Puget Sound Starts with You

Take Away: Three Things YOU Can Do toRestore Puget Sound

The Bad News: Polluted Runoff

http://www.hugg.ca/stormwater-pollution-014722.php

Polluted Runoff is “death by 1000 cuts” to Duwamish &

Puget Sound

http://www.sightline.org/research/pollution/res_pubs/stormwater.pdf

According to Department of Ecology, approximately 14 million pounds of pollutants.

What Makes the Puget Sound Sick?

•Petroleum•Fertilizers•Pesticides•Copper•Lead•Mercury•Zinc•Phthalates•Paint•Bacteria•Plastics

14 Million Pounds of Pollutants EACH YEAR

How Does the Water Flow?

Salmon

http://blog.nature.org/2009/11/nature-photo-of-the-week-spawning-coho-salmon/

Species of Concern:Species of Concern: Puget Sound Coho SalmonPuget Sound Coho Salmon

Orcas / Killer Whales

http://www.fws.gov/endangered/news/bulletin-summer2009/killer-whale-recovery.html

Endangered Species:Endangered Species: Southern Resident Killer WhalesSouthern Resident Killer Whales

Human HealthFish & Shellfish Unsafe to Eat

Economic Impact

http://www.djc.com/news/en/11180914.html

http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=48710

http://water.epa.gov/aboutow/ownews/archive/csnews23.cfm

The Good News

Seven Simple Actions

1) Pick up Pet Waste

2) Properly Dispose of Waste

3) Use Car Wash Facilities Instead of Washing Cars on Driveways

4) Walk, Bike and Ride Public Transit

5) Plant and Protect Native Evergreens

6) Practice Natural Yard Care

7) Keep Water in Your Yard with Rain Barrels, Rain Gardens, and Porous Surfaces

1. Pick Up Pet Waste

Create a Poop-Free Puget

2. Properly Dispose of Waste

EXAMPLES

☠ Oil

☠ Synthetic Fertilizer

☠ Pesticides

☠ Solvents

☠ Paint

☠ Cleansers

☠ Antifreeze

☠ Batteries

http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/publicworks/Stormwater/StormwaterQuality.htm

Properly dispose of paints, pesticides, batteries, cleaning products… etc.

http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/index.asp

DUMP NO WASTEDRAINS TO SOUND

• Participate in, or organize a stormdrain stenciling event in your neighborhood

• Go to http://www.seattle.gov/util/ - Services - Stencil a Storm Drain, to volunteer

State Emergency Response (either a spill in progress or an oil/hazardous chemical sheen on surface water (streams, lakes, bays, sound) 1 (800) OILS-911

City of Seattle Drainage Complaint Line (stormwater and surface water problems within city limits: (206) 684-7587

Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Hotline (Non emergency, monitored during business hours): 1 (800) 42-PUGET

Report Pollution

3. Use Car Wash Facilities

4. Walk, Bike and Ride

Hydrocarbons from Exhaust and Oil

Ride with Spokespeople

• Ride your bike with experienced riders

• Learn how to bike safely and comfortably for commuting and recreating in the city

• Look at the Sustainable West Seattle Calendar for the next the next group ride

5. Plant and Protect Native Evergreens

www.greenseattle.org

Native Trees

Madrone Douglas Fir

Native Trees

Western Hemlock Western Red Cedar

Native Shrubs

Salal Pacific Rhododendron

Purchase plants by species name when possible. For Native plants list by photo check

http://green.kingcounty.gov/GoNative/Photo.aspx?Act=browse

Native Shrubs

Sword Fern Evergreen Huckleberry

Volunteer with Restoration Efforts

6. Practice Natural Yard Care

Build healthy soil with compost and mulch

Plant right for your site

Practice smart watering

Think twice before using pesticides

Practice natural lawn care

Build Healthy Soils Without Synthetic Chemicals

http://www.abundantfuture.co.uk/2008/12/08/feeding-the-soil-to-feed-ourselves/

Bioremediation

Compost & Woodchips

Organic Compost Available At:West Seattle Nursery, orE-Green Landscaping in Delridge

Woodchips Available At:Burien Bark, or Dirt Exchange in Ballard

Online Resources

The Garden Hotlinehttp://gardenhotline.org/(206) 633-0224 Plant care recommendations Safe, natural solutions for pests & plant diseases Water conservation methods Natural lawn care solution Composting advice

King County Natural Yard Care Resourceshttp://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/naturalyardcare/index.asp

7. Keep Water in Your Yard

http://www.eot.state.ma.us/smartgrowth/07toolkit/lid/regional_planning/LID/permeable_paving.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2004103861_pacificplife06.html

Rain Garden

Permeable Pavement

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO’s)

http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/toxic/cso.aspx

Raingardens Act as Sponges

https://rainwise.seattle.gov/

Example Rain Gardens

Rain gardens installed in Puyallup by Stewardship Partners

SUCCESS! Seattle’s Street Edge Alternatives Project (SEA Streets)

http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/qapp/biotrans_home.htm

99% Reduction of volume of stormwater pollution using LID (aka Green Stormwater Infrastructure)

http://www.seattle.gov/util/About_SPU/Drainage_&_Sewer_System/GreenStormwaterInfrastructure/NaturalDrainageProjects/HighPointNaturalDrainageSystem/

High Point Natural Drainage System

Rainwater Collection

http://www.seattle.gov/parks/scc

RainWise

Resources Include PDF’s

Rain Garden HandbookBuilding Rain GardensMaintaining Rain GardensInstalling CisternsReducing PavementPlanting TreesImproving Soil with CompostRock-filled TrenchesMaterials & SuppliersPlant Lists

Learn More About How to Keep Water On-Site Through RainWise

https://rainwise.seattle.gov/

A Puget Sound where citizens enjoy robust salmon, orca, and shellfish populations that support our economy and our well-being.

http://www.stewardshippartners.org/prog_lid.html

http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/6-Amazing-Things-About-Killer-Whales-Orcas-2.jpg/

http://www.barkleyadventurestation.com/

Vision

1. Pick up Pet Waste

2. Properly Dispose of Waste

3. Use Car Wash Facilities Instead of Washing Cars on Driveways

4. Walk, Bike and Ride Public Transit

5. Plant and Protect Native Evergreens

6. Practice Natural Yard Care

7. Keep Water in Your Yard with Rain Barrels, Rain Gardens, and Porous Surfaces

What Three Things Can You Do

To Restore Puget Sound?

Brought to you by the volunteers of Sustainable West Seattle

James Day

Bryan Fiedorczyk

Joanne Hedou

Gene Homicki

Kimberly Leeper

Steve Richmond

Norma Tompkins

Katie Humphries

Stormwater Group Core Team:

Cate White, Project Manager

Additional Resources

"Poisoned Waters": Elliott Bay polluted runoff (Hedrick Smith) 4 minutes http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/frontline-poisoned-waters-sneak-peek-2-pbs/16806257