Stories for Skagit County

Washington State Department of Ecology

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Skagit County Map with WRIAs, Washington State. Developed by Mike Woodall, Department of Ecology.

Water Quality stories are grouped according to the Water Quality Program's Five Program Activities. Some Stories may fall under more than one category, and are referenced accordingly.

Prevent Point Source Pollution (excluding water cleanup, stormwater, and financial assistance)
- Samish Watershed Improvement: Despite "Ducks" Some Progress is Still Good Progress (also see Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution; Control Stormwater Pollution; Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  The Samish watershed has high fecal coliform bacteria levels, resulting in the closure of Samish Bay shellfish beds. An obstacle to fixing this problem is the tendency to “point the finger” elsewhere. The Clean Samish Initiative is a newly formed partnership in Skagit County, struggling mightily to clean up the Samish River and the streams that flow into it.
Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution (excluding water cleanup, stormwater, and financial assistance)
- Improving Water Quality in the Samish: Getting the manure out of streams and shellfish beds (also see Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  With help from involved citizens and motivated local officials, combined with an Ecology water quality monitoring project, Ecology discovered two agriculture-related sources of fecal coliform bacteria pollution to Samish Bay. Ecology and the Department of Agriculture worked with the operators to remove the sources and use best management practices which will help clean up the bay.
- Samish Watershed Improvement: Despite "Ducks" Some Progress is Still Good Progress (also see Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution; Control Stormwater Pollution; Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  The Samish watershed has high fecal coliform bacteria levels, resulting in the closure of Samish Bay shellfish beds. An obstacle to fixing this problem is the tendency to “point the finger” elsewhere. The Clean Samish Initiative is a newly formed partnership in Skagit County, struggling mightily to clean up the Samish River and the streams that flow into it.
Control Stormwater Pollution
- Samish Watershed Improvement: Despite "Ducks" Some Progress is Still Good Progress (also see Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution; Control Stormwater Pollution; Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  The Samish watershed has high fecal coliform bacteria levels, resulting in the closure of Samish Bay shellfish beds. An obstacle to fixing this problem is the tendency to “point the finger” elsewhere. The Clean Samish Initiative is a newly formed partnership in Skagit County, struggling mightily to clean up the Samish River and the streams that flow into it.
Provide Financial Assistance
- Skagit County On-Site Programs: Financial Assistance Leads to Pollution Reduction (also see Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  With funding assistance from Ecology, Skagit County is educating property owners on septic system maintenance, encouraging regular septic system inspections, and providing low interest loans so property owners can repair or replace failing systems.
- Why Does Hansen Creek look like Normandy Beach? (also see Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  Skagit County and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe worked together to restore natural processes to a large alluvial fan in Hansen Creek. Previous modification of the creek attempted to control sediment deposition by straightening and periodically dredging the creek. Ecology assisted local governments to remove this significant problem for farmers and fish by helping them reconstruct the natural features of the Hansen Creek alluvial fan and letting the creek do what comes naturally.
Cleanup Polluted Waters
- Improving Water Quality in the Samish: Getting the manure out of streams and shellfish beds (also see Reduce Nonpoint Pollution)
  With help from involved citizens and motivated local officials, combined with an Ecology water quality monitoring project, Ecology discovered two agriculture-related sources of fecal coliform bacteria pollution to Samish Bay. Ecology and the Department of Agriculture worked with the operators to remove the sources and use best management practices which will help clean up the bay.
- Samish Watershed Improvement: Despite "Ducks" Some Progress is Still Good Progress (also see Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution; Control Stormwater Pollution; Cleanup Polluted Waters)
  The Samish watershed has high fecal coliform bacteria levels, resulting in the closure of Samish Bay shellfish beds. An obstacle to fixing this problem is the tendency to “point the finger” elsewhere. The Clean Samish Initiative is a newly formed partnership in Skagit County, struggling mightily to clean up the Samish River and the streams that flow into it.
- Skagit County On-Site Programs: Financial Assistance Leads to Pollution Reduction (also see Provide Financial Assistance)
  With funding assistance from Ecology, Skagit County is educating property owners on septic system maintenance, encouraging regular septic system inspections, and providing low interest loans so property owners can repair or replace failing systems.
- Why Does Hansen Creek look like Normandy Beach? (also see Provide Financial Assistance)
  Skagit County and the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe worked together to restore natural processes to a large alluvial fan in Hansen Creek. Previous modification of the creek attempted to control sediment deposition by straightening and periodically dredging the creek. Ecology assisted local governments to remove this significant problem for farmers and fish by helping them reconstruct the natural features of the Hansen Creek alluvial fan and letting the creek do what comes naturally.

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Last updated April 2012