Cleaning up the Samish
I wrote in this column last week that the Samish River's habitat and water quality had been degraded by sedimentation, elevated temperature, fecal contamination, and alteration and loss of riparian area. Earlier this week I saw evidence of all of that and more.
Many small tributaries flow into the 31-mile-long Samish. They sometimes go dry, but nearly all are capable of providing spawning and rearing habitat for fish. Most, if not all, have been polluted, mainly by poor farming practices and poorly designed or maintained on-site septic systems. Thomas Creek is one of these.
As a boy, I recall Thomas Creek as a brook that tumbled downhill, clear and cold, through rural woods. I remember wading in it, fishing in it, drinking from it. No one would dare drink from it now. Muddy and barely moving, it looks like sewer water in a ditch.
There are state and federal laws aplenty to protect water quality in Washington, but it's apparent that little effort has been spent enforcing them. State law mandates regular inspection of all on-site septic systems, but inspections and enforcement obviously have been lacking.
The Samish has more problems than pollution. Some landowners have cleared vegetation to the very edge of streams. Without protective cover from the sun, water temperatures rise, exceeding the tolerance of native fish.
Without a buffer, sedimentation flushes into creeks, spoiling spawning areas. On Thomas Creek, invasive plants such as canary reed grass and blackberry vines have replaced the native vegetation to the detriment of fish habitat.
The general neglect of fish habitats throughout the Samish River watershed has continued for decades, even as runs of Pacific Sound chinook salmon and Puget Sound steelhead diminished to the point of being listed as threatened. Yet, efforts now being made to improve water quality and fish habitat in Skagit County give me hope.
The day after seeing Thomas Creek, I talked to Christine Woodward, with the Samish Indian Nation's Department of Natural Resources. The tribe is concerned about water quality, as well as Japanese knotweed, an invasive Asian weed that infests the Samish drainage. Woodward said the tribe is helping to clean up and restore Thomas Creek.
Samish Indain Nation - News
The day after seeing Thomas Creek, I talked to Christine Woodward, with the Samish Indian Nation's Department of Natural Resources. The tribe is concerned about water quality, as well as Japanese knotweed, an invasive Asian weed that infests the Samish
Job Announcement – Samish Indian Nation Family Services Director
Samish Indian Nation
Position Opening
Title: Family Services Director
Supervisor: Health & Human Services Director
Salary: SIN Scale VI ($18.43 – $24.70) Exempt
Hours: Monday – Friday, with some weekend and evening work.
Duration: Subject to available funding, up to 40 hrs. / Week. Employee obtains Regular status at the completion of six months probationary period.
Overview:
The Family Services Director is responsible for providing case management and crisis response services for children, youth, elders and families of the Samish Indian Nation throughout the designated service area. The F.S.D. will participate in the continuous revision of the Samish Indian Nation Family Code, in order to maintain a unified code that best meets the Samish Indian Nation’s needs. The F.S.D. is responsible for carrying out specific requirements related to applicable Federal and State grants and contracts and for maintaining contract compliance, and completing required data collection. Additionally, the F.S.D. will be expected to assist other program staff at times when coverage is needed to include Food Assistance, Energy Assistance, Tribal Victim Assistance, Tobacco Prevention and Cessation, Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Intervention and provide some light clerical support and office supply inventory.
Job Duties:
Maintain oversight of ICW and Tribal Victim’s Assistance contracts, including budget development, modification and monitoring in coordination with HHS Director and Compliance Officer.