Commissioner's Meeting and Annexation Issues - 2-12-11

Commissioner Agenda Items.  We noticed two Kitsap County Commissioner agenda items of interest to Illahee that we wanted to pass on.  The link to the agenda is:  http://kitsapgov.com/boc/2011%20Agendas/Regular%20Meeting/2011_2-14-11%20AGENDA.pdf

Rolling Hills Golf Course.  The first agenda item of interest is a contract amendment to the Rolling Hills Golf Course agreement.  When the contract to accept the gift of the golf course didn't complete in December it had us worried, but we understand everything has now been worked out and we are glad to see this item on the agenda.  We have been told that March 18th is the date to hold open in our schedules, so we think this will be the date of the actual transfer, but we will tell you more when we find out.  Below is the agenda item to be discussed at the Commissioner's meeting.

Contract amendment with Rolling Hills Golf Course Partnership (KC-

343-10-A) to accept gift of Rolling Hills Golf Course. Fiscal Impact: N/A. 

Staff Contact: Nancy Buonanno Grennan, 337-4403.

Comprehensive Plan Changes.  Every year changes can be made to the County's Comprehensive Plan, but they need to be identified early (most are already listed and any new itemssome by March 8th) so they can go through the lengthy public process.  The notice of this amendment process is made by a resolution that will discussed on Monday.  The agenda item for this is:

Public hearing to consider a Resolution providing the initial docket for 2011 

potential amendments to the Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan, Land Use and 

Zoning Maps, and Corresponding Development Regulations. Fiscal Impact: 

N/A. Staff Contact: Scott Diener, 337-4966

Interesting Kitsap Sun Article.  We read with interest the following linked article (along with the comments) as this is something Illahee could face in the future:

Island Lake residents cool to idea of being part of new city of Silverdale

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/feb/11/island-lake-residents-cool-to-silverdale/

Incorporation & Annexation Discussions.  We find the discussions of incorporation and annexation both interesting and concerning as Illahee's southern region is in the East Bremerton urban growth area, and its center and north part in the Central Kitsap (Silverdale) urban growth area.  Theoretically this could mean the Illahee Community could be split up with one area eventually being annexed to Bremerton, and the other larger area eventually being annexed to Silverdale (presuming it will someday become its own city).  Or if the Barker Creek corridor is recognized as an urban separator between Bremerton and Silverdale, could it become part of Bremerton?  The problem becomes more complex when school districts are considered as Illahee is split between the Bremerton and CK school districts.  As you can see the issues are complex.

Experts At Feb 23 Community Meeting?  There have been suggestions that experts give us their thoughts at the Illahee Community Meeting being held at the library on the evening of February 23rd.  We agree and want experts who can talk about the Growth Management Act, our urban growth boundaries, and what the annexation issues and laws are.

KRCC Citizen Input.  One Illahee resident gave a response to the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council suggesting Illahee be removed from the urban growth area.  Is this another possibility?  Would this resolve Illahee's dilemma of being in two urban growth areas?  This is another question we would like to have the experts respond to.

Sent From Minnesota.  This update is being sent from Minnesota where the temperatures have been chilling but finally are today above freezing.

Jim Aho

Orca Pictures & Blog Responses - 2-6-11

Orca Pictures.  The orcas were sighted several times on Friday (2/4/11) and Jim Smith saw them traveling north about 10 am and took the attached photos.  Thanks to Jim for forwarding them to us.

Enetai Sighting Report.  We were copied on the following report of the orcas being sighted in Enetai.

I also saw them right in front of our place yesterday afternoon.  It looked like two pods one with 5 or 6 with a big male and another group of 3 further behind.  I would guess there were 3 or 4 young ones in both groups.  I started calling but they dove and didn't come up until they were in front of the end of Trenton Ave.  I watched them from upstairs and they disappeared around Point Heron.  Apparently the ferry didn't see them as it didn't slow down or stop.  About an hour later I saw them heading north in front of the Hatch's.  There was a harbor seal in front of our place and it was on full alert.  He knew the whales were around. 

Two More Blog Entries.  Finally we are getting some responses to the Illahee Community blog site.  We have attached the latest two.  While we like those who tell us who they are, anonymous comments are also possible if you want.

2 comments:

James Hazel said...

WRT the question from Anonymous: Yes, other people do post comments ... and, Why are you posting such a question as 'anonymous'? [It is not always obvious that all the 'anonymous' posts are done by one individual.] On other things, I really appreciate the posts and the opportunity to learn more about the community through the blog and emails.

February 5, 2011 10:57 AM

Liz Milligan said...

I have always felt a little powerless being in unicorporated Kitsap County. Everything that goes on in Bremerton effects us and our community. I think we would have a bigger voice if we are part of Bremerton, but we can still maintain our neighborhood cohesion which is very strong thanks to Jim Aho and his cohort of advocates.

February 5, 2011 1:00 PM

Thanks for Responding.  Thanks for those responding to the blog as it is there to start possible discussions and dialog.  We have attached the notice about the Blog and Facebook again.

Blog and Facebook Reminder.  All updates are now posted on our blog within 24 hours of being e-mailed.  If you have comments, please visit the blog and leave your comments at the end of the post.  It's a great way to generate a public discussion. You can post anonymously if you choose.  Also, please visit and "Like" our Facebook page, and be sure to suggest it to your Facebook friends.  We are actively trying to increase our exposure in the community through social media and we need your help!

The link for the Facebook page is:  http://www.facebook.com/Illahee

The link for the blog is:  http://illaheecommunity.blogspot.com/

Jim Aho

Wildlife Report - 2-4-1

5 Orcas Sighted in Illahee.  The orcas were sighted this afternoon (2/4/11) traveling north through Illahee at 4:20 pm.  There were 5 of them this time with one being much smaller, so it probably was a young one.  We received the call when they were right out in front, but didn't answer the phone since we were on another call, so we missed getting any videos.  The next time our neighbors call we will be sure to answer right away.

Sapsuckers.  We have an apple tree with what looks like a series of 1/4 inch diameter holes methodically drilled into the trunk.  We thought it was a bug or beetle infestation at first and then found out is was caused by a woodpecker called a sapsucker.  We never did see the sapsucker in action on our apple tree so when we got the next report it helped us see the connection.

Illahee Preserve Sapsucker.  We received the attached photo that was taken last Sunday by Vic Ulsh in the Illahee Preserve of a Red Breasted Sapsucker.  Vic gave a report on the Preserve that included the following:

I noted a red breasted sapsucker on a tree near the Almira parking lot.  See attached photo.  From recent observations it appears we have a pair of hairy woodpeckers and at least one red breasted sapsucker living near the Almira parking lot.  Check out the telltale sapsucker holes in the bark. 

Blog and Facebook Reminder.  All updates are now posted on our blog within 24 hours of being e-mailed.  If you have comments, please visit the blog and leave your comments at the end of the post.  It's a great way to generate a public discussion. You can post anonymously if you choose.  Also, please visit and "Like" our Facebook page, and be sure to suggest it to your Facebook friends.  We are actively trying to increase our exposure in the community through social media and we need your help!

The link for the Facebook page is:  http://www.facebook.com/Illahee

The link for the blog is:  http://illaheecommunity.blogspot.com/

Blog Site Comments.  There haven't been many comments on the blog site, but if they are like me this is something I am not very comfortable with yet.  I did respond to a comment recently and have attached the three comments that were at the bottom of the blog, which I have copied below:

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Annexation to Bremerton is NOT what I want, or to Silverdale or any other city. I thought the reason for creating a Community Plan was to preclude that possibility. THE POSSIBILITY OF THE ANNEXATION OF ILLAHEE IS NOT GOOD NEWS! Glad someone from Illahee is concerned, and yes, talk about this at the community meeting.

February 1, 2011 11:07 AM

Jim Aho said...

In response to Anonymous, I never thought we had to worry about annexation once we had our subarea plan, i.e., the Illahee Community Plan, but after hearing the the GMA required annexation by 2025 or 2030 for anyone within an Urban Growth Area, I am now concerned and think we need to further protect ourselves. It seems to me that much has changed in Illahee since 1998 when Illahee was first designated to be in the Urban Growth Area, and now we have a small window of opportunity open whereby we might be able to convince the county, and the Growth Management Hearings Board, that Illahee is indeed mostly rural with unique features that inhibit or prevent urban buildout and urban densities. If there ever was a time to try and get out from under the urban designation label, now seems to be it. I also would like to see this discussed at the Illahee Community meeting and voted upon, so we can get things moving and possibly approved by the end of this year. Jim Aho

February 1, 2011 6:51 PM

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else ever comment on these blogs other than me, Mr. Anonymous, and Mr. Aho?

Illahee Community Meeting 2/23/11.  There will be an Illahee Community meeting on February 23rd at the Library on Sylvan Way at either 6 pm or 6:30 pm.  We heard they were trying to find a speaker to talk about the Growth Management Act, Urban Growth Areas, and annexation.  We will let you know when we find out what the agenda will be.

Jim Aho

Squid, Theft, KRCC Report - 1-31-11

Squid Fishermen.  Just about every evening during the winter months squid fisherman can be seen at the Illahee community dock jigging their lures, such as we photographed here on a cold winters night.  We like to check in with them every so often to see what they are catching, and to see if they have caught anything unusual (one time someone caught a nice mackerel and didn't want it so we took it home and ate it).  That question regarding unusual catches is when we found out about someone catching a lobster which we will describe in a future Update.  

Larger Squid.  On Monday evening (1/31/11) we noticed one squid in a bucket that was twice the size of any of the others, and asked if we could take some pictures.  After a couple of camera flashes along with lying on the dark decking, the squid quickly changed colors to suit its surrounding, which can be seen by comparing the two photos.

Forage Fish Report.  The other interesting news is that they have also snagged some of our primary forage fish while squidding, which are herring, smelt, and sand lance (candle fish).  (Forage fish are small fish that are preyed on by larger fish.)  While these forage fish are not seen in the numbers of decades earlier, it is encouraging to know they are still around.  If it wasn't for these fishermen's reports, most of us wouldn't be aware that these forage fish are using our nearshore and shoreline areas in Illahee.

Illahee Preserve Rain Garden Thefts.  While getting ready for Saturday's work party at the Illahee Preserve, we noticed that 3 logs and a rock had been taken from the rain garden.  We have attached a photo that shows where the rock and one log were.  This is disappointing as it takes lots of volunteer coordination and volunteer work to make the Preserve and the Rain Garden special and some are wondering if we can install a video camera to cover the parking lot.  If anyone has any ideas or expertise in this area, please let us know.

KRCC Public Meeting Report.  We saw at least 4 Illahee residents at the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council public hearing regarding the Countywide Planning Policy document.  One of the most interesting presentations showed a graph of the projected populations used to determine the urban growth boundaries in the county, and how the actual population figures are coming in at about half the projections.  We don't have all the facts, but understand that is why either the courts or the Growth Management Hearings Board are asking the county to take a second look.  The link to the Kitsap Sun coverage of the meeting is:  http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/28/tribal-members-speak-out-against-large-scale-in/

Community Input.  Two residents testified during the public hearing and we received two comments that were emailed to the KRCC, which we have attached below:

Thank you for allowing public comment to the "Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy" draft document proposed by the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council.

I attended the public hearing last evening and I'm not sure I was as clear in my comments as I should have been with my last point.

My concern is with the wording changes in the document that tightened the language by replacing "should" with "shall" when it came to issues such as annexation, and then when it got to Element E (which looks at open space preservation, critical areas, and water quality/quantity), the language was loosened by replacing "shall" with "should".

After hearing the testimony about the importance of natural resources and open space, etc, I don't know how you can not change this wording back to "shall".  

Additionally, I would state that current science has more than ever supported the necessity to preserve and protect critical areas and resource lands, such as critical aquifers.  We know that the Kitsap Peninsula is for the most part hydrogeologically self contained, that our ground water comes from precipitation, and that some areas, such as Illahee, are at water balance, meaning we are withdrawing and supporting stream flow with what is already being infiltrated.  The implications of this fact alone are staggering.

If you really believe that "Water is a Resource" then your wording in this county wide planning document needs to support that policy.

Thank you for considering changing the "should" back to "shall".

Thank you for allowing public comment to the "Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy" draft document proposed by the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council.

I am requesting that Illahee be considered for withdrawal from the urban growth area that it has been assigned to. A majority of  Illahee is made up of critical areas: steep slopes, canyons, Illahee Creek, state park and Kitsap County forest preserve, in addition to documented category one aquifer recharge areas. All that is in possible jeopardy if its future is to be annexed to a city.  Under GMA and the definition of UGAs, it clearly spell out the incompatibility of urban growth and protection of important aquifers. Given that population projections have been exaggerated in the establishment of UGAs here in the county, it makes sense for a rural entity such as Illahee  be withdrawn from the UGA.

Your Thoughts?  Let us know how you feel on the issue of annexation, which is what is being proposed as a "shall" in the Countywide Planning Policy document.  

Community Meeting Discussion Item?  We would like to suggest this be a discussion item at the next Illahee Community meeting that has just been scheduled for February 23, 2011 at 6:30pm at the Sylvan Way Library.

Jim Aho

Work Party & Wildlife - 1-27-11

Saturday Rotary Work Party.  Some of you have participated in previous Rotary work parties and we want to let you know about another big one this coming Saturday (1/28/11) at the Almira parking lot beginning at 8:30 am.  Our comment is that the East Bremerton Rotary knows how to host work parties, beginning with donated Starbucks coffee at 8:15 am and ending with donated snacks from Costco as they wrap up by 10:30 or so. They don't need many more volunteers, but they appreciate some from the Illahee Community. 

Work Party Task.  "Move wood chips from the pile at Almira lot onto nearby trails.  A group of Navy volunteers and folks from Washington Youth Academy are anticipated to assist with moving logs to close an unwanted trail."

Work Party Tools.  "Wheel barrows, gloves, pitch forks, rake, and a push broom.  A few extra wheel barrows are welcome."

Deer.  Last year we had 5 deer who resided close by and regularly watched our gardens, and when we left an opening unsecured in our fence, they devoured our vegetables.  This winter we are seeing only the doe and her two grown-up fawns who are now eating the garden cover crops.  Many of you have commented on how you can recognize the deer around here by their unique markings, such as those on the two young ones.  The bigger doe seems to be a typical black tail with no distinguishing marks.

A Dead Deer Report.   "We lost another little deer the other day, saw it along side the road just before getting to Canoe or Navajo turn off." 

$13,000 Deer.  We received the attached regrading a $13,000 deer, along with a note that we may need to watch the piebald (multi-colored) deer in our area.  

Here is a buck (White tail) that a hunter got in Wisconsin .  He sent these pictures to a bunch of people to see what he could get and the owner of Cabela's paid him $13,000 for the head and hide.  A calico buck, like the one below, is rarer then an albino.

Working On An Illahee Lobster Report.  Someone reportedly caught a lobster from the Illahee Dock.  We are working on getting more information and verifying this for another Update.

Thanks Again.  Thank you for all your wildlife reports.  It is fun to see all the wildlife we have in this one relatively small area that is so close to the city and the Highway 303 commercial corridor.

Jim Aho

High Tides, Port Comments, & Annexation Proposal? - 1-26-11

High Tide Responses.  We receive some interesting comments regarding the supposedly high tides this past weekend. 

Walking On Water?  "One time, shortly after WWII, the tide was just above the decking on the Illahee Community dock and when we walked out to the end, it appeared we were able to walk on water."  We attached a photo of the high tide on Monday, which was a 13.6 foot tide, to give you an idea that a tide that would cover the decking would need to be at least 3 feet higher than it was on Monday.

Rue Villa Resident Comment.  "Yes, High tides?, not very high. I began thinking the forecasters got everything wrong. In our 44 years here at Rue Villa we've had much higher. Weather conditions were fairly mild though."

Highest Recorded Tide at Brownsville.  This data link specifies the maximum observed tide at Brownsville of 14.19 feet in 1980!  http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/Documents/Reg/applications/tides/np/np66.cfm

Corps Salvage Vessel.  The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has a salvage vessel that retrieves debris in the Sound waterways, and was out on Monday in front of Illahee.  Their logo can be seen under the name PUGET.  We happened to see it and snapped the attached photos.  It had just picked up a 55 gallon barrel with a 2x6 frame that was evidently part of somebody's float.  A little while later it picked up a log just past Illahee State Park.  The debris is placed on the center deck where the barrel and logs can be seen.

Monday's Port Article.  Sunday's Kitsap Sun feature was on the 12 Kitsap County Port Districts and discussed a proposal that they be consolidated.  On Monday they presented the Port of Bellingham, where consolidation has already taken place.  We thought these articles would have generated numerous responses to their website comment section, but they didn't and we are wondering if it was because many of the normal commenters were following the Walmart shooting.  The link to the Monday article is:  http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/23/countywide-bellingham-gets-more-bang-for-its/

Port Comments.  While we received verbal comments to the Sun's Port articles, we received only two emails, which follow:

If you loose the small community ports the community bond will be stripped.

 

If Bremerton Port is such a great port why does it need tax revenue or even the possible combined revenues of the Kitsap county small ports. It should be generating free cash with banks lining up to inject money into their ventures. That little bit of venting released, I truly wish Bremerton nothing but the best but do not compare Bremerton with the small community ports. I appreciate what Bremerton has done but Bremerton is about jobs and revenue as the small ports are all about the community.

 

Brownsville is fortunate to have been able to develope its port and being so well established is more or less assured a future as a community while other ports have little more to offer than a priceless scenic view.

 

It goes that proposed consolidation is nothing but future elimination of small ports and capture of revenues. The best the future could hold for small ports is a ramp as docks would be deemed to be too expensive to maintain with chains and chain link fencing. Small ports would have to go beg with strong community backing for each morsel of funding. As there would no longer be port commissioners the chance of obtaining anything for the community would be remote.

 

Loss of a port would pull the revenue and much of the voice out of the small communities and then the eventual loss of a community identity. The identity of Kitsap County has been built up around the developments of the small ports.

 

We need to see the small ports as a positive feature of Kitsap County.

Well, after reading the articles, I continued my confidence in our port commissioners and increased my pride in their performance.

 

I just have no words to describe how foolish I would consider any prospect of merging with any of the listed districts.

 

It does seem to me that the Port of Bremerton (which, I think has the highest rate of assessment) could annex some of the East Bremerton land previously held by the Navy and, for that matter I would think that Bainbridge would be an attractive addition to their scope.  If I lived there, I would be really interested in establishing a separate district to preclude annexation by Bremerton.

Annexation Proposal?  We read in the Kitsap Sun on Wednesday (1/26/11) the county is evidently proposing that cities annex nearby communities in order relieve the county of infrastructure costs.  This has the potential to directly affect Illahee.  The attached link provides more details. 

Kitsap County wants most urban areas annexed into cities within five years.

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/25/kitsap-county-wants-most-urban-areas-annexed/

KRCC Proposal.  We just read some of the Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council's proposal and it appears to be the case.  The link to this document is:  http://www.kitsapregionalcouncil.org/library/D%20-%20Countywide%20Policies/Dec%202010%20Proposed%20CPP%20Changes%20for%20Public%20Comment.pdf

Public Hearing Thursday Evening.  There will be a public hearing on Thursday (1/27/11) evening at 5 pm at the Norm Dicks Center.  We copied and pasted the following information from their website.

Proposed Revisions
to the Kitsap Countywide Planning Policy are available
for Public Comment until
January 28th, 2011.

Click to download:
CPP Doc: Proposed RevisionsSchedule For Adoption

Public Hearing:
January 27th, 2011
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Norm Dicks Government Center,Main Meeting Chambers, 345 6th Street, Bremerton, WA.

Send Public Comment to:
Vicky@KitsapRegionalCouncil.org
or mail to KRCC office (see far left panel for address).

Our Initial Comments.  In our quick read through their proposed revised policy document we have the following initial comments:

1.  There is no discussion of Subarea plans such as Illahee's, and what the impacts would be with the adoption of this policy.

2.  It sounds like communities such as Illahee would be given an opportunity to either incorporate or be annexed.

3.  When Illahee's Subarea plan was going through the adoption process, we were told to remove all the commercial corridor along SR 303.

4.  Illahee is then left with mostly park land, open space, critical areas and a greenbelt, which isn't enticing for any city to want to annex, but according to this policy, they wouldn't have a choice.

5.  We are somewhat removed from Silverdale, should/when it becomes a city, so it seems we are likely in Bremerton's projected future annexation boundary.

6.  When asked by Illahee residents several years ago whether they wanted to be part of Bremerton or Silverdale or create their own Subarea plan, the results were 2%, 6%, & 92%.

7.  There is a statement that "adjustments" can be made to the Urban Growth Areas (Section B.3.k).  

8.  Does this mean the Illahee could propose to be removed from the UGA?

9.  Do we ask these questions at the public hearing, and/or do we discuss these at the next Illahee Community meeting?

Let Us Know Your Thoughts.  Let us know how you feel about these possible annexation issues that are suddenly before us again.

Attend Thursday's Meeting?  More importantly, it may be better to attend Thursday's public meeting at the Norm Dicks Center, or send your comments in by Friday.  

Jim Aho

Miscellaneous - 1-23-11

Tide Photos.  For the supposedly highest tides of the year on Saturday and Sunday, they weren't very exciting or very high.  We did get up early on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings in hopes of catching 'an extreme high tide,' but they didn't appear.  We even checked the barometer which had low readings of between 28.3 - 28.5 in Hg, which is considered a fairly low atmospheric pressure (standard is 29.92 in Hg).  We did select a couple of photos to show that the tides were high, they just weren't extremely high.

How High Do Tides Get Here?  We have been asked at various times about what are the highest tides we have seen.  We have lived on the waterfront for over 40 years, in various places, and somewhere have photos of extreme high tides.  The extreme high tide (late 70's or early 80's) we saw at this residence was 18 inches higher than the tide we had on Sunday, which is why it wasn't very exciting for us.

Schutt's Point At High Tide.  We took a couple of photos at Schutt's point on Sunday morning that show some low points inside the spit.  The first photo shows the low area at the north end near the mouth.  The second photo shows a low spot at the south end of the spit, where water drains from the low area, and where a branch of Illahee Creek flowed during the December 2007 storm.  A number of years ago we paddled kayaks inside the spit area.  We entered from the north and exited to the south, which would have put us in front of the house that has been built there.  That was an instance when there was a more extreme high tide.

 

Chis Dunagan Blog.  When we posted our last Update that linked 2010 high tide photos, we did so just as Chris Dunagan had posted his most recent blog covering the same subject - Ecology's request for people to take photos of the high tides.  The link is:  http://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/2011/01/21/grab-your-camera-to-share-some-high-tide-photos/

Eagle At Preserve Pond.  We received the following email regarding an eagle that was seen in the detention pond at the Almira parking lot of the Illahee Preserve.  Thanks to all who send these reports.

I wanted to let you know that I saw a bald eagle at the Preserve today.  I drove into the Almira parking lot at about 1:45 and saw a bald eagle emerge from the stormwater retention area.  The eagle took flight as soon as I pulled in so I don't know what it was doing in there, but it didn't have anything in its talons.  My first thought was that it may be preying on waterfowl that use the area but if the eagle was hunting it didn't come up with anything.  It was a really spectacle to witness as the eagle was so close and not the type of bird I was expecting to fly out of the stormwater area.

Deer Photo.  There are a number of people who are regular walkers around the area.  We talked with Tom the other day and he said he regularly saw deer on his walks including some big bucks.  We asked if he would send us a photo, and the next day he did, with these comments.

 Saw that big buck again.  Exact same bed he was in before.  In the wetlands on 3rd.

Port Articles in Kitsap Sun.  It was hard to walk and read after I picked up the Kitsap Sun this morning as my interest was on the article on the Port districts, and what appears to be an effort to consolidate them.  Two feature articles in the Sunday Sun were on the Ports and we have attached the links here.  

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/22/currents-pull-kitsaps-many-micro-ports-in/

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jan/22/from-bremerton-to-tiny-eglon-each-port-lives-in/

Port Discussion Continues on Monday.  On Monday, the discussion is supposed to continue and we will provide that link later.  There are a number of residents who are snow birds and say they appreciate the Kitsap Sun links, along with others who do not receive the Sun.

Your Port Comments?  After reading these articles we would be interested to hear your thoughts and comments with respect to the general issues and also with respect to the Port of Illahee.

Jim Aho

High Tide Photos From 2010 - 1-21-11

2010 Extreme High Tide Photos.  If you want to see what extreme high tides looked like in Puget Sound in 2010, the Washington Department of Ecology website has some great photos, including some from Kitsap County.  Please click on the following link:  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/ipa_hightide.htm

Also Called "King Tides."  We had heard of these photos, but did not look in the right place or use the right words in our search, as the extreme tides are also called "King Tides."

Ecology's King Tide Initiative.  Attached are the notices of the "Washington King Tide Photo Initiative" that came out both in some emails and as a news release earlier this month.  Thank you to those who emailed us this information!  We have attached the emails and the news release below.

Jim Aho

The WA Dept. of Ecology is asking for help to get the word out about the Washington King Tide Photo Initiative. Ecology is recruiting people along Washington's coasts and in the Puget Sound to take part in a new initiative to collect photos of extreme high tides.

From California to British Columbia, individuals will be sharing photos of extreme high tides, or "king tides" to help us all visualize how higher sea levels may alter our coastal communities. In Washington, individuals are encouraged submit their photos of king tide events to the Washington King Tide Photo Initiative flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/groups/1611274@N22/.

King tides occur naturally when the sun and moon's gravitational pulls reinforce one another, and though they are not caused by climate change, they do give us a pretty dramatic glimpse of the impacts sea level rise may have on the Puget Sound and our outer coast. Similar king tide initiatives in British Colombia, Oregon and California will
help us understand the effect of higher sea levels on communities all along the Pacific Northwest coastline.

Please visit Ecology's king tides website at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/ipa_hightide.htm
and flickr page (http://www.flickr.com/groups/1611274@N22/) to read more about King Tides, peak tide times in your area and how you can  participate!

Our website contains King tide date and time predictions for many of Washington's coastal communities, including: Aberdeen, Bellingham, Bremerton, Edmonds, La Push, Neah Bay, Olympia, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Seattle, Sekiu (Clallam Bay), Tacoma, Toke Point (South Bend area), and Westport. If your community isn't listed above, visit our
website for detailed instructions on how to locate tide information for your area.

Thank you very much and we look forward to seeing photos from many volunteers! If you have questions, please give us a call or send  an email. We've included sample text for email distribution to potential volunteers below.

Johanna Ofner
Johanna.ofner@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-6229

&

Eli Levitt
Eli.levitt@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-6928

Sample e-mail distribution text:

Washington King Tide Photo Initiative: A Preview of Future Sea Level Rise

Seasonal high tides occurring throughout January and February will provide a preview of what Washington might expect to see on a more regular basis as a result of rising sea levels.  Members of the public are invited tophotograph these high tide events post their photos to the Washington King Tide Photo Initiative Flickr Page. These photos allow us to visualize sea level rise's potential impact on the Puget Sound and our outer coast.

Department of Ecology News Release - January 5, 2011

11-010

Public invited to share photos of extreme high tides in Washington during January, February 2011

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is inviting the public to share photos of upcoming extreme high tide events in January and February 2011.

Extreme high tides occur naturally when the sun’s and moon’s gravitational pulls reinforce one another. These high tides are called “king tides” by some West Coast states, British Columbia and other countries such as Australia.

In Washington’s coastal areas, the high winter tides occur naturally from late December through February. They offer a compelling glimpse of how sea level rise from global climate change could affect the state’s coastal areas.

Scientists at the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group project that sea level will rise in the Puget Sound region as a result of climate change. Among of the various possible scenarios, the mid-range estimate is a sea level rise of approximately 6 inches by 2050.

Ecology’s “Washington King Tide Photo Initiative” gives Washington residents an opportunity to help Ecology collect photos of coastal flooding along Puget Sound and the state’s outer coast. To participate, follow these simple steps:

• Join Ecology’s FLICKR Group 
• Review the high tide predictions for your area to find the right time and date 
• Take photos during a high tide event in your area and post the photos on FLICKR.

A 6-inch sea level rise would likely:

• Intensify flooding in coastal areas, especially during high tides and major storms.
• Shift coastal beaches inland.
• Threaten structures, roads and utilities, and other near-shore land uses.
• Increase coastal bluff erosion, endangering houses and other structures built near the bluff edges.
• Threaten coastal freshwater aquifers (underground water supplies) by increased salt water intrusion.

Preparing Washington communities for sea level rise and other effects of climate change is a priority for Ecology and other state agencies.

“Understanding what climate change will mean to our environment is a key to making Washington climate-smart, and these very high tides are like a window into the future,” said Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant. “As sea level rises in the years to come, many of our shorelines – including those in our most populated areas – are very likely to be affected. By inviting the public to help us document the effects of higher water levels during king tides, we are laying the groundwork to help communities identify those areas most vulnerable to coastal flooding.

He said, “This work will help us anticipate what Washington communities can expect along much of our state’s thousands of miles of tidal coastline.”

Why climate change matters

A 2009 report by the University of Oregon states that, without additional actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the severity and duration of impacts from climate change will be profound and will negatively affect nearly every part of Washington’s economy. It could cost each household in Washington an average of $1,250 each year by 2020. See the economic impacts report.

A 2008 Washington state law calls for our state to reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas (sometimes referred to simply as “carbon”) emissions according to this timeline:

• Achieve 1990 emission levels by 2020.
• Bring emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2035.
• Bring them to 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

State agencies have already taken several actions to:

• Reduce their own energy use and related carbon emissions.
• Work with businesses and others on carbon reduction strategies.
• Develop a program to report greenhouse gas emissions.
• Implement the federal program to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the U.S. Clean Air Act.
• Prepare Washington for environmental changes that will affect infrastructure and communities, human health and security, and natural resources.

However, more will be needed to achieve the greenhouse gas emission goals in the state law.

###

Media Contact: Curt Hart, 360-407-6990; cell, 360-480-7908 (curt.hart@ecy.wa.gov)

For more information:
Tides in Washington State (www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/ipa_hightide.htm)

ECOconnect blog: Join Washington’s King Tide Photo Initiative (http://ecologywa.blogspot.com/2011/01/join-washingtons-king-tide-photo.html)

King tide predictions for 14 locations around the state (www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/docs/2011KingTideSchedule.pdf)

Ecology’s Flickr page (www.flickr.com/groups/1611274@N22/) 

High Tides Coming - 1-21-11

Illahee Shoreline.  Illahee has over 3 miles of marine shoreline that run from north of the Cheney Estates to University Point, and most of Illahee slopes toward Puget Sound with some breathtaking views of the water.  Those water views change some with the tidal extremes, and we will be be seeing some of them this weekend (1/22/11 and 1/23/11).

Highest Tides of the Year.  This weekend we will experience the highest calculated tides of 2011.  Using the Tide Chart put out by the shipyard for Bremerton, Sinclair Inlet, and Port Orchard, the Saturday tide will be 13.8 at 7:01 am, and on Sunday it will be 13.8 at 7:34 am.  Note that depending on winds, atmospheric pressure, and rain, the predicted tides can vary by as much as 1 foot either way.

The Variables.  The effects of the above variables of winds, pressure and rain are as follows:  High pressure systems decrease the predicted tides, whereas low pressure systems increase them.  A westerly wind in the Strait of Juan De Fuca is reported to increase tides as are heavy rains.  So if the variables all line up for increasing the tide, we could theoretically experience a 14.8 foot tide (see the second to the last entry for how Olympia can be affected).

NOAA Tide Datums. We found the attached NOAA chart helpful in explain the different tidal headings and their readings.  The readings are slightly different for Bremerton where the MHHW is 11.7 ft, and the MSL is 6.9 ft.

Figure III-6.  Tidal datums for the Seattle Station (Source: NOAA 2001)

Why Tidal Heights Change.  We found the following explanation about why there are such great 

differences in the Puget Sound tides, and why Olympia is so highly impacted.  The link is:

  http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/beaches/tide.html

Be Aware of Tides

The shape of the Sound affects the tide as it moves through channels and inlets. In the Straight of Juan De Fuca, a 7.2 foot tide at Cape Flattery will reach Port Townsend 3 hours and forty minutes later and increase in magnitude to 7.9 feet. The tide will reach south Puget Sound 1 hour later and increase to 13.5 feet by the time the tide reaches Olympia. Extreme high tides of 18 feet have been recorded in Olympia.

Photos Requested.  If we do experience extreme high tides, it would be nice to get some photos that we can pass on.

Jim Aho