|
The 2021 SWM Highlights report features SWM’s efforts with community partners to deliver services in four core areas: water quality, salmon and marine habitat, drainage and road flooding, and river flooding. The 2021 report also describes SWM’s move into the new Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as well as continued successes in adapting services in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. You can see Highlights reports from the current and past years on our SWM News page.
 2021 SWM Highlights Report
Estuaries are important for juvenile salmon as they provide the last stop to grow and acclimate to saltwater before entering Puget Sound. For 10 years, SWM has monitored juvenile salmon in the Snohomish estuary with the Tulalip Tribes and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to understand their habitat use and total numbers throughout the estuary. We also focus our monitoring efforts at Smith Island and Mid-Spencer to help us understand fish use at these newly restored habitats.
Learn more about Smith Island restoration here. Learn more about Mid-Spencer restoration here.
 SWM staff sample for fish inside Smith Island
 Juvenile Chinook caught in the Smith Island sampling net
Last month, state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz signed an order that will prevent any development within 2,300 acres of marine habitat for the next 50 years. This includes a forest of bull kelp at the southern tip of Hat Island, as well as eelgrass meadows along the Snohomish River delta and the shoreline of the Tulalip Reservation. This habitat is critically important for the survival of our salmon and orca populations.
Numerous agencies, partners and volunteers teamed up on this effort — including the Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), which conducts kayak surveys to gain a fuller understanding of the habitat and reveal potential problem spots that need further study.
Read the full Herald Article here and learn more about the MRC monitoring project here.
 Bull kelp in Puget Sound (NOAA)
Design plans are underway on the first integrated floodplain management project funded under the Community Floodplain Solutions (CFS) program. The Shinglebolt Slough restoration project is made possible through the voluntary sale and acquisition of private land along Shinglebolt Slough (next to the Skykomish River near the city of Sultan). Project benefits include:
-
Retaining quality agriculture parcels for local farm production
-
Reconnecting and enhancing side channel habitat for endangered salmon
-
Supporting flood hazard reduction and mitigation efforts
There will be an in-person community meeting April 28, 5:30 – 7:30pm at Sultan High School for local residents to meet with CFS program partners and learn more. Visit the CFS webpage for details.
 Shinglebolt Slough – upstream end Skykomish River
Want to learn more about the actions and programs the county has planned to meet National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements and protect clean water in the upcoming calendar year? For example, the regional Don’t Drip & Drive campaign and our Water Quality Investigations program are just two ways Snohomish County protects clean water. Even a small oil leak can have a big impact on your car and our creeks, lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound.
Check out the 2022 Stormwater Management Program Plan (SWMP) on the NPDES webpage. You can also review the 2021 Annual Report and submit feedback while you are there by emailing us at Contact-NPDES.
 Rain washes oil and pollutants into a storm drain
The public is invited to share input on early project design for Thomas' Eddy at Bob Heirman Wildlife Park. The County’s work at Thomas’ Eddy proposes to reconnect the Snohomish River to the surrounding floodplain, improving recreational opportunities while restoring critical habitat for wildlife and threatened salmon species.
Public comment period is open through April 30. Complete this online public comment form to view an interactive project map and share your input on proposed park improvements.
 SWM staff and park visitors attend a Thomas’ Eddy project open house
 Floodwaters damage trail access at Thomas’ Eddy
Upcoming Public Events and Workshops
Learn more about upcoming SWM co-sponsored events and workshops on our events webpage. For the upcoming events below, pre-registration is required. Participants must have an email address and internet access.
-
MRC Earth Day Beach Clean Up – April 23: Snohomish County MRC will host an Earth Day Cleanup Event in partnership with the WSU Extension Beach Watchers at Picnic Point Park on April 23 at 10am. For more info about the MRC or to sign up for the event, please email SWM’s MRC Coordinator, Elisa Dawson.
-
Healthy Forests Stewardship activities – April 23: Snohomish County Healthy Forest Project is hosting an Earth Month Restoration project at McCollum Park in Everett on April 23 from 9-11am. Volunteers will be removing invasive weeds like blackberry, holly, and English ivy. Registration is required.
-
Natural Lawn Care Workshop – April 26 or 27: Free & Online! Register today for either Tuesday, April 26 or Wednesday, April 27, 6:30 – 8:00p.m. Grow a beautiful, healthy lawn that keeps children and pets safe and our waters healthy.
-
CFS Sky Valley Community Outreach Event – April 28: There will be an in-person event for local residents to meet with CFS program partners, April 28, 5:30 – 7:30pm, at Sultan High School. Visit the CFS webpage for details. Pre-registration is encouraged.
-
Thomas’ Eddy Public Comment Period – through April 30: The public is invited to share input on early project designs using this online public comment form.
-
Septic System Care Workshop – July 20 or 21: SWM is hosting free, online Septic System Care Workshops. Register today to attend either Wednesday July 20 or Thursday July 21, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
 Natural Lawn Care Workshop - April 26 or 27 - Register today
|
