Reduce Your Fork Print

This is a Christmas present that I received from my dear friend, Kathleen.  I love the “reduce your fork print” tagline. The tagline reminds me that reducing my fork print relates to how I reduce my Water Footprint.

I routinely pass out information about how to save water in and around our customers’ homes. Turn off the water when you brush your teeth . . . install water saving fixtures and appliances. . . Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk . . . . You get the idea. However, I learned that only 3% of water is used around the house. A whopping 97% of the water that we use is invisible. Everything that we consume requires water to grow, transport or manufacture.  For example, some hidden uses of water are:

•          One sheet of paper -2.6 gallons
•          One glass of beer- 19.8 gallons
•         One glass of wine-31.7 gallons.
•          One hamburger - 634 gallons
•          One cotton t-shirt – 713 gallons
•          Morning Latte – over  50 gallons

 It is no surprise to learn, especially during the holiday season, that we from the USA have the largest water footprint.  What we consume in our part of the world often impacts water resources in another place as most of what we buy is manufactured out of country.  Indeed, 65% of our hidden water use lies abroad. The global principles of water use are explored at the Water Footprint Network website where you can find a calculator to determine your water footprint.  

It’s sometimes overwhelming to think about our direct water use! How can we deal with the added weight of invisible water?  Since it’s time for resolutions, I will try to make small changes. One pair of blue jeans takes 1,800 gallons of water to manufacture.  I will seek out gently used jeans at a thrift shop before buying new. Also, serving meat, especially beef, is probably is my greatest use of invisible water. I pledge to make at least one meal per week meatless.  

So, you could say that I will be reducing my water footprint and my fork print this year!

Salmon Link Songbirds to the Sea

Winter begins this week. Leaves are off the trees. The salmon run is over- leaving salmon carcasses littering the stream banks.  My garden’s summer blooms have degenerated into seed pods, vertical stems and brown leaves. The somewhat stark habitat of my winter garden makes it easier to watch my resident winter wren as she forages for bugs, spiders and other delicious crawling creatures. A bird article recently caught my eye. The subject was how Salmon increase the population of songbirds, like the Winter Wren*.

 Biologists from the University of Victoria, BC looked at two coastal rivers in British Columbia. Both of these rivers have Salmon returning each fall. Both rivers, however, have waterfalls that act as Salmon barriers partway upstream. They sampled the songbird population on the reach each side of the waterfalls on both rivers. They found that on both rivers Winter Wren were more abundant where Salmon were more abundant. 

Two reasons for this phenomenon are:

1. Though Winter Wrens do not eat salmon, the decaying salmon carcasses provide rich food for midge and fly larvae. Insect eating birds, like Winter Wrens, may do better in areas where Salmon cause these particular insects to be abundant.  
2. The second possibility is that the salmon help the birds more indirectly. The nutrients from the dead and dying salmon enrich the entire riparian habitat. These fish are full of minerals and nutrients found only out at sea. The Salmon transport these rich nutrients from the upstream increasing the productivity of plant growth and fruit production. This plant growth attracts more plant eating insects that become a banquet for the Winter Wren.  When biologists studied tissue samples from Winter Wrens living along the salmon streams, they found that these Winter Wrens carry a distinctive molecular signature that is characteristic of nutrients derived from the sea. This tells of the important link salmon play in the relationship between the sea and the Winter Wrens of the forest. 

A note about Winter Wrens
 In 2010 the American Ornithology Union split the species, Winter Wren, into three:
Troglodytes hiemalis – Winter Wren (range from BC to the East Coast)
Troglodytes troglodytes – Eurasian Wren (found outside North America)
Troglodytes pacifica – Pacific Wren (resides on the west coast from BC to California)

*Christie and Reimchen. Presence of salmon increases passerine density on Pacific Northwest streams. Auk 125:51-59 (2008).

On-site Septic Systems - A Link to the Aquifer

Many of KPUD customers are not served by public sewer systems and depend on on-site septic systems to treat and dispose of waste water. A well designed and maintained septic system can provide years of low-cost service. On-site septic systems keep the water you use on your property, use natural materials to filter wastewater and gradually return the water to the aquifer.

 If you have a septic system, it makes good sense to follow these tips.

• Practice water conservation. The more wastewater produced the more the system must treat and dispose. Decreasing the amount of water use can extend life of the system and help to avoid costly repairs. One easy and inexpensive way to save water is to install low flow showerheads. They are available free from our office.
• Inspect the system and pump out your septic tank when needed. Don’t wait until you have a problem. Check the sludge and scum levels in the tank regularly. Using a garbage disposal will require the tank to be pumped more often.
• Flush only waste into the tank. Chemicals are harmful to the system and pollute groundwater. Grease, paper towels and coffee ground cannot easily decompose in the tank.
• Protect your system from damage. Keep vehicles, heavy equipment and livestock off your drainfield. Do not place impermeable materials like plastic or concrete over your drainfield. Grass is the best cover for your system.

Kitsap Health District has a homeowner's manual that can help you understand and care for your septic system.

Winter Birds: Dippers

Last week at Salmon Tours, a volunteer called my attention to an ordinary looking brown bird about six inches long. The extraordinary thing about this bird was that she was wading in the stream, repeatedly dipping her head in the water.  While behaving somewhat like a duck, this bird was obviously a songbird. Fittingly, the name of this bird is the American Dipper.

I read what the Cornell Lab of Ornithology had to say about this bird on its website. I found out the Dipper is America’s only truly aquatic songbird. The Dipper eats the bugs and larvae found in the rocky bottoms of flowing streams. They wade, swim and dive from the air into the water for food. Dippers share habitat with Salmon and depend on the aquatic insects that also feed the fingerling Salmon.  So, like Salmon, Dippers are susceptible to pollution that could eliminate their prey.

Dippers weave a ball- like nest near the fast moving stream.  The female first dips materials into water as she weaves a two layer nest. She creates an outer shell 8-10 inches in diameter made of moss. The inner chamber is a woven cup of 2-3 inches made of grass, leaves and bark. This is an ingenious way to keep her brood dry. Dippers have a clutch of four or five eggs and have one or two broods per year.

American Dippers are monogamous, but couples generally split up for a solitary life after the chicks’ fledging.

Salmon Tours 2012

 WSU has taken on the Salmon Tour program. A few years ago, a group of educators, including me,  organized buses to take participants to Salmon viewing sites in the county. This was a successful program that lasted for about 10 years. For several different reasons, the program in its particular format was abandoned. This year WSU Beach Watcher volunteers acted as Salmon Docents and invited the public to view Salmon at several spots around the county. I participated as a Docent last Saturday at Fish Park in Poulsbo

We Salmon Docents were lucky that it was a cold, crisp but sunny day on Saturday! I joined two other docents on the viewing platform.  There was a fortuitous spot of sun there to warm us up. We had low attendance from fish and Salmon tour participants. It was high tide so it was hard to see fish returning upstream at the estuary. The lack of people could’ve been due to frigid temperatures in the 30’s. 

After about an hour and a half of no action, my cohorts decided to join the docents upstream at Valley Nursery. I decided to hang out in the sun at the platform a little longer. I was glad I did because at about 12:30 I heard the unmistakable sound of excited children running down the path. A mom, three kids plus grandma came to Salmon Tours. Grandma had received an e-mail from the Kingston Chamber about the event.

The two brothers and younger sister were everywhere at once. I apologized for the lack of viewable fish, but they were undeterred, searching high and low. The boys gave me their rapt attention when I began spewing out my Salmon story. They were amazed by the determination of these critters. The boys especially liked hearing about the Chum Salmons camouflage spawning outfit.

Then, as if on cue, a lone Chum Salmon came into view and swam right toward us. The group got to see its markings and even identified the fish as a female by looking at the ID card. I’m only sorry that they didn’t get to see the mass spawning that took place. They were excited none the less.

Do people want to view Salmon? If participation at this year's Salmon Tours is an indication, then no. But I can't help to think, yes they do. They just need to a) know about it b) be asked to sites that actually have fish!

Ideas:

• Create an iconic sign - similar to the "The Salmon are Running" one that is at the Grover's Creek Hatchery. People need to know that this means they can stop and look at Salmon when they see the sign.
• Have docents available on the fishes' schedules - not ours. That may mean that docents will have to be flexible and Salmon Tours won't all be on the same day. May be a little difficult to do - but not impossible.
• Do much more outreach to make sure that people are aware of the Salmon viewing opportunities.

Kitsap Salmon Touring

If you want to see the Chum Salmon returning in their camo outfits, here are viewing opportunities on

Saturday November 19, 10-1. Docents will be there to answer questions.

Valley Nursery in Poulsbo

Fish Park in Poulsbo

Chico Creek

Blackjack Creek – on the Bridge by Kentucky Fried Chicken

See videos of salmon streams

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Paul Dorn is the fish biologist for the Suquamish Tribe, but he is much, much more. He is the go-to guy for all things Salmon in Kitsap County. He always makes time to educate folks about our iconic anadromous friends:  the Salmon.

This is what he was up to on October 7, at the Norm Dicks building in Bremerton. WSU is sponsoring a group of Salmon Docents in the county. Paul was initiating them with a packed day of learning. Teachers often ask me to talk to their students about Salmon, so  I attended Paul’s lecture to  refresh my info.

Paul started by telling us that the Salmon or Oncorhynchus  (Russian - meaning hooked snout) created their own habitat 10,000 years ago after the last Puget Sound glacial event. They made their way down from the north and out to sea through a barren, scraped and scarred habitat. After returning to fresh water to spawn, they died leaving their carcasses to become fertilizer for vegetation and trees that would become the important riparian habitat Salmon need.  Leaves fell into the water feeding the insects that nourish salmon young.  The trees in turn fell into streams building shelter for the newly hatched salmon and forming the riffles and pools so important for salmon streams. As I was listening to Paul, I wondered; “Are we the only species that destroys our habitat instead of nurturing it?”

The Salmon circle continues today with five species of salmon returning to home streams that drain into the Salish Sea.  These are Chum, Chinook, Silver, Pink and Sockeye.  In Kitsap our largest Salmon run consists of Chum Salmon.  We also have hatchery raised Coho, and Chinook Salmon returning to local streams.  Pinks can also be found here and there. 

 Our largest native Chum run returns to Chico Creek. Chum Salmon are nicknamed Dog Salmon because of their large canine teeth that appear at spawning time.  After being out to sea for 2-4 years, something triggers the schools of Salmon to return home to spawn. Scientists think they find their way by using their exquisite sense of smell.  Salmon out smell dogs.  The Salmon’s sense of smell is to dogs’ sense of smell as the dog’s is to humans’ limited ability! Vibrations that are sensed through fishes’ lateral line also guide them home.  

Hanging out in the estuary, the mottled markings of their bodies make Chum look like they are dressed in camouflage gear. They wait for a good rain to allow them up the fresh water stream. Chum is the latest Salmon run: Late November sometimes extending into December. Chum are the most laid back species of the five. They rarely jump, instead choosing to go around and under obstacles. Watching them swim upstream, we see that they can travel with half of their bodies out of the water. This is a good adaptation for spawning in our flat, shallow Kitsap streams. The Salmon do not eat and are already decaying a bit.  The reaction of being in fresh water causes white splotches to appear on their bodies. 

Using her tail, the female disturbs the rocks to build a nest or redd. Meanwhile the males are very aware of what is going on. They viciously compete with each other to fertilize the 3,000 eggs that the female will deposit there. After fertilization the male goes on upstream for further conquests before dying. The female lingers protecting her nest until, exhausted, she dies adding nutrients to the stream that will indirectly nurture her hatchlings. 

Life is happening under those rocks. One day, alevin pop out of the eggs.  Alevin remain in the rocks and do not yet have mouths to in which to eat. Their food hangs on their bellies in a yolk sack. After this yolk sack is absorbed, they wriggle out and start looking for stream bugs to eat. They are not only eating, but being eaten although they now have parr marks along their sides to help them blend into the streambed. 

Chum remain in the stream for only a few months. By March they are making their way to the estuary. They are now smolts, adjusting to being a salt water fish. Chum rely heavily on the rich nutritious soup of the estuary.  They quickly gain weight and grow large enough to school out to sea to dine on sandlance, surf smelt , anchovies and squid. In another 2 – 4 years, at least one pair from each redd will return to repeat the cycle. 

Not only do Chum Salmon depend on the estuary, they need to return to a healthy stream.  A salmon stream needs plenty of oxygen, gravel and woody debris. Spawning Salmon need cold water. . .that is why trees shading the stream are the most important ingredient for salmon habitat. Paul pointed out that our Salmon streams were a source of drinking water for thousands of years. He had a good idea  . . . we should be required to drink out of a Salmon stream once each year. This may make maintaining a clean stream more of a priority for us.

Will KPUD get its very own rain garden?

By now we know the value of rain gardens. They keep water that runs off driveways and rooftops on the property allowing it to percolate into the soil instead of racing down the storm drain into the Puget Sound. You may be reminded that this is good for groundwater recharge (i.e. drinking water) and for protecting the Sound from the gunk that flows with that rain water from driveways and rooftops.

Thanks to the press that Ballard’s rain gardens received, we also know the pit falls of rain gardens. http://kplu.org/post/seattle-removes-rain-gardens-ballard The principle of a rain garden is to capture water and have it quickly soak into the ground. Rain gardens may have standing water during a big storm, but a healthy rain garden, the water disappears into the prepared soils into the ground.  Ballard’s rain gardens turned into a standing pond. It failed to deal with the torrents of rain that we received in early 2011. Lessons learned: a) Don’t rush the process.  b) Do a thorough perk test!

Why do I think KPUD needs a rain garden? Watching the sheeting of water down our sloping driveway gave me a clue. This water was washing into the storm drains and straight out to the sound. Plus, KPUD is naturally, a proponent for aquifer recharge. I would like to walk the talk and provide a model rain garden for the community. 

Messing around with the storm water coming off of a commercial site is nothing to jump into. That’s why I asked Kitsap Rain Garden Mentors to lend me a hand. The mentors are carefully assessing the possibility for a rain garden here. They mentioned that they reject more projects that they accept. Will KPUD’s sit pass the tests? Here are the preliminary steps they took:

Locate a space
Our rain garden needs to be 50 feet away from drain fields and reserve drain fields which narrowed the location down a bit. We chose an area which was visible from the road and where water from the driveway could be diverted.  We had a utility locate done so we would not interfere with water lines, power lines or buried storm drains.

Measure twice – dig once
We got out the measuring tape. We identified the parking lot that would drain into our proposed rain garden and measured the area. We determined that rain water hitting 3,000 feet of impervious surface would find its way to the rain garden.  Are we going to have enough space for that much water? Doing the math, it is going to be tight. 

Do the soil squeeze
Knowing what kind of soil is on-site is important to think about infiltration during the winter rains. My mentor got a handful of soil and added a small amount of water. She squeezed the soil and worked it with her thumb and forefinger. Soil is great, gritty and crumbly which means drainage is good!

Test for “perk”
The mentors brought their shovels, buckets and measuring devices. A two foot hole was dug. A measuring stick inserted. The hole was filled with eight inches of water. The water disappeared quickly. Since it is summer the test was repeated three times. It was determined that the soil perks well!

Calculate the slope
The selected rain garden location is on a slight slope. We measured the rise, divided it by the length of the slope and multiplied by 100 to determine the percent slope. This factors into the design of the depth of the garden.

After a morning of measuring and testing, the mentors took back the information to their designer. I’m still waiting to hear the verdict. The soils are good, perk is good, the drawback is the large area that will drain into the garden. Is there enough room to accommodate the runoff. A rain garden that is twenty percent of the impervious surface is needed for 100% filtration. Hopefully, the designer will come up with a solution and we will have a showcase rain garden in the near future.

To find out more about those busy, dedicated rain garden mentors visit: http://raingarden.wsu.edu/HomeownerResources.html .