onsite sewage systems oakland bay - wsu...
TRANSCRIPT
2014
Photo by Eric Erler, Capitol Land Trust
In 2014, Capitol Land Trust (CLT) and partners
completed acquisition of the 74-acre Bayshore
Preserve at the mouth of Johns Creek on Oakland
Bay. The former Bayshore Golf Course property
and adjoining saltmarsh were identified as having
among the highest habitat values in the South
Puget Sound with more than 4,000 feet of marine
shoreline and 27 acres of intact saltmarsh habitat.
The project also protects the lower 2,000 feet of
Johns Creek and 47 acres of its delta. The proper-
ty has a deep history in Squaxin Island Tribe cul-
ture as well as early Shelton settlement.
CLT has removed and recycled 600 tons of con-
crete and 200 tons of asphalt from the old golf
course. Current work involves removing a 1,400
ft. tidal dike and excavating historic channels or
sloughs that will accommodate new tides that the
dike had blocked and also provide more habitat for
fish and wildlife. The restoration also incorporates
naturalizing Johns Creek, including placement of
large trees and root wads along its banks to slow the
movement of water and to enhance salmon spawning
grounds. CLT has set up monitoring transects to
monitor tides, water quality/temperature, and fish and
shellfish use over time. Once heavy construction is
done CLT will re-open the site for public access. At
first, access will be more controlled through tours and
outings. As the trail is rebuilt and the site improved,
more public access for walking, birding, and nature
viewing will be allowed.
The Bayshore project builds on the successful part-
nership between Capitol Land Trust, the Squaxin
Island Tribe, WA State Dept. of Ecology, US Fish &
Wildlife Service, the Salmon Recovery Funding
Board, Taylor Shellfish Farms, Mason Conservation
District, Mason County, The Trust for Public Land,
and others that have already conserved more than 250
acres of Oakland Bay estuarine and coastal habitat on
three sites in the immediate vicinity of the Johns
Creek Estuary.
In 2014, Capitol Land Trust received a $110,000
grant award from the Salmon Recovery Funding
Board to complete the second phase of the Rose
property acquisition. This project would protect
2,400 feet of Goldsborough Creek shoreline and its
tributaries and 13 acres of scrub shrub wetlands,
adding to the network of Capitol Land Trust con-
served lands in the Goldsborough Creek watershed
encompassing 2 miles of mainstem Goldsborough
Creek and 245 acres of priority habitat. As a signifi-
cant Oakland Bay drainage, protection and restora-
tion of Goldsborough Creek has been a long-term,
community priority that includes many partners, such
as the Squaxin Island Tribe, WA Recreation and
Conservation Office, South Puget Sound Salmon
Enhancement Group, US EPA, Green Diamond
Resources, and Mason Conservation District.
Onsite sewage issues continue to be a focus of water
quality improvement efforts in Oakland Bay. Failing
septic systems are a major water quality concern as
improperly operating septic or sewer systems can lead
to increased levels of fecal coliform bacteria and
nitrogen in the water.
WSU Mason County Extension and Mason County
Public Health partnered to offer four homeowner
septic system workshops to local residents. Forty-six
participants learned about how to properly manage
and maintain their septic system, how to determine if
their system is failing, ways to inspect their system,
and the resources available to help them. Additional
outreach was provided regarding onsite sewage sys-
tems and shoreline issues at May on Oakland Bay,
OysterFest, Mason Area Fair, shellfish seed sales,
Tahuya Day, and the KMAS Morning Show.
Craft3 is the County’s non-profit lending partner
offering clean water loans to help property owners
repair or replace failing septic systems. The loans
can cover up to 100% of the costs of designing,
permitting, installing, and maintaining the septic
system.
In 2014, Craft3 made 10 loans in Mason County for
a total of $187,700. These loans led to the improved
treatment of 1.2 million gallons of wastewater.
Through the life of the program in Mason County
they have made 82 loans, totaling $1.73 million and
leading to treatment of 9.8 million gallons of
wastewater per year. Sixty percent of these loans
have helped low income families. During the first
three months of 2015 Craft3 has already completed
six loans for $109,608.
Repair and Replacement
Lending Program
Onsite Sewage Systems
Habitat Conservation
Maintenance, Operation, and Education
2014 Oakland Bay Progress Report Page 4
Photo by Toni Droscher
Ways You Can Help
Stormwater can collect into
ponds, erode topsoil, flood
buildings or animal enclo-
sures, and wash contami-
nants from your property
into nearby surface waters. There are three easy meth-
ods to manage stormwater at home: capture, collect,
or disperse.
Capture the rain with plants that use the rain or
slow its travel to the soil.
Collect rain with rain barrels and reuse that
rainwater later for irrigation.
Disperse stormwater by directing it to sites
where it can safely flow over or soak into the
ground. Ways to disperse stormwater include
creating buffers between animals and water,
replacing or minimizing impervious surfaces
like pavement, and adding rain gardens, pervi-
ous pavement, and bog gardens.
Contact the Mason Conservation District to learn
about managing stormwater on your property.
Stormwater Management Livestock Management
Livestock waste contains fecal coliform and other
bacteria that can get carried into nearby water by
stormwater runoff. Livestock owners can take measures
to reduce their impact on water quality.
For information, technical assistance, and financial
assistance in developing healthy farming practices
contact the Mason Conservation District at 360-427-
9436.
Improperly operating septic or sewer systems can lead to
increased levels of fecal coliform bacteria and nitrogen
in the water.
If a property is served by a septic system, the best pro-
tection for that investment and for water quality is regu-
lar inspections and proper maintenance. Visit http://
www.co.mason.wa.us/health/environmental/onsite/ to
learn about resources for maintaining and repairing
septic systems.. WSU Extension and Mason County
Public Health offer free homeowner septic system work-
shops. Visit mason.wsu.edu/water-resources/septic-
system-education for workshop information.
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement PC-00J32601 to Washington Department of Health. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
Pet Waste
Pet waste contains disease-causing organisms that can
be transmitted to people, pets, and wildlife. Fecal
coliform, bacteria, salmonella, roundworms, and
giardia can remain in your yard for weeks or months
if not cleaned up. They can get tracked into your
house or mix with stormwater runoff and get carried
into nearby surface water.
Landfills are designed to safely handle pet waste but
yards and septic systems are not. To keep harmful
bacteria out of the water and out of your house
scoop dog poop, bag it, and put it in the trash.
Septic System Maintenance
Progress Report Oakland Bay
Mason Conservation District continues work on a
variety of projects in the Oakland Bay Watershed.
The Conservation District is in the second year of
surveying riparian conditions in Johns Creek for
large woody debris (LWD) and restoration projects.
Through this RCO grant an identified project will
begin construction this summer. Project partners
include Mason County PUD 3 and Green Diamond.
The Mason Conservation District has been working
with several landowners with the Riparian Assess-
ment and Restoration in WRIA 14 grant. Two of
these landowners are enrolled in the Conservation
Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and two
others are in the application stage. Nearly 5,000
The Squaxin Island Tribe continues to sample
ten to eleven streams where they drain into
Oakland Bay. Some now have a record of
fecal coliform samples dating back ten
years. Except for one seasonal tributary that
crosses Highway 3, most streams met state
water quality standards in 2014. Also, most
had similar or slightly lower bacterial counts
than in previous years, except for Uncle Johns
Creek. Oakland Bay is sensitive to bacterial
pollution, which can pop up repeatedly in
different watersheds as human and animal
populations change. The Tribe works with the
MCPH and the City of Shelton to improve
management of human and animal waste to
keep bacterial pollution as low as possible.
Squaxin Island Tribe
Monitoring Program
Habitat Restoration and Stewardship
Education and Outreach
plants were installed this planting season creating
vegetated buffers along salmon- bearing streams.
Through a grant from WA Dept. of Fish and Wild-
life, the Shore Friendly Mason program has connect-
ed with landowners to evaluate hard armoring along
marine shorelines. Educational materials are being
developed and targeted mailings are planned for
distribution in the summer of 2015. Some properties
with high erosion risk potential have received site
visits with a contracted geological engineer to pro-
vide educational support to District staff.
Mason Conservation District has worked with Mason
County Parks, WSU Extension, and Shelton High
School students to remove invasive plants and install
1,935 native plants at Mason County’s new Sunset
Bluff Park. The District has provided technical assis-
tance and engineering services to an additional twen-
ty landowners including the former Bayshore Golf
Course.
In 2014, Capitol Land Trust spent significant time
with volunteers restoring the salt marsh and riparian
habitat at the Twin Rivers Ranch Preserve at the
Oakland Bay’s overall water quality fluctuates from year to year and season to season. During
2014, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported no change in the classification
of the shellfish growing areas in Oakland Bay.
The goal of Mason County Public Health’s
(MCPH) sampling plan in Oakland Bay is to
survey one third of the Oakland Bay Clean Water
District shoreline each year and to sample all
culverts, bulkhead drains, natural drainages, and
rapidly flowing seeps in the survey area. Each
site is sampled at least twice; once in wet weather
and once in dry weather. In 2014, the northern-
most section of Oakland bay was sampled and
surveys of the sites with high results were imple-
mented at the beginning of the year. A total of
132 sites were sampled with 331 samples collect-
ed. The sites with high results are surveyed for
water quality problems and issues addressed ei-
ther through education or dye traces if necessary.
Another focus area for sampling is Chapman
Cove where work began in October 2012. Six-
teen sites in this area were sampled a total of 81
times. As a result of sampling from 2013, Mason
Conservation District is working with two of the
farms in the area to create farm plans and addi-
tional contacts will be made.
Water Quality Standards
The Oakland Bay Onsite Marine Recovery
Area Quality Assurance Project Plan set a
lower fecal coliform level to be applied to
shoreline surveys than required by the Wash-
ington State Department of Ecology surface
water quality standards. The lower level trig-
gers additional sampling and/or investigation
when exceeded.
High levels of fecal coliform bacteria have
been correlated with the presence of viruses or
other pathogens that can affect human health.
When areas of concern are found they are
followed up with an owner-approved survey to
look for possible contamination sources such
as pet and livestock wastes or septic problems.
Emphasis is placed on working with landown-
ers to achieve solutions.
Mason County Publ ic Health Monitor ing Program
Water Quality Monitoring
2014 Oakland Bay Progress Report 2014 Oakland Bay Progress Report Page 2 Page 3
Oakland Bay Clean Water District Partners Include: Mason County, Squaxin Island Tribe, WSU Mason County Extension, Washington Sea Grant, Mason Conserva-
tion District, Taylor Shellfish, WA Department of Ecology, WA Department of Transportation, WA Department of Health, Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association,
South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group, Craft3, Simpson Lumber, City of Shelton, Port of Shelton, Capitol Land Trust, Green Diamond Resources Company,
Seattle Shellfish, Puget Sound Partnership, volunteers, and watershed residents.
head of Oakland Bay. The 125-acre property in-
cludes 3200 acres of marine shoreline and is bounded
by two productive salmon streams as they enter
Oakland Bay (Cranberry Creek on the west, Deer
Creek on the east). Restoration efforts focused on
planting buffers along these creeks. A Washington
Conservation Corps crew prepared the ground for
future plantings, and volunteers maintained existing
plantings and put in new plants along Cranberry and
Deer Creeks. Over 90 volunteers donated more than
300 hours to this effort.
In 2015, Capitol Land Trust working with Mason
Conservation District and the Squaxin Island
Tribe will begin major restoration projects activities
at the Bayshore Preserve including removal of the
1,400-foot supratidal dike, ground grading, sloping,
and excavation of blocked tidal channels. This effort
will reconnect the waters of Oakland Bay to the
former golf course for the first time in 75
years. Work will also include naturalizing the banks
of Johns Creek. These projects will improve salmon
and forage fish habitat. The land trust continues to
work with volunteers to remove invasive plants and
plant native species during restoration at the site.
featuring beach walks, service projects, and camp
events. Adult engagement occurred through KMAS
radio programs, septic system workshops, shellfish
seed sales, community events, and Shore Stewards
newsletters.
Mason ECO Net organized May on Oakland Bay, a
community event held at Flying Dog Farm, with
approximately 200 attendees. The farm location
highlighted the connection between all parts of the
watershed to health of Oakland Bay. Highlights of
the event included farm tour and conservation talks,
a bird walk, shellfish cooking demonstrations, live
music, educational displays and activities with local
resource agencies and community groups, and a
trivia scavenger hunt for children. Many ECO Net
members also participated in family-friendly com-
munity events including the Mason Area Fair and
OysterFest.
Capitol Land Trust hosted 5 community events on
Oakland Bay in 2014 including a kayak tour of
Oakland Bay, celebrations and tours at Bayshore,
birding at Oakland Bay Historic Park, and a barge
tour sponsored by Taylor Shellfish Farms. The land
trust also hosted 11 volunteer work days at the
Oakland Bay preserves, including a work day with a
Squaxin Island Tribe youth crew.
Connecting residents with local natural resources
enhances and supports efforts to improve water
quality and in habitat conservation and restoration.
In 2014, a variety of local organizations engaged
students, adults, and families in exploring and learn-
ing about the natural resources in Oakland Bay and
Mason County.
The Mason Education, Communication, and Out-
reach Network (ECO Net) serves as the coordinat-
ing and collaborative network of local environmen-
tal education, communication, and outreach efforts.
Youth audiences were engaged by ECO Net mem-
bers from organizations including Mason Conserva-
tion District, South Puget Sound Salmon Enhance-
ment Group, Taylor Shellfish, WSU Extension, and
Washington Sea Grant. Activities featured class-
room presentations and field trip based programs