Around the Sound: Port Gamble Bay update -- by the numbers

This conveyor, the last large piece of a former mill on Port Gamble Bay, is coming down. (Russ McMillan photo) 

By Seth Preston, communications manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

This is what the mill looked like in full operation.

Get ready to say goodbye to the final, large sign of the lumber mill and sawmill that operated on Port Gamble Bay for more than 140 years.

As part of the major cleanup of the old Pope & Talbot mill, the conveyor shown in the photo above is going to be torn down. Right now, it's scheduled to be torn down early Tuesday morning.

The cleanup contractor and Pope Resources, which owns the mill site, want to take advantage of the low tide for safety reason and so it will be easier to retrieve debris that falls into the water.

Cleanup by the numbers

The site after mill demolition, but before the currernt cleanup. 

• 8,457 -- Tons of clean materials for in-water capping that arrived recently.
• 45,000 -- Total tons of clean materials brought to the mill site as of last week..
• 2,016 -- Pilings removed so far.
• 1,901 -- Pilings removed that were treated with toxic creosote.
• 110 -- Tons of creosote-contaminated materials trucked off the mill site last week.
• 60 to 70 -- Daily roundtrips by large trucks removing and bring in materials.

But wait! There's more!

So here's some of what's going to happen in the coming weeks:

• This season’s nighttime shoreline bank digging and capping is at the halfway mark.

• Cleanup work will continue with daytime shifts and nighttime work during low tides in some areas.

• Dredging and capping will continue through mid-January.

Want even more?

• Check out Ecology's web page about the mill site.
• Keep up to date on what's happening during cleanup.
• Questions or concerns? Call the project information line at 1-888-707-8663 or email info@PortGambleBayCleanup.com.

King Tides: A glimpse into tomorrow, a photo challenge today

By Jessica Payne, communications manager, Shorelands Program

It’s that time of year again; time to grab your camera and snap some photos of the extremely high King Tides occurring along Washington’s shorelines. We need your help documenting them!

Click here to see the Winter 2015-2016 King Tide Schedule

What are King Tides?

King Tides are the highest tides of the year. In Washington, these usually occur between late October and late January. 

When the gravity from the sun, moon, and earth align, the combination creates our annual extremely high tides: King Tides. These tides can last for several days and range anywhere between a few inches to several feet above the normal tide.

Climate change and our rising seas

King Tides provide a window into what our daily tides could look like in the future as a result of sea level rise. They give scientists and citizens a peak into one way climate change will impact our lives. As global temperatures rise, the oceans warm slightly and expand, ice caps and glaciers melt, and more precipitation falls as rain instead of snow. King Tides show us today the shorelines our children or grandchildren may see on a daily basis. 

By capturing photographs of King Tides and sharing them, you can help raise awareness about the potential impacts of sea level rise on low-lying coastal buildings and infrastructure. Pictures of King Tides also offer a record of the changes to our coasts over time. You can share your pictures by uploading them to the Washington King Tides Initiative or by tagging your social media posts with #KingTidesWA.

Learn more about rising sea levels in Washington State, and the science of King Tides.  

You can help! Go "on location" for your photo shoot

Your photos give a glimpse of what the future may look like for our shorelines. They help our scientists track changes through the years. King Tides is happening now! Break from your holiday festivities, grab your camera and head out to the Puget Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, or Pacific Coast to photograph the highest seasonal tides. 

Head to our website to find out when, where, and how high the King Tides will be near you.

There are several ways to participate:

• Washington’s Witness King Tides siteUpload your picture to the Washington Sea Grant's Witness King Tides website. Scroll over "Get Involved" and then click on "Share your Photos".
• Instagram, Facebook or TwitterSubmit photos by simply using the hashtags #KingTidesWA in your description. If you can tag the location of the photo, even better.

Your photos will be used in educational and outreach materials; please do not include people in your photos.

To best illustrate the impacts of the high tides, take your photos in areas where the high water levels can easily be measured. This can include recognizable landmarks or landscapes near a sea wall, jetty, bridge, building, or road.  

Have fun and be safe

Make your photo assignment fun by getting interesting and creative shots. Take the family and make it a learning opportunity for kids. King Tides are a great chance to teach children about future sea level rise. 

Remember, safety first when capturing photos. Be careful when walking on slippery areas or near big waves. Unusually high tides can make familiar territory very unfamiliar, be aware of your surroundings.

We can’t wait to see the different photos you send in. Now, ready, set, go capture some King Tides!

For more information, visit our King Tides webpage.

Around the Sound: Changes already obvious during Port Gamble Bay cleanup

By Seth Preston, communications manager, Toxics Cleanup Program

Wow! Cleanup work in and around Port Gamble Bay didn’t start until late September, but already the changes are striking.

This photo of the former mill site was taken early this month.

The shoreline at the former Pope & Talbot mill site is changing daily. Concrete bulkheads, debris and most of the piling-supported structures along the south shore are gone.

So far, more than 1,800 creosote-treated pilings have been pulled out and 600 tons of creosote-treated debris have been trucked off the site to a permitted landfill.

That clears the way for digging out contaminated sediments from the beach areas. As of late last week, about 5,000 cubic yards of material had already been dug up. And there's more to go.

How did we get here?

The mill in its heyday decades ago.

Historical activities at the former Pope & Talbot mill site released contamination and wood waste on land and in the water. The mill operated for more than 140 years before closing in 1995. Since then, the site has been used for various activities.

The bay is a high priority under the Puget Sound Initiative. We and various partners are already doing restoration and preservation work in and around the bay, so this cleanup project is the next step.

Current mill site owner Pope Resources is the main responsible party and is paying for the cleanup work. The company has stepped up.

What's happening now? What's next?

Work this season will go on until roughly Jan. 15. It's focused on dredging contaminated sediments and wood waste and removing structures from the southern embayment.  

Shoreline work at the south end of the mill site will keep moving north for the next two months. It's done during low tides at  night during the fall and winter. A clean cap is laid down after  the contaminated sediment is removed.

Clean sand has been used to build a subtidal "shelf" at the right depths to replace eelgrass lost during dredging. Eelgrass will be planted there this coming spring.

Stockpiles of clean sand come rolling in each day, totaling more than 20,000 tons of sand to date. An average of 70-plus truckloads deliver materials and haul out debris every day.

The most visible remaining overwater structure, the alder chip conveyor, will be taken down in December. That structure is shown in the photo at the right.

Keep up to date

If you have questions, concerns or you're simply curious, call the Port Gamble Bay Cleanup Information Line at 1-888-707-8663, send email to info@portgamblebay.cleanup.com, or visit the project website.

Fecal Matters: No Water Contact Advisory issued for Port Washington Narrows, Kitsap County

BEACH Program Update

On November 18, 2015 Kitsap Public Health District issued a no-contact advisory for the Port Washington Narrows through Friday, November 20th due to a 4,863 gallon combined sewer overflow (CSO).  The CSO discharge occurred due to the heavy wind and rain storm.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Debby Sargeant is the BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6139 or debby.sargeant@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

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Fecal Matters: No Water Contact Advisory issued for Thea Foss Waterway and Thea Park, Tacoma, Pierce County

BEACH Program Update

On November 17, 2015 Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued a "No Water Contact" health advisory for Thea Foss Waterway and Thea Park.  Due to heavy rains partially treated sewage discharged to the Puyallup River near Commencement Bay.  The public is to have no contact with the water for the next 48 hours.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Debby Sargeant is the BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6139 or debby.sargeant@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

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Fecal Matters: Beaches around Cap Sante Marina CLOSED to water contact recreation, Anacortes, Skagit County

BEACH Program Update

On November 17, 2015 Skagit County Public Health Department issued a "No Water Contact" health advisory for beaches around Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes.  Due to heavy rains a manhole cover is discharging sewage to the area around the marina.  The public is advised to avoid any contact with the water until further notice.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Debby Sargeant is the BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6139 or debby.sargeant@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

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Fecal Matters: Clallam Bay CLOSED to water contact recreation, Clallam County

BEACH Program Update

On November 17, 2015 Clallam County Health Department issued a "No Water Contact" health advisory for Clallam Bay in Clallam County.  Due to heavy rains the sewage treatment plant is discharging sewage to Clallam Bay.  The public is advised to avoid any contact with the water until further notice.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Debby Sargeant is the BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6139 or debby.sargeant@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

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Fire and floods

Early warning needed in areas scarred by wildfire

By Joye Redfield-Wilder – Communications Manager, Central Region

Across the state, fires have left a scarred landscape where more than a million acres of timberland and sage burned this summer. North Central Washington experienced a one-two punch, suffering the state’s two largest groups of wildfires back-to-back in 2014 and 2015.

Together, the Carlton Complex Fire of 2014 and the Okanogan Complex Fire of 2015 burned more than a half-million acres of land in mountainous Okanogan County.

Fires also raged this summer along Lake Chelan from Stehekin to the lake’s namesake resort town 50 miles to the south. They burned around Mount Adams, north of Spokane, along the Columbia River and in the Blue Mountains. Wildfire even scorched the Olympic National Rain Forest.

Lost were homes, livestock and three lives. Gone too, is the protective vegetation that helps prevent flash flooding.

Contractors clean up after dam breach in 2014

Flash flooding a wakeup call

A month after the Carlton Complex Fire, torrential rains and flash flooding breached several earthen dams, wiped out county roads and heaped more devastation on residents who were caught off guard.

In an effort to help everyone to be better prepared, Ecology was able to deploy a total of 17 flash flood warning rain gauges last fall in burned out areas west of Wenatchee and in the Methow and Okanogan river valleys.

Gauging stations collect data in areas where the National Weather Service/NOAA has no radar reception. Powered by solar panels and two car batteries, the information is sent by satellite to the weather service in Spokane. Residents receive early flood warnings via local broadcast media, and emergency management social media and text messaging.

Entiat trailhead  rain gauge

Rain gauge response, 2015

Fast-forward to this autumn. Residents around Lake Chelan in Chelan County and in the area of the Okanogan Complex fires now face the same flooding hazards as their neighbors did in 2014. Field staff with Ecology’s Environmental Assessment Program have deployed nine more rain gauges in rugged areas that have no weather radar coverage.

In addition, two stream flow gauges have been placed in the upper and lower Entiat River watershed to provide crucial information on how fast water is rising during a significant rain event, and to further help NOAA know if local agencies should be sent a flash flood warning.

“Rain gauges provide real time information on the ground, in areas with poor radar coverage, and help determine whether flash flooding is imminent and whether flash flood warnings should be issued,” said NOAA hydrologist Katherine Rowden. “The stream gauges in the Entiat will show rises well upstream of residents to help us get effective early warnings out to those downstream.”

State and federal experts and local emergency responders helped to identify areas where the burn intensity, terrain, and conditions downhill or downstream posed the greatest threats.

Efforts to address such post-wildfire hazards aren’t always funded as part of the immediate response and recovery efforts. Ecology stepped up to the plate to provide the much-needed service, using creative resources and a well-trained field staff.

Ecology Rain Gauge You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yWs6QPp6CQ

Learn more about how these rain gauges work on our You Tube video, Rain Gages for the Carlton Complex Fires.

You can also visit each station virtually and see real-time river flow data at our Flow Monitoring Network webpage.

Flash flood gauges in North Central Washington 

Air Time: Why we have burn bans

Chilly days can mean smoky skies

Many communities in Washington experience smoke year round: during wildfire season in summer; in springtime and fall when we're cleaning up our landscape debris, and when we light our woodstoves and fireplaces in winter. To reduce exposure to smoke, folks should consider alternatives to burning when they can. 

When the air gets too smoky, burn bans are called until the smoke clears out. During chilly days and nights, a warm fire is appealing. Unfortunately, the coldest days can be the worst days for burning wood. That's why it's important to burn hot and clean, and pay attention to burn bans. 

Why burning is an issue in winter 

When cold air is trapped below warmer air it's called a temperature inversion.

During an inversion, winds hardly blow and the air becomes stagnant. Pollution particles trapped in the air remain close to the ground where we breathe. These fine particles travel deep into our respiratory system and lodge in our lungs. This is unhealthy for everyone, and especially harmful to infants, young children, the elderly, and people with asthma, heart or lung disease.

Weather forecasts, air monitors  

Forecasters watch weather patterns and air quality monitors closely to identify areas that might result in unacceptable levels of pollution. They rely on data from air monitors placed throughout the state and weather models to help identify which communities will  experience air pollution problems during stagnant periods. 

Smoke builds up in some areas more readily than others because of terrain. Areas like Wenatchee, Leavenworth and  Colville, trap smoke in narrow valleys. Less obvious are bowl-shaped areas like Spokane where smoke can linger. Because outdoor burning and indoor wood heating contribute significantly to air pollution during inversions, residents and businesses may be required to restrict burning.

Washington issues burn bans in two stages: Stage 1 is applied when air pollution increases and is expected to reach unhealthy levels if some burning isn't curtailed; Stage 2 is applied when the air cannot accommodate any more pollution without becoming unhealthy.

Stage 1 burn bans

During a Stage 1 ban, all outdoor burning, including residential, agricultural and forest burning is prohibited. In addition, use of fireplaces, non-certified wood stoves, inserts and other devices is not allowed unless it is a home’s only adequate source of heat.  

Certified wood stoves, pellet stoves and other certified wood-burning devices are allowed.

Stage 2 burn bans

A Stage 2 ban applies to all burning, inside and out, including the use of all certified and uncertified wood stoves, inserts, fireplaces and other wood-burning devices, unless they are a home’s only adequate source of heat. 

Washington’s burn ban website and resources

Before lighting a fire, find out if your county has a burn ban in place by visiting waburnbans.net. 

For more information on indoor burning, including a list of approved wood stoves, fireplace inserts and other devices see our Air Quality pages. Also check out these tips for better burning in this blog: How you burn makes a difference in your pocket and in the air. 

Ducks and geese oiled in White Center spill

by Larry Altose Communications Manager, Northwest Regional Office

Many mallard ducks come to the pond.

Cleanup and bird rescue crews continue their efforts in response to an oil spill discovered late Friday afternoon in a King County stormwater retention pond in White Center.

Workers made progress on Saturday and Sunday, rescuing oiled waterfowl and removing oil from the pond near 13th Street in unincorporated King County.

The Washington Department of Ecology is coordinating the response, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the King County Department ofNatural Resources and Parks. Ecology has hired a spill response contractor and a wildlife rescue organization for the cleanup.

Crews capture oiled waterfowl.

The spilled material appears to be about 50 to 100 gallons of cooking oil that entered the pond via the county stormwater drainage system. County and Ecology staff have been tracing storm drains to search for the source of the spill. No additional oil has entered the lake since a citizen first reported the spill late Friday afternoon.

Cooking and other edible oils, while less toxic to wildlife than petroleum products, still cause environmental harm. When birds contact the oil it coats the feathers so that the animals lose insulation and buoyancy. Oil damages habitat for other aquatic life, reducing oxygen levels and creating physical impacts on the water surface and shoreline.

Special pads remove oil from the pond surface.

Crews from Focus Wildlife International have captured 14 oiled birds - four mallard ducks and 10 Canada geese. The birds received initial treatment near the scene in the organization’s special trailer. They were transported for further treatment at the Progressive Animal Welfare Society’s Wildlife Rescue Center in Lynnwood.

Workers hope to capture approximately 20 other oiled birds, some of which have flown to other ponds, lakes or fields in the area. No wildlife deaths have been reported. Meanwhile, other workers continue to tend oil spill cleanup materials placed in the pond to collect the oil, which has spread into a slick over much of the surface. Crews succeeded in preventing oil from draining out of the pond, which flows into nearby Hicklin Lake.

King County stormwater pond.

The cleanup has reduced the amount of oil seen on the pond over the past two days. Ecology’s contractor will measure the amount of oil recovered in cleanup materials to better determine the size of the spill.

The on-site response effort, which involved 25 people on Saturday and 18 on Sunday, continues to step down to about 9 responders today.

For updates, please follow Ecology's Northwest Regional Office on Twitter and visit our website.

Part 2: Business Casual Typhoon Friday

By Washington Conservation Corps member Adeline Wisernig

Our Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) recently sent a team of eight WCC AmeriCorps members and two crew supervisors to the Pacific island of Saipan for a 30-day disaster response assignment. The team is assisting the community after Typhoon Soudelor hit the island in early August. Second-year AmeriCorps member Adeline Wisernig shares a description of the team's travel and mission below. Half of the team returned on Oct. 29. Four WCC AmeriCorps members and a crew supervisor will remain in Saipan through November 25.

See Part 1 of this story: Sunrise in Seattle, Sunset in Saipan

View of Typhoon Champi from the hotel room.

Serving in Saipan: Part 2 

The winds are just beginning to die down after
 another typhoon, Typhoon Champi, hit Saipan with tropical storm force winds and rain over the weekend. But more on that later. Now we can return to work at full speed.

Coordinating volunteer efforts

Our week here turned out to be very productive despite the severe weather. Our database trainings are coming full circle with organizations beginning to log their volunteer hours and our volunteer database growing every day. Before arriving, we were warned about “island time” - the notion that time moves slower our here - yet somehow two weeks have flown by. With our departure now less than two weeks away, we set up training for those interested in becoming volunteer leads from now until we leave.

One great success this week is the arrival of the Red Cross case managers. With them marks the beginning of the long-term recovery effort. We will help them to be able to begin individual, case-by-case assessments by training them how to use the databases and needs assessments we've compiled since Typhoon Soudelor.

Inspiring local youth to serve with AmeriCorps

We had the great opportunity to visit the local Kagman High School and talk to their junior and senior class about what we do in AmeriCorps, WCC and the National Civilian Community Corps. The students were downright boisterous, interested and excited. We showed them the beautiful places we get to serve and crew supervisor Ernie got to showcase some of his videos from last year's fire response, of which the students were in awe. AmeriCorps might prove for many of the students, like many of us, a great opportunity to save some money for college, meet awesome people and have some great adventures.

Typhoon Champi a one-two punch after Soudelor

WCC AmeriCorps members and United 4 Saipan set up a
CERT tent after Typhoon Champi passed through.

Friday rolled around and so did Typhoon Champi. We spent the better part of 36 hours bunkered in the hotel while winds exceeding 81 mph threw rain around in buckets. Our hotel featured its very own “Titanic Staircase” where the winds and rain swirled, recalling the movie scene in which Rose heads into the belly of the flooded Titanic to free Jack from his imprisonment. I think I can speak for everyone on the crew when I say “None of us had seen a storm like this.” Our one excursion outside amidst the winds forced us to crouch down while grains of sand became permanently embedded into our skin. Worth it!

The “Shelter in Place” warning was finally lifted mid-morning Saturday and we were able to go out with the Red Cross to deliver clean-up kits and tarps to residents whose houses were completely flooded. The island was clearly changed in just 36 hours. More downed trees, more tin roofs now twisted around those trees, and neighborhoods flooded.

Grasping the strength of these storms

What I can't wrap my head around is that Typhoon Champi was barely one-fourth the strength of Typhoon Soudelor. Soudelor knocked out 200 power lines while our Typhoon Champi only knocked down nine. The wind measurement instruments broke after recording 93mph winds during Soudelor. Champi recorded gusts of 81mph at the highest. If nothing else, this storm allowed us to gain a bit more perspective on the magnitude of Typhoon Soudelor and why it's taken so long for this small island to recover.

Champi passed, back to work

But Champi did not slow down our weekend! On Sunday we were back at it, joining a local volunteer organization United 4 Saipan to set up shelter tents for residents still without a reliable roof after Soudelor and now Champi.

After this, we got to take some advantage of the sunny weather and head to what many of the locals consider the best place to snorkel: The Grotto. We frolicked in the post-storm waves and ate pie.

Today, it's back in the office to kick off the last half of our efforts here in Saipan.

WCC’s disaster response program

Four of our WCC crews are designated disaster response crews, though any crew has the potential to deploy. Deployments range from national to local disasters, supporting flood response and prevention, wildfire operations, hurricane assistance and more.

Join WCC!

Do you want to help the environment, meet great people and make a real difference? The 2015-2016 crew year just kicked off, but check back in January to apply for six-month positions with WCC! Ecology's Washington Conservation Corps, an AmeriCorps Program, consists of three subprograms: the original WCC, Veteran Conservation Corps and Puget SoundCorps.

See photos of the types of projects WCC members support during their service in our WCC Projects Flickr set.

Learn more about WCC at: www.ecy.wa.gov/wcc

Fecal Matters: Front Street Beach, East OPEN for Water Contact Recreation, Clallam County

BEACH Program Update

On November 6, 2015, the Makah Tribe BEACH Program re-opened Front Street Beach, East in Neah Bay for water contact recreation.

Contact with fecal contaminated waters can result in gastroenteritis, skin rashes, upper respiratory infections, and other illnesses. Children and the elderly may be more vulnerable to waterborne illnesses.

Visit the BEACH website to find the latest results for these and other saltwater beaches: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/eap/beach/

Stay updated about water quality at your beaches by keeping up with us on our blog Fecal Matters, on Facebook, or join our listserv.

Debby Sargeant is the BEACH Program Manager and is available at 360-407-6139 or debby.sargeant@ecy.wa.gov for questions.

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Air Time: A summer of unhealthy smoke

Now that was a bad wildfire season!

By Ranil Dhammapala, Ecology atmospheric scientist

Wildfires in 2015 burned more acres in Washington State than the last five years combined, according to data from the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. Abnormally warm temperatures, a snow drought last winter, early snow melt this spring and a mostly dry summer were among the reasons.

In addition to the tragic loss of lives and property, many people were forced to breathe heavily polluted air for several days. Eastern Washingtonians were exposed to an average of about 11 days where air quality was either Unhealthy or worse, compared to an average of about seven days in recent years with bad wildfires.

As can be expected, air quality varied widely from place to place. Omak for instance saw air quality degrade much more than it did in past years, while Wenatchee's air quality was far better this wildfire season than the unprecedented exposure to smoke experienced in 2012. 

Not all smoke plumes are measured by the network of air quality monitoring sites.  Several temporary monitors placed in smoke impacted communities recorded poor air quality at different times, but those data have not been considered in the above analysis.

Satellite picture on Aug. 23, 2015, shows widespread smoke in the Pacific Northwest. Measured air quality conditions are also shown with colored dots. Burgundy, red and orange being the most concerning for smoke exposure.

While the human body can recover from short-term exposure to wildfire smoke, it is well known that smoke inhalation causes breathing difficulties among people with prior respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. Elderly people, pregnant women, infants and children can be susceptible at lower pollution levels. Extreme smoke levels can trigger heart attacks or strokes, even among healthy people. 

As we transition from wildfire season to home heating season, the public is encouraged to observe any burn bans that might be imposed in case of stagnant air and take necessary precautions to limit exposure to impaired air. 

If you are a wood burner, make sure you only burn dry, seasoned firewood in small, hot fires. A low-polluting woodstove or pellet stove would make an excellent Christmas gift. Your family and neighbors will thank you for it.

Rain barrels: I took the do-it-yourself challenge

by Sandra Partridge, Ecology communications

 

Imagine putting rain to work for you.

Rain barrels capture rainwater for use on your yard and garden. They allow you to divert the water to the parts of the yard that need it most, instead of it just pouring out of your downspout.

Preparing now makes sense

While your garden doesn’t need rain now, it is a good time to prepare for the next growing season.

Getting set up now will come in handy later, especially if our state experiences another drought.  When the weather turns warm, using free rainwater can reduce your monthly household watering bills.

The challenge

You can find rain barrels for sale at garden supply centers, hardware stores and building supply chains, or you can order them online, although some stores only offer them in the spring and summer.

I read that even someone with limited skills and basic tools can build a rain barrel for about half of full retail price or less so I decided to try it.

To get started, I searched “building rain barrels” online and found a number of helpful, short how-to videos, instructions and material lists. For step-by-step directions, you’ll want to research out the plans that most appeal to you.

Designs differ, but most rain barrels have these features:

• A 55-gallon plastic drum that is either new or only contained food quality materials.
• A large hole in top for the water to flow into, covered by a screen to keep out leaves and other debris. 
• A faucet or ball valve toward the bottom, where you’ll attach the garden hose.
• To keep the barrel from getting too full, some have an overflow hole, high up on one side. You can run a hose from that too, to direct excess water away from the house.
• A stable, elevated base. This helps ensure that a full, heavy barrel won’t tip over.

Patience pays - literally

The total cost of the project will depend on what materials and tools you have on hand.

Finding a suitable drum this time of year took some time. After visiting several stores, I finally found one at a garden supply center for about $40. If I had more time, I would have kept looking for alternatives – maybe a restaurant or car wash that was going to take a suitable drum to recycling.

I also needed to buy some basic supplies and equipment:  two hole saws (that attach to your drill), a PVC adapter, a ball valve (or faucet), and some small fittings. I got those, and helpful advice, from my local hardware store.

My total investment was nearly $100.  But now that I’m set up – and if I can find a low-cost barrel to start with – I should be able to build a second one for far less. 

It wasn’t that hard

The steps are pretty basic. 

For the inflow, I cut a large hole in the top of the barrel. Then I set a PVC adapter into the opening, covered it with a piece of fine wire mesh, and secured it in place with a hose clamp.

For the faucet, I cut a small hole a few inches from the bottom. Then I added a fitting, inserted the ball valve and connected the hose.

Mine has a removable lid, to make it easier to clean. Because I don’t have a table saw, I used a reciprocating saw to cut the lid off the barrel. For safety, I braced the barrel against something solid so it wouldn’t turn as I made the cuts.

Mine had a small overflow hole fitted with an adapter and a small hose, to keep any excess water away from the house.

Was it worth it?

Yes, yes and yes. That evening, the sound of rain brought a smile to my face.  I checked on my rain barrel the next morning and was surprised to find it was already several inches full.  Pretty satisfying to see that it all worked as it was supposed to.  Since we’re entering the winter season, I’ll empty it and store it away for now.  But when spring comes, watering with rain water will be a real pleasure. 

Extreme drought now in less than half of state

by Dan Partridge, communications manager, Water Resources Program


The rain came down in sheets over the weekend, pouring more than three inches of rain on Western Washington as measured at Sea-Tac Airport. Storms were intense and rivers swollen, leading many folks to ask: Is the statewide drought over?

The answer is no but the rain and snow did improve the drought picture considerably. Less than half the state is now in “extreme” drought and several areas of the state that were in “severe” drought have been upgraded to “moderate” drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor .

The weekend storms dumped 19 inches of snow in the North Cascades, as measured by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Hart’s Pass received 15 inches of snow and Mount Rainer at Paradise received more than a foot of snow.

In a normal year, snowpack accumulates in our mountains over the winter and then runoff from melting snow feeds our rivers and streams through the spring, summer and fall. While the drought monitor report is encouraging, forecasters are concerned that much of the snow received last weekend will melt away before winter if the warm temperatures of October persist. The month was the second-warmest October on record for Washington.

The Yakima basin benefitted from the storms but the basin is still in that half of the state in extreme drought.

The basin is the most productive agricultural region in the state. The rain increased water storage in the five reservoirs managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for irrigation from 39 to 61 percent of average and the weekend storms brought the area up to 207 percent of its normal precipitation for the month of October.

“It was a very good rain over here,” said Chris Lynch, hydrologist and civil engineer with the Bureau.

For most of this year, however, water shortages have caused hardships in the Yakima basin and across the state. Record-low snowpack was found in the Yakima basin on April 1 and May 1, at 12 percent and 11 percent of average. Statewide, most of our snowpack was gone by the first of June. 

More water in irrigation reservoirs is good news for farmers who were cut back on their water allocations this year to 47 percent of normal, but there is still a significant deficit in water supplies for the Yakima Basin. The reservoirs are holding about 180,000 acre-feet of water (one acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons of water.) A year ago, the reservoirs were holding 385,000 acre-feet of water on Nov. 1, 2014, and the Yakima Basin was still one of the first regions of the state to be declared in a drought this year, on March 13, because of lack of snow.

If temperatures cool and significant snow begins to accumulate in the mountains, the picture may continue to improve for our statewide drought. However, predictions remain for a warmer-than-normal winter with below-normal snowpack. The El Nino weather pattern bringing those conditions is expected to be among the three warmest on record, dating back to 1950.