DRAYTON HARBOR SHELLFISH PROTECTION DISTRICT
ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA

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AGENDA

MEETING ATTENDANCE

DOCUMENTS DISTRIBUTED

• Agenda
• 8/21/02 IFA Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District Advisory Committee (AC) Meeting Summary
  

MEETING CONTENTS

1. Public Comment Period

Members discussed complaints from the public about regulatory enforcement of septic tank codes in the Shintaffer Road area. Members were uncertain as to the exact nature of the enforcement actions.

2. Review Agenda and Previous Meeting Summary

Review Agenda
Geoff Menzies reviewed the agenda. The committee proceeded with no changes to the agenda.
Review Meeting Summary
The committee reviewed the 8/21/02 Meeting Summary. Due to lack of quorum the committee postponed approving the minutes to the next meeting.

3. Port Activities Update

Pam Taft gave an update of the Port’s efforts to improve water quality in and around the marina. The lettering for the additional pump out station signage has been completed. The most recent edition of the Port newsletter includes an article about the sensitive nature of water quality in Drayton Harbor. Port staff have re-written the live-aboard agreement to include information about waste disposal regulations and water quality. The Port has not yet printed the newly worded agreements. The Port is currently in the midst of inspecting holding tanks on live-aboard vessels. The Port has completed approximately 15 of 40 inspections. The inspectors verify that the vessel contains the required MSD type III holding tank, and that the valve is in the closed position. The visitor envelopes also contain a notice regarding the sensitive nature of water quality in the harbor.

One member inquired about possible funding for posting additional signage in the marina. The Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) has a certain amount of project funding available. The PSRF could work with the Port if it is unable to pay for the signage out of its operating budget.

Members discussed methods for tracking pump out usage in the marina. One member suggested checking the City of Blaine billing record for the marina.

• Action: Grant Stewart will verify that the City of Blaine billing record tracks sewage volume from the marina.

The committee discussed the issue of gray water discharge from boats. Members were unsure whether fecal counts have been linked to gray water. In any case, State law identifies gray water, or shower water as sewage and calls for zero discharge. Theoretically, boats should not have showers plumbed to the bilge area. One member suggested outfitting boats with an absorbent filter. One member felt that few live-aboard shower in their boats, but rather take advantage of the marina facilities. Members agreed that education is the best strategy for working towards zero discharge from marina clients.

• Action: Pam Taft will investigate gray water as part of the Port inspections.
• Action: Geoff Menzies will investigate signage funding for a targeted educational effort addressing gray water and zero discharge.

One member advised researching methods that other marinas have used to improve water quality.

Pam reported on a recent meeting of the Washington Public Port Association. Meeting topics included:

• Constructing a Web page
• Organizing a live aboard group
• Forming a Boathouse Association

The Port Tenant’s Association met recently to discuss addressing pollution issues. One suggestion included a use agreement for fishers using the commercial facilities. The tenants agreed to distribute a fact sheet for marina users in lieu of a contracted use agreement.

The Port is currently reviewing its pest control program. In the past, committee members have cited large rodent populations as possible sources of fecal coliform.

4. Circulation Study Update

Geoff Menzies gave a synopsis of the circulation study carried out by PSRF with input from the State Department of Health (DOH). The study aims to chart surface water circulation during various tidal conditions in and around the Blaine Harbor. Floats are placed and their course over a period of 4 to 6 hours is plotted. After a period of trial and error, the researchers found that either grapefruits or small weighted floats with identifying flags have the correct buoyancy. In the initial study, the first generation floats appeared to be affected too much by the course of the prevailing winds. All tests have shown that surface water within the Blaine Harbor for the most part stays within the harbor breakwater during both ebb and flood tides. Late in the ebb tide there is some back-eddying of surface water near station 8 which results in surface flow in a southeasterly direction towards station 6. With the onset of the flood, surface water rapidly changes direction directly toward the east Blaine shoreline. The State DOH has advised that additional circulation studies in the Blaine harbor consider flow from Blaine Harbor on an ebb tide at 5 ft and 15 ft depths as well as at the surface. Circulation study reports have been submitted to Whatcom County Water Resources and are available upon request.

The committee discussed the possible contribution of the bird populations in and around the marina to the fecal coliform levels. One member estimated that 200-1000 seagulls and 150 cormorants regularly populate the marina breakwater. One member mentioned that birds are a source of fecal coliform on the order of 33 million colonies/gram of fecal matter. One member suggested studying the fecal contribution by taking a breakwater rock and simulating rainfall, capturing runoff, and analyzing the fecal coliform levels. The seafood processors currently use methods such as bird-x to scare away pigeons.

The committee discussed the overall harbor circulation study included in the Port-contracted Drayton Harbor Conceptual Model. In addition, the State DOH carried out a circulation study from the mouth of the sewer treatment plant outfall. One member suggested implementing a mixing zone study in order to better understand the spatial extent of mixing in the harbor.

5. Seasonal Clearing Ban Update

The County Council passed an 8-part land-clearing ordinance that included a seasonal clearing ban in the sensitive watersheds. Under pressure from the public, the Council voted to rescind the entire ordinance and replace it with a new interim ordinance that did not have the seasonal land-clearing ban. The seasonal clearing ban did not allow clearing of more that 500 square feet of soil during the rainy season- from October through April. It also included provisions for leaving native vegetation, tree size restrictions, and incremental clearing. The ban would have applied to Lake Whatcom, Drayton Harbor, and Lake Samish. The legislation was driven by concerns with the quality of Lake Whatcom as a drinking water source.

• Action: Bjorn Hrutfiord agreed to represent the committee on the subject of the clearing ban.

One member explained that the City of Blaine has a seasonal ban on clearing. The City works with developers and requires certain measures for wet and dry soils. For periods with wet soils, the developer is required to produce a much more detailed GeoTech report. One member mentioned a recent NPR report regarding new guidelines for developers and farmers in Wisconsin due to problems with sediment in rivers and lakes.

The committee discussed the role of zoning and land use. One member felt that zoning and land use issues would be key for long-term sustainability of the shellfish beds.

6. Draft NPDES Permit for Blaine – Issues to Consider

The deadline for comments on the Blaine Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant NPDES Permit is 9/28/02. Mark Henderson estimated that he would still take comments as late as one week following the deadline. Copies of the permit are available at the Department of Ecology (DOE) Bellingham Field Office. Due to lack of quorum, the committee was unable to comment as a whole on the permit. Individual members stated their intention to comment as members of the public.

Mark specified that comments should be made in writing. Comments on the draft permit will be addressed in an appendix to the permit.

7. New Business

Regional Sewer System Update
Grant Stewart reported to AC members that the Office of Trade and Economic Development (OTED) has set aside funding for the Birch Bay Water and Sewer District and City of Blaine to develop a regional partnership agreement. The regional sewer project is projected to be a $30 to $35 million undertaking. The City determined that the regional system is most feasible in that it is most eligible for Federal funding. The regional system is also the most long-term solution to sewage treatment.

8. Next Meeting’s Agenda

To be determined.