days were much higher than the non-storm days.  This is a very common pattern in Western Washington because stormwater picks up large quantities of bacteria as it moves across the landscape.

The results indicate that Uncle John Creek is still a leading source of non-point water pollution entering Oakland Bay.  While there have been significant improvements over the last couple years that have taken Chapman Cove (downstream of Uncle John Creek) off the Department of Health’s water quality threatened list, there is still need for additional improvement to meet water quality standards.

Other creeks like Shelton, Malaney and Goldsborough also play a significant role in moving bacteria from the uplands to marine water.  Their contributions to water pollution must also be investigated and reduced in the near future to meet water quality standards.

Oakland Bay Residents Fail To See the Environmental Connection

In 150 interviews sponsored by the Sa-Heh-Wa-Mish Stewardship Initiative, we found that residents living around Oakland Bay are having a hard time connecting their actions at home with water quality in the bay.  Owners of homes with septic systems that have not been checked in the last five years see no reason to inspect their systems.  Most livestock owners feel that they have so few animals that the waste their animals produce could not possibly harm Oakland Bay.  Yet the water quality results tell a different story–we know for a fact that human and ruminant fecal bacteria are ubiquitous.

The Oakland Bay results mirror surveys from elsewhere around Puget Sound.  That surprised us because we think that the residents around Oakland Bay have a closer relationship to the bay than might be found elsewhere around Puget Sound.  We thought the environmental connections would be more obvious.  Oakland Bay residents at least see it everyday when they drive past, many have jobs dependent upon the shellfish or timber industries, or they recreate in some form or fashion there.

With such close contact, the fact that local residents do not connect their actions at home with the health of Oakland Bay does not bode well for the rest of Puget Sound.  We would expect that elsewhere where residents have far less awareness, it will be an even tougher sell to improve land stewardship.  If we can’t build an effective program in Oakland Bay, we won’t be able to do it elsewhere!

For more info, the full results of the interviews can be downloaded from this site.

New Weather Station for Oakland Bay

The Natural Resources Department at the Squaxin Island Tribe has been a pioneer in the scientific investigation of water pollution in Oakland Bay.  One of our key findings is that windy conditions stir up bacteria laden sediment at the upper end of the bay and those bacteria can close down shellfish harvest.

We have always been hampered by the lack of weather stations in the area to get more accurate wind data.  Currently the data comes from Shelton Airport.  To partially solve the problem, Natural Resources developed a partnership with Pioneer School to install a King 5 SchoolNet Weather Station.  The proposal received funding funding from the Squaxin Island Tribe’s 1% commission and the weather station has been installed.

It can be viewed at http://www.aws.com/FlashDisplay.asp?id=SHPNR.  John Konovsky

2009 Deschutes Flood

Lower Deschutes Falls on January 8, 2009

The January Deschutes flood has some similarities and differences with the flood of record on January 9, 1990.  The total volumes of water moving through the system in 24 hours were similar, but the peaks and durations of the flood flows were quite distinct.

In 1990, the peak flow at Rainier was much higher (9,600 cfs) but the duration was shorter.  In 2009, the peak was lower (~6,850 cfs) but lasted longer.  The net result is the similarity in water volumes–the mean daily storm flow was 6,000 cfs in 1990 and ~5,600 cfs in 2009.

The 1990 storm was a very intense event that dumped alot of water over a relatively small area in a short period of time.  The situation was exacerbated by the inability of several old wooden culverts in the upper watershed to adequately pass the water.  When they eventually gave away, it sent a torrent of water down the valley at resulted in the highest peak flow in the nearly 60 years of record.

The 2009 storm was much more widespread and was more of a rain on snow event that lasted for a much longer period of time resulting in a longer duration of high water.  When the waters recede, we will survey the damage to fish and wildlife habitat.  Fisheries are still suffering from the sediment that entered the river in the 1990 storm.

Log jams protect chum during recent floods

The log jams the Squaxin Island Tribe built over the last few years in Skookum Creek provided a critical refuge for chum heading upstream to spawn during the recent floods.  When flows in Skookum Creek reached 750 cfs on Wednesday afternoon (11/12/08), a number of chum like the one visible in this picture rested in the calm water behind some of the logs placed higher up in the floodplain.  Unfortunately, once the fish move upstream of these log jams, they will find far fewer places to rest on their final ~5 mile swim.

Squaxin-sponsored Gage on Goldsborough Peaked

The Squaxin Island Tribe pays USGS to operate a stream flow gage on Goldsborough Creek near downtown Shelton (see:  http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/?site_no=12076800&PARAmeter_cd=00060,00065).  The stream flow from the heavy rains yesterday and today have peaked at around 900 cfs.  That qualifies as a modest flood in the Goldsborough watershed.