Frilled Dogwinkles?  An article in the Kitsap Sun on Wednesday caught our eye when it mentioned "frilled dogwinkles."   A few years ago our neighbor was cleaning his garage and was going to throw out a box of old frilled dogwinkle shells.  

Were They From Illahee?  We questioned our neighbor whether the frilled dogwinkle shells had come from Illahee because they didn't look like any snail shells we have seen around here.  The frills on the shell extended out and they looked so nice that you would possibly want to display them.  He said he and his brother collected them from the Illahee shoreline when they were kids in the 1950's.

Questions Raised Last Year.  Last year we brought some of these shells to a beach watchers class to see if there was anyone who could explain why we don't see these intricate frilled dogwinkles on our beaches anymore.  We only see a few snail shells out there now, but they are without the raised frills.

The Answer?  Which brings us back to the Kitsap Sun article, as it explained that the changing chemistry of Puget Sound was increasing in acidification such that the "shells of marine snails called frilled dogwinkles get thinner."  Is this the answer to our question?  

Shellfish Expert.  We hope to ask the dogwinkle question of Betsy Peabody, a shell fish expert, who is being asked to be in the Illahee film project and to comment about possible reasons for the diminishing shellfish in Illahee and the fouling of the shellfish beds from excessive sedimentation.  

The Kitsap Sun Article.  The title and link to the Kitsap Sun article is:  Scientists checking changing Puget Sound chemistry http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/apr/12/scientists-checking-changing-puget-sound/

Piebald Deer Question.  We asked the question of whether the piebald deer north of Illahee had migrated to the area south of Illahee State Park.  From the response below, the piebald deer by the park has different markings:

I can confirm that the piebald I saw last week was not the one in the photo below.  The individual I saw was cream colored and only had a few spots, which were along its haunches and lower parts of the leg, similar to what the writer described as potential offspring of the male in pictures. The individual I saw was also quite small.  I do not know what sex it is.  

Black Deer Pictures.  These photos (from near Beamsville, Ontario, Canada) were sent in by a resident who noted a black deer is even more rare than piebald or albino deer.

Earthquake Fault Lines.  We still get comments regarding the Updates we sent out regarding the fact the we have earthquake fault lines running through Illahee and whether residents should have earthquake insurance.  Attached is a map showing just the Illahee area fault lines, that was taken from the county's website.  The link to the county map is:  http://kitsapgov.com/dcd/gis/maps/Standard_Maps/Environmental/FAULTS_DEC2006.pdf

Earthquake Insurance Feedback - 3-14-11

Quick Responses to EQ Insurance Question.  Thanks for all the quick responses to the earthquake insurance question.  We also heard that a number of people cancelled their EQ insurance after the 2001 earthquake when they realized the deductible was 10% of house value and didn't cover the damages they incurred.  Below are the email responses we received:

Jim, we have had earthquake insurance for some years and it costs about $300 per year for a house valued about $250K.  There is a 10% deductable and an exclusion of outside masonry.  I got mine through USAA insurance.

This response was only a website:   http://www.geovera.com/

Regarding insurance costs,

We have earthquake Insurance, as a rider on our Homeowners Policy through State Farm. They don’t itemize the different inclusions in our policy bill so I can’t tell you the exact cost, but coverage value of around $300,000 costs us a little over $1000 per year. I should tell you, while there is a $1,000 deductable on the bulk of our policy; the earthquake coverage has a whopping 10% deductible.

Everyone should be reminded to either put together, or inventory existing disaster supplies, to help them survive through the next big one.\\

Here’s a great info sheet put out by the Seattle City Government. www.seattle.gov/emergency/library/snap/kit/together_prepare_all.pdf

Jim, from talking with friends and collegues as well as checking my own policy it will run about a quarter of what my yearly home owners insurance premium runs, which is around $400.00 dollars.  I know Jim and I will be taking out insurance.  Looking at all the earthquakes that have occured around the Pacific Rim -ring of fire our area is one of the last to not experience a significant quake.  It's time we all start getting prepared-at least be able to take care of ourselves food and water wise for at least a week.

All insurance companies are different. I have had earthquake insurance an each house I have owned here in Washington State. Four separate homes. When I bought this house in Illahee I put earthquake insurance on this home and then the insurance company (Nationwide) said that I had to bolt the sill plate down to the foundation. The house was built in 1943 so essentially they were asking me to bring up to 2006 standards. I previously had Grange insurance on my homes and went back to them and they did provide me with earthquake insurance however, in 2010 they sent me a letter and informed me they would no longer insure me for an earthquake (a lot of insurance companies are dropping earthquake insurance). I am currently insured through American Family and am covered for earthquake. Looking at my policy I can't tell exactly what I am paying but I believe it is about $20.00 per month. I am certain if depends on the insured value of your home. My total premium in $760.00 per year with a value for the dwelling at $270,000.00. My insurance broker is Joshua Spain in Silverdale 360-536-9088. I hope this information is helpful.

We did have earthquake insurance on our home at a reasonable cost with Allstate. They decided to not issue earthquake insurance policies. We considered a policy with another compnay. The premiums were expensive and the deductable was considerable. Living on a fault line was an issue.

here is the verbage to go with your chart

Location, structure, and seismicity of the Seattle fault zone, Washington: Evidence from aeromagnetic anomalies, geologic mapping, and seismic-reflection data

Richard J. Blakely*1, Ray E. Wells*1, Craig S. Weaver*2 and Samuel Y. Johnson*3

+ Author Affiliations

1U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA

2U.S. Geological Survey, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA

3U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, USA

Abstract 

A high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Puget Lowland shows details of the Seattle fault zone, an active but largely concealed east-trending zone of reverse faulting at the southern margin of the Seattle basin. Three elongate, east-trending magnetic anomalies are associated with north- dipping Tertiary strata exposed in the hanging wall; the magnetic anomalies indicate where these strata continue beneath glacial deposits. The northernmost anomaly, a narrow, elongate magnetic high, precisely correlates with magnetic Miocene volcanic conglomerate. The middle anomaly, a broad magnetic low, correlates with thick, nonmagnetic Eocene and Oligocene marine and fluvial strata. The southern anomaly, a broad, complex magnetic high, correlates with Eocene volcanic and sedimentary rocks. This tripartite package of anomalies is especially clear over Bainbridge Island west of Seattle and over the region east of Lake Washington. Although attenuated in the intervening region, the pattern can be correlated with the mapped strike of beds following a northwest-striking anticline beneath Seattle. The aeromagnetic and geologic data define three main strands of the Seattle fault zone identified in marine seismic-reflection profiles to be subparallel to mapped bedrock trends over a distance of >50 km. The locus of faulting coincides with a diffuse zone of shallow crustal seismicity and the region of uplift produced by the M 7 Seattle earthquake of A.D. 900–930.

http://gsabulletin.gsapubs.org/content/114/2/169.abstract

Other articles of interest:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/pacnw/paleo/bainisl/sfhistory.php

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/pacnw/activefaults/sfz/sfzage.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Fault

HI, and thank you for the heads up on the EQ...  We are also interested in any EQ insurance policies that people have found.  So as always thank you for all your hard work. Thank You For Your Responses.  Thank you for your helpful and thoughtful responses!  There are a number of residents who want to know more and your responses are appreciated. Jim Aho

Earthquak

Earthquake Vulnerable - 3-12-11

Kitsap Sun Article.  Chris Dunagan wrote a pertinent article for Illahee residents in today's (Saturday's) Kitsap Sun regarding how this area is vulnerable to the same kind of earthquakes that happened in Japan.  http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/mar/11/japanese-earthquake-could-be-replicated-here/ What was interesting for the Illahee Community Club board members, who met on Thursday evening - the night before the Japan earthquake, discussed how the Illahee community lies on a fault line and that it is therefore more vulnerable to earthquakes and that this fact needs to be included in the Illahee film project, currently underway. 

 
Call From Physicist.  It was related on Thursday evening that a former Illahee resident received a call from a college friend, a physicist, who was working with USGS regarding the Seattle earthquake fault, who advised her to take out earthquake insurance since the Seattle fault line extended into the Illahee area.  We don't know if that family ever did get earthquake insurance since they have since moved.  We have talked with others in the area who are aware of the fault line and do have earthquake insurance.

Fault Line Extends to Illahee.  The first time many became aware that the Seattle fault line extends into the Illahee area, was during a presentation of the Illahee Creek Watershed Surface Management Plan report at the Norm Dick's Center by Dr. Derek Booth of Stilwater Sciences and Erin Nelson of Parametrix.  Both are licensed geologists and civil engineers, and during the presentation discussed that Illahee is indeed more vulnerable since it is located along the Seattle fault line.

Fault Line Map.  We found the attached USGS map as part of presentation made at a 2005 conference on the Seattle Fault.  Note how the fault line goes right through the tip of Bainbridge Island, through Illahee, and into Dyes Inlet.  

Cost of Earthquake Insurance?  We have residents who have expressed interest in EQ insurance so if anyone can give them an idea of what it costs, we will pass it on.

Jim Aho