NASHU-B-91 � 001 C3

HOOD CANALSPLENDQR AT RIsK

Editor

Jeff Brody

Writers

Christopher DunagarIarId the staff of The surI

The Sun Nevespaper, Hrvmerton, EVashingtonA John P, Scripps iVeivspaperDivision of Scripps Ho+. hard

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CO%'I1 X I>

Vretace

Part I: Introduction 1

Chapter 1: A Place T<~ SV<>nderful to Spoil 3

Chapter 2: Taking a Le<ok Around

Sation 1: Gix e You~if a Tour

Section 2: A Mv~terious KYatcni av 12

Part IL The Ecosystem 15

Chapter 3: Thc Canal

S<vtion 1: I ed Bv Glarier. 17

Section 2: armed t'rom the Rock 20

Chapter 4: 9'ater Recourc~+

%w'ti<na 1: A I'recioui Commodity 3

Section 5: l'reseri in', >'Pat< r t&aliti 4l

Chapter i: YVetlandi

-tion l: F<Hx3 Store tor the EN'eb ot l i te

Sech<@a 2, X«tur< i I'uritic<>ti<>n Sx «ten> 4~

Section 3. l n.ing to SI< e a K'aluahl< Fcoix iten>

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%ation 2

Sectiol< 3

Section 4

Jockeying tor the R<~cource 29ProtectlB}; tlEc Rivers'Groin'th %1ake Scca Dem<sndi

Pa.rt Ill: Using the Resource 57

Chapter 6: I.ogging

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Chapter 7: Fishing

Scwhon 1: Ripples from Boldt 91Si~ion 2: Reclaiming the Sabnon Culture 94Sechon 3: Making a Living from the Water 98

Section 4: No Longer a Fishing Paradise 103Sechon 5: Can the Wild Salmon Survive? 107

Section 6: Preserving the i~4atural Salmon Runs 111

Chapter 8: Oysters

Section 1: To Protect the Canal ... and Oysters 115Ww&on 2: Where Genetics and Technology VIeet 120Section 3: Tidelands Tug'o'war 1&lSc~ion 4: Toward Cleaner Beaches 126

ScMion 5: An Invisible Threat 129

Chapter 9: Bangor

ScMion 1: Huaca Canal Becomes the Navv's Choice 131

Sc<cion 2: The Canal's Largest Community 134Sation 3: 400 Feet Below the Canal 145~~on 4: Mission; Keep it Clean 150

Chapter 10: Recreation

Sc'ction I

Scwtion 2

Section 3

Section 4

~Mion 5

tion

~~~on

Section

Section

Sc'ctlon

Sedation

Section

1: Rising from Toppled Trees 592 A Log's Long Journey 643: The Economics of a Clearcut 69

4: Who Chins the WatershLQ? 74

5: Logging and the Chvl: Three Perspectives 786: For Timber or for the Fnvimnrnent? 85

7: Toward Keeping Timberlands Intact 89

When Beaches Host Millions 155A Long History as a Recreation Spot 158Business Follow» the Mercury 160How Rexveation Threatens the Canal 165innocent Visits to a Pristine Lake 169

Part IV: The People of Hood Canal 173

Chapter 11: Dvv»topmcnt

Section 1: Th» Canal Pav» for Our l.itestvles l '7

~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ t ~1 79Section 2: Choosing I'rudent Dn elopmcnt

Section 3: Losses Come So Easilv 181

Section 4: Planning for Gro» th 187

Chapter 12: The Canal's First Citizens

Section 1: When Indians Plied its V'at»rs 19 l

Chapter 13: Life on thc anal

Section 1: Growing Pains in Bclfair 202Section '2: Ne»' Homes jam the Back»ater» 206

Section 3: Plush Properties 209Section 4: Wat»rfront Land Rush 212

Section 5: Morc than the Sum of its Human Parts

tion 6: A Haven for Artists 221

Part V: Conclusion 227

Chapter 14: The Future of the Canal

Section 1: Memories ot the Ca nal 229

Section 2; Preservation Through ActionSection 3: An Uncertain Future 239

Section 4: A Vision for the Future 24~

Chapter 15: What You Can D i 2~2

Appendix A: Suggest»d Readings

App»ndix 8: The Series 258

index ~9

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Section 2: Tribes Snk their Spirit Song 193Section 3: He Weaves Past and Present Together 195

Section 4: Teaching the Tribes' I.ost Art 197Section 5: Using the Classroom to Rekindle Tradition

PHoroC.RED JIS Theresa Aubin: pages 37, 91, 94, 98, 107, 138, I '5, I 79, 193, 19>,

197, 199

Any Deputy: pages 729, 239

Ed Pieratt: page' 234, 235, 236

La~ Stea gall: pages 64, 69, 79, 83, 85, 89, 126, '1 31, 134, 140-11,142, 143, 145, 150, 202, 206, 209, 212, 216

Steve Zugschwerdt; pages 6, 8, 12, 17, 20, ~3, 29, 41, 44, 49, 52,103, 115,120,129, 137.138, 139, 344, 155, 160, 165, 169, 181, I87,190, 221, >52

Pope & Talhot Archives: page 59

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PliFFA . F.

ood Canal has chaiiged me.Fven though I' ve v orked forThc Sun for 14 years, 1 am notthc same write r I was a year ago.Even though I'< e lived in theiv«orth <vest f<ir 21 vears, I am not

the sanae person.lt isn't so inuch the beauty ot Hocxl

Canal that has me enchanted. At some point,it's hest to get beyond the pure splendor ofthe place.

Call it an appreciation that the v< ild-ncss nf nature shll exists, one st naII lite

linked to another, all struggling to s ur v ive,hunians included.

I shouldn't downplay the importanceot natural beauty. As a child, [ lived inWichita, Kansas. I recall thc annual vacationtrek across dry, flat prairies to<v ard the<yonderiand of the snov. -covered R<xkyMountains in Colorado.

In <>ur fimily, vie aII tried tu he the firstto spot th» mountains, >< hich Hrst appearedas a razor-thin line of dark hlue at thchori run, h~ relv discernable trom th» sky.

I karned to camp and tish in a paii-orarna of towering mountains and clear bluelake~. To a boy v< Iio spent most ot his time intlatla nd, it alxvays seemed as if someone hadhung a grand painting on the sky,

When I ca~ne to Kitsap County in 3977,I eras awestruck by thc v<:ater. mountainsand vvide-open spaaw. And! <~ as pleasedthe county commissioners <vere irving topreserve the "rura.l character" of the' county.

Fourteen years late r, much ot the urhanarea bet<v een Bremerton and Silvcrcla le stillhas <. Iiough trees aloiig the re<ad sides tllat it seasv to forget that it v<as design.ed forhumans.

+ nn

But most of th» wiidiite has bean killedor driven a w ay. IVetl,inds have bean fill«I.Streams liave been siltcxl. Thr soft forestfloor has bcx n transformed into pav cd str<x lsor grassy lawns in man> place!.

It was not a mistake, at least not the

density part. The goal vvas to put as manv»e<v homes as possible around Bremerton.md Silvcrdale, pint<> tiny, thc niore ruralareas fr<>rn growth pressure>.

But tree» can he a tacadc, liiding thehrokcn rerruaants uf a» ecosystem that nolc nger exists, jiist as sparkling vvaters canhide chemical» and human waste that draindown troni the streains.

lf i e are to prote< t I hxxI Canal, ivemust begin ivith thc upland areas � the<yatershed that drains down to the canal. Wemust understand thc plant and animalcomm»nihes that dwell there and trv to keepthem intact.

Streams and rivers are vital connec-h<ins. Thcv shoukd get the hiyhest level ofproto< tion bv keeping luyging and de< elup-rncnt far back from the <vater. >VetLands,vv hich clean the surface <v atcrs and providehoines for an abundance of vv ildlife, are<v orth y of protection.

I'm convinced we can find ro<im forhuman beings to live and <vork in the HnndCanal region, hut I'm less eager to stake outmy <nvn chunk ot' licxxl Canal,<> a homesitcth<in I ivas a year ago.

I live in Bremcrton, and I! ike « liat acity provides: fire, medical and policeprotection just iuinutcs a«ay. It's nicehaving gr<xerv stores and shopping inallswithin easv reach.

I also like boating and s«iinming <indhiking and campin . I enjoy picking <!y~ters

and digging clams. These things I can donow, though I encourage ihc govenuncnt toprovide more places to go.

I'm beginning to develop a personalithic about Hood Canal and other unspoiledplaces: I like the idea of !eave themunspoi!ed even more than 1 like the idea ofliving there.

!.ike the boy from Kansas who experi-enced wonder and fascination vsit hout livingin the mountains,!have learned a great dealabout H<xxl Canal without building adriveway or cutting dov< n a single tree.

Those who live in the Hood Canal areamay v ell take the !ead in proteting naturalsurroundings.

But the rest of us have a r o!c, too,because Hood Canal is a nationa! treasure.

It wifl require a huge vision to saveHood Canal as a whole, and it will require

individ ua! action to protect the sma!!er areaspnp]c disco' er: svet!ands, nesting areas,m>grati on routes.

I have vet io see strong leadershipcmcrgc, but the regional Ho<xf CanalC<x!rdinahng Councrl provides the rightforum tor discussion.

I knoiv people's hearts are in the rig!itplace, but individuals nod to tra nstormtheir desires into action. C"et involved inivater shed planning or join one oi the WaterWatcher classes,

I rnav not choose to move into the

Hood Canal watershed, but I intend io keepan cyc on its fragile ecosystem for the rest ofmy life. ! hope that what we pass on to ourchil Jrcn and their children is somethingmori than just memories about the ~ ilcincssot nature.

Christo!th< r Ltr<»os!a»

concerned than ever about the myriad ofscerninglv conflicting interests that stand inthe way of reaching a community conserisuson how to save it,

lt's not thai. the will isn't thcrc-

nearly evervonc who lives along thc canal,and in the watershed, v<ould agree that thecanal must be preserved. It's a question offinding a way that can unite rather thandivide the canal's constituents.

Some of thc most vocal defcndcrs ofcanal water are thc property owners whoare frrst to bulkhead thc<r shorehne. borne ofthc most vocal crit!cs of logging are amongthose willing to clear a view lot ht thcwater hed to build a home.

Hood Canal is challenging us to riseabove our special interests and to act in thegeneral interest of the watershed. It was, allalong, our hope that in telling this story wc'dhelp our community face this challenge.

Like Andy Rogers, who talks exten-sively in the conclusion of this book abouttus memories of the canal, I wish I could six'what thc canal wifl be like in 50 year . And Iwould hope to see something that indicatesthose of us who are the canal's neighbors

to thc challenge when the canal wasteetering on the brink, and helped pull itback into balance,

Jeff Bro<ty

August, 1991

When wc started to research the seriesof arhcles that became "Hood Canal: Splen-dor at Risk we knew that people living onthe canal would be interested. Thc challengewas to show others how Hood Canal wasimportant to them.

Hood Canal is not well known outsidethe Puget Sound region, It's not the area theenvironmental groups vmte about savingwhen they mail out a flood of membershipsolicitations. Hut it is a waterway ot nahonalsignificance.

When an ecosystem is pristine, rela-tively easy steps can be taken to primrve it.When an ecvsvstem is destroyed, the task ofbringing it back is often too complex and toocostly to be attempted.

But the real challenge is to save anecosystem that is teetering on the brink-one that's stifl basically sound but faces athreat.

That's when we leam about how to fitour human ! <festykw into a natural system.What we learn is applicable not only inWiistem Washington, but also for otherthreatened ecosvstems across the countryand around the world.

And learning that lesson is the chal-!eng» of Hood Canal today.

At'ter guiding this reporting projectfrom inihal pla nmng to conclusion, a processthat took more than 15 months, I am bothbetter infornred about flood Cana! and more

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IN'TRODLCTIOX

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8!! Chr>.'t<~1!!! iDiii!i! ;n!i

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great blue heron, its broad 'in'» spread t i the i ind, d!fwout ot an overcast sky andglides into the marsh. Extend-ing its legs, the large bird landsgracefully among tall

reeds near the water. The tweet-tweet-twectcring ot' songbirds create» an agrn ablech irus, though each bird sings its oic!ad i»tinct song

Untold number» of wild binis share

thi» place on Hood Canal, just outside ofBelfair on the 1 'orth Shor . Riv r ntt»r slink

along the shore at sun» t. Mink, bean cr an fmv»krat !nind the!r o~x.n wacs. thank! to

i»hat remains ot this ancient s an>p.Hunaai! visitors max tiitd then!»elc w

refreshe f hy the vildness here, a» in !thernatural environs. Su!ne people de»cribe a 'arm teeltng of enthrallment, a kind of mildhypnotic state.

It'» a» it the hum s n heart cca ms for aIno! e pnnliti e »%per'Leuc ', an av fr m theclutter d pattern ot modern I! fe. »ay! CehaPa rrot, caretaker of th - propcrtc.

"The rea»on 1 go ovt t o or threw irne»! dax is not just to walk the fc!gs,' she said.lt » 1!ke a r 'to»fir!g. 1 gi,i o lt t i g 't at'!other

do»c it th,lt n!t!ma'te t 'el!n~.Th!» !no!»t lan f l!ai ~w n th c i!nin" t

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Hood Canal�

actually aglacier-carved

jjord-divides the

KitsapPeninsula,

with r'ts rollinghills and

easyflo wingstreams, from

the more

ruggedOlympic

Perfinsula,with its craggy

peaks attdtushittg rivets.

farnrers, their' <ows raise<I orl sea oats abk'.to tolerate th» brackish water of the marsh.Ynw, the cattle are g<rne arid nativ plantsslowly reclaim the laird, under the protecti<inof the H<xrd Canal I and Trus.t.

I he !and tnrst, for<nod in I9ttii by Celi1and hcr husband Gary I-'arrot, received theland as a precious gift fron1 EhzabethKlingel, vvho w'<rnted t<i see this placeprotectcxl. Theirs is just <ine eft irt to preservethe natural alues so obvious ir1 the! foodCanal region.

Other organizahons protect H xidCanal by measunng poBution absorbe<t inthe tissues of c!amsat Port Gamb!e or in

OySterS at LniOn, or by ere ting fel1CeS tokeep cores from tainting the clear streamsflnwing int<i Quilcene Bay, or by teachingb raterS nOt to dump human w1ste Over-bo<1rd while cruising the open waters ot the6! -mile-Iong ca na l.

The Legislature has recognized H xidCanal as a "shoreline of' statewide sigirifi-cance," The list of preservation effnrts isnearly as long as a list of places v orthy ofprotection,

Hood Canal � actua! ly a glacier-carvcd fprd � divides thc Kitsap Perunsula,with its roBing hil! s and easy tlow ingstreams, from tire more rugged Olympicpeninsula, with its craggy pea!cs and rushingrivers.

Herod C»ial has hewn loved bv se.ttlersand summer residents t'or nrore than 100years. It has b <en h«me tc> sa! mon bevondabundance, tci multitudes >f clams, oystersand shrimp, and to a myriad of wildlife,from field mice to black bears.

As progress <vould have it, many ofHexad Canal's natural 1reas have alreadybcx.n spoi!cxt. Bulkheads have replacedwetlands; hiirneste ads have repLaced forests;and po! lution has disrupted the eveb of life,

The c1nal has bcx n expknt� for its fishand shelltish resources, used and abuse byh im xns ners and boa ters, and impoaxiup<in by logging interests.

ln a seri~, p x!pie h.1ve k>ved the canallust a lit tk.' t<xx much.

Yet, compared to many p!aces t iuchedhy m1n, I l xid C1na I stands nearlvurrh!emrshcx!, like a sparkling g rnstone, itsd rsti<1v yet to b' determmed.

>Vill tixfay's presS <>f hum1n prpula-tion destroy I Io rd Canal, the w,rv advancinggrowth has sp ir!ed waterw a vs throughout

the Urrlted States? ?I' trill ive s irnehciw tind

niorn for people n ith nit disrupting thclivirig kirces that make H i<id Canal a uniqueplan.'

D spite soaring real estate pnccs,people are srs arming tc buv the l<ist 1 acantLands aking th "0"= miles ol flood Canrlshoreline and to prirchase uplar1d view kitsnearby.

A priceless reCreatiOn,1rc1,! 3<xrdCanal provides an outd xir shou'crse inrvhiCh tO enjoy the regiOn's t.in1Ous Shriirrp,sahnon and <>ystcrs.

SOn1e 94 percent of t he State's prized"spot praw n" � kn rwn ! really as "1!o xiCanal shrimp" � are c i!!ected from thecan1!. OnCe abundant, the average size iitthese giant prawns has dec!ined, and thestate has bc'-n forced to strictly regu!ate theharvest.

Salmon areslowly returning to localstreams, but artificial grow ing efforts bare! ymake up for the damage causcQ by newhousing and commercial developments,bio!Ogists Say, Sediments w,rsh intO Strea mS,smothering eggs and ruining nesting gravelused by the mystical fish.

Commercial, Indian and sport fisher-inen rep<rrt dec!ines in nearly all specie~,while political and legal battles do nothing toincrease the stocks.

For recreahona I oyster gathe rers, Ho<IdCanal is a godsend, otfering pr1ctically theonly inland svaterway in the state whereoysters can be tound on public be~ches. In anaverage year, about 56,t!LXI pounds of <iyster»are hauled off state beaches, accordirrg toestimates by the Department of Fisheries.

Vleanwht!e, cornmeraa I oyster grow-ers are especially proud of their sweet-tasting oysters, gown in crvsta1 clear waters.'What makes Qui! one Bay famous is ourmild-tasting oyster," said Gordon I layes,general marrager of Coast OySter CO. OfQu i!cene.

Haye~ credits the taste to the cana!'sgravel !v bottom as opposed to mud!, alongwith a low concentration ot algae, the mainstaple in the oyster's diet. The fo rd shortagemakes the oysters grow slower � andmilder, said I layes.

y<e'hat makes Hood Canal so clear-the lack of algae and other plankton�results from a s!oev exchange of waterwashing in front the ocean. For Hood Cana!

6 ~ IhJT!<<!V<A. I r<i'<

spits were Consumed bV th» nil!srvcnival hase constructL'd ct !ring W<!ridtVar l 1,

"We' re los!ng th» pornt beca isepeople have put in bulkheads d<lwn theline," says Max Starcev>ch, who has liv«3on H<X>d <lilal tor velrs. H!s >L ife.' !familv r ~!ded there !i»ce 19 I7.

An <>id ~ nod n lx>at reit! «n theshore above the. high tide mark, whe re itwash <d L!p !il <1 s'tofu> yt'lrr 1 g<!.

Str»a!lls nl 'and!.'r d <!'<vi'< t<! 'the !hor e,

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tall fence that encloses the giant Navy submarinbase, which adopted the same name,

A longtime member ot' the 11ood Canal Environ->nental Council, Starcevich was an early opponent ofthe Bangor base a! well as numerous smaller projectshe felt Lvould damage the H x!d Canal ecosystem. Healso was active in Kitsap Audubon.

Max's wite Ester and son Al Starcevich con-tinue the familv tradition of en ironmental achldsm,remaining nlajOr players in graupS Such as OlympicView Environmental Review Council OVER<},which has assumed a citizen-based role in oversee-ing the cleanup of hazardous w aste sites at the Navyba~.

Max Starcevich also won another posthumoushonor in 1990. The former All-American for theUni ver ity of Washington's football team wasinducted into the National Football Foundation'sCollege Hall of Fame.

rrisfo}!lier Drr!r<r<<!r!r

rvrax st<!rn«rcr:

MaX StarreviCh, a leading suppO<ter Of'environ-mental protections tor Hoo� Canal, died inAugust 1990, just two months after he was

tured in the op~ning story of Tho Sun'! serie!,ood Canal: Splend ir at Risk."

The followulg IX<e~ber, Max and his rifeter, were reeognizexi fOr their 1<lngtime effOrtS byHood Canal C<x!rdinating Councik

"Max was oft»n a public spokesman forvironmemtal and water Lluality issues, while Ester

provided support and organization," said larsSherwo !d as s,he announ M the award t'or thecoordinating council,

Hood Canal Coordinating Council is a xxlp-erative forum for nla naging policy i!suer related toHood Canal. Voting meinber» are representativesfrom trit!ap, Mason and jefferson counties plus theSkokomish and S'klal 1am tiib ~r.

Starcevich a»d hio wit liv� at the old com-munity of Bangor in tritSap C<!ur>ty, I>Ot far froin the

bringing pollution from livestock caste,<lccording to StarCel ich. 1 le lv<>rrles aboutweed killer !pray<4 lk!ng the Bangor t nc».

"1 his hay used to have a >eh !le !e,i ofeel grass," h» said, sh <ffling along the shorelt su!>Set an»l obsel v>ilg n ! SigI'Is Llt thesalt i ater plant so Important to sea lite.

As a !ea breeze chilled h»r>, Star cevichpulk' his!weater tighter. He thought ba ktOdaVs when tish, bird! lr>d Lvildhf wercm<>r»,1 hund ant.

"We Sa>v migrationS Of bra nt and»v»n

Bangor

Nestled between theshores of HoodCanal and the

boundary of theNaval SubmarineBase, Bangor is a

small community ofolder homes,

geese," he said. "Role, I can't remc rnber thelast time I saw anv. Tlie fishing is as gooduntil they opened it up to commercial boats.The purse seiners take i. vcrvthing, includinglingcod."

While some are.ls of I1ciod Canal areon a downward path, othersnluunt a recovery. Thc ftrtureis by i'i i nleaiis ccrtairl. Hutnearly everywhere there'» agnlw ing felr that thiS fragilebridy Of lvater is paying aprice as man taxes thebiological linlits of thcecosvs tcrlE

"W» have to get toknow our forests and ourtrlarshes, SO wc know El hatwe cannot do to them," saysCelia P,lrrot, wllking sltivvlvthrough the miiist grass atthe Klingel wetlands.

A flock ot ducks takesw:ing, Soaring Ioli over thewater, as if the birds were

tied together with string. Ared-wing blackbird lands inthc tlvisted branCIEeS ot anagiilg Sil lg. Parrnt snliles,ielishlilg its clist!nctivc soilg.

Bill Hunt, ninv servingas president ot the HocidCanal Wnd I'rust, has lived

in the a reil 30 yearS."Th.lt's a lovely thing," Hunt slVS ot

the bird's song.As he talkts a pair ot mallard ducks

waddle through tile grass at shore's edge.Thc proud, colortul male stands guard tacirigthe hunian visitors, hi» body erect. Thcfemale scuttles over to a. grassy mound andsettles on her nest.

I li. dOes11 t EVari't US tO get arly CkESef.Hunt said. "I Ie'll probably hiss at us it EE, eget anE ClOSer. Wc'rc not enCouragitlg a lot ofvisitin here, sucli as building >salk.ing trlilsand tvhat have vou."

Xlit far away lies another inarShv area,managed under a different pIErltESOphy.Lnder ownership tlf the 5.1arv F. ThelerCommunity Ceilter in Belfarr. the e marsllvlands Everc to bc tilled by a bulldozer Evith

new ballhclds taking their Pl lee.But experts pointed out thc importance

of these fragile kinds, and nolv th» grassvsw amp is the centerpiece of a future naturecenter, coinplete with carefully constructedtraiLs and boardwalk» into thc marsh.

Kwause so much iif Hotld Canal is

rockv, especiallv in the main channel,itlvater marsheS are

precious islands of habitatbctwcx n long stretches ofpebbly shore.

"Many people thinkthat itvou disturb these areasthe wildbfe vill just gosorncplacc clsc," said I indaKunze, a botarust with thcstate's <Natural Herit ig»Program. "It's just not true liirnOst CaSe-, if SOmethiilghappens, the w ildlifc Iiistdie."

Kunze splits her timebctls ccn thc human Evorld a her Olympi,l Offiri, Evh< repolitics and economics rule,and the natural Evorld inwhich she inl merses he rsclfinto her v ork.

"When I'm out in the

field, I fecal like a visitor." sh»said. "I need to put mv valuesand understanding aside so Ican learn horn thc environ-ment. Bt ing iut in the field is

a time ot li am ing and a time ot refreslunent.lt he! ps me to realize that the human-centered Evorld is riot all there is."

"AS «e build mure and morc cihes, El eneed to keep a natural connection, to see thechanging Of the SeaSons and lE cather plt-tcrrls," Ceilia Parrot said. "You can live in anapartment and no nlattcr ivhlt hlppensoutsid», vou can bc comfortable. That's Ei hv ISee a d angel ES ilulri and mure Of iis In c inc! tres.'

Places 'thfoughini t thi countryCIEcwlpeake LEV, the reit Lakc~r, I ludsOnRiver, thc Evergladesc and even I-'uget 4>used� have suttercxh "rcatll before hiiinln

carctlkers dcmded to change the~r ls avsHoiEd Canal chalfenc,es us to!'ind l betterEE aV n hile tllere's still time.

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ln n sense,

people hnz eloz>ert the cnrrnl

j rrst a little toomrrch. Yet,

cornpnrei/ tonr art rl y lacestorrchert tirfrrrarr Hoort

Carr nl start ds

nenrlgrur rl>ter r rishert,

like n

sl >arkli r rggernstonr; rlsrtestirrrr rtet tnbe detertrrirred.

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hp l i< i«<rnlri4'i«< st< <n

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W

this E<riK da V CirCuit Park andpacklge orl 1!s i<don't get kit, sweaters inniad nl<ipi M> w e

<'aW i<f CO, wa' - ld, ailing shoes for exploringheach an tral, aJ 'l, and rain gear just in case,

<, t n I J 1 la CLED prowl big' ou tn u inCrk;3t picnic J.nts which are confined to thek» th» rc~tavrari s,

SilVerdale traffic Snarl is that you appreciatee 'nstant countryside on the west side. Are

you ~ dy «r y«r frst scenic hit around thr~t ~d of Anderson Hill Road? The world

o~en ~'p up a mountain-waterco~ o bee this, the jagged O}ympic ~oun-ta'ns to wering above the deep, shining canal.

~ four~» scenery lasts until

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The nine->nile

stretc1t tro>nHolly to

Deu>atto is tfte

least

populated partof the fjord.

Sc<<itx.ch, wliicli gives a <g<x>d snc<ik previewuf territory we' ll cover tudiv. Timber used tobe the»iain game' in this little ivaterfrontvillage now populated bv tourists and agrowing number of perm,inerit l<>caLs.

First, a stop at Scenic Br<ich State Park,where ive can stretch our legs along thebeach and the i<, idc-opcn Iaw ns. This is aprime spot for w atching sunsets all year andrhododendron s in season.

From here ive need a map to navigateth» ruad >naze between Seabed k and Tahuya,our next waterfront stop. At thc bot ton> ofFifcndahl Pass Road, w e'll hit the canal

again.Bingo. Surprised at all watt-to-watt

houses along North Shore Road. Thcv peterout tu the ivest, hut thc road d xw too in a

northern jungle of massive trees carpetedwith moss and ferns. It's beautiful and

privately owned.So we' ll turn east and drive along the

canal's most populated sechon � both sidesot' the arm that juts into <vlason County fromUnion to Bclfair. Thc water sparkles behin<.lthe alinost unbroken rov of wa terh.ont

houses, but it's off-limits to the public excepttor two popular state parks. Unlike inost ofWashington's saltwater, this sh]l, shallowstretch is v arm enough to swim withoutgetting frostbite.

On surnrner w eekends, Belfair StatePark and Tivanoh State Park on the northand south sides respectivelv are packed withfamilies.

"This is my favorite cainpground in thewhole wide world because you can do somuch with the kids," explains Carol Wardabout Twanoh "And I' ve gotten to the stagewhcrc 1 ivant a little!i>xurv with my carnp-ing," confesses the Pierce County womanv ho likes the campground showers as muchas the w atertront.

The park is so busv in the summer,says resident ra nger Larry Otto, tha t thc.campground fills up bv Wednesday for theweekend, Most campers are families, andthey carne from everywhere.

Maybe wc should have packed lunch.l'or all the people living and tra vc ling downthis busy stretch of Highway Iaaf>, thcrr aretew feeding stations. But nobodv could missAldcrbrook inn.

Hang on. Wr'n in for culture shock atthe resort. Big-screen TV tx<sidc thc big-i<dndow view in the lounge, covered walk-

w ays everywhere, and a glassed-in he<studpool. Thu~ hvo vuppies we<iring pres~xiblue jeans and sipping beer sure arcn'tk>ggers.

'I his i» the civil ized side of canal life

dow n to the c<scpressu coffee, quiche, fancycandles sold at restaurant,~g>ft shop nextdoor. This commercial patch stretches for 'IB>nites through Uni<in, 1 lcx>d sport, andPotlatch, w hich are thc canal's sou then>

supplv stop~. Here's w here to pause fur gas,4 e r, food, bait, souveriirs, and infor>nation.

A papular stop is Hunter Farm, whichhas been an the delta of Skokonnsh River

since 1%3. The merchandise rni> � fresh

produce, hay, tup suit, calf and pig feed,geranium flats, sects, putpourn packets,card~ and cookb<x>ks � give a good ideawho the customers are.

"It's prettv desolate in the w inter," saidSteve Hunter, the fifth generation of Hc>odCanal Hunters. But all summer and most fall

and spring weekends, business is humming.And traffic ivill pick up lust dov n thc

ruad ii hen <ve hook up with U.S. 10l. Itfunnels the north-south I-5 traffic and theeast-v est U.S. 12 traffic into the skinnycurridor between the mountains and thcwa tc&.

I Iood sport''s short main street is almustthe last chance to spend money for rniles-on ice cream, T-shirts, antiques, sabaequipment, or Hoodsport Winery w'ines,

From here thc wilderness stretchesnorth and west for miles across torests and

>no untains.But it's sillv to plunge into the wo<x5s

without a good guide. The I loud sportRanger Station is a supermarket of freeinformation.

Joanne Conrad, crisp in lier uniform, ishelding the questions from the steady streamot visitors. yyhat about v itdtife? Bald eagles,kin ghshers, and bh>e herons in the birdtamilv and deer, rnarmots, mountain goats,elk and backcountrv black bear in the

mammal divisi<!n.Are vuu re<id v to tackle the ii ild side of

the canal? Thc Lena Lake Trail up a pavedroad north <>t Lldon off the Hamnia HarnmaRiver sounds perfect for a mini-hike � casv.pretty, and accessible. As Conrad s,id,, it's no

ref. There must b'20 cars parked at thetrailhead.

"lt was loi clv but pouring down> rain."says Murirt Bew ick ot Bainbridge Island,>s

J p ~ /V,>,'g ill

«h» unlaces lier muddy bo >ts. By 'the timewe came back, the sizn cvas c >ming out."

Along the trail is a fr,>grant misc of ternand cedar and rain. Arid all those shades ofgri>en � velvety chartreuse moss on thcrocks, deep green cedar branches, and palelittle maple leaves gloiving in the gloom.

Back on the rcxad, running north alongthe canal, the scenery is gorgeous. There' sanother oyster farm � the bal y oystersattach themselve~ to those 1 ig bundles ofshelLs hanging i» thc water. There' sDosewallips State Par k just in time for a pitstop, and a stretch. lf you look over themarsh grass and tar>gle of wild r >ses, vou'1}see Seabeck and Scenic B"ach, only hv e rmle»away as the crow flies.

Up ahead in Brinnon is the Wh>tneyRhododendron Farms, vs hich ath acts

hundreds of visitors during the springblooming season. Also Seal Rock, yi herepacks of harbor seals an supposed to hangout, Mount Walker, a d rive-up loiikout witha 360-degree view from Seattle to the Shaitof juan de fuca to the Ofvnzpic glaciers.

For more information on north endattractions, the Quilccne Ranger Station isthe best bct.

Clcarcuts are uglv, but they' ve openedup a stup«ndous view on the ToandosPeninsula, is hich juts 1S miles south into thecanai Dolan below are water-access-onlypublic areas tor a ct>rnpletely different i iewot the canal.

Dnving north to Highway 104, a nghthim leads to the Hood Canal Bridge � hopea suh isn't p»ng throztgh on the ivay to ort'rom naval Submarine Base Bar>gor.

There's time to piip»orth to I'ort 'ambi», the historic liiinbcr village modeledafter a Maine to>~Ti, where there's a populargeneral store, seashell museum, and loggingmuscurn.

Nois let s wrap up the e>cploratiozl bvviatching the sunset from Kitsap MemorialPark. The popular waterfront park ha» t'rontrow seats on the ianal al! year

And you can put the map dovvn. 5Ve'realmost home.

You don't need a b<>at to find the quiet parts of Hood

Canal, but it certainly helps. While most of the tratficand most of the people can be found along the sout h

and iv est shores of the canal, you' ll find most ot the soli tu deand least of the traffic along the north and east shores.Boaters wiU find beaches available only to them on thine

quiet shores.lf vou ve only got an auto, you still might find places to

get away from most of the canal crowds.Take a drive out to Holly, tor example. Folloiv th»

Seabc<k Highv'ay past Crosby to Hintrville, and f<>llc>iv theAlbert I'fund t Road to Holly.

lt's private property out here, where the OlympicMountains across the canal seem to lean out over the tjzird tosee their reflections. Th» people are friendly, tin be sur<;mostly because the visitors who stop along thc road respectpri vate property.

There arc state Department of Natural Resourcespublic tidelands just north of Holly and south of Tekiu Point.1 hev arc accessible only by boat, although both the Tck>uRoad and a road west from Nellita Road drop all the ivav tothe canal.

1'he Tekiu Road cncis just north ot Tekiu Point; the niadwest h'orn ."Jellita Road drops down to Frenchman's C<>vc.

Chanc of the most delightful drive» on the canal istollowing the Dewatto Bay Road from Anderson Cove, justnorth of Holly, to Tahuva. This is the wildest, quietest part ofthe canal.

fn the summer, cars traverse the nod on bluffs '>00 feetabove the Flord once every 35 minutes or so during the dav.ln the venter, one car every hour is more likely.

Stop on anv one ot the high bluffs overlooking thecanal from Uewatto sou th to Tahuya, and «11 you >i ill be alzleto hear are thc ivaves lapping the shore, and the >s hisper iiftratfii on Highway 101 aimless the canal.

From 1 lially to Uewatto, thc road crosses thc lone! ycountry above the canal, cutting through private fore t landivhere onlv a few gated logging roads lead is est to the canal.This nine-mile stretch is the least populated part ot' the ltz>rd.

The few ivaterfront houses barged to th» se tiz>n i>f thecanal are iiithout electricity,

Dewatto Bav is a quiet estuary and >i ctland. aliinshuddle along the southern shore, along is ith cornnzen ialoyster shacks.

There's a public b ach at the southerlv end <>f the Jrii eto T'ahuya, just niirth ot Rendsfand Creek at Musqueti I'o!nt.1 lere th» visitor can la!k siiuth across the vi atcr ti> thc bzisvside ot thc canal, or ive-t, to the Olvrnpics. For thr rcm.zz nd~ rof the quiet spots along the canal, try a boat. '1 here are threeDepartment of Natural Resources beaches bi hi eel Dinvattzand Chinorn I'oint and � on the l oandiis Peninsula � I z4 Rand state park b ache~ at f'i hernian 1 larbor. Tab «ik I'z uz>tand Broivi> 1'oint.

Prz s..z! n -.z:"f.:." '

I y ~ ij<iraoo<jcrjojv

Ml TERK!USWATS WAY

fly t.lj I'jsti>I jib <Y0! I I j j i,'jj j I

Th» vie«can change ratherdramatically, h<iwever, as the diver goesdeeper. 4udd< nly, without warning, he findshimself within a layer of crystal clear «ater.What had bean 2 teet of visibility in onemoment can be -<ime, aII at on< », a sightrange of MI fee!-.

Itt can bc h»art-stopping, according tothose who ha< e»j<penenced it.

'I h» phen<jm»non is caused by a layer<if sjlty water frnni th» Skokomish Riveroverlayjng a layer ot' denser sea water, said

mij<ture ot each"It's almost hke an a tmosph»ric

weather system," he said, "and it's somt.thing a lot of people don't ei<p<ic8, almost likegoing through cloud layers."

layered «'aters � accompanied byabrupt changes m temperature � are armingthe odd and curious things about HoodCanal, both above and below the surface.

Other rnysteri»s include nussinghordes of gold, long lost ship«reeks andeven sea creatures <vorth searching tor,

~ 0 0 ~ t ~ ~ 0 ~

About 3 miles

Frvrth r>fHoodsport lre

the farnOrFSocfoprrs

holes," in an

rFrrderzt it ter

cliff tlrat dropsi»to the depths

of HouriCarta l.

About 3 miles nortli of l. Ioodsport liethe famoi!s " ictiipus hi>lc~," w hich ar located within an uiideri~ater cliff that dropsinto the depths ot Hood Canal, according toShir!ey Smith, who runs Mike's Dive Shi>pwith her liusband, Mike Snuth.

A p>rtion of the vertical ivall contains,iledge si>me 3-4 feet wide. In that <area, onemay find octopus, ranging from small onesyou can hold in one hand tt> some that aret>0-70 pounds. Tc ntacles can stretch 6 teet orinure, said Mrs. Smith.

"Oct<>pus are very shy, very intelli-gent," she said, Divers have pretty yveIIprr tected them in that area It is an unw rit-ten rule that ynu don't touch."

In t.hat saine rocky area, i>ne m iy alsocome upon dangerous-looking i,vol f eelswith nasty, sharp teeth. The eels may dartout of their hole if threatened, though theyrarely bite, she said.

Hood Canal offers a variety of under-vi ater experiences, but surface dwellers maybe happy to settle for watching the plavhilharbor seals that inhabit ninst nf Hood

Canal. One cari spot their gray or blackheads bobbing on the water's surface justabout anywhere in the canal.

It you' re ex tremelv lucky you Inavspot a pod of killer whales. The large black-and-white niammals venhire into I foodCanal nn nccasiiin, iisuallv in the late tall,according to local n>sidents.

One of the great Hood Canal mysteriesis a Iow humming noise, so faint that only

ayy otficials know ivhen it comes and grx~.'I he Navy uses highly sophisticated

listening equipment along the bottom ofDabob Bay to track torpedoes along itstorpedo testing range. The acoustic crit i ip-ment has picked»p an interinittent drnningnnise, which divas traced tn Quilcene 8oatHaven.

Marjorie Belt, ivliose husband isharbormaste r there, got to listen through aset oF headphones several years ago.

"It sounded like a World War II movie

with a bunch of bombers going overhead,"she noted. "I was told it would get louder atnight, ther dic out to%ward niornlng"

There has bern much sp>culation<ibout the cause, and the Navy even had the

high-viiltage Ix>wer lines de-energize. d onetime, but th» noise was still there.

Joh» Curtis, six>kesnian tt>r the N'ava1undersea tVarfare En«ineering,it<ation atKeyix>rt, said the noise hisn't been noticedlatelv, and some Navy ofFicials suspect itlnav bt< ass >cia'teci witI'i a breed of fi'ogs.Anvvv<iy, it is sii faint it causes iu> pri>bletn,he said

On the opposite side of h h>i' Canal,near Scab.'ck, lies the sunken vi reck iit the

Panama, a ship that had sailed around C ipeI k>rn, serving first in the passeriger tradeand later runiiing cargo in the Vuget Soundarea, according to local historian Frcdi Perry.

The Panama was the sister ship to theOregiin, the first steamship to scu~ fromNevi 't'ork to the West Coast at the start iitthe California C old I uslu

Anvii ay, tlie Panama had beenpurchased hy owners of the Seabeck mill t ica~ hnished luinber to California, but the

ship collided ivith a Cerman ship in the.>trait of Juan de Fuca. Its cargo ivas nft-loaded in I'ort Toivnsend, and the damagedship ii as toived hack tti S abeck, ivhere itsank.

"At the turn iif the centurv, the niasts

could srillbe seen at low tide," said Mrs.

Perry, ivho oivns a copper nail trom thewreck. Tlie nail iias picked up bi a diierexploring the rotting remains, now sunkenintci the mud.

Another Seabeck mystery also datesback to the time ot the mill. The ston is thatot Ah Fong, a Chinese ccx>l who worked tnrthe mill company. I le must hav e saved upplenty of money, for it a!hip didn't arrivetrom San Frincisco to pay the rniII wc rkers,Ah Fnng was readi with a loan.

Obr rvers would sew Ah I'ong disappear mto the i~ nods and «>me back ii ith thenexxfed number of $20 gold pie@i~a. Duringone tif them trip, however, he failed toreturn.

Was he killed bv a ii ild animal'. Did h»fall into a hole? Or was he killed bv si>met>neivho wanted his money. Nolxxiv knoii s. butinore than a tew people have hiked theivtxxIs around Seabeck searchin tnr thetre 1 sure.

~ 0 S 1 0 ~ S ~ ~ ~

V,~

TI 1E

Ec~smx<

~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~

Tl 1E CANAL

SEn ft>~' 1

FEO B't

GLACIER&

Bw Rv>fiant HJao fr

ount Anderson cups theinfant Hood Canal between

her West and main peaks likea Jumpy nuriemaid, 7,34!feet above sea level.Vp hen'., Olvmpi< ravens

coast above ragged ridges of rock. The blackbird-gods ot the indians wheal east and,without a single wingbeat, glide ~' miles tothe mother fjord.

Vp here, vov can walk on th» surfaceot 1 i<ad Canal. Up hen.', the canal is notdeep green water, but the 1N-toot-thtck blueice ot the Eel C;lacier, ted bs 140 inch»s»fprecipitahon cv»ry y ear.

Ei en in June, it is w inter on the EelCia»ter.

The glacier cra wls t'ai o rrule: north,where Silt Creek tumbles fron> it and rips arugged mj!< long gash in the mountain.

78 ~ Trlr EI-<ESE srr s,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0

The

DosewallipsRiver gougesgorges sharpand steep. It

slams tIre

round river

rocks togetherso hard tlrat at

night, in yourtent far abovethe river, yofr

hear theN

cluckfngtogefher.

The Dose, as locals <. all

E el Glacier it, never slows. It races to the

can ll, pl ur'lglilg ln aver'1ge OtZI8 feet every one of its 26nEiles. 'I'hat drop is enoughthat water of the Uosewallipsbecomes a jackhammer thatrip» at the pillow lava ofMount Constance as itcasoadeS to<vards tile sunl iSe.

Vloun tain goats play4,000 feet above the river on

the same lava, frozen by anancient sea. They stray fromthe national park to thenational forest, and the

migration may well savethem from park efforts tocontrol their population.

The Dosewallips � aTwana name for thc legend-ary man who was trans-forrned into Mount Ander-son � is not the w ipdest riverto fenf thc canal. That recordbelongs to the I IamnEa

that Hamma River, which drops an average ofal with 33<E frat in each ot its I f1 miles.IS <1s It Lnlike other rivers in th<' iSIJ-squarc-daintily nule H<>Ed Canal Evatershed, however, the

m Dosewa! lips carrrcs fine glacial t'lour fromthe Eel. It adds unique w,rter to a unique

gOrgeS tO b<Edy Of <vater.n1und Other snowhelds dump millions of

lght, in gallons of water intO the canal every day.dr them MaSSive perm.1nent snO<vfields and dead

glaciers feed the headwaters of theSkokOnrish, DuCk,rbuSh, Hamma Hamn1a

b<rve the and. Big h>ilccnt< overs. I3ut thc Dose is theWest only Hood Canal river born of a liring,mell of grinding glacier.

More tlran 200 waterc<rurses feed theountains canaL About 48 are named. They range tromds th» longest river � the Skokonush at abouthc rock. M miles � to the hny, quarter-mile creeks o!'intri- the Bolton Peninsula or the bluffs south <>f

Holly.C1u 11<i Ttt<rhc tresh water pours itself into a ninein the frat-deep blanket over the fjord. Because

Glacial melt fromthe east flank of the

Olympics is thesource of tJ>e

Doseroallips River,26 miles from Hood

Canal.

Then 6,300-toot Olympic Mountain peaksturn the raCing water tO the <1ortheast.

Here are high mountain meadowsEvhere Olympic rnarmots whistle and shriek,and CannOt muye across the snOE< fieldSwithout waving their tails like starting fiags.These rnarmots an.' unique o the Olympics.

Silt Creek rages through thc springtimerneadO<vs. It ChatterS do<enan untrailcd canvon into thevn'gin forest of OlympicNational Park, past free»tX1rnbefore COlurnbuS. Itplows four miles and packsthc power of an express train.

I I< re the hiss and nrshof Silt Creek is shout«d silentby the rumble and roar of theDosewallips River. N<!w themilky gl<Ecia I sou p of' SilkCreek sullies the crystalsnowmelt of the Dosewallipsat their junction, six milesdnd 3@A! feet below theglacier.

K<rw a<vay h Om theaweSOrne Cany<tn, deep in thcforest, you' ll hear the singlenote of a thrush, a» clear asthe da wn it greets. Colulnbi1bk>cktalI dax r nlstle throu ghthe salal of thc drv cast-fdCIng «l<EI1c» <Eb<EVC the riV<r.

They lnake d difterentst tun<i th,rn the <Eccasi«nal black bearWanderS th<m w<XEdS. I ars S1,1p sattheir f<trcpa<vs as they tvalk. It s<!un<sttnE<xtne were shuf0ing c1r<is. Deerlift their f<<et and stamp a snare-druc<Ed ence.

Ill<rw the D<l<<crv<111ips gorrgestht.' east, Sh<Erp <1nd St<'ep. It sl,En1S th rl V er n rek S t< lgct her S<1 h1rd tha t at n'y<tur h'ntf<Ef Ebnve th<.' riVer, yOU he'clucking tug< ther.

ThVV <,Ell the n<Eist "river vuiCCI 'It r<' ls,l Erlln<!Cal spl Eng, 1<1st 1

~lxrt ivhere the riE't'r crashes into theVurk t>t tire D l.e<vail<ps, WhCr<e tt1e Ssu]phur wrinkI<~ vour rr<~c'. Lrlk �-Ro ts< 1 «It EIk so pk ntiful in the~they Er<' rrrorc C<tnrmOE'll<<' reft'rrt'd tn"Ol vn1pic I Ik" - � c< true here to hck tTheir tr.tils sc ribe th» torest fltx!r likec<Et~ scroll wxlrk.

Olvmpic f lk,1nd der rare arthe n1lner<EI lick Su he EVIIE that, C<en

summer, the absn<ce of greenery is n<>tiee-able. It was not always so; this spot <vas oncea likely hunting ground for the Olympicwolt' and cougar, which held thc clk popula-tion in check.

But the watershed of the I lood Canalhas not heard the horvl ot a wild wolf smce

Tut I. ~vu ~ 1d

la yet oi niountaln beaver. Tllis tlocturnal rodent,as large dS a houSe Cdt, Can Iii e fOr years in

ter dens dug aking road embankments orunder tree roots without heing seen.

your One ot' the boldest of the water hed'she ivild life is the raccoon, which residentsarms sometimes foolishly mistake a» heing

dotnesticated. These v'ild animals raidg<ii'bage cans <llid chicken

Brin non coops reguiarlv. Dc~idesbeing nuisances, they posereal danger to pets dnd smallchildren.

tidalmitdng is skni in 1 hind Cinal, thisremains retativelv fr<+ ot salt.

It floats oo a body ot dense saltwalike a giant fo<ini hot tub cover, a»d itaccourlts in part for the reasoll you atldchild ren can sivim in the can il during tsummer. The layer oF hats salty water wmore quickly, so coiild bc as warm as 6degrees hahrenheit a tTwanoh State Park.

Two-hundred feet

below, however, the densesalty water could be close trifreezing. Salt ivatcr of thedeeps can actually dropbelo~ freezing temperaturev ithout turning to ice, duc tosalt content and pressure.

Since it rides on top ofthe saltier water, this blanketflushes froni thc canal fasterthan thc water underneath.

The layer could providecrihca1 clue» into understand-

ing the ecology of 1-loodCanal.

The rivers dnd Creeksare lazier on the Kitsap side DOSeZUof Hood Canaland along the slowVorth <and South shorcw. meanderFi en maIor tributaries suchas the Lnion River, 1 wanoh Creek, DcvealtoRiver, Mission Creek, Tahuva River and BigBeet Creek gurgle a nd coo.

They don't haul btg loads of earth todump into I I xxl Canal, like their torturedbrothers to the west

Wildlife on this side is as quiet as thewaters. Wrens sattly sing songs six timestheir size as summer dao<,ris near. Deer and

bear wander the wciods, although they arenot seen so often as their Olympic Veninsufacounterparts.

Smaller animals fill thc xi oods on bothsidcw ot Hood Canal. f lore you will find

spotted and striped skunk, coyote, fox,bobcat, beaver, muskrat.

One of the shyest creatures throughoirtthc ntothcr f jird's watcrsh d is the sewcllel,

In its last eight miles,the Doseiv alii ps slithersthrough countrv popda ted� albeit sparsely � hy man.As they do along most of thexi atercourses that drain into

the canal, loggers clearcuthillsides abovr the rumblingriver. Cattle grazeunchecked along the Dose's

By the time itreaches Brinnon on sea level at Brinnon, >t tlat' s

deep and fa. t throughallipS haS surnnrer home t acts, a stateed to a park and fina llv, into the

ing stream.Besides the glacier's

flour, the Doseii allips ts filled ivith muchthe same nucro- and macmscopic flotsamand letsain all watercourse s bring to thecanal.

There is the silt scraped from the sidesof mountains and ivashcd inta the river

from clearcuts. There are phosphates,nutrients <iltd bacteria from cattie andtertilizer. organic rnatter and mmcralsrippM from the earth bv the ii ater'spassage.

Yet standing on the bridge ivhercI fighwai 1 !l cro s w the Dosewallips a tBrinnon, the visitor can look do'iirl to watchtrout and sea-run cutthroat play during thcsuntmcr. Thev ot ten comment upon hoirclean the ii ater looks.

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The tva tershed

of Hoort Canalhas rtot heard

the hotr~l o j awild wolf sirree

1934.

20 ' ~ THt Ecos! sri<a

ni< o«»i ii<si t «t I l i«l cari rl, ~, 'i; r«iii i!i<'t«<rr <i< A'I iii!i! I <'Ii<i«<' i'i 'Ii<' i'Hli<li !i<

he geologic furces that makeI Ici rd Canalwhat it is todav- uie ol onlv two fjnrdlike bodiesiif water in the; continental U.S.,its water flow limited bv aik>IIow sill near its mouth � are

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 l

SFCTiON 2

CAIIVFO

FROM TIfV:

R x.'K

iinly partially understood,Much of what we know is univ theory,

and sr!me of that theory is in dispute. But itappears l.lrirrd Canal is the work ot rivtmand a series of glaciers that exploited aw e<ikriess alol'Eg the edge of the OlympicMountains, a weakness probablv created bya geologic t iultline

For millions of ye<irs, the iubterraneanrxean plates have moved under NorthAmerica in the never-ending reshaping oftlie c<rrth.

Two nr three yards at a time everyI, U! years t>r so, volcanic rock created onth» I'acific ocean firer migrated to ivhat hasbec~ime the west coast of America. Some wasthrust upward, building the Olympics. Hutmiist moved trnder th» continental plateiinhl it reach depths where temperaturesmelted it.

Th it molten rock sought escape in a

Hrf Trar ii Iti!kcr

series of volcanrres that created the Cascades.In berween were the I'uget Lowlands,

and what would become Herod Canal, ivhichstretches 63 miles from its movth to the tip ofLynch Cove at Beltair.

Onc mrght be mvstified by the geokigicfnrce that could tuni a glacier more than 90degrc~, as at the elbow of the canal wherethe Skokomish leaver enters. In fact, there isno such force.

Tom Walker, genlogy instructor atOlynrpic College, says what seems to bc anabrupt turn in the canal was the result oteast-west stream crnsinn meehng th» north-south scouring done by at least four vastglaciers that entered the Pugct lowlands inthe most recent Ice Age,

Though the basic contour of thelowlands was established by the grov 'th nfthe Olympics to the west and thc creahon otthe Cascades tn the east, the often mystcriovsinterplay between glaciers, the immenselakes that somehmes formed ahead of themand the rivers that drained those lakesaccount fnr much of the smaller-scaletopography in the region.

Walker says the commnn conception of

h rrtaerttrrr Brrrrt

Trnentrgtsrn Paint,

. ', frrrrnjyus Pgntrrsrrtjr .-~ 'Vrntaisy

!'

0-165 feet

166-330 feet

331-495 feet

496-660 feet

rrz la ! glair!i r!!uerrgclfe ped form I15,000 year

Srih flier Berg rr

Hood Wtfa

. tntrt

hkrad Canal began 3 m !lien years agawas created by glaC ere r d BOD yeaia aceBt mites tang, with 242 miteS ct Share!-ne

wrath iS r 5 miles lt is less Lnan 1.2 n le w de arand abdal 4 miles between Seabees and Bimnan

ceed 600 feet in nabob 6ay and average Sir3 feennel between Seabeerj an". De Yta. Ia

~ TdetersW end ~ ~ the Gree'. Bend and LyndiCave fe the same krWland that Cgartarre 5:ndajr Interfte IwO were ~ betise ~ uatitt,ng separarea mem

~Gest Seed

' "Z'3~ A sill at the enlyance af tra. osnal SawS ".varrng aden aM deepwater ~ ll lakeS Ore year tO ~ ff!rsn ee sana:

0 5 l~rprrf rnlrrit rr r tlii' Iiirrii! r Frstr iirid tSrtrdtlr, h! min;ina !In' >hi'!r!i -rr: i '" '' t ayr

ZZ ~ Tire FCOS1 ~rEvt

0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 0

At least fourtimes the ice

sheet came andwent front the

PugetLowlands,

8oulders

trappedbenea th i tstrernendOkS

weighte~loited

weaknesses inthe land

surface togouge Outvalleys.

more, is among the unanswered questions.But Hood Canal isn't a freak in that

regard, Many fjords have a sill, said Carson,who ha» studied the canal for y ars from asummer residence between Holly andDev att i. Betiveen glaCierS, niture v orkS tOfill valleys.

The Skokornish IQvcr has made a goodstart, depositing sediincnts at the bend.Given another 10,000 ve1r» ivith no interfer-ence from man, Car. on said, ihe riv er wouldseal otf the tip ot the canal, which ivouldgradually be desalinated by fresh ivatcrrunoff and rain.

Green and Gold mountainS in KitSapCounty are the only formations of upthrust44rock betwcwn the Olympic~ nnd Cas-cades. They were shaped but not eradicatedby the ice mass that c ivered this area to adepth of more than 3,KI0 feet, almost ticicethe height of the two promontories. Thc restot Kitsap County iva» created by the leavingsof the retreahng glaaers.

There ivas animal lite in the pith of theice, tlu1ugh apparentlv not human lite. Birdsand land animals, including rnamrnoths andmastodons, simply mnved sou lh, butsaltwater t'ish, trapped in the desalinated andincreasingly icv glacial lakes ffc>c<ing theirhomes, ceased to exist over the thousands ot'

between glaciers, tens of thousands ofyears of stream erosion created other vageys,oneof which linkcxt what is now the hnttomarm n Hood Canal to Sinclair Inlet via theapprn>.iinate route nt the railrOad traCksleading from Belfair to Bremerton.

Why a portion of that channel is nnwKitsap and Mason count i uplands ivhileanother part of it is n >w the flnor of the canalremainS a gcx>IOgic niyst iy.

So are the »ills left by the last glacierthat �l't.' nc>iv cover'ed bv the waters of HoodCanal,

The sill, a t the opening of the canal, actsahmn»t like the lip nf a sink, unpeding thenatural flushing action of the canal andpl icing its water Iuali ty iii a fragile balance.

"We' re lucki we don't have as much

industry along Hoo t Canal as 1'long VugetSound," said C,1rS .>n. "We hope tor nOt tnon>any fi»h pens, that the Na i will be a goodnclghbul alid w e get good scwagC trea tnlciltffon1 lhe h>iviis.

['he sill is not bedrock, too hard to have

lx>en wipe aivay bv the inost recent glacier.Rather it's inade nt "uncon»olid1ted sedi-

ents" that accumulated over the past feivmillion years,

Whv those sedirr>cuts collected lust,itew miles >orth e1. t ot' Dib ib B iy, w here theCanal B x>r plunges to depths of 6l0 feet c>r

yea rs

a frozen landscape as glaciers advanced intothis area is erroneous.

For much of the advance, the ice sheetwas "me]ting furiously" but advancmgnonetheless, propelled by the huge accuinu-lahons of ice farther north. The melt water atone point created what's called, in retrospect,Lake Russell, which filled the lowlands infront of the glacier tn a depth 120 feet abovetoday's Puget Sound, until the lake spilledout to the snuthwest along the cours nftoday's Chehalis River.

At least four times the ice sheet carneand went from thc Puget Lowlands. Boul-ders trappcx3 b ~eath its tremendous weightexploited v'eaknesses in the land surface togouge out valleys. Mani', including HoodCanal, filled with sea water when the icereceded and»ea level rose from the melt.

Stands of treiw fell before the advanc-ing ice and can be tound buried in thelandscape to this dav, said geok>g Lst BobCarson of 'Whitman College in Walla Walla,They usually don't have their bark, butthey' re still ivood. "You can pu them invour fireplace," he said.

Ann Sleight, anthropologi instructorat OC, said no one is sure ivhether the palen-lndians that populated the Hood Canal areacame through the icc-free corridor or doivnthe coast, but it's gcnerallv agrccxf thevamund via the "land bridge" that linkedNorth America to Asia ivhen ice sheetsconsumed much of the earth's iv,iter anddropped the sea level.

The first arrivals, ] 0,000 years ago,more or less, w ere hunters and gathererwith no special affinity tn Hood Caiial, shcsaid. The marine Indian cultUre dei clop xfaking local shorelines bctwcwn S,I>0 and3,000 vears ago.

lt was their descendants nnted by C1pt.Cax>ryc Vancouver and his creiv ivhen, in179, he explured Vu get Sound on a rois»ionto learn w hether the Strait of Juan de Fucamight reach all the w av to I luds ui Bay. Hegave many of the teatures names bv ivhichthey are knoivn t xlav, including I'ugetX>u'Il j, nanled after nne Of I' IS Iieiitelf,>lit»,Peter Pugct, and H x>d Cana I, tor the Bnti. hL >rd Hood.

C11A1" KR

~ tO ~ OO ~ ~ ~ ~

W:AKR

RFW3L R F.

SFXmOS 1

A I RE< 1<!Ls

C !'< t vfODI'1 l

1 v L>err-kg~is'!

Liood~'n<

~ ! ~ ~

he North Fork of the Skokom>shRiver begins it! Iournev from amassive snowfield on the slopesot blount Skokomish in Olmip}cNational Park. As surroundingforest! surrender the>rstore ot

ratn <vater � creek bv creek, stream bvstream � the North Fork becomes a surgingriver, a torce to bc reckoned <v ith.

At Staircase Rapids, reached bv hikcrsdlocIg d plvtures<lue trail above Lake

uShman, the river rush<rS!<iiltty do«n dhillside ot' boulder!.

ln late Ma V, the ruanng iv ater! dre Sotresh and clear that it >s ditticuit to porc< ivethe svvittn<vs <if their tlo<v. 4 npple sparLJe<n the n<vonda< sun, but i! <Fo irk! v gone,rushing do<vnstrearn in th< blink of dn eve,fotl<~vi ing the <vater's cour!e tn«ard H<wx3Canal.

Fvperts n>casu! uag the A<nv ul theNorth Fork. say,fA:! gallons Fas thi. i+mt

24 ~ Trr e Fcor vary sr

~ I ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 I

The eoanngrroers alp neoer

heart in the

city, whichsnakes it easyfor people toignore ssrbtletoays that

1nansans can

tilt the be ance

of natfare.

this indispotablc fact have already begun toerlgage Irl a tug<!f-war ovci Its future use.

Downstream from Staircase Rapids, ashaft of sunlight breaks through a heav~growth ot fir and cedars, The sunbeamillominates a deep pool of cold water, whichglows like a giant green emcrakk

Nearby, in the shallow s, water glidessmoothly over shaded gravel, an idealnesting spot for salmon and trout.

Somewhere in these waters, a uniquepopulation of juvenile salmon has begun aninshnctive journey downstream. Theseyoung chinook salmon are thc descendantsof an ancient race of salmon that grew toponderous size in the ocean.

But these juvenile fish will never seethe ocean. They remain h app< forever, liketheir parents, by Cushrnan Dam, a massiveconcrete structure that has blocked thenormal flow of the North Forth since 1926.

"I' ve always hewn intrigued by thosefish," said Frank I Iaw, a former Departmentof Fisheries expert and now a privateconsultant.

Haw first hearne aware ot the land-locked salmon more than a quarter-centuryago when he saw the silhouette of a bigsalmon painted on a board, which washanging in a bar near Cushman. Someonetold him the imprint was from a king salmontaken out of the lake,

"ln 196'7, I caught one, a l2-pou nder,"said Haw. "That was the first one I'd actuallyseen in there,"

Hav ~ was fascinated by the realizationthat these salmon are being bom in thestream above Lake Cuslunan, but they livemost of their lives in thc lake, never able toget past the man-made structure.

Since then, fafl chmook have beenplanted in Roosevelt Lake behind GrandCoulee Darn as weII as in Lake Chclan, bothin Eastern Washington.

"But thc interesting thing aboutCushman," said Haw, "is that it appears tohave gotten going without anybody's help."

The numbers of Cushman chinook arenever very high, and these fish grow moreslowly than they would in the ocean. Lakesare not the most suitable habitat for salmon.But the mere surnvaI of these fish, saysHaw, is a tribute to their adaptability.

While thc unique land-locked chinookarc at least a curiosity, another issue atCushrnan is brewing into a multirnillion-dol lar controversy.

The Cushman project, built by the city

in a single second. That's enough water toflush every toilet in Brernerton, then d o soagain and again every 30 seconds,

Water is so plenhful in this green landsurrounding Hood Canal that it seemsimpossible to ever run out, The wild andfree-flowing rivt~ provide what seems likean endless bounty of water as they flow outof the snow-capped Olympic Mountains

Duckabush, Ha mrna Harnrna andSkokotnish. Their Indian names suggest anancient history o never-ending flows.Dosewallips and Quilcene, Dewatto andTahuya.

You might think there wuuld be plentyof water for aB uses � for drinking and forflushing toilets, for generating elechicity andfor diluting industrial pollution, And thereought to be water left over for fish, birds andaB sorts of wild life we treasure.

But as Will Rogers might say of water,as he once said of land: 'They ain't makin'any more of it."

ln Bremerton and Port Townsend,when somebody toms on a water faucet, heexpects to get clean drinking water. A GigHarbor resident expects that his hghts willgo on when he flips a switch.

Thesi'. people who live miles fromHood Canal can be thankful for i ts mightyrivers.

Bremerton water customers can thankthe Union River,

Port Townsend residents and crnplov-ees at the town's paper miB can thank thcQuilcene,

Gig Harbor residents can thank thehlorth &rk of the SkokornLsh as well as apower swap among electric utilitic~!.

Thc roaring nvers are never heard inthe city, which makes it easy for people toignori. subtle ways that humans can hit thebalance of nature.

Even families on private wells cannotimape the water equation, They, too, aredependent on rainfall to replenish thegroundwater supply. Hvdrologists some-times worry that this hidden store of water ismore vulnerable to depletion because peoplecannot observe it.

Water is the common denominatoramong all living things, but it is easily takenfor granted � especially in the wetter yearswhen people joke about growing webbedfeet.

D>pite heavy precipitahon, despiteei er-flo wing streams, the amount of water isindex' limited, And people who understand

26 + Trrf EcasvsriEM

0 ~ t ~ 0OO ~ ~ ~

7he Crrshnrajr

Prvj ect, bfriltby tire city of

Tiacorrra,corrsists af two

dorns arrd

power-

gerreratirrgfacilities,

pmkccing atotal of 124

trregawatts ofelectricity,errorrgh to

power 20,000average homes.

of Hood Canal

step-by-step process that coukl alter statewater law in nev' and interesting ways.

The first-use rule may have worked inthe Wild West, said Fluharty, but todaypeople are asking whether it serves the bestinterest of society as a v hole. A new propo-sition is taking hold: That the ecosystemitself has water rights.

Meanwhile, small and large hydrahave been proposed on alI the major

rivers of Hood Canal, In addition,Bremerton, Port Townsend and the KitsapCounty Public Utility District have asked forthe right to remove drinking water fram theHamma Hamma, DoscmaIlips andDuckabusli rivers.

If any of these projects are pushedforward, the+ are likely ta face appositionfrom people who believe the water ic marevaluable left alone in the rivers.

Garth Jackson, a Tacoma official incharge of winmng a new license farCushman, staid outside a concrete buildingand listened to a high-pitched whine comingfmm within: the sound of spinning turbinesat Cushman's upper power plant.

The amount ot pov er you get from adam isgoverned by the volume of water aswell as the "head," or vertical distance thewaterdrops through a pipe and intoaturbine, Jackson exphined.

"That dam generates more power," hesaid, glancing in the direction at the lowerdam. "This one gives more regulation."

Lak» ushman covers 4,N! acres andcan hold I'D billion galhms of water. Thedarn controls fl~xiding in the valley beloiv,and virtually all of the ivater can be sentthrough both power plants to generate

The rajor ri~ers of J food Canal still

bear their indian names:~ Dewatto De-WAH-toh!r From

-to, meaning "home of col spiritsmake men era zy."~ Dosewallips dohs-ee-WAH-Iipsk

rom Twana Dos-wailopsh, a legendaryman who ivas turned into a mountain,

ch is the river's source,~ Karnma Harnrna HAM-uh HAM-

A phonetic corruption of Hab'hab,name of a Twana village at the mouthood Canal.

electricity.The big lake provides rnTeation for

bcxaters and fishermen, a state park forca m ping, noi to rn en hon 23 miles af shore-line property, naw dotted with vacationhomes.

Nobody argues that fish and wildhfehabitat were destroyed when the dam ivasbuilt, says Jackson, but the benefits of thedam have stood the test of time, The projectcontinues to produce clean, non-polluhngpower when the alternatives are coal ornuclear genera tion.

"We are bringing a 1920s-vintageproject into the current ivor Jd," he said. "Theprocess far relicensing is recognizing whatour responsibilities will bc for the next 30years. We have significant proposals for fish,wildlife habitat and wetlands."

One of Tacoma's proposals is topurchase 3,000-4,IX% arms to be protected aswildlife habitat, said Jackson. State agencieshave suggested that 15, MO acres would bemore appropriate.

The Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission ks supposed to balance ail theinterests in considering thc license applica-tian.

Whatever costs are expended tomitigate damage from the dams will bepassed along tn power customers as a rateincrease, Jackson notcxi, as hc stood outsidethe upper power plant and ivatched a seriesof small whirlpools created by the turbu-lence of water rushing out af the turbines.He pondered the fu ture of Cushrnan andhow much nught be expected in the name ofthe environment,

~ Qaiicene KWIL-seen k From quil-ceed~bish, meaning "salt water people."lt was the name of a band of Twana.Indians who lived around Dabob Bay.

~ Skokrrrnish: From Skokornishs'kaw, meaning "fresh water," and rnish,meaning "people."

~ Tahuya: From Twana ta and ho-i,meaning "that done" in reference to somenotable occurrence long ago.

� 5ourcer Jrr>rres Phillips,Washington State Ilace Names

+err R R> soli or < ~ ~,

~ ' ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ y g ~

"We krtoui 1 rIta1king to tI .trrbes that a

lot zo ts 1ost 1,<them. We don' f

t >a t fo rr iss

so ret1 'rr

1 ec use zoe

fo f krr rz�

I oz r to puf itir the rigt tl trip age forsomejudge i

Sar

Frauc 'SCO."

� Russ Hus h,chic l' nep>tin rr ir

for thc Skokom>shtritx

Negotiahng Water Rights

Tacoma's Cushman Project is about to

be thrust into a process that cou ldeither settle a number of environ-

rnental issues in southwest Hond Canal� or else lead to a major court battle.

By fall of 1991, Tacoma ofticials willsit down with lawyers for the SkokomishTribe to work out a mitigahon plan forrelicensing the two Cushman dams.

Xow much water should flow in theNorth Fork of thc Skokomish River?Should a fish passage be built over thedams? What lands will Tacoma purchasefor wildlife? Will the North Fork berestored? What can bc done about culturaland archaeological values lost when thedam was built 65 years ago?

Ultimately, the Federal EnergyRegulatory Commission FERC! will issuethe license, but the tribe is an acknowl-edged player in the decision.

Today, the city and tribe seem milesapart on the issues � but that's just thenature of negotiations, says Russ Busch,chief negotiator for the tribe,

"People always look far apart at thebegr'nning," said Husch, a lawyer withEvergreen Legal Services in Seattle.'Somehmes there is unr stir'stic thinking atthat point, but eventuaHy you have realitychecks and say, 'We can get this, but wecan't get this.' '

One of the major differences is whatis called the "baseline issue."

'Our position," said Busch, "is thatTacoma must provide mihgation andcompensation as if it d idn't Imve the da msthere,"

Under that theory, all the lostresources � fish, wildlife, etc, � wouldbe measured and replaced in areas awayfrom the dam site,

Hut even Husch acknowledges thatFERC has taken a dim view of thatapproach, The agency believes insteadthat relicensing provides an opportunityto improve environ mental conditionswhere appropriate.

What people don't realize, saidBusch, is what the tribe gave up when thedam was built.

"The North Fork was the prcductiveportion of the Skokomish system, rrurch

more than the South Fork or the mainstern," he said.

Furthermore, the 4,000 acres nowoccupied by Lake Cushman containedvast populations of elk that were huntedby the tribe. There were waterfalls withreligious significance that now li» undn-water.

"It is just a vestige of what it oncewas," he said,

Non-Indians may not understandthe cultural significance of hunting andfishing sites, of particular types of salmon,of special plants, of so many things, saidBusch.

''The European analysis has it aHbroken down into fish, wildlife, etc.," hesaid. "But when you ask about it. yourealize it is just as complex as a city."

The difficult thing will be to articu-late the Indian values, Busch said.

"Wc know by talkmg to the tribesthat a lot was lost by them," he said. "Wedon't want to miss sorncthing because wedon't know how to put it in the rightlanguage for some judge in San Fran-crsco.

According to Husch, the tribe isseeking to inimase produdion of salmonin what remains of the Nrnth Fork Thatmeans increasing flows from the dam andrestoring some segments of streamsuitable for spawning.

The dam currently is releasing 30cubic feet about 225 gallons! per second.' They have agreed to up to 70," saidHusch, though the tribe is asking for more.

Restoring the slream may meanadding logs and other large woody debristo catch gravel to provide spawning areasand to create habitat for insects, which areeaten by the fish,

The tribe also wants to explorearchaeological sites that may lie underwater, he said.

"We have filed a motion to draw thereservoir down and investigate what isdown there," hc said. "The tribe isn' tvAlling to say, 'That's progress and wedon't want to bother anybody.' "

In the 1920s, land owned by indi-vidual Indians was condemned to buildpo rtions of the darn project, which

28 ~ THE Ecosr~

~ t 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'%'e temgrrizeotrr cunent

obHgaticms asstewards of the

IRioltFCt.

� Garth Jackson,Tacema City

Light

reduoed the size of tribal lands, accordingto Bosch.

"From my point of view the tribehas been subsidizing nice, inexpensivepower for the city o Tacoma," he said.

Garth Jackson, who is handling thereBcensing issue for Tacoma, says thetribe's perspective may be different fromthat of other interests involved in thereli~ issue, including state agencies.

Several projects, including a fishhatchery, boat ramps and parks, havebeen consttucted by Tacoma, he noted.

"We reo~ our current obliga-tions as stewards of the resource," he said.

Similar negotiations between SeattleCity Light and resource groups on the

Skagit River resulted in a settlementannounced just last week.

The agreement is expected to costSeattle's u tility $55 rrril hon-$60 million onmeasures to protect thc envirorunent,including the purchase of 4,000 acres ofland to protect wildlife. ln addition, theutility wiH forego $40 million-$45 millionin lost power revenues to increase streamflows to benefit fish

Recreation projects, an educationcenter, landscaping and cultural protec-hons are part of the settlement,

C ushrnan is a much smaller powerproject, but officials say key issues aremuch the same.

8y Christopher Dunagarr

0 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

SECTfOX 2

j X KFMh. C~FOR THE

RES !t~'RC'V.

Bi Cf»iaaf !l.!h< rf ra x! »!

.~ Q l<! <'!<r' x.»! ''I!!F! .'! H<<l<! <1«,'<!<<''I I< h <l « < ! ! !< «

!!".« t!!R:, -<!

t the Quilcene National FishHatchery, Larry Telles openedthe gates of the fish racewayand said goodbye to 350/80little coho salmon.The lingerlings, hatched here

1S months ago, splashed rigorously as theywere pushed unceremoniously toward thenext stage of their lives, a dangerous journeyto the wide open ocean. How many v illsurvive is anybody's goes~.

"They look like fancy herring to biggerfish," noted Telles, as the little tish disap-peared into the Big Quilcene River.

Success of the hatchery operat on islargely dependent on the amount of waterflomng in the Big Qu ilcene River and nearbyl'enny Creek ln a dry year, for example,more fish at the hatchery will share the samewater as it passes through the hatchery, saidTel les. 'l'he risk ot disease becomes grea ter

ln a sense, these fish aLso share w a ter

30 ~ Tire Ecosrsa rw

~ t ~ ~ ~ OI0 ~ ~

Despite heavyprecipitation,desyite etrer-

j7owingstreams, theamorrrrt of

water is indeed

limited. And

people whounderstand

this

indisputablefact have

already begrrnto engage in atQgwf-war

ov er r'ts fg tMre

with the residents of Port Townsend. The

city operates a dam on the Big Quilcene andcontrols the amount of wa ter that flowsdownstream to the hatchery,

Usually, there is plenty of water forboth hatchery fish and Port Townsendresidents. But habitat for Quilcene's wiJ dsalmon has been reduced, both by blockageof Penny Creek and by ad justments to theBig Quilcene flows.

ln nature, all things are connected, andnothing connects everything more closelythan water. In fact, water is sn vital to allliving creatures that controlling the flow ofwater often means controlling life itself.

People have been jockeying for a pieceof the water resource since before the turn ofthe century, The Quilcene Hatchery wasbuilt in 1911.!

So far, only an abundance of water inWesterrr Washington has prevented apolitical explosion, the likes of which couldmake the spotted owl debate seem like aneighborhood squabble, But a day ofreckorung lies ahead.

Jn 1984, Washinglon residents weregiven a hint of things to come when politicalforces tore a pari a plan for managing w a terflows in rivers and streams nn the westernside of Hood Canal between the Skokornishand &xsewallips rivers.

All at ono., water took on a newsignificance in Western Washington. TheHcxxi Canal issue revealed various politicalpowers lining up to dii battle, and it eventu-ally forced them to negofiate a common pathout of the political minctield.

At the time, Donna Simmons ofHorxisport had just been appointed to thcWashington Slate Ecological Commission byGov. John Spellrnin. Simmons,a formerpresident of Hood Canal EnvironmentalCouncil, began asking some uncornfortablcquestirins about the water resource plan,

"Nobody ivas bringing up any prob-Icrns," she said, "but I was looking at it andsomething wasn't quite right."

Simmons, a soft-spoken woman notused to making loud assertions, foundherself revirwving a plan that would haveestablished rninimurn flows for the mostpristine rivers in Hood Canal. Jt was all partof the Deparlrnent of Eco]ogv's eftorl. toestablish legal ivater rights for fish andwild lite � before all the axater was taken tor

man's purpriscw.Similar plans «lreadv had been

adopted for the Kitsap Peninsula, LowerHood Canal and several other areas through-nut the state.

But in talkirig to state and tribalfisheries experts, Simmons quickly learrrcdof serious concerrm about thc amount of

water being reserved for fish."1 hey did not feel the water levels

would be sufficient tn supporl fish habitat,"said Simmons.

Her questions mntinuc<3. Fnvirnnrncn-tal groups began raising objections to theplan. When it carne time for a vote, membersof the Ecological Commission rejected itunanimouslv

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, water

utilities and other user groups were lobbyingthe new governor, Booth Gardner, and otherstate officials about their concerns.

As proposed, the plan would haveprevented the largest rivers � Onsev allips,Duckabush and Hamma Hamrna � from

being used as a source of drinking water.All the while, Brernerton, Port

Townsend and Kitsap County had their eyeson those rivers for future water su pplicw

"Water supply systems," said Fd Dee,a member of the legislative staff, "... felt thelevel of protection advocated for fisheriesresources v as too great a price to pa v."

The Ecology plan suffered a quickdeath, but the dispute imprinted an image ofprxssible battJes yet tn coine. If interestgroups could not establish minimum flowswhile water supplies are abundant, whatwill happen when population grovvthintensifies the demand for additional water?

F.ven today, the danger remains thatrninimurn flows wiJJ not be established torthose important I food Canal rivers.

"There were times when I despairedover what I had done," said Simmons. "Butwe rmlly needed to go back and look at thewhole waterresource issue. Pvealways felt ldid the right thing."

Washington State has strut~led withcomplicated water laws since 1917. As withmust Western states, lhe concept of priorappropriafion " fust in tine, first in right" !has bccn the governing principal.

In !967, the state entered the environ-mental era. Voices of fish and wildlif< w ererecognized, and the Legislature granted the

Weir a Rr «six< i ~ ~ 31

Department of Water Rcm>urces nowDepartment ot Ecology! the authority to setminimum stream flows.

But, if' anything, the Legislature hasadded confusion to a difficult subject, In1971, lawmakers passed the Water ResourcesAct, which offered two guiding principaks:Water should bc used to promote the state' seconomy, and water should be u sex} topreserve natural systems.

Steve Shupe, an expert in water law,was hired in 19HH by a legislative commit teeto sort through Washington's various lawsand to outline major issues for new legisla-tion,

State laws clearly recognize a balanc ebetween water use and preservation, Shupeconcluded. "Thev apparently fail, however,tn provide sufticient guidance for implernen-tation of this policy."

Indian trihw have also becornc majorplayers in water issues. In l9H2, FederalDistrict Judge William Orrick ruled thattrcahes not only guaranteed tribes the rightto take fish but also to see that fish habitat isnot continuously destroved,

"Werc this destructive! trend toconhnue, the right to take fish wouldeventually be reduced to the right to dipone's net into the water ... and bring it outemptv," Ordick said.

Faced ivith gro 'ing contlicts over whocontrols water rcsourccs, the. Legislature lastyear called for a cooperative planningprocess involving water users, local govern-ments, tribes and interest groups.

In late 1990, morc than 200 officials metat Lake Chclan and agreed to a processdesigned to sett! e differences over water usesin Waslungton state.

"It was a sight to behold," declaredTerry Williams, conunissioner to thc North-west Indian Fisheries Commission. "Morethan 200 people were thcrc. Legislators,mayors, tribal chairmen, fishermen,recreation is ts, cnvironrnenta lists, farmers,ranchers and business executives...

"These were people who have vastlydifferent uses for water. But by corningtogether in forging the Chelan Agreement,they have recobmized that wc must worktogether to protect our precious waterresource and all thc living things thatdepend on it."

Thc Chclan agreement calls for tv o

pilot projects, one in Eastern Washingtonand one in Western Washington. Theprojects will bring various groups together toplan the future of specific rivers.

For a time, it looked as if the HoodCanal rivers that had so troubled Simmonswhen she first joined the Ecological CommLs-sion were about to be selected for review

under the program, Planners would havefaced controversial questions about fuhirewater supplies for Kitsa p and Jcffcrsoncoun ties.

In the end, however, the focus «arneback to the region containing the BigQuilcene River, the Quilccne Fish Hatcheryand Port Townsend's existing water supplysvstern.

jefferson County CommissionerRichard Wnjt says he looks forward to thepikit projcs:t. What is becoming thc funda-mental question � v.hcthcr water should beused by people or saved for fish � willgenerate a good deal of discwssinn, hepredicted.

I'ort Townsend's complex w atersupply systcrn no doubt wil] be examinedover the next two years. Unlike Hrernerton,which operates a single darn on the UnionRiver in Kitsap County, Port Townsendoperates interconnected dams on both theHig Quilcene and Little Quilcene rivers. Inaddition, a major portion of the water g »~ toPort Tow nscnd Paper Mill, which helpsopera tc the systeni.

The city has a legal right to 2l5 gallonspcr second out nf the Hig Quilccne. Butduring a period of drought, there is somequestion whether that much v ater v ould bcavailable, said Bob Wheeler, director ofpublic works.

"Our water right is senior to anystrearnflow rights," said Wheeler, "but if wehad a drciught, would it be realistic to takeall the w atcr3"

Thc Quilcene Fish Hatchery has rightsto nearly as much flow as Port Townsend,but the water is not always available. In faid,there are hmes when flows past the hatcherydrop below a critical level of 38 gallons persecond,

When the rivers gets that. dry, hatcheryoffiaals ask thc ci ty tn release water out ot itsreservoir, Tellcs said.

'<We'rc real dependent on rain as towhat thc river ~sdll do," he said.

A hatchery is considered a"nonconsumptive" use because the is atcr is

sos ~ o ~ eo ~ ~

"Before, u>ethought oneabout hoar

u~a ter coulcI be

put tobeneficial use,

but nou> u>e

n.ali~ that

everr in areas

of abundance,u~a ter is

a trearfyaHocaterf to

something."� David Huharty,

Institute fairMarine Studies atthe University ot'

Wa shin gton

3p % 7 ns Ec05Y57BH

0 ~ aa ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0

"clo far, xo/rattoe have been

saying tofuture

gdlVAItions tsthat we don' t

value orrr

naturalresources

enough to passthem on in anycondition that

rue can be

proud of."� Mike Reed, abiologist for the

Port GambleS'Klallarn Tribe

put back in the river. Nevertheless, theriver's flow is deceased for about a quartermi]e as it goes past the hatchery.

The Quiliene River is not known for itsnatural salmon production because it falls sosteeply out of the mountains, But waterwithdrawa]s have only made the problemworse for migrating salmon. which requireextra flows to bypass bou]ders and otherobstac]es in the river,

Tradeoffs of one kind or another seemto surround every water issue.

"What you see here is the classicstrugg]e in water use," said Te]]es. "Oneanswer would be to divert less water to PortTownsend."

The Big Qui]cene Ri ver and PennyCreek might have produced giant-sizedsalmon before the hatchery was built, butthat was a kmg time ago, Telles said,

"1 hatcheries themselves are not evilthings," he said, 'V/e raise probably whatthe stream would raise in seven miles ofperfect spawning habitat � which neverexisted here."

But biologists worry that hatcheryproduction, paired ivith an intense rate ofcommercial and sport fishing, have depletednatural runs of ivild salmon.

Native coho from Hood Canal ha vedeclined to levels so low that bio]ogists areworried that genehcally dishnct populations stocks! may not survive.

"Stocks are the basic building blocks,"said jim Lichatowich, a biologist with thcLower Elwha Kta]tam Tribe and a nationagyrecognized expert on salmon populahons."Whether management of our salmonrcmrurce soccer] s or fails depends on howwv]] these building b]cicks are maintained,"

Lichahiwich is a member of theAmerican Fishery Society's EndangeredSpecies Committee. A recen t report by thecommittee raised alarms about several

distinct Hood Canal stocks.Spring chinook from the Skokomish

and Dosewallips rivers may a]ready beextinct, according to the report, and fa]]chinook from the ]3osewa]lips andDuckabush are at "high risk" of extinction.

The report, based on avai]ab]e inforrna-hon, does not mention Hood Canal coho,maiti]y becaiise so little information isavaiIable on individual coho stocks, saidLichatowich.

1 food Canal salmon are managed asone unit, which means coho from therushing ri vers of thc Olympic Peninsula arelumped together with those from themeandering rivers of the kitsap Peninsula,even though thc fish are adapted to differeritstream environments.

A number of ] food Canal s wildpopulahons coukd bc in danger withoutanyone realizing it, said l.ichatowich.

Mike Reed, a biologist for the PortGamb]c S'K]a]]am Tribe, says wi]d stocks areuruquely suited to swim up a specific streamwhile resisting diseases and eating insects ofthat parhcular stream. Alterations in thewater f]ow, temperatures and even insectproduction can aftcct the salmon run.

People must be cautious about howthey affect thc water flow, said Reed, Thatgoes beyond the issue of dams to loggingand even to development.

"Hatcheries play a role, but theycannot replace thc naitural systems," saidReed.

Reed says he can see powerful politicalforces at work, both at the state and loca]levels. But whether streams and riversultimately survive depends on whetherpeople care enough to speak out aboutresource planrung.

'W far," said Reed, "what vve havebeen saying to fu ture generahons is tha t ivedon't value our naitural resources enough topass them on in any condition that we cari bcproud of."

WdrtR Resol/acr.' ~ 33

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 0

SECT1Ot; 3

PROTECTS.'G

THE Rli EW

Bv Chrisiop1rerDl lurgat1

1 and Pl T33. lt was proposed in 1986 afterPUD 1 abandoned plans for a much largerdarn on the river.

The projects werc both given a boostby the final plan for Olympic NationalForest, which suggests special protections forthc Duckabush River under the Wild andScenic Rivers Act. The Duckabush is the onlyHood Canal river proposed for nominationunder the act.

Although man.y people argued thatboth the Doscwallips and Hamma Ham mawould qualify for wiJd-and-scenic status,both would remain available for waterdiversion and poiver pmduction under theforest plan.

For the Elkhorn project, said CharlesBlack, another Taconia City l.ight employee,"the punch line is the Forest Servic planwould now designate the Dosewallips asbeing cotnpatible mth this type of pov erprolect.

Studies to deterinine the environmen-

tal consequences of building the Lk~walhpsproject are to begin about the end of the vear.

Meanwhile, Mason County PL'D 1 andI'UD 3 are getting ready to decide ii hether tomove ahead with the Hamrna 1 lamrnaproject, said Pat McGary ot the VL'D 3 statf.

''lt all depends on some d ecisrons totake place in the next month or hvn to

lans to generate electrical powerfrom two Hood Canal rivers � the

Dosewa Hips and the Harnrnalkarnrna � may have gained newlife tollowing completion in 1991 ota management plan for Olympic

Nationa l Forest.Both proposals are for "run-of-thc-

river" projects, built with an inflatablc dam,or v cir, which diverts water through apower plant only when the river is runninghigh. During lo w flov, s, the weir is deflatedand has much less impact on the river.

The changing power supply situahonin the North est is beginning to make small.hydro projects more at tractive, said Kather-ine Leone of'1 acorna City Light,

"Right now the region is in a load-resource balance," she said. "What wegenerate equates tu just about what we use."

F ven though the need for inore powermay make the Dosewallips and HarnmaHamma projects inorc feasible, cniirunmen-talists promise that neither will be cun-structed without a fight.

The Dose waBips project, known asElkhorn Hydroelectric Project, was proposedin 1982 by Tacuma City Light and jeffersonCounty 1'ublic Utility District 1.

The Harnma Hamma HydnmtectricProject is a joint effort of Mason County VUD

34 ~ T>u Ecos>srr.«

0 0 ~ ~ 4 ~ 0 ~ ~ 0

The Hkhorn

HydroelectricProject arri the

Harn ma

Harn ma

Hydroelectricproject weregiven a boostby an Olympic

Matiorr al

Forest planHrat seeks wild

and scenic

protectionsorrly for theLbrckabush

River.

Hydroelectric proposals determine how much we will spend on theproject! next year," hc said.

A steering committee v.ill be se't up todiscuss the alternatives before the issue

comes up in a public meeting, he added.Both run-ot-the-river projects would

work basically the same wav. By using aninflatablc w cir, thc dams can be operatedduring late v. inter and carly spring whenriver flows are high. During other parts ofthc year, the weirs would be deflated,allowing the natural movement of rivergravel downstream.

Proponents of ntn-of-thc-river projectsargue the environmental problems for fishand w ildlife are minimal because the damsare small and used only at particular times ofthe year,

Construchon would begin with aconcrete foundation poured in thc river bc',from one side to the other. A rubber v. eir,something! ike an inflatable sausage, isattached tightly to the foundation.

When the v. cir is inflated, it impoundswater behind the dam. At one cnd of thedam, an intake structure directs the im-pounded water through a "trash screen" andinto a diversion pipe

The' power plant is placed at theopposite end of the pipe, as far downstreamas feasible. The greater the drop in elevati.on,the greater the generating capac ity.

Environmentalists gencrafly conccdcthat run-of-the-river projects are much betterthan traditional impoundment dams thattrap thc entire flow of a river. But they canstill create problems, especially tor hsh.

"A hyd ropower facility � on any rivcl� should be constructed onlv if a real needfor such power exists," said Carol Volk ofOlympic Rivers Council. "We arc a spoiled,consumptive society. We must first look tomethods that conserve the' tremendouspower resources we already have."

Several state and federal agencies havealready recommended against theDosewallips project, largely because it woulddestroy fish habitat and increase scMimentproblems, which can kill fish eggs in thcstrearnbed.

"The project would adversely impactthe existing steelhead trout stock and wouldlimit the potential for succcsslul rebuildingof the spring chinook salmon run," wroteEinar Wold of the National Marine FisheriesService in a letter commenting on the plan.

But Tacoma City light offlcials argue

I V, > ] > rk R> sk>r x> r i ~ .3.i

~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

"A hydro-power facili hi� on an!/ river'

� should be

constructed

only if a realrleed fOr SuChpOZt>er eris ts.We must fr'rst

look to

methods that

conserve the

tremendous

pozverresources we

already have."� Caroi Volk,

Olympic RiversCouncil

that they located the pn>jcct abk» e a series ofwaterf ills, which for>rLs a natural barrier tofish. In a fish popula hon survey, only tyvosteelhead reached the site onc year.

In a separate letter regarding theHamma Harnrn«pr<>jcct, Wold said the riversupports important runs of chinook, coho,pink and churn s,>lrnon, as well as su>rnncrand winter stceihead and rainbk»v trout.

l ic noted that two altcmativcs have

been proposed or the I lamma Harnrna."However," hc addhd, "we should

state at the outset that NMFS would notsupport a license ... under either configura-tion because of the project's potentialadverse impacts to anadromous fish r e-sources."

John Kuntz, owner of Olyn>pic Kavak

Wild and Scenic Designation

o preserve a river forever, to keep itflowing in its natural state forgenerations to come, involves a

momentous decision reserved for the U.S.Congress or state Legislature,

In Hood Canal, the Forest Servicestudied the Olympic Peninsula rivers forinclusion in the National Wild. and Scenic

Rivers System. The agency declared thatfour rivers � Uosewallips, Duckabush,H,~ma Har>orna and South I'ork of theSkokornish � all have unique qualitiesthat would make them suitable for specialdesignation.

But, in the Forest Service view, onlythe Duckabush has enough "outstand-ingly remarkable" values to be named awild and scenic river,

The Dosewallips came in nearly ashigh in the Forest Service analysis. And itmight have been norninatcd had theagency chosen to name more than oneHood Canal river.

Shawn Cantrell of the NorthwestRivers Council says all four rivers shouldhave been proposed to Congress, as wellas the upper portion of the Big QuilceneRiver. IThe Forest Service found the BigQuiloene to have generally "average"conditions not even suitable for consider-ation.!

The first four rivers should ~ybc set aside for protection, said Can treU,

"You look at what the Wild and

in Voulsbo, is the only outfitter licensed torun the nose>k allips River. While theproposed hydro project woold not atfect hisriver-rafting operation, which is downstreamfro>n the proposed dam site, he says itwouldbe a crime to put any type ot manmadestructure on the Dosewallips.

The darn would be built in a deepcanvon, one of the most remote and pristinespots along the beautiful river, hk said.

"I don'I. scc thc reasons they want toput this structure up there and change thehabitat and environment for the smallamount of energy they will get," he said.

"If we allow this darn to go in there,there will be nothing to kccp from puttingone on the I lamma Harnrna."

Scenic Act specrfiexcellent canhe said. "From scenery to wddlife togeology to recreation, aII those rivers aretruly extraordina>y."

Cantrell says his group is preparinga petition for congressional considerahonlater this summer that would protect anumber of C>lyrnpic Rivers in their naturalstate

Among Washington's delegation toCongress, Reps, John Miller, R-Seattle,and Jim McDerrnott, &Seattle, seemparticularly interested in pushing specialri vers leg Lslation, according to Cantrell.

"The imperiled status of many of themajor Ash runs has helped focus attenlionon thc need for river protections," headded.

For every river attairung Wild andScenic status, federal agencies mustdevelop a management plan outliningwhat changes will bc allowed and whatwill be preduded in and along the river.

Jean Phillips of the Wikl RiversConservancy, a group generally opposedto designating wild and scenic rivers, savsshe sees no need for special s tatus sincetwo-thirds of most Olympic rivers passthrough fed>-'ral land. Congress shouklnot cut off its future options, she added.

"Personally, I think we' re going toneed electricity," she said. "I am not infavor of nuclear power, and coal produces

36 ~ THF. ECnsrSFF~

I 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~

dust and dirt in the air. The one thing the Vern and Ida Bailey have livedNorthwest has is plenty of water, espe- along the Dosewaltips River for % years,cially in the winter." In 194I, at the age of I9, the Baileys

As she talked, Phillips led the way bought 80 acres of river bottomland for aoutside her house, which lies a quarter- mere $700, and later in~ theirmile uphill from the Duckabush River, holdings to 250 acres, Until a few yearsHer colorful garden, which offers a high- ago, they raised 50 head of cattle.level view of Hood CanaL Bailey, with his longcontains no~native 0 os ~f1/ 7 erg hite sideburns andazaksas and rhododen- .. t black-framed glasses, talksdrons, softly and with an obvious

Phillips worries that knowledge of conserva-Wild and Scenic River tion techniques, Thoughlegisla tion would force her he appears to be a goodto tpow only plants tttat caretaker of his waterfrontare native to the region. property, Bailey has

Can trell argues that serious concerns aboutPhillips' fears, and those federal protection for theof other private property Dose wallips.awny, are groundless. "When we firstThe legislation would heard it was beingaffect priva te property considered," he said, "weonly ff the federal govern- were really thriBedment wishes to purchase a Th D ll because we thought itconsenmtion eaausrtent would stop development.

p~ he River, zvhich begirf s But when you get the Iawsaid, high irt the and read the fine print-

' Ihey can continue Olyrnppcs and having worked for theaS rt haS fiOWS ln t0 HOOd gpvernment, I knOw abOut

been used in the past," he Ime print � they cauldCarml, has beendeclared suitable

children or sell it." for "wild and o t."S Cent c

designatiOrt.

o ~ 0 ~ t t ~ ~ ~ t

SvrnON 4

PRO>i TH

~s Net

DElv~kXDS

Rv Otrt hg4crD/�7 jul u

e're in stuff now that' ssilt-bound 1" shouted

Joel Purdy over thedeafening pulsahon ofmetal slammingagainst metal.

inch by inch, the 12-inch pipe slipped slowlyinto the ground under the rhythmic pound-ing of the drilling rig. Just a week earlier, thesame well casing had slid down easily, like ahot knife through butter.

"Clang..clang.. clang..." The noiseechoed in the hills overlooking Hots Canalnear Seabeck as operator Todd Michelsen ofCharon Drilling gripped the controLs.

Purdy, a hydrogeologist for the firm

Robinson & Noble, stood nearby observing.Numerous times over the past month ofdrilhng, I'urdy had halted the operation andgathered soil samples brought up out of thedeepening hole. Now, at 370 feet, progresswas slow.

This exploratory well was commis-sioned by Kitsap County l'ublic UtilityDistrict. The district has been searching fornew pockets of groundwater in hopes ofeasing the county's coming water shortage,perhaps 30 years a v 'ay.

Over the past 40 years, surface w aterdiverted from the Hood Canal region hassupplied a major portion of Kitsap County'spopuLation. Even todav, about a third of the

38 +Tnr Ecosrsrcat

~ e ~ 1 0 ~ ~ ~ 0

Surface waferdiverted from

the HoodCanal region

has supplied amajor portion

of KitsapCounty's

population.About a thirdof fhe residentsget their wafer

from8remertott 's

Casad Dam on

the Union

River, whichfeeds the

southern tip ofHood Canal.

p+idents get therr water from Bremerton'sCasad Darn on the Union River, which feedsthe southerr< tip of Hood Canal

But the shift to groundwater supplieshas been rapid over the past decade or so asrural Kitsap's growth has exploded. Now,experts hope to discover a vast, but stilluncertain, water source that may lie hiddenundergruund along I load Canal's shores.

"With what we'vc gone through so far,it looks promising," said I'urdy of the newweII, already deeper than a water-bearingzone discovered 3'l8 feet below ground. Atthat point, drismg the well casing becameeasy for 33 fit before it struck a more solidformation � a dense mixture of silt, sandand gravel

Underground pockets of clean, kxisegravel, unencumbered by clay or silt, maynot seem like much of anything, But toPurdy and his boss Cliff Ha»son, thesegravel formations raise expectations ofhnding fresh, clear water.

"Sand and gravel are like a bigsponge," said Purdy. "Precipitation issoa ked right up."

Most of Kitsap Couttty s soils were larddown by glaciers during, Puget Sound's iceage more than l4,NM years ago.

"You may think of glaciers as beingpnstine," said I-la»son, 'but actually they' reawfully dirty animals. They carry an «bun-dance of sand and all kinds of materials."

As the glaciers melted into water, theydropped their loads of silt, sand and gravelonto the Kitsap Peninsula. Somehntes themixed stuff ivas packed so tightly together� siltbound � that it could never absorb

much water. Drill bits and well casings makelittle progress through such material.

But in other place+ the melt waterpicked up spcM and washed away the silt,leaving a glacial depcisit in whichivatcr canfknv easily thi ough the spaces betwe<?ii sandand gravel part!cles.

After burial by successive gLaciers, thef<irmation became an underground stream tobe tappet by advanced technology.

For well drillers today, finding a water-bearing zone in all this niess is a big gamble,~id I tanson. "That'» the joy and consterna-tion o! w Orking in glaCial terrains.'

Cities generally pipe their water. In itsearly years, t'or example, Brernerton chose totransport water from Gorst, 3 miles away;then later from Tivin Lakes, 2.5 miles fartherout; then later still from McKenna I'alls andCasad Dam, another 2 mih~ beyond.

Port Townsend gets its water from theQuilcenc River, about 28 miles away.

David Fluharty of the Institute forMarine Studies at the University of Washing-ton says the old way may still be the best.

"It inakes sense from a grov'th-management standpoint to keep pcwplc in acentral area, where it is easier to provideneeded services, than to disperse the peopleand build tnultiple small water systems," hesaid,

Concentrating populations alsodecreases the "footprint of development,"said Flu harty.

U~der state law, all three Hcxxl Canalcounties are planning for future growth. Butdue to its Large populahon, its rapid growthas well as its limited surface supply, KitsapCounty may run dry before either Vlason orJefferson.

Before Kitsap as a whole suffers awater shortage, regionai shortages are likelyto develop, according to David Siburg,manager of Kitsap County Public UtilityDistrict. Island Lake in Central Kitsap andparts of Bainbridge Island have been identi-fied already as potential problem areas.

Siburg speaks fluently the Language ofgrowth management, but a number of waterissues scorn to trouble him. U rban centers, as

defined by Kitsap Countv, may not haveadequate water supplie for their projectedpopulations, he said.

"Wc have to make some tough choicesas a county," said Siburg. "Water may haveto be captured from areas where it is avail-able and brought to areas of development."

This idea, certainly not neiv, mightmean a massive public tvorks project, suchas piping water from thc Ctlyrnpic Pcnins.ula.As an alternative, it might mean developinga series of public wells in rmde veloped forestlands, such as those near Hood Canal in the

southwest part of Kitsap County.Either a! ten1ative would not bc

without its effects on the natural environ-ment.

A basic choice tor the Hcxd Canalregion is <i hcthcr ta build new. homes closeto water supplie or to pipe water to pcrpula-tiorl ceriters, ii'herevc'1' thev mav be.

Determining how much ii ate r isaCtua!ly Out there in undcrgrcnind farma-horLs is the reason Purdy and Michelsen

watering their lawns and use low-flowfixtures, it can extend the life of watersystetns for years. Water systems themselvescan save water by repairing leaks in theirtransmission lines.

But with so little agricultural irrigationin the area, huge water savings may bc outof reach, said Siburg,

The Kitsap County GroundwaterManagement Plan, which will outline thefuture options, should be completed in aboutsix months, he said.

"Some people would say 'stop every-thing; close the door until we understand allof this,' " said Siburg. "But we can't standstill. We are charged by Iaw with the respon-sibility to get the water to the people,"

One of his biggest fears is that theHood Canai region in southwest KitsapCounty will be developed before anybodyknows the value of the groundwater re-source, he sard.

"That may be a tretnendous rechargearea," he said. "lt would bc nice to define theresource before we make substantial changesto that area. You don't want to close the barndoor after the horses get out."

Water is the lifeblood of the HoodCanal region and Puget Sound as a whole.The managcmcnt of this priceless resource� both above ground and below � willdetermine the survival of fish and wildlife,as well as the quality of human lifestyles, foryears to mme.

WATt R R1 sol1Q I ~ 4l

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ S

SFcnos 5

Hy Clrr1stopt1 .rDu1hlgr1 31

hile most water systems inthe Hood Canal region facequestions about futurewater supplies, many alsoare dealing with immediateconcerns related to federal

drinking water standards.

Port Townsend, tor example, isconsidering the prospect of building a M 0million filtration plant to make sure itssurface supply from the Big Quilcene andLittle Quilcene rivers remains of highquality.

To avoid filtration, surface waters must

PRES HR'LXC

WWTFR

Qu~

P ~I li 11 r s' ' n.' I hel ala . I I I I «'�1 ' ll III .' P I 1,' V II., ".'-!Ih I l�1 'IJ I I ' ! I I �1 � I I 'r l E �, r l, ' .aih r!,I ai IR I rk= rh 91r .

War> x R< scxt>tct.. ~ 43

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0 ~ ~

also reclu iree, depending on the sire of thesystem.

The county is attempting to c<x>rdinatesmall water systems by requiriny, uniformdesign standards for expansions. Systemsmay be eventually tied together to helptransport water from areas of plentifulsupply to areas of short supply.

It v ould be beneficial to expandmedium and large systems, as opposed toincreasing the n.umber of small s> stems, sardDeeter. But thc opposite mav be happening.

Large- and medium-sized systcrnsmust obtai~ water rights in advance, aprocess that noyv takes up tu three years, henoted. The Department ofbcology, whichprocesses the applications, simply can' t keepup with the growth.

"We haven't scen a lot ot the largersystems going in," said Deeter.

On the other hand, small systems withsix or fewer customers can avoid the delaythrough assumed water rights. Some

developers have chosen to create t wo ormore small systems, as nplx>scd to putting ina larger system, said Deeter.

"Since Apri!4 of last year, we' ve doneapproximately 91 new public supphes," hesaid. "Normally in a full year we do anave> age of about 50.

In 199I, nearlv I,OIX water syst msnow exist in Kitsap County, compared to 450in I 978.

The nurnbcr of srrtali, individual

systems may set up a competition torexi~ting water and create problems in whoowns thc rights to the water.

"I think groundwater is going tobecome a real important issue," said Deeter,"More people are concerned about it thanever before because of the growth we areexperiencing."

One challenge will be to coordinate allthe big and little svsterns as groundwater inthe county grows scarce.

Ci-IAmR

a ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

WETI.~

SECTION 1

ROO STORE

K!R THE

WEB or ~ Proter'ting the Theier weriarrrt»,trerirrnlthert tn Ihe r rtrrrmrrrrrtrt rrf Betfivir,r» rrire rrf the mast »igrrifreurrt rr~ riand»trrrrteet» nr the state o Wrishrrrgtrrrr.

By ChristopherOrrnagatt

o 44 ~

t the edge of the Theler Wet-lands, a grove of skinny aldertrees stood dripping in the coldJanuary rain. The soft soundsof a mi]lion raindrops muffledathn noises, such as the slosh

of fczksteps throu gh an inch of standingwater.

In the d ~stance, out beyond acres ofbrown, dormant marsh grass, stood HoodCanai, shrouded in the mish rain. Its stonygray coior matched the monochrome sky,making it impossible to distinguish onefrom the other.

Within these shallows � somewherebetween the skinny alders and Lynch Cove� lies the innermost point of Hood Canal,some 63 nules from the entrance.

Hundreds of species, from ants tootters, from wild rose to willows, maketheir home in and around this place wherefreshwater flows into saltwater, fornung themost productive type of ecosystem known tothe planet.

"When I first came down bere, all I sawwas brown grass," said jeny Walker,sloshing quickly away from tbe aIder grove."It didn't mean a thing to me."

Wrriaxr~ ~ 4S

marsh. One day, a professor and a graduatestudent gave firn a tip on bird v 'atching.

"I had seen maybe three birds," saidWalker, "and I asked them how many theyhad seen. One had seen 19 and the other ] 7. Isaid, 'Hov do you do that?' and they saidyou have to stand still and Iet the birds cometo you,"

Walker, a volunteer for Theler Com-munity Center, wanted tv find some use forthe apparent wasteland. He sought the helpof biologists and wetlands experts.

"As I saw it through the eyes of otherpeople," said Walker, "I gained furtherinsight. It wasn't long before I realired wchad a real treasure."

Like other wetlands in 5 aturalists coming toHood Canal, Beltair's Theler Lynch Cove have listedwetlands might have bren nearly 100 species of birds infilled and used for other WetlandS and around the marsh.pu~. Not far from tow n, Walker's own time haswaterfront housing develop- focused on attracting atten-ments displaced saltwater tion to this place, a place thatmarshes adjacent to Big goes unnoticed by hundred~Mission Creek and Little of people driving throughMission Creek, says local Belfarr every day. The fewhistorian Irene Davis. Even irregular trails are too fragileBeHair State Park was built for unlimited visitors, butlargely on fill, she said. Walker intends to change

Elsewhere in Puget that. Under his leadership,Sound and throughout tbe the community has rc~ivednation, wetlands have been a series of state grants thatflied, drained and polluted may estabbsh the cornmu-a s long as man has been on nity-owned site as one of thethe scene, said Brian Lynn of The NOrt]l MaSOn Vortbv est's premier wetlandthe state Department of 5CJIOOJ DistriCt JIasEcology, People simply d Plans call for combin-

believed they had no value inIrfa e ing the community's 72 acres

their na hrral state. etI V I r011 1netf tal of wetlands with b3 acres ofA century ago, the Study ifI the Tueler state land aiong the Union

director of the American WettaftdS dec/ed River. Together the nahtreI Iealth Associahon proposed to fhe Belli reliminating all v etlands of thc five major wetlandeverywhere, He claimed they C01111rtMtfity 11I types It sas ifVisquaIIVwere a source of disease. the1960S by D Ita and Padilla Bay, two of

Unhl thc 1970s, federal Sa11rtfel Tueler, atI WaShingtOn's best knOWnpolicy encouraged filling integrat part of itswetlands for farming and concentrated in one smallother economic develop- curri Ctf I utrf. spot, says Walker.ment. In terms of wetland values, Hood

It's no wonder that more than halt the Canal is no longer prishne, but it has farednation's wetlands and more than a third of better than many places Wetlands at thethe state's wetlands no longer exist, accord- mouth of Seattle's Duw amish River anding to eshmates by thc U.S. Fish and Wildlife along Tacoma's Puyallup River are close toService, I 00 percent destroyed, mainly due to

Hood Canal may have fared somewhat industrial development.better, experts say, though nobody has Early settlers often diked and drainedeshma ted t he exact loss. estuaries to provide flat, fertile ground for

From his vantage point in the marsh, farming. The Viisclualfv River near OlympiaW»er pointed toward the sky. lost about 28 percent of its function that wav,

"Those are brant geese flying there," he In I food Canal, about 33 percent of thesaid ' fhey are making their home in the Skokomish River wetlands were convertedlittle slough on the property!." for farming.

Walker leamcd to obscrvc wild life Major deltas on the western shore offrom individuals he has brought to the Hood Canal � the Dosewallips, Quilcenr

~ ~ I I ~ ~ ~ 0 $0

Kxperts say asalt marsh can

produce morebrotnass plantmaterial! peracre than a

tropical rairrforest, twice as

nruch as an

upland forest.

46 THi.' Ecosv.7F Jvi

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Estuarine

toettands are

the most oftenimpacted bydevelopment,b tth tea t

oftets neplaced.� Michael Rylko,

EPA

and Duckabush rivers, for example � werediked and drained to varying degrees.

The Lynch Cove estuarv also wasdiked about ] <90, but the longest dike wasnot maintained, and saltwater has returnedto much of the <rriginal estuarine wetland,

According to Walker, ongoing farmsprovide clues to the colorful history of the

mental ethic."This has ~ the key wetlands

for the state," says Jerry Walker,with no hint of overstatement, "Virtuallyall the natural resource agencies havegotten involved."

Walker is director of the HoodCanal Wetlands Project, an environmentaleducation program that promises to turnthe Lynch Cove wetlands into a newnature center, complete with a trailsystem and classroom complex.

But the wetlands have taken on aneven greater meaning as they become asymbol for environmental awareness inthe cximmunity. said Marie Pickel,supc~tendent of the North MasonSchrxil District.

ln 1990, the district was invited tobecome part of an exclusive projectknown as Schools for the 21st Century. Astate grant of $600,000 will help the littledistrict design a new curriculum that willprepare students to live in the nextcentury,

When North h4ason first applied forthe grant in! %8, proposing some innova-tive ideas for incorporation into thedistrict curriculum, application wasdenied. The second time around, thewetlands were bmught into the picture,The district ~xl mcorporating thewetlands into studies at every grade level,

~ lie environmental issue was thetrigger that has gotten us going," saidf~ckel, The other things we alreadyknev and were incorporating them bit bybit."

The %600,000 grant gi ves the district

region and he's not particularly eager to seethe existing dikes removed.

An operating tarm next door to thecommunity's wetlands nrakes a pretty goodneighbor, said Walker. Some birds, such asCanada gene, even prefer the open fields tothe more natural wetlands.

For visitors, "the f rriu gives a contrast

rs to design and test rts newoach to education, but nearly every

t already has visited the wetlandsoncx., said Pickel.

Gary Seelig, a third-grade teacher atBelfair Elcinentary, says his studentsfocus on the subject of sahnon, amcingother things. Science will teach themabout the biology and ecology of fish, hesaid. "But we' re also writing about themin English and learning about them insocial studies."

This integration of a topic throughall the subjects taught is a key concept inNorth Mason's new cu mculum.

Belfair Elementary is privileged tohave a stream running through itsschoolyard, a stream that eventually spillsout into the wetlands, Seelig hopes one ofhis future classes can restore a salmon runin the stream.

Meanwhile, North Mason's SandHill Elementary School already is raisingchum salmon and was to begin releasesinto the Uruon River in 1991.

At North Mason High School,students are advanced enough to do basicresearch on plant and animal life in thewetlands, said biology teacher karen

In addition to producing an inven-tory of the plants and animals in themarsh � an important contribution to thefuture nature center � some students aredoing "four-season" studies of small ar easthey picked out themselves, areas thatmay change dramahcaiiy when springarrives, said Lippy.

Thanks to a grant from the PugetSound Water Quality Authority, the highschool students have been working in themarsh alongside students from TheEvergreen State College, who are con-

1V> n a.vn ~ 4,

to show that's the way we used to do it," henoted,

Ecologists say wetlands are a crihcallink in tbe food chain for manv fish andwi/d life. State officials list more than 175important wildlife species that use wetlandsfor primary fling habitat and more than140 species that use wedands for primary

d ucting formal inventories,"It is reaHy unusual that a school

district can own a piece of property sovaluable and so close," said l.ippy.

North Mason School District hasagreed to share the use of its wetlandswith school districts in Kitsap andJefferson counties. About 52,000 studentsare within a 40-minute bus ride of thewetlands,

Walker, wbo moved to E lood Canalin his retirement, got involved in thewetlands project in 1988 when an openingwas announced for tbe board of directors

at Thcler Community Center, whichoversees the wetlands, I Ie soon foundhimself involved in d iscussions aboutwhat to do about the property deeded tothe community by Samuel Theler some 20years before.

In the late 1970s, tbe board badproposed filling the wetlands to createbaUfields, but state and federal officialswere beginning to restrict wetland fill. ButWalker bad a grander vision for whatcould be done, based oia nature centerssuch as the NisquaUy Delta near Olympia.Since 1988, he has worked steadily andwithout pay to develop that vision intoreality. The success that Walker and hisfeUow volunteers have experienced isnothing short of amazing.

The group commissioned develop-ment of a master plan with a grant fromthe Department of Ecology, The plan callsfor a series of trails throughout thewetlands. In more fragile areas, board-walks and bridges will be used to avoid

pacts to the fragile wetland. Aneducation center with exhibit areas,classrooms and offices is also proposed.

The sudden recognition by numer-ous state officials has Walker, schoolpersonnel and many North Masonresidents riding a w;ave of enthusiasm as

briM ing habitat.Waterfowl are dependent on wetlands

for nesting, food and cover. Many species offish spawn in fre:hwater wetlands. Juvenilemarine hsh avoid prcxfators by luding inshaHois saltwater rnarshes.

E x perts say a sa Jt marsh can producemore biomass plant material! per acre than

they realize their wetlands are notwastelands at all, but rather wonderlandsof nature,

'There's a feeling of satisfaction, asweU as surprise," said Walker, "that so

+ ~ 7Hr EcosrsrW

~ ~ ~ Ia ~ ~ 0' ~

a tropical rain forest, twice as much as anupland forest.

More than 150 kinds of plants ha vebeen identilied at the Theler wetlands next toBelfair. Dozens of insect species feed an theplants and each other, The insects, in turn,become food for larger creatures.

'Some people say the plants in a saltmarsh are far mare valuable after they aredead," said I ynn of Ecology.

Bacteria and fungi go to work on thedead plants, turning them into material thatis consumed bv worrIls, which are eaten bybirds and fish, for example. Decaying plantsalso provide nutrients for plankton, whichare consumed by fish, shrimp and oysters.

"If you dig into the mud, you will findworms, shrimp, crabs��" said Lynn. 'Thevalue of a salt marsh is buried in the stinkymud flats, and that is one reason nobody everthought much of them."

ln addition to wildlife values, wetland smaintain water quality by trapping sedi-ments and filtering out pollutants. Wide riverdeltas that have not been channeled foragriculture, as weII as many upland marshes,can hold an incredible amount of storrnwatcr,thus reducing the level of flooding.

Wetlands can reduce erosion fromwaves, wind and river currents. Studies haveshown that coastal wetlands, such as thosearound Hood Canal, absorb the energy ofstorms and protect upland areas. Pnapertyowners who insist on replacing their wetland

beaches svith concrete or wooden bulkheadstend to transfer this violent energy toneighboring properties,

"I'he bottom linc in ecosysterns is thatnothing is isolated," says Linda Kunze, awetlands spcwialist v 'ith the state Depart-ment of Na tural Resources. "We humanbeings tend to think of ourselves as separatefrom the ecosystem. But what v c do affectsthe entire ecosystem � including ourselves.

"lt seems to me," she added, "that thepeople who live amund Hood Canal arestarting to think that way, and 1'rn veryencouraged and excited hy that."

Some ii c lands around Hood Canalremain largely untouched. An estuary atFou I weather Bluff near Hansville has beenprotected by the Nature Conservancy as wellas private property owners. Some areas havesitnply csc'aped development until recentyears when government began to play astronger role in protecting wetlands.

On the h.orth Shore of Hood Canal, notfar from Belfair, the 1-lood Canal Land Trustis protecting other valuable wetlands undera philosophy of preservation, as opposed tothe goal of encouraging visitors.

Walker's footsteps squished over dampleaves as he entered a flat, grassy meadow.

"Some people tell us there was once afarm herc," he said. No remnants of anybuiMings rcrnain, but the site has beenproposed for a future interpretive center,including offices and classrooms,

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~

SFmox 2

!Iq C!Iris! II ! erDII>rnCar r

piky, wooden poles poke upthrough thc shiny ice at Lilliwaupwetlands as if planted by somecrazed power company employee inthe middle of a pond in the middleof a marsh, miles from civilization.

This is not the v ork of a person at all,

but of another creature known for itsengineering ability. A huge mound of sticksnearby marked the home of C rstnrcarr rd » s .thc beaver.

On this frosty morning in January, nc beavers were in sight. But Jerry C orsline, abiologist with 92washington Environmental

NACRE'S

PURIHCATIOV

SvsTEM

j r s! i ' ! ' ; v!!r »j',I I ! I! - I r,' ! i »�' ' ' I II v t j' I ' ' r ! ! tf » !, 'Ipl t I I g r I I ' l l . ! ra! ' ! ! !I' ! ' ~ I l »» ! ! "I,!I'47 lc ' <ll »!

50 + THE Ecosvs'lz,vi

~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ 0 ~ 0

Beaver darrts

are one ofnature's uraysof creating ametIaruf. It is

ilIegaI todestroy a

beaver darrt

urithotzt a

perrrtit fromtIre state

Department ofW<ldiife.

ounciL stood upon their stout dam andexplained how bca vers, like man, alter thc!rhabitat to suit their own needs,

Gorsline's words werc accented by a"hack, hack, hack .." sound coming out ofthe woods, A downy woodpecke js hammering echoed in the hills as the birdsearched for bugs in a dead tree.

Time and evolution have made thebeaver an integral part of the wetlandecosystem, creating habitat not only for itselfbut for birds, fish and other wildlife, saidGorsline.

The beaver had dammed this tinystream, a tributary to Lilliwaup Creek on theeastern side of Hood Canal. Water behindthe mud-packed beaver pond had drownedthe roots of thc alders, but now some birdsand animals wen'. finding the trees morevaluable dead than alive,

"People say that's temble, beaverskilling trees," said Cars!ine. "Beavers havetradihcrnally beenregardcd as enemies, butthat attitude is turning around."

Beaver ponds proidde wintering areasfor salmon and tmut. ln fact, more than ha]f

of all Bsh sold commercially in the PugetSound region rely on wetlands for someportion of their life cycle.

The frozen beaver pond is one ofseveral such ponds around Saddle Moun-tain, north of Lake Cushman. But it's not justthc beaver that make this place valuable,

Gon line and his as~xia tc, CarolBcrnthal, have document»d dozens ofunique plant and animal communitiesspncad oui over t!, A! acres around SaddleMountain. They are doing their bc~t toconvince th» state to protect the area as anatural pres»rve.

The aisle is home to nugrat<!ry andre~ident »lk h»rdi, nun>erous waterfowl andsew eral scmsitive plant and animal species,they say.

"If vou wander off," said Gorsline,"you will find yourself in a vast mosaic ofwetlands and forests, thnusandi of acres."

Gorsline and Bernthal have petitionedthe Department of Natural Rcsourccs, whichmanages the land, tn avoid harvestingtimber in th» wetlands and connectingfon.its and to liinit logging activihes in otherparts i!f th» eCKl-acre area.

This tvpe of wetland ecosyitern isreal lv, really ran;" said Bernthal. 'There isnot much left like this in the Pugei Sc!undlowlaiid s.

Before the arrival of civilization, anunlirnitcd mosaic <!f ivetlands was spn.adthroughout the Hood Canal watcrshn3.Where the topography and soils were right,fresh water formed ponds naturally. In otherplaces beaver dams helped slow the rnovcment of freshv. ater back to thc ocean.

But that was another time, alrnc!st

torgotten now.To early trappcrs, beaver pelts were

more valuable than beavers. To earlyloggers, free-flowing streams werc morevaluable than beaver dams. To early farmers,

dry land was more va luablc than wildlifehabitat.

What remains of the wetland inosaic

today can be found in undeveloped regions,such as the Tahuya-Dcwatto river drainagesin Southwest Kitsap County. But the land isfragmented by multiple ownerships, andeach owner has plans for his own particularpiece of land. Freshwater wetlands still existthroughout the Hood Canal area, but it's as dpieces of the puzzle are missing.

That's why it is so important topreserve the largest areas still remaining,such as the proposed Lilliwaup Wetland jWildlife Area, argue Gorsline and Bernthal.

Arden Olson, division manager forDNR's Land and Water Conservation

Division, said his agency is considering theWashington Environmental Councilsnomination, submitted by the two biologists.

Some or all of the area could be takenout of timber status and listed as a "naturalresource conservation area," he said. Sincethe land belongs to the state's school trustfund, the schools would have to be cornpen-satcd with other land or money, he said.Some funding sources exist, but they arevery limited.

"We have a real mterest m not unpact-ing the wetlands in that area," said Olson.But how much of the. area might be pre-served has not yct been determined.

In addition to unusual swamps, bogsand near-pristine lakes, the Lilliwaup areacontains a few scientific oddities.

'This area," said Gorsl inc, standingnext to a frozen, shallow pond, "is incrediblydry throughout most of the year."

In fact, he added, the area is so dry thatfcw plants will grow, except Columbiasedge, a prairie-tvpe plant rarely seen on thewest side of the Cascade Mountains.

At the water's edge, long strings oflichen hang from a tree like green spider

webs niussed by the wind. Mound~ oearth push up through the ice, probathey did a million years ago. To formwetland/prairie requires just the righand groundwater conditions, accordiGorsline.

"A forester v ho drawn't relate t<

clues such as this would take one looplace and say it isn't av'etland at at! because it is so

dry throughout much of theyear," he said.

Clarence Martin of Port

Orchard, a me inber ot KitsapAudubon, spent much of lastsuinmer in the Lilliv aupwetland area, He and his

wife, Dorothy, recordedhundreds of species to assistwith the nomination.

"She D<irothy! re-corded everything, plants,insects, aniinals, birds," said'Martin. "We lived in the back

of a truck ind moved arounda lot. A neighbor kianed us abrand new canoe and weexplored all over. It's abeautiful area."

Price Lake, five acres in

size, is the largest lake in the6,000-acres of state land.Ducks fly into the lake allwinter.

At Melbouriic Like,

several golden «ye>-saltwater ducks � iveresivimining in an unfrozenpart of the lake.

"Thcv will breed and

nest here," explainedGorsline.

At Osborne lwke, something triGorslin<.'s enthusiasm. Ilc pointed f'one plant, a dryland species caHedkiruukinnick, and then to a sedge at tlake's edge,

"This is the only place I can thinvi here you have such a range ot plantdiversity in a 10-foot distance," he sai

Nelsa 8uckingham, a leading ex.Ot!nnpic Peninsula plantlife, says theI illiwaup area includes an arrav ot "habitats," including some rare plants,is typical of wetlands before the arrivwhite man.

Thc area contains many plants

The extensivefr eshzva ter

wetlands thatremain in the

Lilli waup Riverbasin contain

unusual bogs andpristine lakes, andis home for animals

ranging fromminterrng ducks to

the endangeredfisher.

f crusty to Western Washington as well as some thatbly as have been imported horn other continenL-,this Even an untrained eye notices that nativet soil plants seem to speak in softer, milder tones,ng to as if an artist had painted the landscape with

no dominant elements.

! visual lt people arc careful � if they wash thek at this bottom of their boats and keep their cars

back from the water's edgeLiEEiu.~amp � this area may avoid anWetEands invasion of loud, harsh,

obtrusive plants such asscotchbi ourn, which can out-

compete the natives forspace, said Gorsline.

We should thinkab<iut directing recreationaluses so as not to introduceexotic plants," he said.

A dozen years ag<i,when the I illiwaup prupertvwas owned by SimpsonTimber Co., several dilapi-dated cabins <werc ~tillstanding near Price Lake. Butthose cabins were removedafter the state traded forest

lands tor t.he property, saidHemthak

Still, lots of peoplecoine to thc area to camp inthe summer. In the wintermonths, the gates are lockedto protect elk herds that mustconserve their encrgv tosurvive the colder weather.

Non-migrating elk aredependent on the area bothwinter and summer. Migra-tory elk move to the higheralpine areas in the surnmcn..

"Forage and <x<ver areggered the primary factors that liinit deer ind elk

ust to populations, and the health of the herd isdependent on the availahilitv and qualitv of

he both," said HernthalOther anima Is knov n to usc the

k of LiHiwaup area are bear, cougar, bobcat andnumerous small niarnrnals as v ell as

d, ainphibians and reptiles � � the same animalspert on that occupv other unpopulated regions ot

I-In<4 Canal,unusual Red legged fr<rgs, beavers and musk-but it rats are dependent on ivetlands during all

al of phases of their life cycle. Rough skinnednev t and inany aquatic birds spend mostot

native their lives in laker or ponds but nest in the

$0 ~ ~ ~ 0$ ~ ~ ~

In addition to

unusual

swantps, bogsand near-

pristine lakes,the Lillizoaup

area contairrs a

fezo scierrtifr'coddities. One

is art area so

dry that feu!plafr ts zoill

grow, exceptCol unr bia

sedge, aprairie-typeplant rarelyseen on the

zziest side ofthe Cascade

Mountains.

5l ~ 7 pr Ecg�'y arran

cavities of trees, such as those created bywoodpeckers.

Lilliwaup is the last known location onthe Olympic Peninsula for the endangeredfisher, a little weasel-tike creature nowbelieved to be extinct throughout much of its

e ~ + ~ ~ ' ~ ' original territory. According to Martin,wildlife experts have talked about reintro-ducing the fisher to the area by takinganimals from British Columbia, where theyare more cornrnon.

The greatest concern Gors line andBernthal have is that the area wiII be loggedoff to bring income to the state, The trees arenow 60-70 years old, the ideal hme forharvest. DN R has invested money in fertiliz-ing and thinning the trc~, said Gorsl inc.

"They DNR officials! are pretty much

driven by the need to produce income for thetrust," said Gorsline. "it's just outrageous thelack of protection these wetland areas have."

It appears unlikely that DNR wiH allowlogging to the edge of a lake or wetland, "butif that's all you have, you are !eamng outmalor components ot the ecosystem," saidBern thai.

She v 'ould prefer protecting the entirearea from one ridgetop to the next, but sherealizes that isn't realistic Her proposal topreserve 6,000 acres v auld permit carefullyplanned logging uphill from the low-lyingwetlands.

But without state money to offset theloss of hmber potenha], Olson said, thefuture of the property remains unclear.

Wt II >w'r» ~ %3

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TRYPJG lO

SASX A

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ECOSSSm<

BII Christvph~ rDliia/~raII

Ci lia I'arroI kccp. u<Iclr iberia -,VIIariIOl'E7l Oar]i'll Q JIrr I IOAI c RHINE Idling

TnrsI near I vncI< Lvtv.

he turnaround in governmentalattitude torvard wetlands is trulyamazing, says Bob Wiltermood, aprivate wetlands consultant andcon~ ation chairman for KitsapAudubon.

Folks like Wiltermood have ahvaysunderstood the importance of wetlands, butit has only been recently that government-fcdcral, state and local � has begun to insistthat property overs pn~rve the wetportions ot their land.

Today, sensitive developers hireWilterrnood and other biologists to preventdestruction of fragile wetlands. At the samehme, state and local oNciais are growingever more vigilant in their role of protectingnatural resources,

"Two years ago," said Wiltermood,"we werc slamming the county for what washappening to the wetlands in Silverdale,Vow, l think the county is doing a damngood job � and without even a wetlandsordinance "

Wiltermood offered his opinion duringan unofficial visit to one of Kitsap County'smost prized wetland», the Foulweather HluffWildlife Preserve near Hansmlle. He wasjoined at the saltwater estuary by Ron Fox, ahabitat biologist for the state Department ofWildlife.

"Ihis is a fantastic place," saidWilterrnood, looking through his binocular»at a ~ idgeon, one of many types of ducksfound at the rvetland.

The estuary has been preserved, thanks

54 ~ Tttc Ecosrsrrw

~ ~ OO $0 ~ ~ ~ 0

In terms oftvetland

values, HoodCanal is no

longer pristirte,but it hrts fared

better than

marry places.Abogt 33

percent of theSkokornisk

River uretlands

were converted

for farming.

to efforts of the Nature Conservancy andprivate property owners in the area.

Fox explained that hundreds ot smallwetlands have been destroyed becauselandowners were able to convince govern-ment officials that their little wetland wasunkmportant in the overall scheme of things,

" 'Small, isolated wetlands,' You hearthat term over and over," said Fox. "Well,they may bc small and isolated, but thatcreates diversity of habitat. In ecology,everything is connected,"

"You can even ask," injectedWiltermood, "whether there is such a thingas an isolated wetland."

Wetlands once were strung like pearlsthro up h the creeks, streams a nd rivers ofHood Canal. Now, the strings are brokenand fragmen.ted by development. But theyremain important islands of habitat � foodand shelty' for a large number of spc~ies,said Wiltermood,

The losses make the remaining wet-lands even rnnre valuable because thehouses, roads and shopping centers beingdeveloped cause more and faster runoff, saysJoy Michaud in hcr bciok "At Home withWetlands."

With development, she said, "we notonly create the ncaa for more of the envirun-menta I functions of wetlands, we alsodestroy or damage the resources thatprovide those functi<ins."

In addition to wildlife habitat, wet-lands offer water filtration and purification,Aced protection, shoreline stabilization andgr<rund water recharge.

But state v etlands specialist BrianLynn warns that "not aB wetlands performall I h<ise functions equally well, Some maybe great f<!r fl<tctd storage without providinga kit of habitat. It's important to look at each<!ne individually."

Just 20 years ago, the Department ofAgriculture encouraged tarmeis to ill their<vetland» and grov< crops to feed the world.Today, as a result of the state's nev GrowthManagement Act, many of Washington'sc<>unties are rapidly cominp to grips withtheir role in. protecting natural rc~urccw.

Washinpt<in's fastest gr<nsing countiesare n»w requinc< to identify their resourcesand a pprove pr<itection sta ndafds, includingpr<>tcx1ions for wetlands.

Ot thr threw Ho<id Cattal countiew-Kitsap, Mason and Jeffers«n � Mas<inC<iuntv could have opted out of the state' spnigram. But the county commissioners

actively entered the struggle to managegros< th, especially in the North Mason areawhere homes are rapidly going up nearHood Canal,

Mason County, v hich had practicallyno controls on development in 1989, hasimplemented a grading ordinance, strength-ened shoreline regulations and tackled Iong-range planning, said Erik Fairchild, thecounty's pLanning coordinator.

"The North Mason Water QualityProtection PIan has been adopted as part ofthe comprehensive plan," he noted, addingthat wetlands still don't have the prutectionthey deserve. But the county is attemptinp todes<! with the problem thruugh the newgrowth rnanagcrnent effort.

None of the three Hood Canal countieshad a wetlands ordina nce in l991, such asone pruposcd by the state Department ofEcology, The model ordinance definescategories ot wetlands and estabhshcs non-d eveloprnent buffer 7oncs, depending onlocal conditions. When impacts to wetlandscannot be avoided, the ordinance providesfor mitigation, such as creating or enhancingan area larger than the wetlands beingdamaged. All three counties have receivedstate funding to develop their ow n wetlandsordinance along similar lines.

"The problem we have," said CraigWard, wetlands specialist for JeffersonCounty, "is that we have no way of defining,whether something is a wetland. We have ncaconsistent procedure for dealing wi th them

Jefferson officials review maps devel-oped by the Fish and Wildlite Service fromaerial photos, said Ward. They try to identifyand protect ivetlands on a case-by-case basis,but the maps arc not,il ways accurate. 'AVeacknowledpe that what we have is inad-equate," he said, adding that the countyshould have a stronger progra.m readybefore long.

Kitsap County follows a similarpn.x:ess, but may have mor<' staff to examine.proposed development sita>.

"I think Kitsap Countv has been realaggressive on wetlands over the last coupleof vears," said Larry Ward, a Poulsbohornebuilder who <v<irks on grovvth issuesfor the Building Industry Association ofWashington. "I think thev hav e bcwn fairlyeffective. They have thwarted a number ofdevelopments that would have degradedwetiands."

Dei elopers <vant prcdictablc regula-tions but also must face the fact that ev rry

new rule puts the price of a new hnme out ofreach fnr a few more people, said Ward, whois not related to Craig Ward.

"Wetlands are absrrlutely vital to HoodCanal," he said, "I N ant to keep it as prishneas it was vvhen I got here, and I will standwith everyone else when the canal is threat-enni."

A few developers intentionally destroywetlands to avoid tangling with the regula-tions, he acknowledge, "and I think thatgovernment can and should come downhard against them."

But that's easier said than done.It's up to counties to enforce Gov.

Booth Card ner's policy calling for "no netloss of wetlands," but there are only general

laws not specit'ically designed to protect thefunction of wetland~.

The federal Clean Water Act and state

Shorelines Management Act, for era rnple,have numerous exemptions for small, inlandwetlands. Only about I0 percent of the 2,000a<~ of wetlands lost every year in Wash-ington state are sub~t to federal regulations,according tn Michael Rvlko of the Environ-mental Protection Agencv.

And state shorehne rules don't applvto mast smaller streams. Clear Creek, ~ hichis associated with wetlands in Silverdale's

urban area, is too small to fall under shore-

lines jurisdiction, said Renee Hearn, KitsapCounty's shorelines manager. A shorelinespermit is required Fnr developments within

Wetlands .f Hood CanalUnspoiled Wetlands Are A Key Component ln The Survival Of Hood Canal

56 ' ~ THF. ECGSYSTEH

2SO feet of Hood Canal's major rivers, butnot generally the creeks and streams, shesaid.

State fisheries and wildlife experts canhelp the counties identify wetlands thatweren't noticed before, but their rule isstrictly to protect fish.

"We don't really stop anything," saidFox, who is in charge of the permits for theWildlife Department. "We just try to rniti-gate damage and prevent loss ot fish habi-tat."

So it falls to the counties to in>poserestrictions nn specific developments,sornethmg not always easy to do, despite theno-net-loss mandate,

The situation should become morepredictable when the counties classify theirmost important v etlands and adopt newprotection rules, said Larry Ward.

The state also recognizes the irnpor-lance of purchasing wetlands. Money hasbeen approved for purchasing and preserv-ing valuable wetlands, and various taxincentives are available for individuahswilling to protect privately owned wetlands.

"One of the worst things we face," saidFox, "is when you'rc callcxf out to a site andthe place is stripped bare. Then someonesays, 'Oh, we have a wetlands?' That is mostdepressing."

~ 4 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0

Ckbi[ TER

~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ t ~ 0 0

LoGGL'4G

SEtmOX l

Rid,C Htoe

Tot'Pt.ED

TREES

ftt/ fit'I h>t>r YlD I t t lit 4'! J n

~ hatt ~

Htrev!nxs loom tltr 4inrv> a Hood Cnuttti>lire k 'pt taller L'I'.' .'LTiCII11>t!ttt, t1t t lv P<>j'V

Tirltk>t stteedtt at t art Ciratth4'

ajestic evergreens, towering2% feet into the sky, musthave provided an a~ cinspiring greeting to earlyexplorers who entered I hoodCanal in their sailing ships,

Some men dared to dream of houses and

villages, but yea+ would pass before thehand of civilization v ould disfigure thenatural wonderland. Something capturedCapt. George Vancouver's imagination inMay of l792 as he sailed past rugged, snoi~-

capped pea ks and approached the long,narrnw channel he named Howl's Canal.

The English explorer had t~n senthere to solidify his country's claim nn thelonely wilderness, knoi~~ to contain vastriches in furs, hrnber and marine hfe.Spanish explnrers had sailed inland, hut notthis far. Only a very y<tung nation � theUnited States � maintained a detendableclaim to the region.

After sailing fnr more than a vcar-xxith stops in Tahiti and Haxvaii�

rrrE Resource

t ~ ~ e a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Ihe hebertlrrts So clOse to

tht tttrtter'sertge that

rtrlrty asyorrettrittt a tearft ofoxen ctndrigetcwt I lrtrorrt oflogt irt rt short

theme. t-Eva Lueila

Buchanan,Eartromic Historyrrf +tsrtp County,

Vancouver was not disappointed with thesights and sounds of this untamed land. Yeton the morrung nf May 12, 1792, the worldseemed to hold its breath as Vancouver'sship foBowed the western shore of floodCanal,

"Animated nature," Vancouver wrote,"seemed nearly exhausted, and her awfu!silence was only now and then interruptedby the croaking of a raven, the breathing of aseal or the scream of an eagle,"

Vancouver sailed southward intaHood Canal and met with a friendl.y band ofIndians near the Skokomish River, which hedescribed as "the finest stream of fresh waterwe had yet seen."

"Early on Sunday morning, May 13,1792, we again etnbarked," Vancouverwmte, "directmg our route down the inlet,which, after the Right Honorable Lord Hood,I called Hood's Channel."

There is some oan fusion about thename, variously Hood's "channeI" and"canal." As Edmond S, Meany explains inhis book Varicoirver's Discooery of PugetSound, "It is a curious fact that Vancouvernamed many places 'channels' in his journal,but wrote them down as 'canal' an hisexcellent charts. This was the case withHood's Canal,"

The name, formalized by the U.S,government, will forever remain linked taone Samuel Hood, an admiral in the BritishNavy who became famous for his victoriesagainst the United Slates during the Revolu-tionary W ar.

Fifty years after Vancouver namedHood Cana I, the United States had strength-ened its claim to the area, Still, only ahandful of white settling could be counted.Trappers and traders in sparse numbers mayhave visited the shores of the canal, yet itremained largely the domain of indians.

To encourage settlement, the UnitedStates in 1844 began offering homesteads ofup to 640 acres. Homesteading had barelybegun by 1848, when gold was discovered inCalifornia.

Gold mines would need heavy timbers,and homes would need lumber. Ships wouldbe needed to maintain the flow of commerce.Gold dus would power the Northwesteconomy for years.

Some folks came to Hood Canalcounhy just for the timber, homesteadinglong enough to daim the giant trees, notedEva Luella Buchanan in her Ecanorrric ffistory

of Kitschy> Coutrttt. "The timber was so close tothe water's edge that nearly anyone with ateam of oxen could get out a boom of logs in.a short time,"

Skippers would pay 8 cents a linealfoot for the huge logs, delivered alongsidetheir vessels. They would sell them to miHsin San Francisco for $1 a foot, said Mrs.Buchanan.

It didn't take long for vveaithy lurnber-rnen to realize the potential of savmniEcloser to the woods. Andrew jackson Popeand Frederic Talbot were sons of timber andshipbuilding families, Together with Capt.J.P, Keller and shipbuilder Charles Foster,they started Puget Mill Company at PortGamble on I food Canal, the heart of Indiancountry.

I.n September 1853, the I'ort Gamblemill � the first steam-powered rruII inWashington territory � came on line,

Three years later, Marshall Blinn andWilliam J. Adams financed a new mill atSeabeck, a picturesque town on Hood Canalthat outgrew Seattle for a hme.

By 1857, the Port Gamble mill was thegreatest lumber manufacturing plant onPuget Sound, and two or three schoonersmight be seen in port at one time, theirlumber bound for San Francisco and theOrient.

That same year, when Kitsap firstbecame a county, four major sawmills wereoperaling in the area. Settlements werespringing up, and Kitsap County had thehighest a~ valuation of any county inthe territory.

In addition to nulls at Port Cwrnble andSeabeck, there were two on BainbridgeIsland. The world seemed hungry for tiinber,and the industry found new and faster waysof cutting trees and making lumber,

A new "circular mill," installed at PortGamble in 1858, was the biggest in the West.It could handle logs 9 feet thick and turn outplanks up to 60 feet long.

Big axes, used by early loggers, gaveway to felhng saws, first used in the red-wood forests of California. Oxen gave way tosteam donkeys and railroads.

There seemed to be no end to thedemand for lumber. Dozens of Ioggingcamps in the Hood Canal area sprang up tosupply the big mills, which grew and addedshipbuilding operations. SmaII, independentrrull owners also carved out a niche amongthe trees.

L<~i~~n ~ t> I

Later, Clifton would

Sea ecpabfigk ~ome a cross~ds when anew road to Sidnev nnwr Port Orchard! was built Theroute is still referred to as theOld Clifton Road. In 1925, thename "Clifton" was changedto "Belfair." Bclfair has had

but moderate growth overthe years, but today it standsas one of the fastest g~owingcommunities around Hood

Canal.Dcrnand for Northwest

lumber continued to increase

as the 20th century drew to aclose, and Washington'smills were expanding. Thebillion board feet of produc-hon in 1888 had doubled to 2

billion by 1895 and tripled to3 billion by 1902. By 1905,with 3,5 billion board feet ayear coming from its mills,Washington produced morelumber than anv other state

in the nation.Unlike many sawmill

companies, however, theowners of the Port Gamblemill bought their own landand saved it tor thc future.

While others exhausted their timber sup-plies, the Puget MiII bought raw logs fromother people's land. Eventually, the dwin-dling supply forced pope and Talbot to cutits own magnificent trees around HoodCanal.

Today, Pope Resources, a spinoff of thecompany, remains the largest privatehmberland owner in Kitsap County and hasfound success in developing lands forhousing.

Conservationists had been arguingabout proteding a portion. of thc ancientOlympic Peninsula forests ever sincenaturalist John Muir first visited the area in1889.

President Grover Cleveland, as one of

gers, supplies and mail. Withfeiv roads, the growing"mosquito fleet" of boatsbecame the principal linkbetween the communities ofPort Gamble, Bangor,Seabeck, Brinnon, Quilcenc,

There's not muchleft today, beyond aplaque, to indicate

that the tinycommuni ty of

Seabeck once washome to a bustlinglumber mill, one of

the first irr thePuget Sound

region.

Timber was king, and every commu-nity had hes to the forests, while agricultureand fishing helped feed the hungry loggersand maintain thc local economy.

Seabeck and Port Gamble grew intobustling rnil1 tow~. ln 1876, Seabeck,population 400, had a store, two hotels andfour saloons, One newspaperaccount called it the "liveli-est" place of its size on PugetSound.

Mill towns ivere the

most obvious stops for earlysteamships carrying passen-

Duckabush, Neilita, Holly,Dewatto, Hoodsport,Potlatch and Union City.

"Union City," wroteMurray Morgan in I'he fas WiMerness, was the "Veniceof the Pacific, on the narrowstretch nf land connecting theOlympic and Kitsap peninsu-las..."

The town, which ix~anas a trading post on the southshore of I lood Canal in 1857,was platted in 1890 amid aflourish of land sales.Rumors were wi!d that thetown would become acrossroads of several rail-

roads. For a time, landspeculators were paying the whopping priceof $1,000 for a single building Iot.

Meanwhile, Quilcene, a single horne-stead in 1860, was even more blessed. PortTownsend was booming with internationaltrade, and local entrcprencurs were con-vinced that the world would beat a path totheir door if only they could obtain a railconnection to Portland, Ore.

With a local donation. of $100,000, theOregon Improvement Company a subsid-iary of Union Pacific! agreed to begin thelong track. Some 1~ workers laid the railsfrom Port Townsend to Quilcene, but thaYsas fai as they gnt.

The country's economic panic nf 1893dashed the hopes of Quilcene and other

towns along the western shore of HoodCanal. The folks of Union City quicklydropped the "City."

Down toward the very hp of HoodCanal, the town of Clifton was growing. Oneof the early roads in ICitsap County linkedSeabeck to the head of Hood Canal alongLynch Cove.

OOOO ~ ~ OIO ~

Seabeck and

Port Gamblegrew r'nto

bustling milltowns. 1n 1867,

Sea beck,population400, had astore, two

hotels and foursaloons. One

newspaper

account called

if the"liveliest"

place of its si~on Puget

Sound.

62 ~ Us<wc re Rrsouscs

y Town GrowsSawmil}

~ 0 os ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~

Unlike nranysaw lnN

companies atthe turn of thecentury, Pope

& Talbotbought theirown and andsaved it for thefri ture. Today,

PopeResources, aspinoff of the

corrrpa ny,renrains the

latgtgt prr pateNrnberlarrd

owner in

Kltsap County

last offKlal acts created th! pic Forest Reserve in 1897 Btenstfied the debate U Spush and pu U public acreage in and

out of protected status throughout this entirecentury. The ctueshon is always the same:how muchacreage shou!d be saved for"natural values" and how much acreageshoukl be used for "human values."

On June 29, 1938, President FrarddinRoosevelt signed a bill setting aside OlympicNational Park for future generations.

Today, as a century ago, Hood Canalreceives much of its wa ter from high in theOlympic Mountains, now protected foreternity. Streams flow through wildernessareas, loggedwff lands and even placeswhere timber refuses to grow. They flowthrough National Fonest lands that timbercompanies have come to depend on for rawmaterials, But those forest lands are nowbeing set aside to protect the northernspotted owl, a species that depends onhealthy old-growth ecosystems for itssurvivaL

And the tug of war between use of theresource and preservation continues; theclash of values, whether trees are worthmore standing or cut, rnnaios unresolved.

"As long as thc great trees remain inthe park," proclaims Murray Morgan, "therewiU be men willing to cut them down, sawthem up and ship them away to all parts ofthecountry. And there will be others � Isuspect a majority � who would rathercome to see them than have them sent,"

Mhan a centurv ago, when

the S Klallams plied the watersof Hood Canal in canoes and

dense forests hugged its shores, greatIurnberrnen staked their claim at a spotcalled Teekalet. Mills sprouted alongthe canal like mushrooms but nonequite so fine as the Puget Mill Com-pany, founded in the mid-1800s byAndrew Pope and Frederic Talbot inthe deep-water port later known asPort Gamble.

Over the years hundreds ofworkers flocked to the fledglingcommunity, challenged by Douglas firsso mighty they dwarfed husky lu~ber-jacks eager to earn a living,

Among them was the father ofIda Faler and Chuck Hirschi ofPouisbo, who came from Canadasearching for work to feed his family,

He tried Skid Road in Seattle, butw as told his best bet was the mill atPort Gamble

"He didn't know where Port

Gamble was," Hirschi said, "but heboarded a little boat and went there.While he was gone, our house burnedand we lost ev~g, He had tow'ork awhile before he had enoughmoney to send for us"

It was1917when lda,7,andChuck, 9, stepped off the boat in PortGamble with their mother, foursiblings and aU their worldly ~sions. Little did they realize this tinycommunity would provide the frame-work for their adult lives.

Pope & Talbot, perhaps a bithomesick for their native East Machias,Maine, built a mill town that reflectedHew England tastes and rented thehomes to workers and their families.

"We paid $I 5 a month for thchouse in thcrsc days, including thelectricity for lights," Hirschi said,

"We loved it.," Faler said, "Mymother thought it was wonderful. Itwasn't too modern, but it was moremodern than what we had before,"

The family settled in a house

I x;< rxc ~ t 3

By joAxnxe Man=

behind the corrxnunity's steepled church.They lived 42 years in the same bouse,which still stands today.

Photos of tbe town's early yearsshow muddy streets, wooden sidewalksand bleak, severe houses. There werevegetable gardens in abundance as thriftyhousewives raised produce for theirtables, augmenting the groceries pur-chased at the company store.

But there wasn't much time forflower gardens or fancy landscaping, ahallmark of the carefully restored towntoday. The pigs running loose in tbecommunity probably would have rootedin the flowerbeds.

"Well, it was tough at first, notspeaking English, you know," Hirschisaid, "but we got along and made friends,It became our home." Their flrst languagehad been Swiss.

There were pnxbabiy 600 peopleliving in the town during those years,Hirschi said, ail of them working for themill. Workers poured mto the loggingcamps, and there were times when thewhiskey got the better ot them. But, forthe most part, Port Gamble was a faxrulytown,

"I went to work at the mill when Iwas 16 because we needed money,"Hirschi said. "Two years later my fatherdied of cancer and I helped support thefamily. I worked for 35 cents an hour, l0-hour days, sornetirnes even longer.Sometimes those days stretched to 12hours. But I was glad to have the work Istarted by tying lumber bundle~ then keptchanging pbs, Most of my life I gradedlumber."

The social life was simple, but busy."The Thompsons ran the httle

theater there, and there were matinees forthose who worked the rught shift," Falcrsaid. There were dances and an outdoorpamlion outside the post office. AtChristmas there was a big party and everychild in town received a present from themill owners,"

"People knew everyone in town,and there was a lot of visiting," Hirsctusaid.

In those days travel, was difficult.Sea ltle was some distance by boat, and

Poulsbo, which wasbig city, was too far icar.

Hirschi, now 8350 years befoxe retiring in 1973, the onlyPope & Talbot employee to work 50 yearsin the same locahon. Brother Fred alsospent 50 years with the company, al-though he relocated to the Oak Ridge,Ore., plant.

Faler retired in 1971 after 42 years."It was a wonderful place to work," sherecaUed, "I have never regretted it."

Many of the homes now are gone.The once-proud Puget I fotel fell victim tothe Columbus Day storm of 1962, and theold schoolhouse was demolished afterDavid Wolfle School was bu1t. Thehospital, where generations of PortGamble babies were born, also is a

memory.But Port Gamble remains a com-

pany town. The 137-year-old sawmull, theoldest continuously operating one inNorth America, has undergone manyrenovations. It continues to operate, buthas been buffeted by national recessionand the uncertainties caused by thespotted owL

The once-bleak buildings have bL~lovingly restored by the descendants ofthe original founders, and when the 4o'clock v.histle blows, many workers axejust a few steps away from home. Thecompany store next to the office> recenflyhas been upda ted, but folks still stop byfor bread and milk between trips toPoulsbo, now just minutes away by car.

Down the road a piece, near thepicturesque church, sits the Thompsonhouse, the oidest continuously occupiedhome in the state of Washington.. JamesThompson came to Port Fumble on theschooner Towana and his descendantslived in the house more than 99 years.And on the hill, carefully tended andenclosed with a fence, is the quiet grave-yard where generations of families areburied.

These were the men and womenwho toiled in the mills and helped buifd alumber empire that left an indelible markon Hood CanaL

yOO ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ +

ln 1S57 the

Port Carnble

mill was the

greatestlrlmber

manufacturingplant on Puget

Sound andtroo or three

schooners

rrright be seenin port at rme

trme, fhexrlumber bound

for SanFrancisco arrrl

ports in theOrient.

eees ~ ~ ~ er ~

Sa~ 2

A LOG'S

Laic

JDLRNEY

fly Ch ristopfter'Durlngd tr

n'ter~ r lttrit 'iaq<grl/r'll il, 'I v 'rir <'Irt rh'

lit:l <sti lii 4'rrilPcgarrtelk'r lel CU-~S

lands east of Dabob Hay. Although cloudsthreaten to turn the dry soil to mud, only afew drops have fallen so far this day.

l0:l I a.rn.: Chuck Stewart Jr., a skilledtimber cutter, sizes up one of the larger

64 ~ Us HG THE RE50URcE

~ 24 i~. Deep in the woodsnear the tip of the Toandospeninsula, a loggtng ~ ~fell ghmb sm~dayb kDamp winds have erased thewarm days of summer in forested

Douglas firs on this 45-acre tract of statetimberland. Observing more limbs on oneside of the trunk, Stewart quickly calculatesthe face cut he' ll need to nake the tree fallcleanly to the ground.

He revs up his chain saw, a 36-inchHusqvarna, and guides it carefully towardthe tree. The surging teeth slash throughbark and into the sapwood of this 7~year-old tree.

Stewart, who lives near Hadlnck, and

0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~

With moderrr

technology, ittakes a little

less than fiveminutes to fella 75-year-oldDouglas fir

with a trunk 40

inches across.

hundreds of others who work the woodsaround Hood Canal are member ot anancient and proud profession. It was theirpredecessors who opened Hood Canal tocivihzahon even before the first miII was

built at Port Camble in 1853.

Today's powerful saws complete thework faster and with fewer workers than

ever before, As they did 100 years ago,logging tools help transform trees intohouses, bridges, ships, docks � even thebook you' re reading,

Despite improvements in safety,logging remains the most dangerous job inthc state, according to the Department ofLabor and Industries. More than a few

loggers have been surprised by snappingtree trunks, falling limbs and whippingsaplings. Next to a towering hr tree, a humanbeing looks fragile.

The danger, says Stewart, is part of theexcitement: 'You have to stay on your toes."

10:12 a.m.: Stewart completes the hrstof two cuts that will form a notch. The notchis critical in aiming the tree. A miscalcula boncoukl leave the tree hung up in others orbroken, with little value,

The logger begins his second cut belo~the first, angling the blade upwards. Afterthe notch faUs out, Stewari visualizes howthe tree wiU fall, then uses his saw to slice alittle more wood from one edge of the notch.

Thc saw still roaring, Stewart beginshis "back cut." Sawdust flies, and secondslater the wood begins to crackle loudly. Thcmassive tree leans, as iF on a hinge. It fall»,faster and faster. Then, with a thunderingcrunch, the tree crushes limbs and under-brush as it strikes the ground, dead ontarget.

Stewart quickly shears the limbs fromthe tree. Knowing the requirements of Popek Talbot, he uses a steel tape measure tomark the fa Uen tree and bucks it into logs.One 36-foot log is 40 inches across at one cnd� the largest diameter that can go throughthe miU.

1103 a.m.: Erick "Pete" Peterson steershis John Deere skid der toward the hefty logcut by Stewart. The machine grabs the logand hoists one end off the ground. With aloud roar, the skidder rushes off, draggingthe log uphill and Ieavtng a cloud of dust

In d ays gone by, the pnmary concernwas to cut the logs and get them out of thewoods as cheaply as possible. Teams ofhorses were used. Then came logging

rallrxmds. When possible, rivers were used tomove logs to open water.

It didn't much matter whether streams

were filled with dirt, smothering salmonspawning areas, or if baby birds were left todie on the bare ground.

Personal accounts of those days arefiUed with the romantic side of logging hfe� and death. Discussions about "the

environment" were left for future years.Today, more care is required to protect

the natural elements, even on private land. Agrowing awarenc~ of natural systems hasbrought changes in logging practices andland management � and the change is farfrom over.

11:20 a.rn.: Gary Hintz, 31, the owner ofthis logging company, pushes and pulls atcontrols that maneuver the powerful loaderunder him. The machine picks up logsbrought to the landing by skidders, thenspins around, loading the trimmed treesonto logging trucks.

individual logs sometimes sit at thelanding for hours or even days, but today theautomatic de-limber, a relatively newmachine that ships the limbs from smallerlogs, is out of senesce. The log that Stewartcut and bucked earlier is picked up rightaway.

Hintz, a Seabeck resident, learned the]oggng business from his father, CarLStarting at agc 15, Garv worked every job inthc v oods before taking over the companyseven vears ago.

His son Brandon, 7, sometimes sits atthe controls, morning the heavy machine asHintz watches closely. Brandon ~ ants to bea logger, too, said Hintz.

"I tell hun 'no, no � think banker,football player, anything ...' But momentslater, while talking about this piece of sta teland and hov it is~11 be replanted withseedlings, Hintz comments, ''By thc timeBrandon grows up, he will thin this."

1129 a.m.: Truck driver Bif Corey ofPoulsbo keeps his eye on the truck's weightscale just inside the driver's door! as the logsare load cd. When the digital numbers tickoff 80,100 pounds, he calls for Hintz to stoploading.

The load is 26 -' ~ tons of raw timber.Corey grabs a hammer and climbs withinreach of the logs. He strikes the butt end ofeach one, leaving the brand "CU-25 " iVow,anyone can figure out v here these logs camefrom.

66 + USP4G THE RESOURCE

I ~ ~ ~ 0 a ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

1f takes oeelfN-foot-tall

tnt fo pnnrldethe wood aed

pApdl' pf9dMCtsIsed arrttfrallyby the rrtrerage

Amancarr.

Corey throws one end of a steel cable Thc housing market in Southern a "wrapper"! over the pt!e of logs and California where most of Pope 6 Talbot'sbrings it up tight. For a load this size, state "green" not kiln-dried! lumber is sold-law requires three wrappers. won't support the mill's output of 13 million

11:32 a.m,: Corey shifts his truck into board feet of lumber each month,gear and pulls out of the landing area. He Forty-eight ernployc~c will remain inheads downhiV toward Port Ludlow, 15 various positions at the mill, while 125miles away. workers will have to do without a paycheck

12:14 p.m.: The truck for at least a month. Sawpu!!s up next to a long motors a re s wrtched off, onewooden dock at the scaling Toandos by one.station in Port Ludlow. Sealer Oct. 10, 2 p,m.: No logs58 I P Isbo Pe+les tlt~ h ~ �ed fro Po rtmeasures the width of each L.u d low. The mill at Port!og and figures the length Gambte stands quiet exceptfrom marks on the dock, He for a Iow hum coming from akeeps track of the volume of sawdust blower at thetimber with a handheld planing building. There, 15computer. Then he marks the members of the planing crewbundle with a yet!ow tag are still on the job, smoothingbearing the number 9395. the rough boards produced

12:23 p m ' The truck before the mill closed doe,rLamves at Pope k Talbot's log UsuaVy 25 people work indump at Port Ludlow, where that building,the load will become pa rt of a Plant manager Bradlog raft destined for Port Fountain stands near theGamble, Mel Morgenson, 39, "head rig," looking out uponard Don Tuson, 62, are m With natiOnal the water, In normal times,charge here. The two rep!ace fOrest land being he would see workers pushthe cable wrappers with steel restricted tO floating logs toward the"bards," designed to ho loggt'ng mOre and sawmiV. And, normaVy, histhe logs together throughout voice couldn't be heardtheir voyage. Five minutes more, timber

above the noise of that firsttater, a huge "log stacker" � Cutters are beingarger thari the logging truck prced to depend on "It's an eerie silence,itself � grabs the enhre SeCOnd growth trees ah osta silence of suffenn5,"bund!e of logs oft the truck t t d TT f saVS Fountain. "ThiS iS Oneand heads toward the water, on s a e an private

the finest mills on the WestAt the controls is htorgenson, lands m the Hood Coast and to see it sitting idlewho has worked for Pope k Canal Watershed. is pretty devastating."Talbot 15 years. The lumber industry is

This is a hea vy toad, farrulrar wrth econorruc cyclesweighing 40 percent more than most. At bed to housing conStructio, interest rateswater's edge, Morgenson drops the bundle and the national economy. This mi!I was lastinto the water.Lnexpectedly, thebands shutdown during thc recessionof 1982. Butsnap, probably due to the weight and angle there's a different feeling this time, Peopleof fall These logs will have to float free in the are thinking about issues such as the north-log raft, formed by 60 truckloads of timber em spotted owl, which has been declaredtransported out of the woods, threatened under the Endangered Species

Act. A shortage of timber on federal lands,OcL 4, abo~t 3 p.m= The log Stewart competition from overseas markets andcut in the woods more than a week cartier is increasing environmental regulations cou]dstill waiting to be rowed to the Pope 4r Talbot put a severe squeeze on mills like I'ope 8zsawmilL Resident manager Jerry Clark Talbot.stands before his mill crew in Port Gambk. "We can't expect to has e the kind ofHe has some particular!y bad news. The mitt industry v e've had for the past decade,"wiV shutdown for 30days. says Fountain.

Pope Resources a Major Canal Player

parcel by Pope Resources standards! tohousing.

In 1985, the board of directors ofPope & Talbot was nervous about corpo-rate raiders. So the company reorganized,creahng a limited partnership it calledPope Resources. In addibon to making ahostile takeover more dif frcult, saidFolquet, it enabled the company to claimfuII value of its land holdings. And itavoided the double taxation that corpora-tions and their stockholders then faced�once when the corporation makes theprofit, and again when it dishibutesdividends.

Pope Resources has become aprofitable operation, but the realigrummthad its cxrsts, said Folquet. Because PopeResources bought the land from Pope &Talbot, it paid a substantial real estatetransactions tax.

"It was ahvays presumed that a rniUneeded its own land and timber base,"Folquet said. "But I think it's quite thecontrary, the mill at Port Gamble! hasoperated very satisfactorily."

Sawmill manger Jerry Clark said ofthe reorganir~tion, "We had to become alot smarter about how we purchase logson the open market. From that standpoint,it has been a difficult transition, but Ithink we ha ve the people here who arecapable of doing the job,'

By Trativ Haker

I

Oct. 25, 2:45 p,m.: Bruce Bell, a I9.year-old sam, filer, removes a load of clothesfrom the washing machine at his home inI'ort Gamble. Hell has been out of work sincethe mill shut down three weeks ago,

Normally, he'd be at the rniU, operatingequipmcnt thai sharpens the huge bandsaws, which now lie quietly on the woodenfloor ot the fding room.

Since hc has been out of w«rk, Hell hasrepaired his pickup truck and looked forother jobs. He doesn't sce much future in luscareer.

"I enjov it, but I don't see how it will

he largest owner of private timber-land around Hood Canal didn' t

exist hve years ago.Pope Resources in Poulsbo was

created in December of 1985 to own andmanage the extensive land holdings ofPope & Talbot in western Pugct Sound. Itbought the 80,NN-plus acres under Pope& Talbot's control, most of it in the HoodCanal watershed.

Management of the 65,000 acres oftimberiand hasn't much changed fromwhen Pope & Talbot oe~ them, saysGeorge Folquet, Pope Resources presi-dent. Pope Resources has stepped up thepace of development of properties doseenough to major population areas tobecome housing.

It has sold all but one small portionof the Bucklin Hill ridgetop overlookingSilverdale. It's winning awards for itsNew Port Ludlow development inJefferson Counly, and hoping to create amajor housing development around anew golf course it plans to build nearKingston,

The logging of acreage near GigIIarbor is being done selectively, leavingthose trees that wiU add value to the landas housing. And a land trade withBrernerton may enable Pope Resources tocreate the largest housing development inthe city's history in the Sinclair Heightsarea.

But h ttle of the development hasbeen in the liood Canal basin. PopeResources acreage along Paradise BayRoad from the Hood Canal FloatingBridge north has been sold in large lots.

keep going," he explained.Congress recently approved, and the

president signed, a bill that would limitexports of raw logs from state lands Theaction was designed to preserve Northwestsawmill jobs as the tirnbcr supply growstighter.

Competition may drive mills out ofbusiness, but Clark hope' the waterfrontlocation of the Pope & Talbot rniU willprovide a competitive edge in transportationcosts.

Oct. 29, 7:03 a.m.: I!avid Olson reaches

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0

Zhe averagenew single-

farrrily horrreuses about

13,000 boardfeet of

softw oodlr4rnber and

9�500 squarefeet of wood

panels.

68 + Uslhlc 78K Rfsourrcf

over the stern of tugboat PAT Pioneer andshackles the boat to l I.2 million pounds offloating cellulose � an estimated 8,400individual Douglas fir logs,

Among these logs is broken bundle9395, which contains the tree cut by Stewartmore than a month earlier.

At the wheel of the 6&.foot Pioneer

stands Doug Vondersrnith, 57, an employeeof Pope dx Talbot for 22 years. The boat edgesforward, playing out 1,NO feet of tow cable.That's enough distance to reduce drag fromthe wash of the tug's propeller.

The boat emits a Iow, grumbling noise,The cable grows taut. The giant woodenrectangle begins to move.

Today's tow is four complete Iog rafts,84f! feet long and I40 feet wide. That's nearlythe length of three football fields, though notquite the width of one,

tl:55 a.m.: The Iog tow passes the maindock at the Port Cambie mill and proceedstoward the storage area beyond the mill.

Herc it will stay until the saws are spinningagain.

Nov. 1: Just three weeks beforeThanksgrvrng, null manager jerry Clark hasgood news and bad news for his crews, Therrritt will reopen Nov. l2, but with one shiftinstead of two. Sixty-eight hourly employeeswill not come hack. In addition, l5 supervi-sors will be removed from thc payroll.

"I thought I had the toughest job of mylife when I faced those guys a month ago,"said Clark. "Now I have to do it. over again,and there's some perrnanencv this hone."

A feeling of uncertainty has seepedinto thc souls of the men and women who

depend on trees for a living.Times are changing. Nobody wants the

Hood Canal region to stop growing trees,but the issue is complicated. Thc region is n.olonger dominated by a single-mindedindustry, In Hood Canal, the days of endlesstimber are coming to an end.

St«''p gr <t« i t tti<' < t<v ' <d « k<< t<'< r< t tlirt the li <st <r<» < < « ! no<'ttl<kf f<v

«»< < < < I tit t < r tM< ««t g.

OOOO' ~ t ~ ~ ~

SEXTON

3

THE

EcoNOKQW

OF A

ClX~R Ctv

Bit Jack S<ar tts»t

ike 1 land ly nudges thecontrol knob gently wtth hisright hand and 500 board feetof prime Douglas fir nestlesinto place on the back of thelogging truck below him.

Suddenly the big diesel engine powering hisloader begins to chortle and cough, thenchugs to a halt.

Cussing a blue streak, Handlv swingsout of the big loader.

"Ran out of expletive deleted! fuel,"he yeHs to the truck driver, asking him topull his rig forward. Then Handly sprints upthe road to a battered pickup carrying a tankof diesel fuel. Another vehicle is blocking theroad. Handly swears some mote and sprints

otf to find the driver and his keys."TKis is the way logging is," he veHs

over his sh rulder, "lt's a full-bore-h~occupation!"

The break in routine is rare for 1 landlvand his crew They get nobreaks. No]unchbreak, no potty break, no coffee break. Fromdawn to dusk, they don't stop unlesssomething forces them.

Handly has been a logger all of his life,So has his dad, Pat 1 iandiv, who also lives inQu ilcene.

"F ve been doing this since 1 was bigenough to go out and sct chokers," he laughsin a deep whiskey baritone. He was 12 at thehme. At age ~5, he got together enoughequipment and a cmw to go into business for

70 ~ Us!WIG THF. REsOURCf

~ OOO ~ OOO ~ ~

Handly andhis crew don' t/rave time to

stop anddeba te thewisdorrt ofclearcuts or

spotted owlhabitat. That' ssornetlnng tire

land owner

Iras to urorryabout.

Hand]y and his crew of se~ cn havespent the last four months kigging this pieceof land. Thev have a co~pie more iveeks tofinish pu!Ling the logs out and getting thc]and ready for replanting.

Then he will move his equipment out,

himself. That was in 1983,Handly is a barrel-eh~ted 6-footer

with a gnzz]ed beard, Two centuries ago, hewould have been a pirate. A century ago, atrapper, ntiner � or logger, probably righthere on the frontier. He is single. Loggingdoesn't leave a lot of time For long-termrelationships, he says.

Hand ly and his men are just Finishing a90-acre clearcut high above Hood Canal. The!and is steep hiBside over]ooking theDosewallips River about 2,000 feet above sealevel.

Because the Land is so steep,clearcutting is the only practica! way to log.That was decided by the property owner, notHandly. If the ]a nd had been more level, itcould have been logged selectively, using atractor or other equipment to skid the logsout to where they could be !oaded ontotrucks.

But in this case, Hand ly has to use adevice called a "yard er," a tall pole attachedto a truck bed, fastened to the ground withheavy cables, Atop the po!e is a 2,000-foot-long loop of steel cable that stretches downthe hill and is attached to a pulley hooked toa tree.

One of Handly's crewmen operates theyarder from a cab at the base of the pole.Four 20-foot-long cables called "chokcrs"dangle from the middle of the Iong wire.Half a mile down the hillside where freshlycut logs lie like matchsticks, three chokerrnenwait for the dangling cables.

Tim Love, Handly's rigging slinger,presses a button on a radio-control deviceattached to his belt, which sets oft a series ofblasts on an air horn atop the yarder. That' sthc signal for the cable operator to send thechokers downhi]l to the men, They grab thechokers and wra p them round the butt endof the logs, then Love signals again and theyardcr engineer winches them up the hi!!,depositing them in a pi!e beside Handly'sloader.

Another chokerman working next tothe loader re]eases the cables, then dances

nunbly along the logs, cutting them topr<iper length w ith a chamsaw.

repair the roads and culverls behind himand move on to the next job � � if there is one.

Handly has no job to move on to. Thebottom has dropped out of the lumbermarket because of the nationwide slowdownin home construction. Mil]s are c losing.Hundreds of independent loggers likeHandly are out of work, and the usedequipment market. is Hooded with loaders,tractors and other rigs.

It's not the spotted ow] that's causingproblems for Handly. It's not the debate overcutting old-growth forests. It's the economy.People aren't buying houses anymore.

During a brief brcak, I land]y chatswith two young hikers who ask how to getto a hiking trail above where his crew isworking. He explains they can't get past hisrig on the road right now and that heinformed the Forest Service he would bcworking in the area.

The hi kers aren't very nice abou t it,and one of them makes a snide remark abouthow many spotted owls Mike and his <~kiUed that day. Hand ly scoivL but keeps hiscool, remarking that this isn't a very goodspot to pick a fight with a bunch of !oggers,

He asks them what they do for a livingand thev say they work at Pu get SoundNava] Shipyard on nuclear weapon systems.After the hikers drive off in search of anothertrail, he makes it clear how he feels aboutpeople who work on nuclear weapons thencliinbs back into his rig.

Anv visitor to thc area Handly is

clearcuthng wou]d be struck by the beautyof it. The hills, covered by the patchwork ofother clearcuts, drop down to ]1ood Canal inthe distance, and on a clear day you can seeSeattle's skyscrapers. The air is clean andcarries the pungent aroma of diesel exhaus.tand crushed fir needles.

The visitor has time to take in thescenery. Handly's crew scorns oblivious to itai]. They' re too busy keeping alive,

Ikandly and his crew are typical. Theydon't have time to stop and debate thewisdom of clearcuts or spotted owl habitat.That's someth!ng the land owner has toworry about,

Handly has other things hc has toworry about: kccping his equipment nun-ning, moving out 15 to 20 loads of logs a da v.scag that none of his men gets hurt andmaking sure everybody gets paid.

V/hen I landly is Finished, the 90 acresof 90-year-old trees wn! I have provided 13

people with jobs for between two and fourmonths, depending on the work they weredoing. That crew consisted of two sawyers,four chokermcn, a yarder engineer, fivetruck drivers and Handly, who operates thelog loader.

Only f1~ e of the men actually workdirectly for Handly on the site, The sa v gersare independent contractors whose work isdnne when the last tree hits the dirt, Thetruck dri vers work for the truck owners, whorent their rigs out tn Hand ly by the load orby the day.

Each working day I Iandly and his menfill those five trucks three or four times withbetween 50,000 and 75,000 pounds of wood� 20 tn 25 logs con.taming about 5,000 hoardfat of raw lumber.

In all, Ilandly expects the 90 acres toyield up about 3.7 million board feet oftimber. At a market price of between $450and $500 a thousand board feet, that timberis probably v orth in the neighborhnod of$1.5 millinn. Handly ends up only with asmaII percentage of the total.

The world of logging economics ispretty complex. According to john Walter,timber lands vice president of Pope Re-sources, Pope bought the property severalyears agn as part of a 1,200-acre purchase. Ithad previously been Crown Zellerbach land.

Thc parcel had been logged around theturn of the century but was not replanted.The natural regrowth was extremely denseand full of debris that needed to be cleanedout, Walter said. About two years ago, Popesold the "stumpage" or the right to cut thetrees, to ITT-Rayonier,

Under the contract, 1'npe continued tonv 'n the logs unhl they were cut. Aftercutting ITT had to pay Pope a certain fixedprice for the timber. It the market price ishigher now than the price Pope sold it for,ITT makes money. If it's lower than the fixedprice, Pope makes morc than it v:ould haveif it had harvested the trees itselt.

''That's why, at times, hmber safes likethese canbe a very advantageous tool,"Walter said. "If the market is low, people arewilling to speculate that the market will goup later on. On the other hand, the marketcan work against you."

The contract specifies that the trcxs hadto be cut by March 1991 or ownership v ouldreturn to Pope. ITT snld the Douglas fir logs

to Pope k Talbot PIVOT and Pope used to beone company! and decided to keep thehemlock taken from the property. ITT soldthe pulpwnod to a Port Angeles firm.I Iandly was hired by ITT to do the logging.

When the trucks lea ve the mountain,Handly never sees the logs again. They aremeasured at a scaling yard, where a com-puter estimates the board feet contained ineach log. It spits out a ticket that shows thecredits that arc added to I'I'T's account Thetrucker takes the logs to Pope & Talbot'sholding pond near Port Ludlow, where theyare dumped intn thc water and stored forlater processing.

Handly gets roughly one-third of theproceeds from each load. Figure a truckholds 5,000 board feet at $450 per thousand,that's $2,250 per load. He has five trucks andeach makes three trips a day, so that' s$33,750 and his one-third comes to $11,250per day.

But he has to pay the truck owner $130pcr load in rent and each of his men around5120 per day plus ben.efits. And his tuel biIIcomes to around $3,500 per day.

"I figure I' ve gotta have at least $2,300a day after expenses to pay for all of the mcnand the state industrial insurance," Handlysaid, "And diesel fuel just went up another30 cents a gallon. So that doesn't leavemuch."

Out nf what's left over, Handly has tnpay for the equipment, repairs and rnaintc-nance. Hc figures he has mnre than $100,000invested in equipment. Add everything upand Handly figures his company vMI show agross income of more than $100+% thisyear, but he personally will end up withabout the same amount his men make.

"It all depends nn how gnod a loggeryou arc," he savs. '1t's a matter of produc-tion. You gotta get the wood out,"

There's one big difference, however,between Jvfike and his men. When they getlaid off, thev can applv for unemploymentcompensation. If Ha»dl v can't come up v ithanother logging contract, he will have to goh»cwork for somebody else � if he can findsomeone who is hiring. If he couIdn' t Iog,what would hc do?

"1%hat I reallv vcant to do is aII Tveever done," he said. "I wish we could keeplogging. If 1 can' t do that, I guess I'd want towork with equipment of some kind. But Ijust don't know what else I would do."

~ OOt ~ ~ ~ OO ~

Handly has tomorry aboutkeeping hisequipmentrunning,

moving out 15to 20 loads oflogs a day,seeing thatnorte of his

men gets hurtand rnakrng

sure everybodygets paid.

72 ' ~ UsllvG THF REM>URcf

0 ~ Olt ~ 0 ~ ~ ~

Eadr arorkirrgday Harrdfyamd his merr

f'ia fr'ee tngeksthat ar forrr

tinm udge 20to 25 hy

colr tat'rrt'rrgabost 5,000board feet ofraw timber.

L,ex>,t.vG ~ 73

Logging Is Region's Bread and Bulter

0 ~ OO ~ 0 ~ ~ OO

"1t all dependson how good rtlogger you are.lt's a nratter of

production.You gotta get

the wood out."� Mike Handly,

Quilccne

As a region, the area west of HoodCanal produces more hmber thanany other similar-sized area in the

state except for Lewis and Cowlitzcounties to the south.

Mason and Jefferson counties ranksixth and eighth, respective! y, among the19 counties west of the Cascades inamount of timber harvested in 1989.jefferson County produced more timberfrom state-owned land last year than anyother county in the state.

Kitsap County, which forms thecanal's eastern border, is at the bottom ofthe list in timber production, however. Itranks 17th and produced less than 1percent of Western Washington's 1989harvest,

Nevertheless, it is home to one ofHood Canal's oldest and most productivemills, Pope & Talbot in Port Gamble at thehead of the canal.

Pope Resources, a tnnber and landdevelopment company with headquartersin Poulsbo, is one of the major landowners on the canal.

Looking at the three-county area asa whole, officials say one of every fourpersons owes his livelihood to the timberindustry. Dependence on timber isheaviest in Mason County where 6rnber-related firms are seven of the top 10employers and pmvide more than 1,7%

jobs. Nearly 15 percent of those who holdjobs in Mason County work for timber-related firms.

Ln Jefferson County, nearly 8 percentof the work force is employed in timberproduction or processing.

No one tracks timber and jobs justfor the Hood Canal watershed, butofficials say they believe the dependenceon timber-related jobs is somewhat higherin the small tov ~ that ring the canal thanoverall county figures suggest.

Towns like Hoodsport and Quilcenehave dozens � perhaps even hundreds� of small, independent "gypo" loggers.Many famihes subsist on the income of asingle logging truck or bulldozer. Count-less others work sporadically as chokersetters and sawyers for independentloggers.

As a result, officials say the numberof persons amund Hood Canal whodepend on the timber industry for jobscould be as high as 50 percent.

For the Olympic Penmsula as awhole, more thamore than $305from the timber46�00 personsdirect and indirecteconomy amountbillion, accordinconducted by ind

74 ~ UsrHG rHE Rrsouacr

~ 5 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0

S~ 4

WHo ChesTTa CANALWA~IED

Ry Tra vis ftrrker

imber is a garne played withthousand-acre chips, and in theHorxd Canal basin, Pope Re-srrurccs is the private operatorv.4th the biggest stack.

its stack still is smaller thanthat held by the federal governmcmt. Butamong private owners, no one rivals pope'sapprox irnatc ly 60,000 acres in the watershed.

That private ownership has been in tluxin Jefterson and Kitsap County, but relativelystable in Mason, where Simpson Timber Co.ts king,. While only H,Al0 ot Simpson's l 70,000acres in Mason County are on the slopcwdraining into the canal, Simpson is still thesecond largest private timberland owner inthe watershcQ,

Current Hood Canal timberlandownership includes three comparues withexpenence in residenhal and cornnrercial

development, plus a major insurance corn-pa ny. But there appear to be no active plansto convert any substantial anrount of canalforest land tn any other use.

Onlv one company, C hristrnas treegrorver G.R. Ark tn Mason Countv, seesshort-range likelihood of conversion fromtimberland.

Jefferson County has seen the mostactive trading in timberland.

Pope is the big player there, but othe~include a real estate arm of Traveler' sInsurance, with 4,600 acres in the watershed,and about '12,000 total in eastern Jefferson;Pacific Funding Corp. of Lynmvood v 'ithabout 3,000 acres; and AXE Forests of PugetSound, owned by a Dane, Sorn Nymark, analholder of 4,600 canal acres. Ivfanke & Sons ofTacoma has only 660 acres in Jefferson, butmore in Kitsap and Mason, and TrIHiumCorp. of Bellingham has recently acquired630 acres of canal timberland.

Pope Resources, Pacific Funding andTrillium are the three who have ties tn

development. Pope has thousands of acresconverted to housing or about to be, butalmost none of it is in the canal watershed.Pacific Funding is orvned by some nf thesame people who own First Western Devel-opment, which builds and owns shoppingcenters. Mile Hill Plaza, Target Plaza andWinslow Village in Kitsap Cou ntv arc FirstWestern projects. Trillium is part ommer ofthe Semia hrnoo Resort in Wh*tcorn County,and Belles Faire Mall in Bellingharn is onland it put together.

L<+-,~,rx c, ~,:5 J I1

76 + UsÃG THE' Rssortitcr

~ a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

No prfvateleefowser

nhruls Pope' sapproxfrftateiyNP00 aces in

the HoodCetai

urateshef.

The corporate raid of Cro»y Bn~r Sir James Goldsmith

led to liquidation by his companyCavenharn, of its Jefferson C~ +»d, which has been bought by vowners,

John Calhoun, the Olympic Regionmanager for the state Department of NaturalResources, called the buy-log-and-sellpractices of Cavenharn "despicable forestry."But DNR was unable to require any more ofCavenham than that it replant the loggedacreage as demanded by state law. Though ittook longer than DNR would ha ve liked, it' snow all replanted, said Calhovn.

Travelers, ANE and Pope Resourcesare among those who own some of the landnow,

Pacific Funding traded some of its landwith Pope Rescrurom and acquired most nfthe rest from a Taiwanese owner calledGolden Springs, Like Ca venharn, GoldenSprings was slow to replant after loggingand paid little attenhon to the long-termwelfare of the land, said Calhoun,

John Walter, vice president for timber-lands at Pope Resources, says up to 45percent of the young trees on a parcel itacquired from Golden Springs will have tobe replaced. The replanting was done toolong after logging, he said.

TriBium picked up its Jefferson Countyland from Georgia Pacific,

ln Mason County, the major canalowners other than Simpson are 4r Angeles-based J. Hofert Co. and G.R. Kirk Co. ofTacoma. Both are Christmas tree growerswho have been in the cou nty for decades.Scott Scott, a Hofert vice president, estimatesit has 2,000 acres in the canal watershed. RickKirk of the Tacnma firm said 3S00 acres onthe Tahuya Peninsula are the bulk of itsholdings.

Pope far exceeds an y other owner inberland in Kitsap County. there are few

other large blocks of ownership in the canalwatershed, Manke k Sons of Tacoma

appears to be the only one with more than athousand acres. The Overton family ofOlympia owns a Iot of land west ofBremerton National Airport, but only a fewhundred acres drain toward flood Canal,said Peter Overton.

Policies nn rnanagernent of the landand its harvesting vary among the compa-nies. Since Pope and Simpson have the most

land, their policies have the most to sayabout the future ot the canal,

Both log annually, aiming for what isessentiallv an industry standard of harvest-ing 1 '/r - 2 percent of their lands each yearThat allows a 50-to-H.!-year cycle in whichpart of their tunber is reachi ng maturity allthe hme. But both emphasize that marketfluctuations increase and decrease any year' sharvest as thev try to get the best price forthe tunber.

Both Pope and Simpson are trying to"block up" their holdings, consolidatingthem in a few areas through trades withother owners so they can avoid trying tomanage widely spread parcels, Pope su rren-dered 6,000 acres south of Hood Cana 1 inMason County in a three-way h'ade under~ hich it acquired timber on state land,Simpson blocked up its Mason Countyholdings and the state got some Simpsonland.

Aside from that trade, said GeorgeFolquet, president of Pope Resources, hiscompany is seeking to increase its land base

ALl tunberland owners who log vseclearcut ting in mature stands. Nearly all alsodo commercial thinning, in which selectedtrees are taken. That makes room for theremaining trees to gruw while generatingrevenue from sale of the trees taken.

Some are logging very httle Buyers ofCavenharn and Golden Springs land weren tleft much to log, ANE Forests, for example,logged three of its Jefferson County acres in1990, Pacific Funding an estimated 50 acres,Trillium none and Travelers almost none. Allhave larger holdings in other parts of thestate or nahon they will log while waiting fortheir Jeff'erson trees to grow, they say.

Only Kirk foresees subdivision of itsproductive land in the near future. PresidentRick Kirk said the trend in Christmas trms istoward sheared trees grown on fertile landsuch as the company owns in ThurstonCounty. That is making its 3~ acres inMason County more and more marginal. Itsrural location, however, would dictatesubdivision into only large lots if that is whatthe company decides to do with it in thefuture.

As poor as it is, the Tahuya Peninsulaland produced 120+30 cut trees last Christ-rnas, about 10 percent of Kirk's production.he said,

Le@as'vr ~ 7

Seeks Commitrnertt to the Land

~ a ~ 1 ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~

Both Pope andSimpson log

annually,haves trng

2 r/z-2

percent of ther'rlands each

year. Thatallows a 50-

to-60-yeargrowth cycle.

By Travi~ Baker

axation of timberland in Wiashing-ton state has followed a basicpremise for nearly two decades.The premise is that the owner,

government and public benefit whentimber is taxed at cutting rather thanannually as it grows.

Prior to 1971, timberland was taxedas any other real property � each year,based on the county assessor's estimate ofits value with the timber included, saidBill Derkland, fonest property tax pro-gram manager for the state Department ofRevenue,

Annual taxation created an incen-tive to cut the timber, eliminahng forest-Iand, said Derkland. By harvesting, theland owner reduced his property taxesand took the revenue ~nted by thetrees.

In 1971, the Legislature moved toreduce that incentive. The biggest tax bite,it decided, should come when the treesare cut

Annual property taxes were greatlyreduced. The state Department of Rev-enue established a 29-category ranking oftimber land, based on its productivity andthe ease of logging it,

Each year since, the state hasestablished a value per acre for each of the29 categories,

Those values are much lower tha nunder the "highest and best use" standardthat county assessors apply to other land.Kitsap County Assessor Carol Belasestimates them to be only 3 percent ofnormal value, on average. On an 885-acreparcel on Bainbridge Island, it was doserto 1 percent.

And no annual tax is paid an thetunber on the land.

Statewide, the designated values ofberland range from $1 to $135 per acreyear. Most timberland in Mason,

Kitsap and jefferson counties is in amedium category valued by the state atbetween $70 and $100 per acre.

In return for the minimal valuations,the state collects a 5 percent excise tax onthe timber when it's cut.

And, if the owner removes landfrom the forestry classification, the statec~ a rollback tax that is greater thanthe owner would have paid over 10 yearshad the land not been designated forforestry.

Four-fifths of the 5 percent tax fromlogging on private land goes to thecounties. All 5 percent from logging ongovernment land goes to the state.

The paymen ts are mad e to the statequarterly. Much like federal income tax,payments are on the honor system, withpenalties of up to 50 percent, plus mterest,for inaccurate reparting, when it iscaught.

A 1&year mllback of taxes on landbeing withdrawn from timber classifica-tion can be a windfall for counties andother local governments if the land is man area with escalating property values,said Derkland.

When land is withdrawn fromforestry taxation, the county assessorcalculates its current value, subtracts itsfor'est land value, and the county thenapplies the current tax rate to that value.The result is mulhplied times 10, and thelard owner must pay that amount.

If land values in that area have, say,doubled m those 10 years, the rollbackamount paid for each of the 10 yearscould be as much as doub}e what thecompany actuallv would have paid hadthe land not been taxed as timberland.

There have been no recent conver-sions of tiznberland in Kitsap's portion ofthe Hood Canal basin, Belas said.

78 ~ Usest: reise ResoerRcs

0 ~ ~ OO ~ ttO ~

RCTTON 5

LOGGING

THREE

Cut Out of the Future?

Quicene logger Dick Pederson has hissha re of beunps, bruises, cuts, andstitches to show for a steady 2l yearsof work in the woods."I cut it right down to the bone; the

only thing that stopped the blade was myknuckle," Pederson says, pointing to a scaron his hand, "And the hrne I had 37 stitches

in my neck when I fell down and the sharpteeth of the saw ripped into rne."

Ped erson's experiences would notdispute Department of Labor and Industriesstatishcs that say logging is the most danger-ous occupation in the state, A total of 163loggers lost their lives m the woods between1980 and 1990,

lt is a measure of the people who dothe work that they continue despite thesestatistics, and despite an increasing crunchon the number of logging jobs available inWashington generally, and in the HoodCanal watershed in particular.

It's not that there aren't rewards.

Vederson ea rrLs between $150 and $200a day cutting trees, and wonders where elsea 42-year-old with no high school diplomacan get a job with that kind of pay.

Logging is what he knows, what hcfeels comfortable with. He can't picturehixnself in a n office job, But he sees thatthere's little future in logging and he hopehe' ll be able to shck with it for another fiveyea rs, long enough to pay for his new truck.

'1f there is a normal job that someonewould train me for, ... I' ll take it," he says.

After his current job, a dearcut onForest Service land in the Dungenesswatershed, there isn't another one in thetoreseeable future. The job is supposed tokeep him busy for eight tnonths, but thereare no more timber sales pending. And thereis always the threat that the Forest Servicemight revoke the cutbng permit if spottedowls are located In the area.

"I won't take my kids out in thewoods," Pcderson savs as he sights the leanof a second-growth Douglas fir he preparesto fell near Slab Camp south of Sequim. I ledoesn't want them to get hooked on it like hedid as a kid. "There's not much of a future!eft in this business," he sighs.

Thc stocky Pederson is a proud manwho moved to Quilcene when he w as 3. 1 Iebegan working in the wood s as a teenager,

joining with his father, Harold, v" ho hadhva logging for 37 years,

Pederson began first by runnutg theheavy equipment cat, then moved up to theskidder., and on to cutting standing timber.

While he takes pride in his work, hiswife Celine hesitates to mention in publicwhat her husband does for a living. Somepeople have confronted them and called hima tree killer, Pederson says.

His typical day begins at 5 a.m. 15edresses in a worn plaid shirt and ankle-length logging jeans that are held up bytypical red suspenders. After grabbing aquick breakfast, he carpools with two fellowloggers to the logging site,

"lt's dark w hen 1 leave in the morningand dark when 1 get home," he says.Twelve-hour days are not unusual for alogger.

As a light rain falls at the l~~~ing site,the three men part to go to their respectivejobs. Pederson heads to the woods, whileKcn Akerman from Quilcenc jumps into theskidder, and Bud Smith of Hrinnon startsbucking, fallen timber.

Pederson moves fram trcc to tree,ln each case, he first decides which

way he wants it to fa 11. 1 fc then yanks thestarter pull on his chainsaw and begins tofashion the notch that direct~ the tree'sdescent.

With the wood from the notch re-moved, 1'cderson cuts from the opposite sideof the tree along the plane sct by the top cuto the notch. Using a bright orange axc, hehammers in a plastic wedge that keeps theweight of the tree from binding the saw bar.

Before the backcut reaches the notch,the tree begins to creak, The fall beginsslowly as the wood fibers that still hold thetrunk upright begin to crack, but thenaccelerates quickly as the weight of thc treepulls it aff the stump.

The cut continues as the tree begins itsdescent, one last opportunity to alter thedirection of the fall.

As soon as it's dowm, Pederson jumpsup on thc tree in his cork boots, measuresand marks the tree for log lengths.

The process is repeated 39 times inPederson's typical day in the woods.

Celine, Dick's wife af one year, is busyin the kitchen of their home on the bend otthe Little Quilcenc River just outside of

town. She knows hcr husband will behungry when he v, a lks in the back door,

About S p,m., Akennan dropsI'ederson at the house. Dick arnbushcsCeliac with a kiss, then goes straight to theshower to wash aff the accumulation of dirt,grease, sawdust, and sweat.

Cleaned, and in Fresh clothes, he comesto the dinner table with Celinc, son ]ushn, 12,and a friend of !u shn's.

After dinner 1'ederson has but a shorttime to play with his sun before it's bcd hme,The two go aut into the living room to shootducks on the Nintendo garne.

Celinc Vedcrson tries not to think toomuch about thc possibility that Dick will losehis jab. An estimated ~~,NN timber industn,jobs in Washington, Oregon and northernCalifornia are expected to disappear in thc

80 ~ Usrvc rirr. Rzsourro

~t decade because of the proposals to setold stands of timber aside for owl habitat.

But inany 'more pbs have been lost inrecent years as the industry has automated.These days, only seven loggers are employedin a crew that clearcuts 90 acres

Celine instantly fell in love with

Quindene when she moved from Tenino in1988. Where else can you leave your doorsunlocked, plus hurit, fish, collect oysters, orgo crabbing right outside your door?

The Pedersons wish they could livethere forever.

But in a small hmber town, there aren' tmany ol her kinds of jobs available a ndgrowth is slow, They admit they rray haveto leave, but Pederson says he would gocrazy in a big town,

Nest Egg Sound by an Owl

~ ~ a ~ ~ e ~ 0 ~ ~

"Jf there is anormal j ob

tttat someone

waald train nte

floor,, I' ll takeit. I won't take

ney kids osrt inthe woods.77m@'s not

rlQ4chI gf af'stare hft in

tht's brassiness."� Dick Pedc~

>y > rry Sfeagalf

About 50 years ago, Jim Goodpaster Sr.

had a good idea. He was helping tolog a nice stand of timber above lake

Cushman when it occurred to hun that theland might be worth something someday.

lt certainly wasn't then. After thelogging was done, the land was prachcallyworthless. It would take another 50 to 90years for a new crop to grow.

Good paster bought the 80 acres for$240 � $30 an acre, Oh, well. It was, hedecided, a good investment for his old age.

He was wrong.ln July of 1990, Goodpaster,84 and

dying, needed the return on that investment.Unable to care for himself, he was bed-ridden in a Shelton nursing horne that wasaishng his familv $75 a day, The timber onthat 80 acres up near La ke Cushman wasnow worth nearly half a million dollars.

The only thing standing in the waywas a spotted owl two miles away on federalland.

The Goodpaster family's predicamentprovides a prime example of the legaltangles private timber owners can fmdthemselves in as a result of efforts to save thethreatened spotted owl,

Vahonaily, the controveisy over theowl has revolved around setting aside old-g«wth timber stands in national forests inWashington, Oregon and California. Thoseregulations say nothing about protecting

them on private or state land.But in Washington, the state Depart-

ment of Natural Resources has set upguidelines to protect the owls by prohibitingcutting trees on state and private land withinas little as rw o miles and as much as fourmiles from where an owl is seen or known tobe nesting.

There was never a suggestion that owlsmight live on Goodpaster's land. It wassecond-growth forest, after all, and it is weJIknown that spotted owls live in old-growthor virgin timber where decayed treesprovide lots of homesites for the owl' sfavorite food � Hying squirrels.

But when Jim Goodpaster Jr. went tothe DNR to obtain a cutting permit for hisfather's land, he was to]d he couldn't get oneuntil someone from the state Department ofWildlife did an owl survey. The DNR toldhim a spotted owl had been seen on nationalforest land within 2 '/~ miles of theGoodpaster property.

DNR officials are quick to point outthat it was the timing more than a ny thingeLse that caused the delays on Goodpaster'sapplicahon.

"Our agency was scrambling to figureout how to administer the new federalregulations," said Ben Cleveland, regionalresource protection specialist in DVR'sEnumclaw office, which oversees theHoodsport area. "There was confusion ov'erimplementahon of the new regula tions andthe effect on our regulations."

Jim Jr. was furious, "Here we haveprivate land that has been logged before andwe can't get permits to log our own land.That's not right," he said. "Our security wasthat land,"

Jim Jr. is a huge, friendly bear of a manwho operates heavy equipment for a livingand lives in I lood sport. He is one of threechildren in the Good paster family Hismother also resides in Hood sport,

He readily agreed to give us a tour o the prcrperty, talking a mile a minute ariddriving two. When Goodpaster drives alogging road, you don't take notes, Youbrace your feet, grit your teeth and ha ng on

Not only was the family having aproblem with Goodpaster Sr.'s medical bills,he explained, time was against thcrn forgetting the land logged at all this year.Because the land is part of the l akeCushman drainage, logging would be

impossible after the fall rains began.Goodpaster Jr. would have to wait until nextspring � "and who knows what regulationswill be in effect then?" he said,

Another major concern was what thetimber market might do in the next severalmonths, The housing market already wascooling off nationally and prices were gettingsoft. Jim Jr, figured the property has about1.6 million boaR feet ot timber on it thatwould have sold in Ju.ne 1990 for between$430,000 and $500,000.

"That's grass," he growled, shovingharder on the gas pedal of his four-wheel-drive pickup, scndmg dust flying on thenarrow road. "By the time wc pay 30 percentlogging cost, a 5 percent timber tax, 1.3percent real eslatc tax, Mr 0 tax, corporationtax and personal income tax, there's notgoing to bc a lot left. We' ll be damned luckyif we cnd up with a fev thousand. Mean-while, the property has been raped and thenwe' re looking at another 50 years before itcan be loge again."

S uddenly, the whole equationchanged.

"Dad's death has eased things," JimGoodpaster jr. said in <Vovcmber I~."I~g is no longer a necessity. It's now amatter of if we gct the opportunity, shouldwe? Because it we don't do it now, we maynot get another one."

The rainy season has begun. Thebottom has dropped out of the timbermarket. Although the price for Douglas firremains fairly high, the price of alder andother timber on the properh. has declined at

It isn't just the 80-acrc piece the familyworries about. Good paster Sr., who spent 28years as a Mason County school superinten-dent, collected about 650 acres of land insmall parcels around the county. Severalyears ago, he underwent surgery to removea brain tumor, and afterward his healthbegan to decline. The family set up a trust topay Jim Sr,'s medical expenses, and themoney from the timber sale was suppose togo into that.

His son worries about whether the

family v % have the same problems loggingthe oth er parcels as they have with thc BO-acre piece near Lake Cushman.

August went by, then September.Goodpastcr Sr.'s condition grew worse. JimJr, finally was able to get someone to come inand look for owls. He smirks at the scientific

methodology used for the survey."You call this owl lady," he said, "She

comes and looks at the land, If she sees anowI, she is supposed to give it a dead mouse.If the owl jumps up into a tree and eats thcmouse, it's just a transient owl that livessomeplace else

"But if it flies off with the mouse to anest nearby, you' re in trouble."

ln September, the DNR told theGoodpasters their land was clear of owls and

wasn' t considered suitable owl habitat. Thcfirst week of October, Jim Jr. got the cuttingpermit.

On Oct. 8, 1990, Jim Sr. died.

IQ ' ~ Usl& THf REKIURcf

0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

Rcpt CNt

hoot

Iterateleat that

has Itttttt

@gadbette rltdsee cd

gttpenefti trtlaN; 7hot'stsot tight.

Oat'

fttauftytlsLt that

~Pl

� JimCood~

Jr.

like a sharp bark than a hoot. "Oooh! Oooh<Oooo Hhh!"

The final note is louder and trails offmore s!owly. She waits a minute and repeatsthe series. Then she moves on through theforest another quarter of a mile and beginscalling again.

FinaUy, in the distance, her call isanswered. After a week of nights like this,the caller has found what she was lookingfor: a spotted owl. During the next fewminutes, if aU goes weU, the owl lady ysnjIcoax the ow! from his tree to a spot whereshe can slip the nylon loop at the end of herfishing pole around its neck and p!ace aplastic band around its leg. Feathers anddignity slig htly mussed, the ow! will get anice fat mouse for its trouble and will flyaway, hopefully to a nest nearby.

And for her troub! e, the owl lady willget to drav a circle on a map marking thehnme of another spotted owl, At the erid ofthe month, she will get * check for $9.68 toreach hour she spent out in the forest hooting>n the dark.

Bq facie Sttrinson

T he air !s chilly and the Seven Sisters areso bright in the sky overhead theyalmost hurt your eyes. The small

pickup with government license plates puUsto the side of the narrow dirt road and stops,

When the dcxir opens, the di1me lightsilhouHtcw the face cxf a young, pretty, dark-hairi'.d woman.

! t is 4 a.m., and she is 20 miles from thenean~t c! vU!jahon. A!one.

She doesn't waste time thin4ng aboutthe surnxindings. After locking the door, sheoptus the rear canopy door and dons heavyhiking bcxrts. She stuffs a plastic box full ofmicr. and a wa�e-ta!kie into the back of acoinbinahnn rucksack-vest. Rash!ight in onehand and surfing rod in the other, shetrudges into the thick forest, picking her v aycarefuUy through bou!ders and rotting logs.'&ere is no trail.

Dcr.'p inside the forest, she pauses,listens. Minutes gu by.

"Oooh'." she cups her hands aroundher mouth and the sound < mmes out more

If the Coodpasters go ahead and cutthis faU, they probably will end up with halfwhat they would have gotten last summer.What is the post-e!ection climate going to b»bke? What kind o regu!ations will be ineffect next year? Will prices go up or down?

Gxxlpaster brings the pickup to abouming halt on the edge of his propertyand climbs heavily out of the cab. He pointsout the tracks of dirt bikers who havetrespassed on the land, chewing up themuddy trail.

'simpson has quit buying altogetherand is talking about shutting down. Pope firTalbot shut down," he said "Everything isup in the air right now, A lot of owners areconverting their property to 5-acre tracts forrecrrmitional horme! tes,"

But Gxxl paster's property is land-}cxked with no access tu the Forest Servicetoad a couple of nii!es away. He ! cans anelbow on the Iip of the pickup bed and scansthe forest around him."Eventually, y e'U betike Europe," he said, "We'U be picking u psticks in the forest and the government willbe teUing everybody what they can and can' tcut,"

ln Seardt of an Elusive Owl

Ivy Otto, SI, grew up in lxtewark, lx.!.She is compact, sturdy and can walk the legsoff just about anybody. She wears red andgray tennis shoes, weU wotri, baggy blacknevis, a formless black sweatshirt withbrown logging shirt underneath and a bluenylon vest, Lots of layers for warmth.

She has been an owl lady since 1987."It goes back a long ways," she say»,

explaining hoyv she took up her unusualprofession. "My interest in biology goes ba ckto when I was a kid. ! started working for theForest Service on the Hood Cana! RangerDistrict, worked in hre suppression, fireguard, ended up going on a Iot of forest firesfor two summer seasons. In 1987, theyinerged the ranger districts and startedsurveving for spotted owls."

She got the job and later transferred tnthe Forest Service's research laboratory iiiOlympia.

"The lab is hying to find out exactlyhow many owls there are in the forest andtrying to leam more about the mortality,population changes and f!uctuahons. It' sresearch-oriented, where the district ismanagement-oriented, 'fhe district's task Lsto !ook at the effects of their management oswildlife."

B ut with recent ne~ federal regula tinri~

b~tvo ~ 83

iiv Oita

designed to protect the spotted owl as anendangered species, Otto's job has taken onnew significance. The research she anddowns of others like her do not only willhelp detenninc whether spotted ov lssurvive but how the entire forest industrycord ucts its business.

Thousands of jobs are at stake, not justamong loggers who ha ve depended unfederal tin>ber land for work.

Niext March when the state Depart-ment of Natural Resource~ places its newregulahons into effect, the existence of onepair of nesting spotted owls near state orprivate land can prevent harvest of timberwithin a 4-nule circle of their nest.

Rccause the stakes are so high, it is easyto understand why the government hashired people like Otto. They search theforests alone, counting and banding thcowls, checking ivhat they eat, mcasiiring thesize of the territory they claim for them-selves.

ln all of thc Olympic Peninsula, thereare only six owl counters like Otto. As of5990, they have found 23 adult owls and 10babies.

In thc forests surrounding Hood Canal,su rvcyors have found nine pairs of' owls.7hcir presence will have a major impact onthe amount of logging that will be donearound the canaL There will bc less loggingin the area than probably any time sincelogging began more than a century ago.

On a recent tall rooming, Otto left herOlympia home at 2 a.m. and drove to HoodCanal to talk about her work and trv to wooa spotted owl close enough for a photogra-pher to take its picture.

Hormones and thc time oi the yeardoomed the venture to failure, however. Amorning of hooting brought Otto only a sorethroat and the faint, distant bleats of apygmy owl in response. Spotted owlsgenerally only answer intruders in theirterritory d u ring spring mating season, sheexplained.

Do they actually cxpc~t to find everyowl on the Olympic Peninsula?

"Our goal is to find them all," shc said."It's my understanding there's an intensivestudy area on thc peninsula. They thinkthey'rc pretty close to having almost all thcpair sites down."

When they are found, the owls get

brightly colored lcg bands on either or bothlegs so trackers can teII them apart.

"%'hen you go back to the site the nextyear, you don't have to catch the bird andread the band again," Otto said. "You canjust look at the coior ot the bands. You canusually get close enough or sometiines theywill come down to you or will preen thein-selves and lift their Ieg up. And if you don' tsee it you keep going back until you do, untilyou' re sure they' re either banded or they' renot. And if they' re not, then vou bandthem."

The job looks a lot easier on the printedpage than in practice. What it means inreality is that Otto sometirncs has to spendnight after cold, lonely night out in tracklessndlderness. Owls, atter aU, are nocturnal.They hunt and feed at night.

L<x;t.txc ~ H5

0 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0

SE . IION 6

FOR Tr+BER

OR FOR TME

Er VIROX-

MMW?

By Christof ~fttvD ntrtgtt n

PO!h MtftttlCTC tt'dla.rtttaa!!v hntr tndrndc ~ hi tht r thehttt-s~t ot iota!tt trnd.-tn thr Heat Cnntt!avtrt.'!ad it t l pniieedttt a aey t!Mt 'errt trnrrttrerttn!! qhatt fg~t

mrn an airplane, the forests ofHood Canal seem to clothe thebare earth with quilted fabric.Green patches vary in texture,revealmg different ages of trees.Brown patches demarcate recent

clearcuts.Toward the west, Iagged mountain

peaks thrust upward to the sky. Below, aswath of blue water shines in the sunlight.

This is the Hood Canal watershed, afragile and interconnected ecosystem.

How people feel about this region-. and the decisions they make � will deter-mine what natural features remain for futuregenerations. In the intense debate over

forests, no two people see the value of treesin quite the same way.

To Gary Phillips, a logger fromQuilcene, a tree represents a way ot lifepassed down from his father and grandfa-ther. Cutting a tree means feedmg his farnil.yand providing raw material for someone' shouse.

To Aargon Steel, Adopt-A-Forestcoordinator for Washington Audubon, thetrees offer food and shelter for animalsranging from cougars to elk, from eagles tosalmon, not to mention the tiniest organismsat the beginrung of nature's food cham.

Still others see tn~ as part of thelandscape, an important element in the

S6 ~ Usr Nc, rirs RrsouRcp

~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 t ~ ~

'Vhe nrost

eeonotnica l'l'ydistressed

coantr'es irt the

Northwest are

those that

depend orrloggr'ng for

their

livelihood, The

most

prospproirs are

those that

have

trncha iried

themselves

jrom theirmills."

� Tim Egan,T]x Grxrtf Ra>n

beauty that defines Hood Canal today,Both Phillips and Steel have strong

feelings about trees and wildlife, but theyisa]ize the issues are far too complex toresort to convenient slogans, such as "Save atree; eat an owl."

Donna Simmons of Hoodsport, amember nf the state Ecological Cornrnission,has worked intensive]y on timber issues.N ceded more than anything, she says, arebrid ges of understanding.

"The reason the hmber industry is m acrisis today is not just because of crazyenvironrnentalists trying to lock up everystick of timber," she says. "There are issuesof export, automation � we can log 10 timesfaster with 10 times fewer people � as we]]as the over-harvesting of the past."

]t is weII understood that many speciesof wi]dlife would disappear without trees.But if uncontrolled logging threatens thenatural system, total preservation threatensthe human system.

Already, the impacts are being fell inthe timber market as the federal governmentprotects timber for wildlife habitat, said JerryClark, resident manager of the Pope &Talbot sawmill at Port Gamble.

"We' re going to price a lot of peopleout of the housing market," said Clark. "We,as the public, have to make some toughdecisions about how we want to approachour lifestyle."

Despite their successes, envirorunental-ists are noi celebrating. Lagging has beenhalted in many critica I areas of Olyrn pic'National Forest, but the northern spottedow] alone seems to be taking tbe heat.

Protecting the owl under the Endan-gered Species Act has disrupted old-growthJogging, mobilized special owl biologists andforced officials to look for oth er places to cuttimber.

But while everyone has his cyc on thespotted owl, it has been loo easy to forgetother animals also struggling to survi ve.Tb~r indude the ma*]ed muiretct, aseabird that nests in very old trees; the fisherand pine marten, weasel-like animaLs thatJive ui hollow logs; and the Roosevelt elk, amajestic beast w hose number.; have dec lineddrastically in some areas around HoodCanal.

Some envirunmenta lists ta]k abouthit ting the federal goi c~cnt with a

massive petition, asking that a host of otherforest species be considered for the end a n-gcrcd list.

"What we really need," says RobCrowley of Olympic Environmental Council,"i an endangered ecosystem act."

r/MQ]d-growth" is one type of forestecosystem targeted for protection as a resu]tof spotted owl studies. Protcchon measuresmay well save other species in the prcx~.

But Crowley worries that the spottedowl issue has failed to force federal officialsto consider the biological limits of humanactivities. The issue has simply shiftedaltention to trees that ca n bc marketedvrithout aftecting the spotted ow I itself.

"They are under a lot of pressure to getthe timber! volume out again, but with amuch-reduced land base," said Crow]ey.

But some gains have been made,Crowley, a Port Townsend resident, isparticipahng in a unique Forest Serviceexperiment in the Mount Walker area nearQuilcene. The concept is to evaluate thearea's resources � timber, wildlife, plants,dead material, ctc. � and decide how manytrees can be harvested and bv what method!without destroying the ecological health ofthe area. Xo targets for timber werc identi-fied in advance, as would normally be the

"We give up some of our advocacv rolein going into this kind of process," saidCrowley, "We have to recognize there arevalid concerns on the part of industry andthat some level of harvest is acceptable."

If successful, the program may encour-age other efforts of its kind.

Related issues are boiling up on stateand private ]ands. A critical winter range forRoosevelt elk along the Dosewallips River ison land owned by Pope Resources. Thecompany had proposed logging about 2,000acres needed by the elk.

That logging could have destroyed thelast of the Dusewallips herd, according toGreg Schirato, regional biologist for the stateDepartment of Wildlife.

Hk arc an important part of the HoodCanal ecosystem, said Schirato. They spendtheir summers in Olympic h'ationa] Park,then wander down though the nationalforest and onto private lands as snows chasethem out of the high country.

The national park was first forrnal in

~/a of

14. 413.89.57.66.86.36.25.25.04.94.8413,52.522200.8

1 Grays Harbor2 Iwwis3 Cowttiz4 Ctatlam5 Pacific6 Masan7 King8 Jefferson9 Skarnania

10 Snohomish11 Skagit12 Peirce13 Thorston14 lh'hate orn15 Clark16 Wahktakom17 Kitsap

Wee retiedCrder

5,434,879board feetforrves ted

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1909 as Mount Olympus h; ational Monu-rnent, primarily to protect the elk herds thathad been decimated by settlers. Today, elk inthe Hood Canal area may again be indanger,

Schirato guesses the combinedDosewallips and Duckabush herds may bedown to 80 animals from a 1984 estimate of127.

Elk populations have been squeezed bydeclining habitat as well as increasedhunting, said Schirato. Elk nLxxf a cornbina-tion of open range for grazing and protectivetrees for hiding and shelter. Clearcutsalready in the Dosewallips area have limitedforest habitat.

And, last year, 37 animals were killed,mostly by members of area indian tribes. Tribes establish their own hunting seasonsin "usual and accustomed" areas.!

"That herd," said Schirato, "couldn' tsustain another four or five years of that kindof harvest."

Hunting by both state residents andtribal members bas been limited to three-point bulls or larger this year to help tbeherd recover, h» said.

Pope Resources has been required todevelop a long-range strategy for protectingthe elk before the state will allow anyloggng on its private lands. 1 low the issuewill bc resolved is uncertain, said JohnWalter, vice president for timberlandmanagement.

"We arc in this business as timberlandowners to operate on a profit level," saidWalter. "We' re going to have to find abalance: v, hat rnanagernent is required fortimber, and what management is requiredfor v ildlife?"

Some private landowners don' tacknowledge their responsibility to ssdd lifeor to the public. Landowners do have rights,but some hold to a frontier ethic that saysthey should be able to use their land as theywisll.

Walter doesn't go that far. His com-pany � the largest private timber ovvner mthe Hotxi Canal region � was among thefirst to buv timberland with the idea ofkeeping it forever. But Walter does worrythat the public expects too mtrch.

"1 here seem~ to bc a tendency to wantto make the timber companies pav theprice," he said. "My fear, as a prnfessional inthis business, is that rc~rlations are going toget so strict that it will discourage timber

19B9 Tint her Harvesttn Western Washittgton

companies from hold ing onto their land."Then," he siid, "you will have a lot of

short-term investors buying thc land whodon't have much concern about stev, ard-ship."

Schirato says he recognizes Pope' sfinancial commitment, and he's trying towork out a plan that would allow somelogging over hme.

Out in the woods, it is not always easyto see the 1 m pacts ot logging. But a growingcadre ot foresters, biologists and hydrolo-psts are studying old logging methods andcorning up arit new approaches.

One afternoon in 1990, Robin Sanders,a technician with Olympic 'Jationa l Forest,shpfxxf on a pair nt hip boots and steppedinto the Big Quilcene River. Loose rockslittered tbe bottom ot the sv ift stream, Shemade her way quickly, but carefullv, fromone side to the other, stopping several timesto take v ater samples.

Erosion from logging activihes can bemeasured in the stream bv testing the water

~ ~ ~ s ~ ~ I ~ s ~

"Forestryneeds to

expand itsfocus beyond

wood

production tothe

perpetuationof diverse

forestecos ysfems."� Jerry Franklin

88 ' ~ USING 711E RESDURCE

~ ~ I ~ 0 ~ Oa ~ to

"lt took more

than 3,000yegrs t0 nrukesame 0f t!fetrees irI the

westenr

woods. Godoils camd forSese trees,sNrtd then

fnwr krnrgtrt,diserrse,

avallndres

usda

ttIOIssend

stnnningkveling

goods; ter t ~Crrrnrrrt SrrtIe

them Jtroggfoots."� John Ivlui

for suspended sediment. Some scxlimentrx:curs naturally, but history has proven thattogging can unleash huge quantities of silt�enOugh tO deStIOy Salmon runS.

Sanders, who works out of theQuite~ Ranger District, has been searchingfor sources of erosion all summer and fait.Today, the water remains clean, but pres-sures to preserve older forests may increasetogging in this area.

Kathy Snow, district ranger atQuilcene, says erosion in new areas beinglogged is not the problem it was even 10years ago, though past problems still plaguethe Hood Canal watershed.

RaadS CauSe the greatest prOblembecause they concentrate and acceleratewater mOvetnent. YeaiS agO, raad bankswere routinely "err t and filled" as theysnaked along the edge of a mountain, Oftenmaterial cut from the cliff was used to fillvaaeys crom' by the road. In hme, waterfallmg on the road would wash into thevalleys with enough energy to erode thefilled material,

New roads must avoid fill aItogether ifthere is a high danger of erosion.

Stilt, large portions of the Quilcene andHood Canal ranger districts look like atangle of rope when viewed on a map.Closing some reads � and possibly restor-ing the ground � have become major issues,

The Forest Service also is experiment-ing with new techniques of logging, includ-ing combining tradifional clearcutting withIhinning,

Under a national program called "NewPerspectives in h!restry," timber salemanagers are attempting to preserve fishand wildlife habitat as well as scenic quab-ties, while redudng water and air pollution.Every timber sale gets attention,

Along Townsend Creek a tributary tothe Big Quitcene!, loggers were directed toleave woody debris on the ground and not todisturb the forest floor, according to SteveRicketts, a forester in the Quilcene District. Inyears paSt, the entire area might haVe beenburned down to bare soil.

Rotting debris becomes the first habitatin the next forest. Hacteria and insects initiate

the food chain, encouraging birds and ~animals to move back over time,

When possible, standing snags ordying trees are lett as homes for wood~-ers and other critters that live within hol-lowed-out areas of the decaying wood, sai4Ricketts.

E very snowflake is different, they say~because of the many ways ice crystals canform. The same might be said of forests.

A 300-year-otd tree growing in goodsoil near Hood Canal would stand taller thamthe Same tree grOwn in pcxIr soils in the highwilderness country. One ancient forest is ness:the same as the next.

It's no wonder that there's confusionover what forests are needed to protect thespotted owl or that different groups havetheir own definition of "old growth."

Just as important, nobody is keepingtrack of the overatI Hood Canal ecosystemPrivate lands blend into state lands, whichblend into federat lands.

''The problem I have seen is that there.is not a lot of cooperative long-range plan-ning." said Simmons of the FxotogicalCoinmisaon. "I don' t think anyone knowshow much of the whole Hood Canal d rain-age can be harvested and converted to othe'uses. If we continue to chop it up into littlepieces and convert it to roads and houses, itIs gone,

"The reason we have to protect soheavily on federal lands," added Snow, "is-because the private lands were cut over somany years ago. Most forest lands have beemlost to urbanization."

Vital links among plant and arurnalspecies are beginni ng to unravel in the H~Canal area. It's up to humans to decide intheir cumbersome political way � how farthe damage will go.

"It's like we' ve been on a feedingfrenzy and now the bitt comes due," saidSteel of Washington Audubon, "I don't thinkwe have to throw everybody out of thewoods ... but we have to wake up and re~~iYs not morning in America anymore, It' state afternoon,"

i. <Itfc: ir»c'. t»vf 0'l»",tran.'I' rid»I'c» ip/Srelrvlr l»t iltt<' »tl lrr re»olden'd

<»etn»1»»»ttalty w»ntt

f the natural wonders of Hood Canalare to survive, logging achvities inprivately owned forests may be evenmore important than on state andfederal lands, observers sav.Some of the most important fish and

wildlife habitat can be found among the treeson private land, according to Marcy Golde ofthe Washington Environmental Cou neil.

"It's unportant that we start to look atthings as one forest," she said. 'I thinkthere's a growing understanding that youprotect wildlife by protecting the habitat."

The state's Timber, Fish and Wildlife TFW! agreement, which lias been in effectthree years, allowed scientists for the firsttime to scrutinize logging proposals onprivate land.

Biologists for the state Department ofFisheries and Department of Wildlife, as weUas for the Washington EnvirorvnentalCouncil and Indian tribes, are routinelymaking recommendations to protect naturalsystems.

"IFW has put a microscope on the

whole process of resource protection,' saidMike Reed, who reviews proposals for theS'Klallam Tribe. "What we are seei ng is nut apretty picture."

The Department of Natural Resources,which has the final say on logging applica-hons, does not always follov the recommen-dations. And biologists for every agcy~~ areoverburdened by the sheer number ofapplications,

"We' re in decline for a large numbi~ ofwildlife populations," said Reed. "Ourpolicies ... are not meeting the true functionalneeds for fish and wildlife populations. Wemust allow the landscape to be left in anunmanaged state or walk lightly across itv ithout disrupting the movemen ts ofwildlife species."

ln many places around Puget Sound, itis too late to preserve intact ea.~ysterns, butthere may be hope for Hood Canal.

Kitsap, Mason and Jefferson countygovernments must take an active role toprotect forest lands from urban sprawl,according to RcM. Once a forested area is

0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ tOO

SECTlu~ 7

TOWARD

TIMBERI~44 DS

bTACT

B q Chrr itoptre >Drorrrgau

~ ~ a ~ la ~ ot ~

"Ae prybkmirtr Net thee is

faota lot ofCOOPcNEtigtre~g-nmgf.PJ'eNN'ffg. IdosWAhk

aeysee bcygrsrhocp sech Of

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Sanmrxs, stateEmlqp>

~mmisrrion

developed with houses, it is lost as wildlifehabitat

On the other hand, logging activitiesneed not destroy flsh and wildlife habitat ifdone canefully, with an eye to resourceprotectlron, he added.

How to balance resource protectionwith the finarrcial interests of timber ownerswas the goal of the Sustainable ForestryRoundtable, which brought together land-owner, state agencies, counties, environ-mental groups and Indian tribes,

Roundtable ~ions continued for ayear before a settlement was proposed in1990. lt would have, among other things,limited timber harvesting in a watershed andrequired major landowners to retain 10percent of their holdings as "late succes-sional" eventual old-growth! habitat.

"For the first time," said Gold e, intalkiJlg about the proposal, "we have aportly of private land devoted to theprotection of wildlife."

For tfmber4nd owners, the 10-yearagrernnent offered stability as the winds ofchange continue lo blow, said BobGustavson, negotiator for the WashingtonForest Practices ~hon

"SFR Sustainable ForestryRoundtable! is part of a continuing reflectionof both knowledge of the resources we' redealing with and the changing vaIues ofsociely," he noted.

The proposal introd uced concepts thatbiologists have long desired, One is "thresh-olds," which trigger more and more scrutinyas the environment becomes more severelydamaged.

For example, one threshold focuses onstreams, Proposed logging in an area v'ouldbe subject to restrictions if silt levels in anearby stream exc~ ]0 percent of thebottom gravel as measured by establishedmethods.! A 25 percent silt-to-gravel ratiowould trigger even stronger measures, suchas halhng all logging in the watershed.

A few streams in the Hood Canal areaalready exceed 10 percent, said Reed, whosees the threshold provisions as a majorconcession by lando~~.

Other thresholds would be establishedfor different types of wildlife.

Another ncw concept is that of "perim-eter." The idea is to retain good-sized treesaround any new clearcuts. Logging wouldnot be allowed unless 90 percent of theperimeter surrounding forests! containedtrees at least five years old, or 60 percentwere at least 15 years old, or 30 percent weraat least 30 years old.

Furthermore, a team of scientistswould reviev the impacts, and possiblyprevent logging, when a landowner pro-poses to harvest %0 acres or 4 percent of hisholdings v .hichcver is larger! in a watershedin one year.

Altogether, the proposal provided aframework for long-term timber manage-ment while protecting habitat, saidGustavson,

"You don't just paint the land~pe tolook different overnight," he said. "Whenyou fly in an airplane, the pattern you see tswhat was happening 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 yearsago."

But the Sustainable ForestryRound table agreement broke down irr 1991when environmental groups refused toendorse the proposal their represen tativeshelped negotiate. The groups complainedthat too many concessions had been made ~win agreement from the timber owners.They were particularly concerned about the10-year term of the agreelnent, worried thatmuch could be lost in 10 years if the agree-ment contained unforeseen loopholes.

State lands commissioner Brian Bayletried to take the proposal to the state Legisla-ture anyway, submitting it without theendorsement of the envu.onmental groups.The proposal died for lack of support fromboth the environmental lobby and the timbergrowers. Boyle intends to try again to winapproval of the landmark proposal,

But thc Sustainable Fore~tryRoundtable experience offers graphicevidence of just how di fficult it is to forge arragreement that bridges thc d i ffcring views mfa resource such as timber. Is it more ~ aluahlwas lumber or as a forest?

00 ~ ~ tt OO ~ t

FIS~C;

Shn1O~ 1

RrPPI P; FROM

BOLDT

Hv ftrtstoittilcrDlttale lil

~ g! ~

Hrriiard Teat Iittrti!s tit< a'xtrri t~fexit < tvtat ac its r nina arrestaffirer Vi. tfv S'KtaIIxv> Tribe.

iltered sunlight painted thc water adeep, dark grccn as Bcmard Tomguided his patrol craft betiveen theconcrete piers of Hood CanalBridge.

cool breeze kicked up a slight chopon the surface, producing what sounded likea drumbeat as the hull contacted each

approaching ~ ave.It was the last Wednesday in August,

and the earliest tinges of autumn werc in thcair.

Tom gazcxI out upon the water,searching for fishermen with nets in thewater or any boater signaling tor help. HoodCanal looked especially empty this day andnot much in need of a fishery patml officer.h'orthern Hood Canal would remain quietuntil the arriva.l of the coho and chum laterin the year.

Tom, vvho grev up on the Little BostonReservation at Port Gamble, wore theuniform identifying him as an enforcementofficer for the . i'Klallam Tribe, a job he hasheld for 13 vears.

I'ifteen years ago, his job didn't exist.I'he state Department of Fisheries ~vrote therules and carried out the enforcement.

Fifteen years have brought dramatic.changes to Hocid Canal and, in fact. all otPuget Sound. Today, the local Indian tribes� Skokomish and S'Kiallams � play anequal role in managing the complex fishery.

Scientists have learned much about

sahnon in the past 15 years. 1 hcy have abetter understanding of their migration,feeding patterns and habitat needs.

Harvest manages balance issues ofv ild salmon versus hatchery stcx ks, of onesalmon species versus another, and of sportfishing versus conunercial tishing,

Habitat managers tace the potentialextinction of wBd salmon runs due tologging practices and commercial d evclop-ment - � activities never given much consid-eration in the past.

Managing the resource means usingcomputers to keep track of five species ofmigratory salmon traveling in mysteriouspathv ays through state, national and

g2 a lfarvC rirE REsoURCE

a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ae ~ a

~ right offish, af

ail the rrssratact

agegstomed

ycerrds araratis

fgr5gr t ecrrredtv said Irfdiarts

rtrik the

citizens of terterritory."

� Point No Point

Treaty

international waters.

In the nud-'70s, everyone seemed to betalking about salmon. Cornrnercial fishermenhad been catching the powerful Fish from thePacific Ocean to the inland waters, whileIndian fisherrem waited at the end of thelime for a declining number. Their catch: justS-10 percent of the Puget Sound total.

The prized salmon, revered by theancient Indians, were pushed and pulledthrough court battles and legislative scuffles.Even, on qtuet Hood Canal, gunshots couldbe heard in the turinoil that followed afederal court ruling by an audacious judgenamed George Boklt.

Boidt. The name still sths strongfeehngs among fishermen. His controversialde6sion, later upheld by the U,S. SupremeCourt, assured Indians an equal role � nomore, no less than the white man's � indetermining the future of the salmon

Even more mntroversial at the timewas Boldt's division of the resource, With thejudiciousness of King Sob<non, Boldt ruledthat century mid treaties ensured tribalflshermen an equal share of the allowablesalmon harvest,

Overnight, non-indian frsheimien werefaced with a 40 ~ reduction in theirsupply of salmon.

The transition that followed Boldt'sdramatic decision has been less than smooth,ln the emotionally charged atmosphere ofthe time, both Indian and non-Indianfishermen compaiined that the other sidehad fired shots at them,

ln one incident, a non-Indian gillnetterwas critically wounded by a Fisheries officerpatroling at the entrance to Hood Canal. Theofficer claimed his boat was a bout to berammed, though no charges were issued.Facing a $4 million lawsuit, the state agreedto pay the paralyzed fisherman $2%AXN indamages.

Ivtany 6shermen stiH can't swallowBold t's ruling, but after years of negotiations,state and indian authorities have reached aworking acr om mod ation, Joint managementof the resource and coordinated enforcementof the fishing industry are evident on HoodCanal.

State and Indian Fisheries experts use acxirnplex system of calcula ting returningsalmon. They account for the Pacific Oceancatch as well as fish taken fiom the Strait ofJuan de Fuca. They provide for "escape-

ment" � the number of fish necessary tosustain the natural runs. Then they dividewhat is left.

"We set up a fishing schedule to dealwith our share of the fish," said DennisAustin of the Department OF Fisheries Thetribes do the same, but they have to dea.lwith each other."

At first, Hoidt's decision triggereddisagreements between the tnbcs and state.Parties relied on the courts to settle disputesover the a IIocation of specific runs.

"We don't seek third-party resolutionas often as we used to," said Austin. "Werealize we can cut the baby in half as well asSolomon if that's what it comes down to."

Nick Larnpsakis, senior biologist forthe Point No Point Treaty Area, worked infisheries research at the University ofWashington and with the National MarineFisheries Service before coming to HoodCanal.

"A lot of professionals were hopingthings would end up as they have," he said."The acrunony and thc Fighting have endedand the professionabsrn has increased."

Prior to Boldt, the Department ofFisheries had been a "closed book saidLarnpsakis. Now, estimates of salmon runs� as wefl a s the compu ter calculatiorLs onwhich they' re based � are all subject tonegotiation.

"A feeling of goodwill kind of justcame along," said Lampsakis, "becausepeople on both sides realized that they couldsue each other forever or sit down and warkthings out."

The two sides don't always agree witheach other's numbers, officials say, buteverything is open to discussion.

Boldt's ruling overturned the state lawthat kept commercial Fishermen ou t of.southern Puget Sound and eliminated whathad been known as a "salmon preserve" crnHood Canal, Boldt's reasoning was thatallocations among tribes should be based ontraditional fishing areas, so managers mustdeal with the returms to streams and riverswhere salmon originate. That couldn't bedone if the fish were caught before reachingHood Canal.

Nevertheless, the I food Ca nal SalmonManagement Plan a negotiated agreementapproved by the courts! d iscusaes the canalas a single management area.

Some folks, like state Sen. Brad Owen,D-Shelton, would like to rescue the non-

Ft.vs", . ~ 98

~ ~ ~ 0 ~ % 0 ~ 0 ~

Indian share of Horxl Canal salmon prima-rily for sport fishermen. He has pushed thatproposal in the Legislature since 1985.

The Boldt ruling was like a declarationof independence for I food Canal tribes. Itnot only boosted the struggling economies ofthe reservations, it also united tribal mem-bers behind a single issue.

"People used to leave the reservation,"said Lampsakis, "I have been around anumber of years and have seen familiesmoving back."

The tribal harvest isn't making any-body rich, he said, "but it gives peoplesomething to call their ov n."

Today, more than 300 fishermen areregistered with thc Skokomish and PortGamble S'KIaliam tribes alone. At the time ofthc Boldt decision, the numbers of Indianfishermen could be counted on one hand.

Fishing meant money to buy equ ip-ment as well, and today about 40 Indiangilln et boats operate in the Hood Canalregion. Local tribes do not allow purse seineopera hons.!

Hood Canal fish hatcheries � operatedseparately by federal, state and tribalgovemrnents � have greatly expanded thecommercial salmon harvest in the canal since

the rnid-70s, yet sport fishermen have

noticed a severe decline in their catckState officials blame the problem on the

type of fish being reared in the hatcheries,among other things, and they' ve negotiateda partial solu tion.

Hatchery productron has been shrftcdto increase the catch of coho and chinooksalmon by non-Indian sport fishermenwithout reducing the tribal harvest; thesalmon were then held in net pens on thecanal over the v mter to encourage them tostay in the canal. The first releases of thesalmon came in the spring of 199'l. So far, theresults of the effort are inconclusive.

ln the meantime, Bernard Tom, otherIndia n enforcemcnt officers and theircounterparts in the state department con-tinue to patrol the canal, and work withmcreasrng harmony,

"Our working rela tionsh}p seems to begetting better aII thc time," said Tom. "Ifstate officers sec tribal members v ho areviolating fishing regulations!, they can turnthem over tu us. We do the same for them.Wc weren't always confident with that typeof relationship.

"When I first carne on, I noticed a lot ofpoaching activities, but it mellowed out," hesaid. "I'rn not saying it stopped ..."

gg e @stra; rra ~r

~ ~ ~ a ~ ~ a ~ ~

SEC11ON 2

RECLAME7BE SALhK3N

Ct.tLTURE

Hy frrlirfVlcCorrrt ~ck

i8 Smith makes his first set of thenight off Dewatto, eyes the sealwaiting to bite the belly out of hislivelihood and jokes about themoney he's losing."He's saving, 'Here's Bill, it must

be dinner time'," cracks the 45-year-o]d ex-college quarterback, Smith also is an ex-college administrator, the former chairmanof the Skokomish Tribe, founder and hrstdirector of the Northwest indian FisheriesCommission and sometime househusband� in the off~son � with a ]7-month-oldbaby girl,

lt costs $25 to fuel the twin 350s thatpower Smith's 32-foot gillnetter between itsmoorage at Union and the open fishing areaof the canak

He is stiH making payments on thesleek, $60,000 Cougar, trimmed in the grav-and-maroon of VUashington State University

Thr cuarnnvrclat go dr d<'rrsiirn a!JouaMSk0kornish tribar member Bdl 'imilh ramnkr HmM Canrd avrcrs hrs nice.

and named for his alma mater.Between the July 8 opening and this

nud-August everung m 1990, the 200 trtbalmembers who fish the canal or the riverrunning through the reservation for whichtheir tribe is named have caught 4M! of theyear's 10,000 king chinook! allocation. Thetribe's actual king catch was 2,000 fish in1990.

Smith fears the Skokomish may noteven have reason to bother going out for thenext run of 1990, the silvers coho! are thatscarce. He blames it mostly on ocean factorydraggers. Their 30-mile-long death nets snageverything from sea birds to dolphins alongwith many of the millions of salmon headingback to spawning grounds in NorthAmerica.

The real living from fishing in the canaldepends on churn, a late salmon that sports-men cannot attract rn the saltwater canal.

F isHitvu ~ 95

~ ~ ~ ~ OOO ~ 0 ~

"&e best thirrgthat ever

happerted tohlorthwest

fisheries ttiasBoldt."

� Bill Smith

The tribal half of the 1990 late fall run wasabout 200,000.

"lf you can't gct 200 a day, you' re justnot trying," Smith says. He "picks" thesecond water haul of tbe night for his 1,800-foot nct. Slippery, orange jclly&sh "marma-lade" collects instep-deep on the Cougar'spointy deck, and Smith sloshes aroundcarefully in high rubber boots.

It's dark nov' and all hope for a catch atthe light change is gone. Rill Sroith radios hisbrother Dave, whose smaller gillnetter liesoff a point just south of Cougar. l.ightchanges and point locations seem to promisemore fish � sometimes.

Dave has caught two 10-pound kings,and Bill decides to take up residence offanother point across the canal, Hc cranks thenet out at an angle. Phosphorous lights it likea star chart in the dark water.

"The best thing that ever happened toNorth' est fisherics was Boldt," he says ofthe 1974 court decision that put his people inthe fishing business beyond subsistence forthe first time in 150 years.

Early whites noted the rotund figurescommon among Wc' Coast tribes. Salmon,their main food source, was so abundant thatthey turned to farming only when the whiteman's government forced it upon them.

Their hunting and gathering culturewas unique m its sophistication � rich in art,religion and organization. 'I'heir potlatchesparticularly galled whites, vvbo werc re-pulsed by and soon outlawed the achieve-rnent of social status through dispersal ofwealth, rather than thc hoarding of it.

Boldt ii as gcxid because tbe resouroewas declining and there were too manylicenses, Smith says of tbe pre-Boldt pc~od.Fish greed drove the badly regulated, non-In, dian cornmcrcial fleet to double between

1965 and 1974.Pre-Boldt, the Skokomish had no

gillnetters. They still have no purse seiners, adecision most tribes have made to spread the

urcc more everdy among tribal mern-bcrs, Smith says. A giant seiner or two couldtake the entrre Skokomisb allocahon in aseason.

Smith believes all tribes should dowhat the Skokomish have done from the

beginning � spread their allocation equallyamong tribal members, not allow those is hoare economically better off to take the lion' sshare of the catch.

Triba 1 members once set nets across

their river � now known as a "termination

point" � and operated traps and weirs.Many still do, including younger brotherJake Smith, who's operating nets exactlywhere his grandfather's werc.

Urdike many other coast tribes, whose"usual and accustomed" fishing groundsextended into the sound or the straits, wherethe Fraser River sockeye run at the sarnctime as king, Skokomish tribal members arerestricted to their river and Hood Cana L

BiIl Smith w'as moving up the ad minis-trative career ladder as financial aid directorfor The Evergreen State College in 1974. Healso was tribal chairman and sitting in on thefishing rights trial.

When Judge Boldt surprised inost oftbe state, including tbe tribes, by grantingthem half the salmon and steclhead catch,Smith quit his job, started the NorthwestIndian Fisheries Commission and plunkeddown his first payment on a $%,000 boat.

"Everybody was so afraid the redhorde was going to take all thc fish," herecalls.

Instead, thc Point No Point TreatyCouncil spends about $200,000 in federalmoney annually on salmon enhancement forthe canal.

Sinith considers his decision to buy aboat "one of the pivota1 points" in his life,The way he tells it, be believed in thedecision, believed in the tribal right, and wasa workaholic for Indians at thc time. Some-one needed to get the ball rolhng, take thefinancial risk and learn how to tish commer-cially.

"It was just bv guess and bv golly. See,we didn' t have any experience, we fished inthe river."

Smith organized the Skokomish, thePort Gamble S'KIa1lams, a nd thc LowerElwha and Jamestown Klallams into a newversion of the old 1855 Point No Point TreatyCouncil. Thc Chimacums had died off longago, of smallpox, historians say.

His attempts to reestablish the regionalcouncils that had bargained m IS55 and 1856with Washington Temtorial Governor IsaacStevens failed beyond his own area.

Indian tribes differ as much betweenthemselves as nations do, be said, but tois hite societv "an Indian is an Indian is anIndian."

Bill Snuth's fishing earns about $20,000a year to support himself, his youngestdaughter and v ifc, who reccntlv left her

ecisiott

hysically arrdl about thehis order ar

rd, 'Save Oura

errnen %vere

~ion, manyinterferenoeernise of the

ve sc~salmon runs. Irt

rrullions of a~first goverrtor ~

96 ~ USING THF RE~~UR~Eschool administrator's job to stay horne withtheir chikf, The couple decided to >tick withit as krng as they can, despite the fact theycould probably increase their income bvreturning to the rat race,

"Vm not an idiot, I've been blessed,"e r ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' Smith says. "Most of the people I know fish

not for the money but for the lifestyle ... Aschool teacher or a nurse makes more than Ido. But how can you measure that where Iwork people spend thousands of dollars tocome and vacation � right outside my officewindow."

n 100 years of historyed upon Judge George BohR

t down to ~~te the federalat changed salmon rnanagwout Puget Sound.ould have been brought 50e judge said in court, as an

orney general took down hiswords in longhand. "There has beenmuch damage, both physically andspiritually, for want of adjudication in acourt of law.

"Hopefully," said the judge, wehave reached a turning point, and thisdecision will improve the situationbetween Indians and non-indians, whoshould be acting like brothers."

Boldt was in his final years as hemade his historical decision, not onlydividing up the salmon resource in anumerica] way but helping the Indianscontinue their culture.

protecting the-pullorL

arrrved lnbundant

ms on theulas provided

~ok, chum, coIaasteelhead

n were maze

ed spiritualthe mystical

diam ap-with orre, evear

be caught

Fiu<rzc ~ 9,

a a ~ ~ ~ a a ~ ~ 0

"Most of thepeople l knowf'ish not for themoney brrt forthe lifestyle...People spendthorrsands of

dollars to

come andvacation�

right outsidemy officewindow."

� Bill Siruth

Washington Territory, assured PugetSound tribes they would have the right tfish forever.

During the signing of the Point NoPoint Treaty, which governs the HoodCanal area, Stevens said, "This papersecures your fish,"

The treaty included this language"Ihe right of taking fish, at all usual andaccustomed grounds and stations, isfurther secured to said Indians in coin-rnon with the citizens of the terntory..."

This troubi~me language, at thevery core of the Boldt decision, wasmaintained as federal law � but withoutlegal int~ tion � for more than 100years.

Meanwhile, white settlers p~ceeded to burn the candle at both ends.While disrupting sahnon runs anddestroying stream habitat with loggingoperations, non-Indians also caughtincreasing numbers of salmon on theirway to remaining spawning areas.

' fraditionaliy, the Indians stoppedfishing and removed their gear from thestreams when they had caught theirwinter's supply," said Anthony Netboy inhis book Salinori: the World's Most HammedFish. "In contrast, the white men .. fishedas long as the runs continued unlessrestrained by law which they oftendefied!."

ln 1921, the Department of Fisherieswas created to halt the uncontrolledexploitation. In 1934, the state ~Initiative 77, which banned fixed fishinggear. It also moved net fishermen out ofHood Canal and southern Puget Sound,But the number of fishermen continued toinaease, and fishing efforts moved fartherand farther away fnnn salmon streams,

It became a matter of too manyfisherme chasing too few fish, accordingto economisls studying the Puget Soundfishing mdustry. As the fish disappeared,they were chased ever more vigorouslyby modern equipment.

To the state, the treaty langua"taking fish ... in common with" meanthat all regulations applied equally

tribes later joined the suit.Judge Bold t decided the harvestable

salmon should be split 50-50 betweenIndian and non-Indian fishermen,

It wasn't an arbitrary division Asearly as 1899, the U.S, Supreme Courtruled that a treaty should be construed"not according to the technical meaning ofits words to learned lawyers, but in thesense in which they would naturally beunderstood by the Indians."

Boldt studied the language in whichthe treaties were presented to the tribes inthe 1B50s. He faced the fact that nobodyhad anticipated the future of the ~resource. And he decided that Indiansand non-Indians, as tv o distinct groups,should be "sharing equally the oppcrrtu-nrty to take fish."

Steelhead, which are strictly a garnefish in Washington state, were notconsidered any different from saba atthe time of the treaties, so Boldt ruled theyalso should be split 50-50,

Bold t determined that tribes shouldbe allowed to regulate their own fisher-men, in keeping with the desires ofCangress to increase tribal self~ern-rnent. But first, he said, they must estab-lish well-organized govesruncsits, set upenforcement units, maintain accuratemembership rolls and be a bk to coGectinformation about sahnon harvest.

Boldt ret6ne3 jurisdiction in thecase, and the federal court was mon calledupon to approve a number of earlymanagement plans. Issues still before the

98 ~ UsraC rktr. REsaurrcE

~ OO ~ 0 ~ OOOO

SeCTICV 3

M,VmC A

~ ROOM

THE WAVER

By Jef Brirdy

ick Jerkovich of Gig Harbor isthe third generation in hisfanuIy to make his livinghauling fish from the sea, but hcmay be the last. Yot yet 40,Jerkovich believes he wiII sce in

his lifetime a ban on commercial fishing inWashington waters.

The G ig Harbor nahve is a successfulpurse seine fisherman. He takes his%-footboat yearly to th» herring fishery off SanFrancisco and to Alaska for salmon, beforereturning in the fall to fish for salmon inPuget Sound,

Like most purse seincrs with license tofish in Puget Sound, Jcrkoxdch spends a feivdays each year fishing in Hood Canal.

He sees the political battle betweensport and commercial fishermen in I foodCanal specifically, and Washington statemore generally, as one that commercialseventually will lose.

"I can sympathize with the logger, onthe OIympic Penirrsula," he said, "I knowhow they feel. I don't think the fishery cansupport the number of fishermen who areout there."

Larry Charrier, a commercial hsher-rnan for 20 years, chooses to be more oph-

%ck fi7koixrtl n+lri&Ys iehethcranother geaemtiort rif hi' .jamilv rantrrrkru liiirrgcatihory, fish.

mistic than Jerkovich."It goes against common sense arid

good management for there not to be acommercial fishery," said Charrier, whoresists the suggestion that poli hcs wiII dictatea closure "I don't want to give people theexcuse to just phase out the commercialfishery. There's no reason it can't bc a viableindustry in Hood Canal and Pug' Sound."

Jerkovich opened his boat last fall toobservers from sport fishing groups inter-ested in closing Hood Canal to cominereiaifishing. He had what he considered a typicalday on the canal, catching about 800 chumsalmon.

Thc observe saw none of the nola-tions that sport fishermen suspect of thecommercials. Jerkovich thought they gainedan understanding that the commercial effortdoesn't interfere with sport fishing opportu-nihes,but was disappointed to hear later thatsome of the people he had hosted were stillspeaking out strongly to keep commercialsout of the fishery.

"I have a hard time fathoming whvpeople would be against commercial sein.ersin Hood Canal," Jerkovich said.

The vast majority of the commercialcatch cs chum salmon, not generally corisid-

Fisw~o + 99

~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 OOOO

Hood Canal is

the third best

commercial

salmon fisheryin Puget

Sound, trai lingthe Fraser

River sockeyerun in the San

Juans and thecoho and chum

runs in tJte

southern partof the sound.

ered a sport fish because churn resist takingbait. Chinook and coho, which are targets ofsport fishermen, are caught by commercialfishermen in the canal, but not in greatnumbers.

And jerkovich is willing to let thesports incn have the coho.

"The si]vers coho! are so small, wedon't need to be there. It's not worth thekind of hard feelings that are generated justso we can go after 4,000 Fish," he said.

Chamer bel}eyes there is more opposi-hon from waterfront and view propertyowners than from sport fishermen.

"A lot of pressure is coming fromproperty owners along the canal," he said."They resent cornrnercia1 fishermen on thewater. They have the perception that whatwc're doing is something that should bedone where they can't see it."

When Jcrkovich started fishing HoodCanal morc than 10 years ago, fewer than1 C purse seiners would participate in thefaII Hood Canal churn run. The run wassmaller, and thcrc were better fishingopportunities elsew here.

But now, due to pressures in otherfisheries and more hmited U.S. access to thcFraser River sockeye salmon ru n through theStrait of Juan de Fuca, commercials are"forced to fish all over," Jerkovich said.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there are200 seiners out on the canal on peak Bshingdays," he said,

In the same l 0 years, enhancementefforts have bcxisted the number of chum in

the canal considerably.Robert Zuanich, executive director of

the Purse Seine Vesse! Owners Association,says there are about 350 state purse semelicenses to fish the Puget Sound region,which includes Hood Canal. About 230 ofthose hcenses are active, hc said, and nearlyevery active Pugct Sound license holder willfish in I lood Canal during at least part of thechum run,

A purse seiner after chum salmon~eeds to catch between 2~ and 3,000 fishin the six days it is likely to bc on HoodCanal to make the effort worthwhile. Thatcatch�worth about $30,000 at market, isabout a quarter of what the boat will earnfishing all Washington waters.

Most purse seiners also fish in Alaskaand off On~on, and the canal hosts fisher-men from Alaska and Oregon on the dozen-or-so days it's open, Zuanich said.

Purse seiners take about 80 percent ofthe cominercial salmon catch on HoodCanal. Gillnetters like Charrier are morenu merous � 1,110 licenses and about 600active boats but take only about 20 percent ofthe Hood Canal catch.

I'urse seiners, larger boats with muchmore expensive gear, catch fish in a net thatcloses at thc bottom. Fish swim into the holesin a gillnet's mesh and can't back out toescape. Fish so caught are subjcM to preda-tors, and Charrier savs seals in Hood Canal"patrol" his net and often get to his catchbefore he does.

Most of the Hood Canal catch is churn.The value of the non-Indian Hood Canalcommercial chum fishery has ranged in thelast decade from a low of about S483,ÃN in1983 to a high of almost $5 million in ]987.

In coinparison, the canal has a verysmall commercial fishery for bottom fish.Only $4,900 worth of bottom fish werc takenin 1988, accord ing to state Department ofFisheries records. The Legislature banned theusc of bottom tra wlmg rigs on the canal in1989 because of the da mage caused by thedrag nets.

As a result, doghsh, a type of shark, isthe only bottom fish now being takencommercially from the canal in any nurn-bers, according to Greg Bargmann of theDepartment of Fisheries.

"lt's insignificant as a commercialfishery from a bottom fish perspective,"Bargrnann said of the canal.

There is a small commercial fisherv forsurf perch in the late water and early spri~g,and a more significant Fishery for herring,mostly north of the Hood Canal Bridge, inthe summer.

Commercial fistung boorncd in PugetSound in the early decades of the 20thCentury, and the resource started to decline.Despite increasing attempts to regulate thecatch, coaunercial fishing continued to growand salmon stocks continued to decline.

ln the wake of the Boldt decision in1974, which guaranteed tribes the right tohalt' the salmon in Washington waters, thestate and the tribes began salmon enhance-ment efforts designed to offset the increasedcatch of thc tribal hshermen.

Fish hatcheries in thc canal vi atershedboosted production, especially of churn.

"Boldt caused a lot of money to bedevoted to enhancement," said Zuanich,"and a lot of money v.ent into hatchery

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ ~ ~

"We ahogys~4 the

Indians oftaking rr6ore

thaNt thd r

catch. Row

fishern56Waccuse 66s of

the satire.

~l,tthink the

systew5 ispretty cpm."

Mhbert

Zu45nich,

PUISNE' SUIlH Ra@Huh 6,943 I 1,5M ~ 3 l~ 0 977 11poande W16317 604%9 648.I03 145~ 143~ 50,780&9%

Stan>. khs4 nett ~rtaret af 6 t~

f" swee ~ 101

000 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ t

Fouryears ago,the non-Indian

corneumial

season forFraser River

sockeye wasl77 hours; thisyear the seasonwas 28 hours.

That puts morepresure on theHood Canal

say those familiar with the cornmercia!fishery, And even if you' re free and dear,iYs still a inarginal proposition.

A typica! purse seiner has about 25days to fisb Puget Sound waters, whichinclude Hood Canal and the wateraround the San Juans, according to RobertZuaruch of the Purse Seine Vessel Owners

production in Hood CanaL The chum runwas enha need significantly."

State sta tishcs show a genera! irnprove-ment in the non-Indian commercia! catch onHood Canal since the Boldt decision. Thc

average annual Hood Canal iion-Ind iancominercial catch in the first four years afterBoldt was 876,750 pounds; tbe averageannual catch was 2.5 million pounds from1986-1989,

Despite that, 7uanich said, "I don' tthink you'd find any commercial fishermanwho would say that the fishery is betterbecause of Bold t."

There are more fishermen going afterthose salmon, and there are fewer fishavailable eLsewhere in Washington waters.

State licensed commercial fishermenoncehad aright to half the 12 million-15tni!!ion Fraser River sockeye that runthrough the Strait of Juan de puca everyyear. But the most recent U.'S.-Canadaagreement limited U.S. fishermen to 7million sockeye from that run during 1989-1992.

American fishermen were aUocatedonly 2.2 million of the record 21 mi!! ion runof sockeye this year, and that was split 50-50

e boat andust come that

$1546 needed to start the next ~With a $1 50AMO investment in boat

and gear, most purse seiners are forced toseek additional eamirqp from fisheriesoutside Puget Sound.

Even for gillnetters, with a muchsmaller investment, the economics are notfavorable.

Larry Charrier fishes exc!usive!y inthe Puget Sound region and says he earns

between the white and the tribal fishermenunder the terms of the Boldt decision.

Jerkovich questions the basic finding ofthe Boldt decision and believes origina!treaty language shou!d be mterpreted to givethe tribes equal opportunity to catch, not aguarantee of 50 percent of thc fish.

But the Boldt decision is history now,and the real question is about the future. Theeconomic problems of cominercial fishing inPuget Sound existed before the decision, andstill exist today.

"I think Hood Canal is probably one ofthe best places for enhanceinent," Jerkomchsaid, "I would say there are more fiisb now inthe canal than before. We' re barely fishingnow and we' re making money; we used tofish for days and get less. But the fisherydoesn't have stability, Enhancement shouldbe the No. 1 priority, We can raise enoughfish tor sportsmen and Indians and thecommeiria!s," jerkovich said.

"I would like to see it where everysportsman could go out and catch a fish ortwo every ~ eek, and I see no reason whythat can't happen, and still have a cominer-cia! fishery."

Booshng hatchery production can' t

102 ~ Uswc nr E fh'sourrcE

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ t ~

'7hey arrddsplit the

ttootety theyspeed orr

Departrrtent ofFisherfes

among thecorttrrser6al

fisfrerrtterr aridWe'd earrt aS

rrfQClr Witlrgtrt

gONg orrt irtthe boat."

� Nick Jerkovich,Cig Harbor seiner

By Cene Yoac!rrrm

solve all the problems, however.Chamer sees sportsmen fail to land

hatchery raised chinook even when they arepresent in the canal

"Hatchery frsh don't feed when theyget down towani the rivers. Kings chinook!from the natural runs do," he said, Commer-cia s may catch them in nets, but fish thataren't feeding won't take a sportsfisherman's bait or lure.

"l Fished in the canal when l was 5,"said Charrier, who was born in Shelton and

Bait Btmliaotrs a Faery Af4ir

1f you' ve eaten salmon caught in PugetSoundby a sport Frshermrm, quitelikely you' ve got Bert Nelson and his

ilrni}y to thank for helping bring the mealto your table.

The Nebons catch and package thehemng many local salmon 6ekermen usefor bait. They' ve owned and operatedKitsap Bait Salus for more than 25 years.

Nelson, 68, a Breineiton na tive and1940 graduate of Breinertcai High School,has been fishing in Puget Sound since1936. He s~ from salmon to herringin the hte 195Qs, when "politics squeezedthe httle guy out � that was me."

Nelson's bait business began in theearly 1960s aRer cutting a deal with hisdaughter, Janet, who was in high school,and sons ~sam. Marvin and Qrrin, injunior high,

"I tokl them that if they wanted topack our own herring, l'd pay them adoUar an hour. But, 1 said I'd give themonly 10 cents, that l'd keep the other 90cents to save for their schaaling. Theyagreed, we tried it and it worked,"

The herring packing operation thatbegan as a family business still involvesmost of the family. Janet bves with herhusband and still works sorting andpacking hening. Marvin, 40, spends most

now lives near Port Townsend. "I under-

stand why the sportsinen are concerned,Sports fishing has really declined in thecanal. But, in general, it is difficult to under-stand why there's so much conflict betweensports and commercial fishermen. We havethe same enhancement goals, l still think thatsport and commercial fishermen have morem common than they have at odds. lt isimportant that we work together on en-hancement."

of his time between April and Crctober onthe family's herring boat. His wife, Marie,super~ crews at the bait packing table.Orrin, 35, manages the v'hole operationwhich also includes the 2Mlip KitsapMarina and a boat and equipment salesoperation. His wife, Kristine, hand!re thefirm's books.

About half of Nelson's bait fish axe"toughened up" in net pens at SquainishHarbor, across Hood Canal frcnn jeofail.Summer hemng caught by Nelson's sonMarvin with the family boat in Skunk Bayon the north end of the Kitsap Peninsulaor Mutiny Bay on the west side ofWhidbey island tend to be fat and "soft."But after spending a few weeks in theholding pens losing their fat, the herringare more suitable for salmon bait.

Nelson said fishing is good in HoodCanal, if you' re looking for perch orsquid, "but there's no demand, no price,no money in those kinds of fish."

He feels the biggest threat to HoodCanal is not overfishing: "It's poUution.Vm in favor ot getting rid of all those Deputment ofl Fisheries biologists andhiring more enforcement! patrol officers.We don't need to study it more. Theyneed to patrol it more,"

~ ~ ~ ~ SOS ~ 40

SZCI1Or 4

NO LCmCZR

A FIS~C

PARA DISF.

Bl/ !<<cl< 5<<'Nr<Lsc<u

Spir<s 6ifre<<<<n«<nile fn< ch«nz4 m<le<<z«'rs o the 54rk!«<isIr R<<er

he salmon runs in Hood Canalare the stuff of legend. An oldS'Klallam w orna n recalls the daysin the 1920s when the fish wereso thick "you could walk fromshore to shore on their backs

without getting, your feet wet."Families caught so many they got sick

of s<noking them.Hut man's intrusion on nature has

taken its tolL The sahnon fishing isn't what itused to be, Some blame the commercialfishermen. Others blame nature. Other

blame ma n.'There was a time w hen this was a

paradise for salmon anglers, tno," says BobMottra<n, a Tacoma newspaper columnistand author of one of the Northwest's most

popular hshing guidebooks, "Sal twatcrSalmon Angling." "But the canal started

falling on hard hrnes in the late 1970s, whensport catches dropped otf draraaccall."

The decline has been attributed tn avariety of factors, from an exp]oding popula-tion of fLsh-ea hng marine marnrnal, to thedestruction of stream habitat, to d riftnetfishing on the high seas and increasedcmrnpetition from Indian and non-Indiancommercial fishermen ui Washingtonwaters.

I~al fishernien don't think the reasonsare all that complex. I ~roy Trarnrnell ofHelfair fished in Hood Canal for 45 yearuntil he gave it up in disappointment andfrustration a couple ot years ago.

'When they hr<roght the commercialfishermen in, within two years, vou couldn' tbuv a bite out there,' he savs gruffly. "In the' <Ds, '60s and earh '70s, 1 could go nut anydav of the week before the kids went to

FisH ~i. ~105

Hooking Big Chinook on Light TacMe

~ 0 ~ ~ % 0 ~ ~ ~ 0

By Jack Simba rtsort

The iiystal waters of the SkokomishRiver swirl around Cleo Grigsby'ships as he flicks a hig No. 1 hook and

a ball of or a nge flu ft' across 40 feet of openwater.

With pinpoint accuracy, the hookplops just at the edge of a deep pool and asinker pulls it out of sight i nto the depth~where king salmon like to rest on theirway upstream.

Grigsby lets the hook ride down thecurrent then gives it a yank, swearingunder his breath. Snag, He wraps the 15-pound-test line around his fist, turns hisback and walks away until the line snaps.He ties another hook and Ml of coloredfuzz to his line and goes back to casting,

It is noon on a warm, late-suminerday. Grigsby and half a dozen otherfishermen have contributed a doe~hooks to the unseen hazards of the deephole across the river during the past twohours. And not a fish among them toshow for it,

"Been fishing this hole for 20 years,"grouses one of Grigsby's companions,sitting on a rusted old lawn chair. "Neverbeen this bad, It's those damn nets."

He points downriver where justaround the bend is a row of white foamballs supporting an indian giIInet.

prevent Indians from fishing cornrncrciallyanyway. And because the salmon popula-tion is so large, sports fishermen couldn' tpossibly catch all of thc flsh that wouldotherwise spawn and die if they weren' tcaught.

Thc department has sct up meetingswith sports fishing groups to try to get t.heircooperation and involvement in fish man-agement programs, but the fishermenremain skeptical.

"Frankly, 1 think they' re just goingaround in circles," said Duane Linkmeyer,president of the Kitsap Poggie Club. "Formonths one group From the department hasbeen going around to groups showing off anew device that is suppc~ to help increasethc salmon hatch in feral streams. Nowanother part of the department is telling usthey don't want us to fool around vvith thestreams because it might have an adverse

Earlier that inorning on our way tothis fishing spot from Hoodsport, wepassed an Indian fisherman on thehighway, his pickup loaded with fieshlycaught king salmon. A fish broker hadjust bought the lot for $2 a pound.

"The Ind ians have to take the netsdown this evening. This weekend,fishermen will be out here shoulder-to-shoulder," one of Grigsby s friendsobserves.

The men who fish the Skokornishwear ancient coveralls with tatters andpatches but their fishing gear is spotlessand c~ve. Grigsby, a retired militaryman, says he paid $125 for the slendercarbon fiber pole and another $75 for thenew reel that adorns it. The other inenhave similar rigs.

pat Kelly has come all the way fromAberdeen to fish in the Skokomish thisday, passing up other good salmonstreams closer to horne because he heardthe kings are running on the canal.

In 1989, Kelly said, he hooked andcaptured a 42-pounder using the samelight fishing gear as the others, He hasn' tcaught another fish since, but the memoryof that epic battle keeps him coming backevery weekend he can get away.

effect on wild salmon in the strcain."Our response was, 'Athat wild

salmon?' "I ike tnany old-timers, Linkmever said

he has given up fishing in Hood Canal."It's a v aste of time and monev," he

said. "I'm not going to go out there andchase my shadow."

Hc, too, blames the commercialfishermen for the drop in salmon availabie tosport fishermen.

"You turn loose 40 gillnctters and 260purse seiners for two weeks and every%hingis gone. Everything. The rockfish, baitfish.They tear up th» kelp beds and thc eel grassF ven thc shellfish are affected. Also, the sealpopulation has gro~rt. Andy Rogers, an old-ti!ner around here, thinks thc seals do moredamage than the commercial fishermen."

Linktneyer and Trammell say they feelthe Fisheries Departincnt favors the interests

"t 've been

fishing theHood Canalprobably 45years. Whenthey brotzght

back the

cornrner6 at

fishermen,within two

years, yorrcorrtdn't brry abite out there "

� Lerov

Tra mmell

0f; ~ Uwc rtrE ~s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'Vt has beertestablished

thatcorttmetrictl

oiling isthe pinery

eatrse ofdeclirrirtg sportfisheries irt this

country,"� Keith Herrell,

president, Pad ficSalmon

SportfisNngCouncil

of coinrniereial fishermen over sport fisher-

"They can say what they want, butthey' re 100 percent ccrrnrnenmL" Trarruneilsays angrily, "Ihey're not doing a damnthing for the sportsmen."

Criticism of fisheries isn't limited tothose who fish in Hood CanaL

Sport fishermen throughout the statedaim the state earns far more from themthan it does from annmercial fishermen.Anglers pay more tham $30 nullion annuallyin taxes, licenses and boat fees, whileccrrnrnendal fishermen only pay the statearound $5 million, asserts the Pacific SalmonSport Fishing Council.

The council also claims taxpayers payas much as $15 to produce a 7-pou nd cohosalmon that a gillnetter sells for $3 'i0 perpound.

Fisheries department officials heatedly

deny any bias against sportsmen and sayravnt changes in fish hatchery releases willenhance sport fishing in Hood Canal.Eventually, the state says its enhancementprogram will double the number of anglertrips to the canal each year to 40,000, anddouble the a ngler succc~ to nearly oire-hsdffish per trip.

Linkrneyer and others snicker at suchpredictions because they' ve heard thembefore. And they are tired of going tomeetings where they hear the same oldthing.

"I told them the first meeting we had-we' re not going to be able to do anythingabout improving fishing in the canal until wedo sornethmg about commercial fishing,"Linkrneyer said. "And we won t be able todo anything about that until the conunercMIfishermen and the indians are sitting herev ithus."

w�<ff!f» f»«l«r!<t R«» Eyn» <!f tfrt at<! teD»fitrt»re»t <4 F!it!»r!<s !. r<!!<!rt!»t<fn!er a!»! <s<e!' »<!Id <t<f!»n!! !<! the

5t<tTJ!»: ff !<It CITI pt!t !»t<! H<!<!<l C<1»<if

on Hirschi, a loc<rd biologist andauthor of delightful children' sbooks, likes to visit local schools.He lnoks into the smiling facLs ofyoung people and intonns themthat they are the hope of the

� introd uced tn help fishermen increasetheir catch � only compound the problemsfacing the wild salmon,

11irschi's assessment is echoed by otherbiologists, but his voice is filled v,ith emotionas he goes beynnd the cold calculations of hisfellow scientists.

Consider Laud inc DeCoteau Creek, asmall stream that flows into 1'ort Gamble.

"When 1 ivas a kid, 1 went there," said1 lirschi, "lt was the hrst stream I savv fishspavivung in."

To gct to the stream, he wou1d walkthrough tall, aging stands of douglas fir andcedar. Gravelly stream beds v. ere darkenedfrom the sun as vine maples and heai» logscast their shadows upon the cool water.

Hirschi observed sea-run cutthrciattrout making their way up <and dov~ n thestream � that is until lo~~ing changedeverything five years api.

"Clcarcutting tntallv altered thecharacter of that stream," said 1 lirschi. "Then2,4-D herbicide! was sprayed on the maples

future, that their generation is called upon tosave the environment.

Privately, Hirschi tells adults that thenatural ivonders of Hood Canal � particu-larly the magnificent wild salmon � mightnot survive that long.

1 lirschi grew up around 1 food Canal,fishing ma ny of the streams in his youth. Hewatched careless loggers and ruthlessdevelopers dcstrny natural runs of salmonand trout.

"1 wish 1 could be morc positive," hesaid, "but the rules aren't strong enough;they aren't enforced; and people are basicallyuncaring, I guess."

Fishermen are taking tno manysalmon, frnrn the ocean tn the inland v! ater-

ways, says 1 lirschi. 1 latchery-produced fish

~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~ I 0 ~ ~

SFCFlOS 5

CA.'v' THF

%lL1 ! SAL<<104

S>mlle<?

Rtt Cft t t. fofift<'rD» </!J'< i! t

108 ' ~ UsPK 7Hs ~f souRcs

~ ~ OO I 0 0 ~ ~ ~

'%re PacificNorthwest is

sirrrply tlrr'srwherever the

salrrrorr cart getto. Rivers

wf Hjogtsalrrrorr hgve

lost the lifesogrce of the

area."

� Tim Egan,11re Cond Rrri rr

to te creek In the wetlands thform the headwaters, wood waste andsludge from septic systems was dumped."

Dirt, eroding out of the c tea rcut area,covered spawning gravel with a layer of silt,Watercress plants took root in the muddybottom, forming dense vegetation that madepassage of salmon and trout more difFrcult.

'The end result," said Hirschi, "wasthat we couldn't find any more cutthroattrorit. It will take a long time for that streamto recover."

Similar assaults on wild salmon havebeen under way for years throughout HoodCanal, said Hirschi, who left a job as ahabitat biologist for the S'Klatlam Tribe in1990 to work futlhrne writing children' sbooks.

To be sure, Hood Canal remains inmuch better shape than most areas of PugetSound � not to mention Southern Californiaor the East Coast. Many Hood Canal streamsstill contam considerable spawning ground s,but they are disappearing.

As people become increasingly con-cerned about the envirorunent, state andlocal regubrtions call for safer practices, saidHirschi. But, more often than not, the endresult is still leal than adequate.

In the early 1800s, the state of Mainecontained nearly 31 g00 square miles ofmajestic pine forests. Atlantic salmon wereplentiful in bubbling streams known byFrench and Indian names.

Laws, some adopted as early as 1741,presumed to protect the mighty salmon.Behveen 1820 and 1880, 400 additionalfishery laws were passed. But enforcementwas uneven,

ln California, commercial fishing forwild chinook, coho and steethead beganwith the gold rush of 1849 and peaked with acatch of 12 million pounds of fish in 1882.Logging, mining, reed construction, gravelextraction, grazing practices, pollution anddarns destroyed spawning areas. Of theoriginal 6,tj00 miles of spawning grounds inthe mighty Sacramento-San Joaquin water-shed, only 51 0 mites remained in I 929.

8ehveen1926 and 1943, the cornmer-cial catch in California never reached 7million pounds.

Recently, and at great expense, Califor-nia residents ha ve launched programs tobring back the salmon. Efforts includearhficially replacing tost spawning gravel,

but it is not easy.The same story repeats itself through-

out Europe, Asia and thc United States-evenm here man has disturbed the fragilestream habitat so vital to the roving salrnorr-

"Isn't it funny that you don't get any'action until thc hahitat is so degraded thatpeople finally say something has to bedone," said Mike Reed, Hirschi's successorfor the S'Kiallam Tribe,

When the insult to a stream is tern~rary and the salmon are not kiUed or theirpassage blocked, the natural runs tend torestore themselves. But man is often in ahurry, and there's a tendency to depend onman-rnadc hatcheries that pump out thou-sands of fish, all fed by hand.

It is a doubtful expenditure of funds sarthe long run, claims Jim Lichatowich, habitatbiologist for the Jamestown Klatlarns andformer assistant Fisheries director for thestate of Oregon.

"With alt the money we' re putting intahatcheries," he said, "we are just keeping upwith the wild populations disappearrngbecause of the habitat we are losing"

Hirschi pulled on his wading bootsand led thc way down into the d~ streambed of Seabcck Creek. In winter, water flowsover the wide expanse of gravel, but inAugust the stream's dirt is dry.

Walking toward I food Canal, but stiH arnite or so a way, Hirschi suddenly stopped-Last year at this time, hesaid, water wasflowing a t this point in the sbea rn bed,

"people can't gct osed to the fact thatthey really need to look at the same streamagain and again to understand it," he said.

Though dry at the surface, water maybe moving underground here, si nce up-stream portions of the 3 '/.-mile streamremain flowing year-round. The creek is slilla fair producer of chum and coho salmrrn.

A little farther downstream, Hirschistopped in front of a tiny pool, thc first signof water, Using a machine to shock organ-isrns in the water, Hirschi spotted a babycoho, which he examined and then let go.

''Ttus stream," he said, "is right on thwedge of destruction. It could go either way.'

He points toward a nearhy hillside. Seethat scar. Imagine this area fitted with old-giowth hmber. Now, take everything off it.There goes the sediment."

The young forest today doesn' t havethe water-holding abilities it had before

!

Coho~ ~ ~ 0 a ~ ~ ~ ~

'80 '82 '84 '86 '88 '90'

Salmon Chinook 8~ 11300 17400 22,900 29~ 25~Coho 243,700 144300 124gi00 180,900 34~ 118~Ch 259,900 295+% 453,500 547~ ~ 483400

Commercialcatch

rton-indian!

Chinook 882Coho 3,755Chum 76~

2,700 1,4$1~47,200 1,600 4300

213~ 237~ 150,000

1,70023,000

160,700

1,14621~581+24

Indiancatch

11,932 14,06739~ 6,182

198@99 212,734

C3unook 6,992 5,931 9AI19Coho 109+68 48,180 24323Chum 79~ 107~4 169,681

A173 4,410 3W2 2,015 1,4647 4~ 1,176 1,254 632

34 54 1,087 191 324

N 9%! numbers an: estimate

logging, so winter rains drain quickly off theland. The stream goes dry in the surnrner,

An old railroad grade, once used tohaul big tirnbcr down to Hood Canal, wasconstructed through the middle of the creekin places. A big earthen berm today, itprovides an ongoing supply of deadlysediment to the stream.

Sediment fills the spaces betweenspawning gravel, making it impossible forsalmon lo dig a nest in the stream bed. It alsodestroys the microscopic habitat forstoneflies, mayflies and caddisflies � aIIimportant food for growing salmon andtrout.

Despite these problems, Seabeck Creek

remains a good salmon producer comparedto many streams. Clear Creek, for cxarnple,is clogged with silt as it flows through theexpanding urban a rea of Si l vcr dale.The Seabeck area is not yet severely affectedby housing or commercial development,though that may be its greatest threat today.

As a tribal biologtst, Hirschi has dealtv,ith landoemers who have lied to his face,he said. One developer listened as H~hiexplained about the value of trees along astream.

The devclopcT seemed to understandand promised to presen e a v ide greenbelt,said Hirschi, but a short time later the manstood and watched his loggers cut to the

Hatcheryraised chum

are very

productive.But hatchery

coho and

chinook have

high morta h'tyrates.

$10 < Usmc rrrr REsourrcr

ae ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ a

Keey stlarrsfar Hood Gaea~

is ge~gybe are swift

uiAgmatmoaterfans

Sgyge are slmo.Hgt + every

straps isHood Cartai,See cxists-

or osta cristed~ a RRQp8

race Of Salrrtortadapted tothat simartr.

edge of the stream."landowners are saying, 'It's not our

responsibility to pay for the mistakes of thepast,' " said Hirschi.

He says individuals should visitstreams, observe them closely and teach theirchildren to protect them,

"I think," he added, "that everyoneshould take a kid to see a stream at least oncea year."

Habitat biologists � those vvho wadearound in streams and complain aboutlogging and development � are a differentbreed from harvest managers � who countfish, divide them up between variousfishermen and hope enough adult fish makeit home to spawn,

One problem for Hood Canal is thatproductive streams are so numerous thatmanagers find it virtually impossible to keeptrack of aII the wild runs that come back atvarious bmes of the year.

Consecluently, Hood Canal runs aremanaged on a regional or "aggregate" basis.Commercial fishing seasons are designed toprotect wild runs, while assuring fishermenthe greatest amount of fish from year to year,said Dennis Austin, assistant director forsalmon with the state Department of Fisher-

But in net fishing, wild fish are caughtaking with hatchery fish � whether they' rein the ocean or the entrance to Hood Canal.

Whether enough wild salmon aregetting through to their horne streams is asubject of considerable debate, but there' slittle doubt that miscalculations can impactwild salmon populations, especially if a runis barely surviving,

"In most situations, the natural runsare better off now than they were 15 yearsago," said Nick Lampsakis, senior biologistfor the Point No Point Treaty area. "But onehas to be cognizant of aU the pressures thatexist."

Managers must lake a balancedapproach to the resource, he said.

'"I'he extreme harvest perspective says,'Let's forget about these wild stocks. Peopleare going to be building houses and putingup roads anyway,' " he exptained. 'Theextreme envirorunenta list will say, 'Don ttouch any of those fish.' The best answer issomewhere in between."

Hirschi argues that one problem forHood Canal is that the harvest mergersrarely, if ever, see the streams. Salmon, tothem, are simply numbers on a computerscreen, he says.

"Harvest managers believe in theirsystem," he said. "It gives them goodstatistics that they believe tells thorn whereeach of the stocks are corning from. Obvi-ously, it is not working or there would bemore fish coming back ..."

If salmon were caught closer to theirstreams of origin, he said, managers cauld bacertain sufficient fish could get through. Butas long as there is stiff competition in theocean, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and north-ern Hood Cana], it just won't happen.

"In ancient times, the natural produc-tion was 100 perrent of the total productiora."'said Hirschi. "If you can believe just one ofthose old pictures that showed the salmonthat were here, you would know we areliving in an area that could truly be thesalmon capitol of the world."

~ y+oo ~ 0 ~ ~ ~

SEC11ON 6

PRES~AC

TI~ NATL' L

SALMoN

RUNS

By Orrrstrrp!avDu rragan

very stream in Hood Canal isunique. Some are swift with greatwatcrtalls. Some are slow, with nonoticeable flow in summer months,Some streams contain beaver dams.Some are inhabited by unusual

strains ot bacteria,But for every stream in Hood Canal,

there exists � or once existed � a uniquerace of salmon adapted to that stream.

From a genetic standpoint, the "wild"salmon of Hood Canal have the ability toovercome just about any obstacle put forthby nature. Protecting that "genetic divers]ty"is a great chaUengc for fisheries biologists;for state, local and tribal governments; andfor society as a whole.

"The genetic material contains all theinformation needed to solve thc problems ofthat particular population," said ] unLichatowich, habitat biologist for theJamestown Klallarn Tribe and a leadingexpert on wild sahnon.

As humans produce changes in thenatural w orld, survival of the species maywell depend on having the right combina-tion of genes, he said.

"You can't hire an engineer to design anew fish able to cope with the greenhouseeffect or acid rain," said Lichatowich.

While it would be theoretically possibleto eliminate the natural runs and grow all ofHood Canal's fish in hatcheries, biologistsagree it would be a stupid nustake.

Wild fish are not only free in aneconomic sense, said Lichatowich, theyprovide the only gene bank available forhatchery fish. ln-breeding in hatcheries tendsto reduce diversity and increase the salmon'ssusceptibility to d isease, he said.

Scientists have learned a lot abouthatchery operations, and they' re better

managed today than ever before, But there' sshll a lot nobody understands abo~t theinteraction of hatchery fish with naturalsalmon, about their competition in the wild,and about the ultimate effects of in-breeding.

"In the plant community, the UnitedStates is spending a lot of money protectingwild and domestic varieties of seeds," saidLichatowich,

Horticultural scientists know that ifthey rely on only a few varieties of corn,beans or potatoes, that unknow' diseasescould impact the world's tood supply.

With salmon, he said, "you can't putthe stuff in an envelope, store it in thelaboratory and grow it out every few years.Wild fish are important."

Beyond the scientific arguments onbehalf of wild salmon are those that appealto a deeper sense of understanding man' splace in the environment � whatLichatowich calls "esthetics,"

"Man, in ttus area, has had a relation-ship with salmon for 9,000 years," he said."The last 150 years has scen a shift from anatur al economy to an industrial economy,"

If 1 lood Canal's wrld salmon becomeextinct, it doesn't say much for our sense ofvalues, he said.

Concerned about declining runs ofwild coho salmcm in Hood Canal, theSkokornish Indian Tribe in 1991 fileddocuments in federal court protesting"unilateral" action bv Washington stateofficials in setting fishing seasons that wouldnot allow the minimum number of naturalcoho to return to spawning streams in thecanal watershed. Under thc Boldt decision,the tribes and state had agreed to a manage-ment plan hat calls for a return of 19,100coho salmon each year to Hood Canal. Boththe state and tnbe» conceded that the goal

3 12 ~ Hs>wc. rw. Ri s !ue .i

Flvnvi, ~ 1 I3

~ 0 ~ ~ OOOOOO

Hood Canal

remains rn

nrN ch better

shape thanmost areas ofPuget Sound.Many Hood

Ca~al streams

still contain

considerable

spawninggrorrnds, br' t

they aredisappearing.

could not reason ably be reached in I&I, butthe parties could not settle on an interimgoal,

State officials went ahead and setfishing seasons expected to allow 16,0%!coho to return. The Skokomish sought areturn of 17,%�. But to get that extra 1,000coho into Hood Canal would IMve requiredred ucby, thc number of fish caught ott theWashington coast hy 120,0I� � somethingstate officials found unacceptable.

Randy I larder, executive director otthe Paint No Point Treaty Council said thecourt filing called attention to the state' saction, which Northwest tribes maintain willresult in overlishing thc coho stock, but didnot attempt to overturn the establishedfishing season, Hc said the state's decision toignore earlier agreements appears to bebased solely on econoniic considerations atthe expense of the fragile resource.

"This court action serves as a warningof the tribes' resolve to rebuild the HoodCanals wild coho salmon and to insure thatthe state will honor the spirit of co-manage-ment in the future," said liarder. "It is clearthat the sta te has acted without regard forthe law or needs of the resource this year."

joseph Pavel, president of theSkokomish Tribe's General Council andchairman of the Point No Point TreatyCouncil, said tribal fishermen have beenwilling to make sacrifices to allow moresalmon to survive. The tribes canceled theirdir'ected commercial coho fisheries m HoodCanal, Admiralty Inlet, the Strait of Juan deFuca and the San Juan Islands.

Thc state, on the other hand, adoptedplans that reserve for itself niore than twicethe number of wild fish than what the tribeswiII harvest, said Pavel. The state's regula-tions will lead to a sport fishery catch in theStrait of Juan de Fuca and Admiralty Inlet ofrriore than 150,000 coho salmon and 336~to be caught in the ocean north of CapeFalcon, Ore.

"No group of fishermen wiB take thcbrunt of conserving the depleted wild cohosalmon stock more severely than the HoodCanal tribal fishers who rely on these fis h fortheir Iivelihoods," Pavel said. "But tribalfishers do not want to be a co-conspirator inperpetuating the problem of devastated cohoreturns. That is why the tribe cannot acceptthe slate package, which wiII result in lessfish than the established escapement goal."

The number of v 4d Hood Canal coho

returning to spawn ha» generally declinedfor the past several years, In 198' and 19%1,when the tribes and state managed for thefull escapement of lq, ll! wild coho, just 3% and 6>6 wild coho, respectively.returned,

Scott Brewer, fisheries manager for theSkokomish Tribe, said the tris. is committedto rebuilding thc wild coho runs.

"Dcwpite claims by the state to thecontrary," he said, "we anticipate thesituation we arc v itnessing this year willcontinue or be more severe over the nextseveral years. How will the state respond in1992, 1993 and especially in 1 &4 when theoffspring of this year's spawning fish return?

"They have demonstrated theirwillingness to gratify t he immediate needs oftheir fishing conslitu ents," he continued. "Itremains to be seen whether they have ancasual concern for the long-term needs of thereso urce.

Salmon are much more than an

economic commodity, argues Tom Jay of' thegroup Wild Olympic Salmon. "In a way,salmon are the crown jewels of thc ecosys-tem. They are a very important symbolabout what this place is aB about."

ln ancient times, salmon survived insufficient quantities to feed the humanpopulation, plus a multitude of animals fromeagles to bears. As an essenhal link in thenutrient cycle, salmon also carried traceminerals from the sea into the highestelevations of the forest, repLacing micrc nutri-ents leached out of the soil by Northwestrains.

"A curious thing," said Jay, "is thatEast Coast salmon don't die after theyspawn!, lt may be a little romantic to thinkso, but maybe salmon here dic bemuse theforest needs them to."

To restore natural salmon runs to asemblance of what they once were wou!d bethe greatest contribuhon humans couldmake to Hood Canal, said Jay. The health ofthe salmon runs are a measure of the healthof the watershed.

Fish hatcheries, an the other hand, area nieasure of man's desperation in thecomplex issue of hshery management, hesaid.

"ln the '30s and '4t!s, economic inter-ests had trashed so much habila t that thestate stepped in and said, 'Wc have to dosomething.' But when you look at theinvestment, dollars spent on habitat protec-

l 14 ~ Usmc, rrrr Rrsouacr

~ IIOIOO ~ 0 ~

"In tIre

Northraest, arrver without

salmon is a

body arithoat asord. From the

Sacramento to

the Yakorr,everrj

tvaterwaypalled by

gravity has, atone time, been

fat/ of thesilver flash of

life."� Tim Egan,

Tire Graf Rain

By Cfrristopher Duriag

lion and restoration would go a lot furtherthan dollars spent on hatcheries," said Jay.

"There. are millions of dollars on thetable here, and people aren't necessarilygoing to teII the truth. They' re going to fightlor their own interests," he continued.

"But think about the long-tenn va lues.

A Sport Fishing Preserve

Washing on state Sen. Brad Owen,

D-Shelton, is convinced that HoodCanal would become the sportcapital of the nation if the water-

way were to be turned into a fishixgprerserve.

Owen, who continues to push theidea in the Legislature, says the proposalwouM not affect Indian fishennm, but itwould phase out non-Indian commercialfishing south of the Hood Canal Brid ge.

Recreational fishing groups haveeagerly endcrrsed Owen's prcyosal, whichthey asy would expand the number oF fishlo be caught with rod and reel as weU asrestoring natural runs of wild salmon.

But the stare Department of Fisher-ies oppcrres the pbn, saying Owen's fishpnme idea isn't necessary to improvesport fishing in Hood Canal, Furtherrrsnre,tribal of5ciah fear it will disrupt thecarefully balanced manageinent regimethey have worked out with the state.

On a sunny day in 1990,Oweninvited jerry Pavlebcb, West Coastrepmentative for Trout U nhmited, to joinhim on bis boat to catch coho salmon inHood Canal. Shortly after noon, Owenthreaded a pieoe of hemng on his hookand cast his line over the side.

''Hood Canal," he said, "is a veryde6ned body of water. It is easy to get toand so easy to 'fish out' with nets,"

Rays of light glistened on the water,The sun was hot, but the fishing was poor.In fact, signs of salmon � such as birdsflocking over the wa ter or schools ofherring � were. practically nonexistent.

"No birds, no hemng ba0s,"lamented Pavletich "They' ve finallyraped and phindered Hood Canal untilthere's nothing left but dogfish,"

Like many rod-and-reel fishermente;ting their luck on Hood Canal theseda Ow nd P I ch pulled in half a

ks, but not much

The gravel in those stn.ams is probablyworth mon' than all the lumber and aII thedevelopment you could possibly get from the area!, When you'rc talking about truecommunity resourres, the gravel in thosestreams is probably worth its weight ingold."

else for their day of fishing."We' re not affecting the

with the proposed legislationhying to get a fair share of thcallocation," said Owen, speakingfishermen, "And I want to emisn't an issue of commercialsrecreationists either. The objechrestore the levels of thc salinowhat they used to be."

Dennis Austin of the DeFisheries calls Owen's plan "ounneo~ry," though hc adrnCanal is in houbie.

'The state needs to lookfisheries," he said, 'ThLs one acollapsed, It's stinko. There'sabout that."

But a simpler answer, hincrease the number of "residchinook and coho in Hood Casportsmen more fish to catch.exactly what tbe state is doingdelayed release program, whiwill show results in 1991.

Nick Lampsakis of the PPoint Treaty Council calls Owgiant step back ward."

Commercial fishing is camanaged to protect the long-tity of the runs, he argued, Seaopened and dosed as the runs

'There is no way to closeational fishery the way you caclose a commercial fishery at anotice," he said.

Owen's Hood Canal preserveproposai won Senate approval m 1990and 1991, but ne ver made it out of aHouse committee that listens more closelyto commercial interests and the wishes ofthe Department of Fisheries.

But he plans to keep up the effort.'1t took me three years to get drag fishing bottom trolling! out of Hood Canal," henoted.

C~R

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~

RCnOhl 1

TO PRC~rCT

CA txiAt ...AND

ftrrr Clrrr<t0]rflrrDrrrMr;rrrr

a HAkf Cilrrrll <~rr rc<srrrIr rile Itir'raIrrar'ter

ouis Martin's left hand gripped theoyster firmly, holding it against thestainless steel table, His right handquickly slipped the razor-sharpknife between the two shells.

"You have to be careful youdon't cut the oyster," said Martin, 70, ofHrinnon, "and you Live to make sure youdon't cut your hands to pieces."

Marhn quickly sliced the oystermuscles close to thc shell, first one side, thenthe other. He plopped the naked oyster intoa bucket.

Martin has worked for a lot of people,Ke's been an e]crnentarv school teacher, alogger, an equipment manufacturer. In l980,at thc age of 60, he took a pb with HoodCanal Seafood, pining the ranks of morethan 2,000 people ernploycd in Washington'sshellfish trade.

"I needed something 'to do," Martin

explained. "I would go crazy doing noth-ing."

Oysters make for a crazy business.Age-old techniques of knife-in-Lind shuck-ing form a partnership with ultra-modernprocedures, such as genetic engineering.

Statewide, it's a $25-million-a-yearbusiness, hut nyster growers ally themselvesnot with industry, not with timber cornpa-nies and certainly not with real estate firms.If anything, they' re anti-growth.

Oyster farmers, in fact, have beencalled washington's fust environrnentalists,advocating clean-water laws since thc turn ofthe century.

Outside the huilding where Martin andtwo nther shuckcrs were opening theiroysters, cold november rains ceased for thehme being. Martin's boss, Kirk Lakencss,prepared to transport a load of oysters tn arestaurant in Port l ovirsend.

+ 115 ~

176 ~ Usmc r>rr Rrsouact'

~ 1 a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ a

More thus

2+N peopleare errrptoyed

trf

Washirtgtort'ssheHfish trade.

It'f a fii25-

rrriltiorr-a-yearbsrsirreslr.

"We seU to San Francisco � a U over,'said Likeness, whose father started I oodCanal Seafood on the shores of Dabob Bay inI95IL

By most standards, the company is asrna U operation. Three shuckers togetheropen an average of 20 gallons of oysters eachday.

At that rate, noted Lakeness, it wouldtake his company I5 years to equal a singlemonth's production by Coast Oyster Corn-pany, which manages oyster beds in HoodCanal, Puget Sound and Willapa Bay on thePacific Coast.

ln terms of nationwide oyster produc-tion, Washington state recently moved up tosecond place behind Louisiana, due mainlyto decUnes on the East Coast, principallyChesapmke Bay, and the Gulf Coast. In bothcases, the biggest problems are pollution.

ln the best years, Hood Canal contrib-utes bttle more than 10 percent of thestatewide poductknr of oysters, but it isfamous for its sweet-tasting Quilcene variety.

Even more important are the micro-scopic baby oysters produced naturally inQuUcene Bay and shipped to oyster growersthroughout the United States. In addition tonatural production, the bay is home to theworld's largest oyster hatchery.

An estimated 75 certifie oysterfarmers are located throughout Hood Canalif you include a U the sma U gn>wers. Manyare centered on the natural spawninggn>unds of Quikene and Dabob bays.

In I988, I'acific Oyster GrowersAssociation hircxi a contract lobbyist � a"hired gun" in the slang of political powerbrokers. Tim Smith had worked for insur-ance companies, local goverrunents and realestate brokers,

"I didn't know the oyster! industry ataU when I came down from Alaska twoyears ago," said Smith. "I thought my jobwould bc in marketing. I took a month andstudied the ind ustry. It became prettyevident to mc right away that the problemwas not in selling oysters. We can't supplyeveryone as it is. The challenges are inkeeping the growing areas open."

By 1984, when pofiution struck HoodCanal tor the first hme, a dozen irnportant-shellfish growing areas had already beenrestricted in other parts of Puget Sound dueto extreme le veIs of bacteria. Then came the1984 closure of a portion of Quilcene Bay,tollowed three years later by closures inLynch Cove near Belfair and DosewallipsState Park. In 1988, tidelands near theDuckabush River a iso were closed.

Statewide, the Department of Ecx>logyestimates dollar losses in excess of $3 milli~a year due to the closures.

Smith had never before worked For aseafood business or an environmentalorganiration. Now, he says, he heads agroup that is both.

"That's the main issue, protectingwater quality."

An ancient pile of shells found buriedlat Seal Rock Campground north of Brinnonoffers testunnny that Native Americansgathered oysters from Hood Canal beachesbefore white people arrived.

Early settlers to the Puget Sound resic>rrfound an abundance of Washington's native'oyster, thc Olympia. It wasn't Iong before acommerdaI trade developed, starting withthe Cali%%drnia gnld rush in 1849.

When the burgeorung trade depletedthe natural stocks, a fcw pioneers beganculturing Olympia oysters in Southern I'ug~Sound, using a system of dikes. The dikeskept the scnsitivc oysters submerged and ata more constant temperature during free+inwintersrs and hot summers. But expansion ofK

the industry was stymied because oystergrowers didn't own the land, and theycouldn't be assured of control over theirexpensive dikes,

I ~ 0 I ~ 0 ~ 0

Wash tngtonState ranks

second in thenation in

oysterproduction,

behi nd

Louisiana.

Pollution in

ChesapeakeBay has closed

nrany oysterproducing

areas.

ln 1890, one of thc first acts of theWashington Legislature altered tbe future ofthe state's shoreline~. Those first legislatorsagreed to seH state-owned tidelands to oystergrowers as long as they would continuecultivaflon.

Thus the state lost ownership of manyvaluable shorelines, but it also created apowerful advocate for clean water, saidSmith, The cornplcxion of tbc industrychanged immediately and became differentfromthat of many East Coast states, whereoyster harvesters con tinue to compete withone another for thc same shellflsh.

"In the wild harvest fishery, whenpollution has degraded the water quality inan area, the fishermen all pack up, and it's arace to thc next fishing area," he said. "Youlose that built-in environmental protection�that of the grower out defending his liveli-hood."

Despite those early efforts, tbe nah veOlympia oyster has all but disappearedtoday. The little oyster with excellent flavortumed out to be sensitive to environmentalchanges and tno small to compete on thcmarket with larger oyster species.

Beginning in 1905, japanese oysterswere shipped across the ocean as smalladults, They could be fattened for market inPuget Sound, but natural reproduction wasnot very successful.

In !919, a cunous thing happened thataltered the cou rsc of oyster prod uchnn. Ashipment of adult oysters died, yet the babyoysters attached to their shells were able tosurvive.

In time, shipping cases of shells v iththese pinhead-sized "seed" oysters attachedbecame the standard method of transport. By1935, annual shipments from ]apan to thcWest Coast exceeded 71,000 two-bushelcases of sheUs. The oyster w as named thePacilic oyster.

About that time, growers discoveredthat consistent natural reproduction could beexpected in Quilcene and Dabob bays,though the oysters grew morc slowly there.

Normally, an adult female releases upto 10 million eggs a year into tbe water. Amale can release 1,000 times that manysperm. When fertilized, the eggs becomesfree-swimming larvae, moving ~satb thecurrents.

After several weeks, the oyster larvaev,iII attach to rocks, shells and other solidob~

In Quilcene and Dabob bays, this "set'is successful about seven out of 10 years,compared to just less than once in 20 yearsfor many areas of Puget Sound, said AlScholz, a biologist with the Point WhitneyShellfish Mboratory on the canal at Brinnon.

An oyster set is considered successfulw.hen at least10baby oysters attach toanaverage shell placed in the water. Not allsurvive, however. The summer nf 1990proved to be one of the most successful yearsin history on the canal, with more than 1~ovsters per shell. Warm, stable temperaturesa long with clean, calm waters are importantfactors, said Scholz.

The only other natural spay ning areason the West Coast are Pimdrell Sound inBrihsh Columbia and Willapa Bav onWashington's coast.

Natural production from Quilcene Baybegan to spread Pacific oysters throughoutHood Canal beginning in 1935. And whenWorld War II broke out a nd japaneseimports were cut off, local productionbecame crucial.

In the l950s, Pacific Coast OysterGrowers Associahon became a ma jor force inreducing the poisons Imurtng out of pulprrulls around Puget Sound. Beginning, in1954, the organization orchestrated a state-wide educahonal campaign involving sportsand fishing groups, k~l grangcs, resortowners and parent-teacher associations.

Groups such as Citi7cns !or CleanWater allied themselves with the oystergrowers, while thc paper industry foughtback with its own public relations effort. Butby 1960, when the state's Poilu hon Cornrnis-sion had begun tightening controls onindustrial effluent, it was already too late formany areas.

Sources of polluhon trxlay are becom-ing more difficult to idenhfy, let aloneeliminate. In Hood Canal, pollution seems tocome from all directions � houses, tarrns,hmbcrlands, even pleasure boats � thus thename "non-point potlutinn."

"A lot of us have moved into whatv ere vacation homes and summer homesand fishing homes," said Teresa Barron,water quality planner for Jefferson County."Our grandads built these homes, and septicstandards weren't what they are todav."

Geological cnndihons on! v make thcproblem worse, since people built theirhomes and farms in vallevs, v here theground is flat and close to HocM Canal.

f f8 a IisrNG 7BE REsoURcE

~ ~ arose ~ ~ ~

Rood Ceaaf

cegbilsartes

kittfe core

thae 10 penceetof the

stfrtemide

pfoklctloft ofoyster. BgtQgilmse BNyis hofsre to tile

works tupygggoyster

hatdrerIf,

In Quikene Bay, studies have shownthat septic pollution and poor animal-keeping practices are major contributors tobachsriaI pollution.

Allcns~ cattle and horses to drinkfrom streams makes it possible for

their waste to get into the water and createpollution problems miles away, she said.

Another serious problem is sedimentunleashed during logging activities. Highlevels of sediment can smother baby oysters,a probfein sometimes noted in Quilcene Bay.

At Dosewaltips, bacterial poilu tionseems to oome from another source alto-gether, Near the l3osewallips Delta, wherehuman activities are rninhnal, seals seem tobe leaving a trad of waste that has mntami-nated the oysters and clams.

Nobody knows if waste from seals canactually make humans sick, as is the casewith human and livestock waste, saidGretchen Steiger, a biologist with CascadiaResearch Cooperative. But the stale'scertification procedure demands closureanytime fecal bacteria counts are high.

Oyster growers are increasinglyworried about the effect of seals on theirHood Canal beaches, smce seal populationsmay be gnr wing quickly, according toresearch by Cascadis Research,

As commercial fishing and limberindustries go into a decline in Hood Canal,the shellfish industry seems to be corningalive,

Shellfish production ranks high inemployment in both Mason and Jeffersonmunties. The demand for clams and oysters� especiaIIy from restaurants � is growing,and the future seams limited only by cleanwater.

"Here on the Olympic Peninsula, weha ve so few industries to sustain oureconomy," said Barmn, the water qualilyplanner. "As we use up our natural re-sources, people tend to look around toexpand their economic base."

What kind of industry comes to theregion will determine whether Hood Canal'sdean water can survive, she added,

"Aquaculture is a clean. industry, andyou'd think it would be welcomed withopen arms."

While there isn't much controversyabout oysters growing scattered on a beach,waterfront properly owners have begun toraise protests against more intensi ve shellfishculture, such as stringing shells on linessuspended from floats.

In August I990, the Kitsap Countycommissioners tumed down a mussef-

fanning proposal off Misery Point nearSeabeck Neighbors said their main objectionwas that the operation would spoil theirview of the Olympic Mountains.

The commissioners also imposed amoratorium on allaquaculture, pendingapproval of the county's updated shorelinesmanagement plan.

If waterfront property owners worryabout the impacts of shell fish growers,shellfish growers are even more concernedabout the arrival of more property owners.

"One of the factors that degrades thewater quality is shoreline development,"said Smith, "Also, as more people move in,we' re going to hear more about aestheticsThose issues are going to impact theindustry's future."

Gordon Hayes of Coast Oyster Coin-pany says new housing developmentsaround Hood Canal should attempt to avoidpollution, and old developments must ~~lo clean up problems.

"AB of us in the industry see whathappens with population expansion," saidHayes. "Our industry is the canary in thecoal mine, but we' re not just a prophet. WeactuaHy make our living from this resource.

"If we were not here," he added, "thewater would become more polluted beforean alarm is sounded."

Ov srr vs ~ 119

valve Secomes a Restaurant Favorite

S ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ s

The demand

for clanrs andoysters�

especially fromrestaurants-

r's grotving, andthe future

seems limitedonly by clean

water,

By Ann Sfrosnider

own back, znou th open, at Ray's Boathouse on Seattle'sle Bay slurps a raw oysterits shell.yster lover, there's nothingfresh taste of the bivalve in

as if you' re ingesting a bit ofmatter, tasting the ocean

e Ludvigsen, executive chef atraw oysters have grown inover the past five years. He93-250 dozen oysters eachers gladly pay $5.95 or moref six of these briny gems,serves the hny, distinctive

ysters as well as Pacifics fromrent parts of the state-

znma on Hood Canal,Bay on the Southwest Coast

Lagoon otf Whidbey Mand.wine grapes, oysters take ones ot their growing conditions,ck and Tina Bell point out in'The Tastes of Washington."em, particularly for eatinguch an individual preferencea wine.ood Canal bivalves are "your

er," says Ludvigsen. ' fhey'rerily very sweet, and they don' ttiful shell. But they' re a good.

solid, healthy oyster with a streflavor."

Hood Canal oysters comethe surnrner off-season earlier t

other types, he adds.Although he' ll pan fry oy

make the occasional oyster stewLudvigsen says he's a zeal propoeating them zaw. "We' re purists

Tim Smith, executive director of thepacific Coast Oyster Gmwers Association.says half~ll consumption is on theincrease across the country.

"Oyster bars are popping upeverywhere," he says. "We' ve seen adrazna tie decrease in liquor consumptionover the past few years, and rny owntheory is that bars and restaurants are outlooking for a high-margin item to com-pensate for lost liquor zevenues."

Kizn Baxter, manager of the HammaHarnma Oyster Co., says he can't keep upwith the demand for oysters. He suppliesseveral posh Seattle restaurants in addi-tion to Ray's � Fullers in the SheratonHotel, Le Taste vin and Anthony' sHorneports.

"Our oysters are prized for theirdean, crisp flavor," be says. "They' reslow-growing in dear water, so theynever have a muddy taste."

Coai! <7ys',<» < » tiii>»r»!fr i! i or!ice ofi!»»Ig p»i»I, sys i'p.' T >ry r!id s» i!kg«gms»i!» hose !i!i'

~ ~ I ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ t

Same 2

WHEREGENETIC>AND LUCK

h4zr

Ry ChrfsfopberEhnaegmt

ow upon mw of gleaming whitetanks, each containing 5,000gallons of greenish algae, mightmake one wonder what thisstrange laboratory near Quijcenehas to do with raising oysters

After all, toughwkinned oyster farmershave been putting shells out on their beachesfor centuries. Nobody's ever needed halogenlights or giant flasks of strange-lookingliquid with air bubbling through them.

But times have changed, and this iswhere the modern world of genetics blendswith the old-fashioned, keep-your-fingers-~sed world of oyster growing.

Coast Oyster Co., which owns this

hatchery on the shores of Quilcenc Bay, Ieac9~the worki in the production of oyster seed.The company ships 20 billion baby oysters ~growers throughout the nation in the form c>ffreeswinuning larvae.

"In fact says president GordonHayes, "the second biggest hatchery is inOregon, and it produces just I& 20 percent wfours.

The key to the operation is the ca rcfuHyguarded brood stock, which produce thesperm and eggs for the big Pacific oysters.,the tasty Kumomoto variety and the s,uccU-lent Belon or European flat oyster.

The oysters eat an incredible amount ~falgae, which is grown under bright lights i~

Oi sif frs ~1 "I

tanks, some of which are l0 feet tall, Kenneth Chew, a shellfish biologist atTemperatures in tanks containmg the the University of Washington, says the

brood stock are maintained to simulate ideal triploid oyster has found a specific marketspawning condition~. When thc time is right, niche, but the growing demand for oystersfree-swimming oyster Larvae are filtered out, on both East and West coasts creates an evenpacked and quickly shipped out, or else bigger challenge for the industry.they' re allowed to set on oyster shells. "We have to look at new and innova-

The oyster seed can be grown nn just tive methods of growing them," he says.about any beach where the According to Chew, attides won'tcanytheshcils Qurlcene Bay lcast90percentof theoystersaway. today are grown right on the

Maintaining excellent beach, as they have been forbrood stock is one thing, but the past l00 years. But

oysters also can be grov n onstakes or on racks when

wave action or a muddybottom would threaten theoysters' survival.

A more intensive

method is to grow oysters onstrings hanging from racks orrafts.

These are not actuallyncw methods noted hew

a true scientific breakthroughcame five years ago whenCoast Oyster, in conjunctionwith University of Washing-ton scientists, developed asexless oyster � thc seedlessgrape of the oyster world.

Unlike most oysters,which become puny andwatery as they use theirenergy lo create sperm and r

gh c!osed because they have been usedofbacterial m Japan f~d~des b ''on ai the researchers are attempting to

develop even more advancedth end, tecluuques to grow morc

Bay iS the oySterS with u ted SpaCe,pf HOpd AS mOre areaS are CloSed

because of pollution, oystergrowers are likelv to invest

, inCludirfg mOre and mOre money ini OyS ter these alternative methodS.y'S OySter Meanwhile, researchers

chery. are attempting to growstra ins of oysters that are

resistant to temperature changes, that growfaster and are more uniformly shaped andthat have good color, flavor and appearance,Hybrid oysters, v hich combine the charac-teristics of two or more varieties, also are onthe drawing boards.

Since hatchery success depends somuch on what oysters are fed in the tanks,researchers are studying oyster nutrition anddeveloping new strains of algae as well.

And growers seem wilhng to meet thechallenge of a growing market. Despite tried-and-true niethods of oyster farnung, a l 984survey of the state's oyster growers revealedthat 40 percent v ould try nev techniquessuch as as artificial setting tanks, moreintensive rearing methods and usc of hybridstrains.

eggs, the trademark "Four- Aithpu~n,Oys'e~ skip 'he beCauSespawiung season altogether.

Forgel the old sayingpo utl

about not eating oysters nor

during months that lack an QuilCerte"R" in their name, These centerOySte a'efirmatalltimeSOf Canathe year, which gives thecompany a foot up on the induS trysummer market, previously Coasdominated by frozen oysters. Ompan

The idea for a neutered hatoyster carne from Hayes'father, the late Vern Hayes, who got thc ideafrom a magazine article about a neuteredsalmon that grows faster but never returnshorne to spawn.

Hayes was a dominant force in theoyster industry beginning in 1947 when hestarted Coast Oyster. In f974, he built ahatchery at Willapa Ray, then moved theoperation to Quilcenc in f978.

To get a neutered oyster, the egg is"shocked" with a special chemical. Shockingprevents the egg From dividing just beforethe genetic material from the sperm com-bines with the genetic material from the egg.As a result, two sets of chromosomes fromthe female and one from the male resuh in asterile "triploid" oyster, normal in all otherwayrn

~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 0 0 ~ ~

"Here on the

OlympicPerrinsula, wehave so fewindustries to

srrstarn our

economy.Aquacultrrre is

a clean

indus', andyou'd think it

urould be

welcomed zryith

open arnrs."� Teresa Bairon

~ Ustxo THt. Rf%!uac~

~ ~ 0 ~ 0 0 0 ~

SFCTION 3

TIDELAND

TUG 0Vl AR

Btt fnu Rnthgeh

harlie Trevat>lan stands over hisset net just ntf the sandy beachnorth nf Boston Spit andhunches his shoulders againstthe vcind hJowsing otf PortGamhie Bav.

It's a enid vend, signaling the ap-proaching winter and the cnd ot anotherfishi ng season. On Ihi s day he hopes his netswill snag coho and churn but he knows theAsh h» catches now are mnstly scraggly. Thesalmon harvest is nearlv done.

lt' s tisane to think about securing hisboat and gathering his nets to prepare}urnscif for the tradihonal shellfish season.SVinter tid<~ on Hood Canal are more suitedfor shellfish digg|ng, and for mnst vnung

E,rosette ttiaick, wknln~ec nv,Vtiscrq Paintueni 5 eteck, rs g -trna'; ipikcsrnttn for then'gfns of ynratt a~trrrront oniatr!.

men in the S'Klallam Tribe of Little Bostonand Port Gamble Bay, shellfis hinhadition.

"My mom used to dig a lot," saTrcvathan. "I always knee. it was one othose resources where a guy cou ld go outand make money. I rcrnernber digs nwhen l was a kid, and vvhcn I c>~c b khereabouteightyea~ayo I startm duin itagain."

He's lived in Tennesseehut Trevathan's roots arc with thS'Klallarns. Hc and his wifeharvest shellfish, sel92ing the~ t, o xv olesalebuyers, to help provide for care of threo t enine

pl» hvmg ht their home."I think it's fun," said Tre ~ threvothan. "You

~ ~ 0 ~ oo ~ ay ~

Tribal

rtirraPisf r'<<has brctrrrrr

rasirr brrarrsrstatr~mrrf

tidrhrrrds bar r4'rrl rr!rrrrrrf ta

Irrdi arts, bit tthr acct ss is

rratbr rr compared tr!it pportrrrri tir.

Wrstrrrr

Krt shi rrgf «rrlrlrtlarrS f lad

man' tkrrrr 1 fN

yrars aga.

can go out and spend three to four hoursdigging and bc tired the next day. Hut youcan make enough for grew:ery money andyou eat well."

On Hood Canal, two tribes do themajority of shellFish harvesting, TheSkokomish mostly harvest oysters in thcsouthern extremes of the canal while theS' Klallams gather clams on the north end.

Much of the time, they work in thcpitch black of nighttime low tide~, sorne-times to the backdrop of car headlights leftshirnng across the sand, They dress inwaders and carry buckets, shell sacks, anddigging forks. It's no wonder their backsoften ache after days of digging.

"That's the hardest pari," said MaryTrevathan. "You bend over at all hours o theday and you' vc got to pack what you dig.Otrr longest pack is probably a half-mile, andsve pack anywhere from gO- to 1N-poundpacks. It's a lot easier if you' ve got a brat, buton a lot of beaches we can' t get a boat."

The Trevathans both say thatshelltishing has become easier in the '9t!sbecause state-ov ~ed tidelands have beenopened t<i the trih~. i3ut their access obvi-ously is nothing compared to what WesternWashington Indians had an tidelands moretitian lf6 years ago,

While the Trevathans scratch the sandsfor harvestable shellfish, the fate of theirtribal tradition and a source of livelihoodma soon be affirmed at a ncgohating table,

- rt'or in a federal courtroom � far from the surthat laps against the sandy beaches of HoodCanai.

On a nta p of Hood Canal, the landfcirrning Misery Point juts into the water likethe head of an eagle.

Located between Seabeck and ScenicBeach Sta te Park, this lush, treecovnedpoint is far from a source of rn iscry forGeorge Usnick, a re bred engineer whomoved here from Pittsburgh, Pa., in 19I6. Afriend back East jokes that it's more likeHappiness I'oint,

prom his honte, Usnick sees a brcatb-taking panorama, bounded b> The Brothersto thc south and the Toandos Peninsula toth» north.

His beachfront home is perched on avvocidcd cliff overlooking the canal. From hipatio, he can see fishing boats dotting the

blue water with a backdrop of I'IeasantHarbor State Park and the Olympic Moun-tains.

"There is no place like this 1' vc imseen in my whole life." said Usnick, whotraveled the world as part of hLs jiib with tie'Continental Oil Company. "That's whv I likeit here so much."

His property includes about 200 kwW utbeachfront, and he and l3vlon~ utten takeleisurely walk» along thc sand.

Lik» flowers fnim a garden, occasion-al!y the Usnicks will pick oysters from theirbeach. Usnick says he's alv"avs h<n a kwcrof shellfish, and his v"ife has dcvekqii,xt ataste for them since they moved to 'Misi.ryPoint.

Several hundred fn1 south ot theUsnicks' property is a public h~t launch,which attracts rnostlv pleasure btiater. andrecreational fishers. Vnttt a few vear. ago.when waterfront neighbors got togcthc~ andposted "ho Sheilfishiny," signs, Usnick saystrespassing was a big problem along thepoint.

"When we first came here, this' wen. alot of peopk' who d«idcd to carne up andpick ovsters," said Usnick. "1 kept arguingwith the state that they had tii do some%hint»put a sign up to stop thnn. We did that andnovv l'd say 99 percent of the probkmi hasgone a way."

Like many private landowner.'imHocid Canal, Usnick prdcrc to keep hisbeach closed � to anyone, Hc has genuineconcerns about garbage spilling onto theshore and firmly bcli<wc~ in his constitu-tional right to privacy.

"Peop c waI lk on the beach, but I wouldrather thip on,"d 't," Usnicksad. "That reallydoesn't bathe r me. It's just whim they comewith five-ga onfi ll buckets and they' re on ysupposed to ta eposed k l8 oyster.'. That's w hatreally gets me upset."They' ll got five ga!kins of shuc <x

. Or they' ll fill hvar-gallon buckics anvr t e i t ru . ey

laws left an rigd ' ht. But all that'~ sirnrn<mdowil Ilaw Wi 'th thc placement of the

irotcitive ot!."Because he's so fiercely I

his ropc<y, Usnick feels threatened liy a

's riever st'n native Airy ricaco ' .. is beach. faut if thccollcchng oyster on his ac .

124 + LfsI wc rIu. Rrsouacr

0 ~ ~ ~ I I ~ 0 ~

Many privatelandotvners on

Hood Canalprefer to keeptheir beachesclosed � to

arryorte.

courts rule in the Indians' favor, or if nego-hations give the hibes cerlain entit]ements toprivate beaches, that will all change

The two men, Charlie T'revathan andGeorge Usnick, have never met. But becauseof a two-paragraph article scribbled on apica of pa rchrnent 135 years ago, they' vebecome unknowing opponents.

In ]855, Isaac Stevens was the territo-rial governor of Washington, and m negoti-ating with the Indians o ver land rights andsettlement of reservations, he granted theIndians permission to specific customs. The] HS5 Point No Point treaty with the WesternWashington tribes states the foHowing:

"The right of taking fish at usual andaccustomed grounds and stations is furthersecured to said Indians, in cornrnon with aBcitizens of the United States; and of erectingtemporary houses for the purpose of curing;together with the privilege of hunting andgathering mots and berries on open andunclaimed lands. Pmvided, however, thatthey sha H not take shell-fish from any bedsstaked or cultivated by citizens."

'IIIe Bold t decision in ]974 rc~puzedthe Point No Point Treaty as the final law inmatters regarding the territorial rights ofNative Americans, but U.S, District JudgeGeorge Boldt didn't carry the lawsuitbeyond salmon and steelhead harvests andru le on the taking of shellfish.

A lawsuit filed by the tribes in ]989pursues a continuation of the enh tlementissue. And un]ess it's negotiated outside thecourtroom, this one could be quite a fight,possibly more cost]y, drawn out and emo-tionaUy charged than the fight over thesalmon.

The federal government represents theIndians while the state currently representsthe rights of private landowners and cnm-mercial interests who own tideland property.

The Indians contend that under theprovisions of the treaty, a H beaches, eitherpublic or private, should be open forsheHfishing. They add that private access tothose beaches should be open to a]] tribalha IVCStcIS,

"Thc treaty language is real clear," saidTonv Forsman, fisheries director for theSuquamish Tribe. "When the trea hes weremade, there was no State of Washington andthere waS nO CunCept of private ownerShip Oftide]ands, except for some corrunercia]

development of shcHftsh that was providedfor m the treaty."

From 1859 to I970, the Indians claimthat 80 percent of aU Western Washmgtonhdeland was sold to private landownerswho were not told of the Indian sheHfishingrights. Thus, there currently is a starIdoff.

Landowners say thev are protected bytheir fundamental right to privacy and p]anto argue over the legal definitions of culh-va ted hdelands.

ln a letter to the Justice Department lastFebruary, Washington Attorney General KenFikcnberry wrote: ' Ihe shellfish claim istherefore a much greater d irect challenge tothe traditiona] ownership prerogati ves ofthousands of individuals than was the earlierPhase I origina] Bo]dt decision! a llocation ofthe free swimming fish in public waters,"

For Mary Trevathan, legal squabblingover shellfish rights scerns pretty far re-moved from her day-to-day world. But she isaware that arumosity exists between tribaland non-tribal interests. She also knows of agroup, the United Property Owners ofWastunpon, tha Ys consolidating the effortsof the landowners,

'TIIey don't reaUy know what's goingon," said Mary Trevathan. ' They think thatwe' re out there to just dig every clam we canget. They' re scared ot what they call 'rapingthe beaches.'

"But we' re taking just the harvestableclans, which have to be I '/ inches orbigger. We can't take the smaUer ones. We' retaking the bigger ones but leaving the littleones to grow. They don't realize that. Theyjust think we' re taking everything."

Certain federa] and state poli hcianswould prefer that this case never goes tocourt, They' re pushing for a cooperativesett]ement and the Indians say they want tocomp]y,

But the tribes also argue they are notgetting the necessary cooperation fromlandowners to reach that settlement. United

Property Osiers of Washington officials saypublicly that they would rather' litigate theissue than possibly give away their rights ina negotiated deal.

They are spurred by thoughts frompeople like George Usnick, who says asettlement is not acceptable,

"I'm protechve of my beach," saidUsnick "Number one, because it's mine. I

paid for it and I pay prope rty taxes here. Ijust don't want people on my property.

~ 0 I ~ ~ ~ t ~ 0 ~

Would vou walk up on somebody's yard? Ofcourse not."

Meanwhile, the environmental clock isticking. The state has apportioned certainlands � state parks and property controlledby the Department of Natural Rc~urces-to bc open to all shellfish harvesters. Of theapproximate 2,000 miles of beach in WesternCwashington, roughly 21 miles are open totribal anil non-tribal harvesters.

Recent studies show. that up to 40percent of those public beaches are toopolluted to collie shellfish. Many HoodCanal tidelands fall into that category.

"I think it's obvious that we are all

rapidly running out of beaches to harvestshellfish," said Carson Boysen, spokesmanfor the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commis-sion.

The tribes say that through enhance-rnent, they want to expand the shellfishpopulation. But far more cleaner beaches arcneeded to do it.

Private landov ncrs say they, too, areenvironmentally conscious.

But before both sides can make a

concerted effort to protect the shellfish, thereis a huge legal hurdle to cross.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0

RCTION 4

TOWARD

C1E424ER

BEACHES

Bv Christopher

Drr nagara

Ivrvrrtr»»t vrrrtr«churli»i;rth«bid «rItr»r»ivtv'<»»z'<>iHra»f cz»ai'sr' v r'lltirt r'q<frr tr»»»»r

< >p/8 > I t I »I ul s,

ad vantage of the hne oyster-growingconditions there.

"When I'm down on the beach andtending mv oysters, I feel like I have it all,"said Day, a marine biology teacher atOlympic High School.

Day sells a few oysters on the side, sothe state Department of Health keeps aregular watch on the bacteriA levels at hisbeachfront property.

"One of the nightmares alwavs

126 ~ Ustvo 7'; REsr!tlRCF.

f every waterfront property ownerwuuld grow his own oysters, the rateat which beaches are being ruined bypollution would decline, according toJon and Loanna Day, who moved toMisery Point near Seabeck to take

nagging at the back of my mind," he said, "iswhether I' ll be recertified. You hear of hotspots where coliforms bacteria! are increas-ing, such as the area near Seabeck Store andwhere Big Bceuf enters Hood Cana]!."

lf everybody would grow oysters, Daysays, inaybe the word would spread aboutthe importance of caring for septic svsterns,reducing lawn pesticides and cleaning upafter pets and hvestock.

Growing your oven oysters is notparticularly difficult, he maintains,

Added Mrs Day "You hear peoplesay, 'We used to have oysters here.' To me,that's like sayiung 'Gosh, we used to haveca rrots in our garden.' "

Many of Hood Canal's beaches are

If everybodyzoould grozooysters, JonDay says,maybe the

word would

spread aboutthe importance

of caring forseptic sysfenzs,reducing lawnpesticides anrt

cleaning upafter pets and

livestock.

728 + LJstvo THr Rrs?uRcr

0 ~ ~ ~ 8 ~ 8 ~ 0 ~

"You hear

people say,'We used tohave oystershere,'To me,

that 's likesaying 'Gosh,

we used tohave carrots inOlll' gallfen.

� hosanna Day

seeded natura Hy, thanks in large part to thetremendous aniaunt of oyster larvae pro-duced in Quilcene and Dabob bays. La rvaethat s~ve drift for hvo ar three weeksbefore setting on rocks or old oyster shell.

One can enhance the amount af oyster"set" by nioving shell from thc upper beachto the lower beach. Do nat, however, moveuncertified sheU from just anyone's beach,warns Day. lt is iUegal, and uncertified shellcarries the threat of spreading a dangerousparasite, the Japanese oyster drill, a snailwhich was introduced with early shipmentsof oyster seed.

One can also lay bags oi strings of sheUout on the beach ta catch swimming larvae,The sheU can be purchased from certifiedoyster glowers, and the state Department ofFisheries keeps track of water conditions andannounces the best time ta put them out.

Where oysters don't set naturally, onecanbuy bags of oyster seed, or spat, whichare tiny oysters that have already beencaptured and grown for several months onshell.

Oysters grown in Dyes and Sinclairinlets cannot be certified for sale duc topollution problems, but Uay intends to havehis high school class plant some oyster seedthere anywav

"We cansee how fast the oysters grow,and it niav be a good way of monitoringpollution levels," he said.

Day says hc is disappointed that somewaterfront properly owners object to anykind af commercial oyster or mussel farmingnear their homes. Store than anything, heargues, such operations prove that thewaters are still clean.

'You will never scc a mussel farin inCommencement Bay," he added.

Day worries about the upcomingdecision over whether tribes have a right totake shellfish from private beaches. But hisconcern docsn't slow him down.

"This entire shoreline is a very richresource," he noted. "l hope that people arenot so afraid that they stop cultivatingseafood or stop trying to protect the waterquality."

~ 0 ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SE<mON 5

AX KVISIBL E

THREAT

8iiChri!hipIicrD 1 i i I i>a n

n June 1991, the First major red tideoutbreak in the history of Hood Canalalarmed Puget Sound re~archers, whowere the first to admit they don't knowexactly why it happened.But one researcher, Jack Rensel of the

University of Washington Fishcnes Depart-ment, says further plankton blooms incentral Hood Canal could d oom the south-ern part of the waterway, where condihonsappear to be more favorable to the onecelledorganls Iris,

The closure came after state healthofficials ~oted that high levels of paralyticshellfish poison had been tound in rnusselsfrom Seabeck Bay, The resu] ting closureaffected all of Hood Canal from Sea becknorth to Hood Canal Bridge, on both Kitsapand Jefferson county sides.

'Things are happening in that area,"said Kenneth Chew, a UW Fisheries profes-

sor and longtime shellfish biologist. "Before1978, 1 used to say that if you eat shellfishsouth of a line drawn even with PortTownsend, you never have to worry."

Since then, he noted, red tide blooms

have moved south into loN:er Puget Soundand now are threatening Hood Canal,

The cause is unknown, said Chew, bu t

hc personally believes that plankton may bcfollowing the growth of human population.

"The more people living in these areas,we see an increase in phosphates andnitrates," said Chew. ' fhat's what theorganism desires.

"We are holding our breath on this,"he said. "A massive outbreak in 1978 sparedHood Canal, but 1've always been v under-ing when it might poke through there."

Kensel, a graduate student who isdoing extensive studies on plankton, hasproposed a theory about why Hood Canal

130 ~ Usmc rm Rrsourrcs

~ a ~ ~ ~ ~ ee ~ e

Since 1978,Unipersity ofWashington

sheets hbiologist

Jf,'enneth Chewhas seen rtedtide bloomsmope rrorrthotto hnuer

Prrget Sorry,to the poirtt

that Sey nowfkttaten Hood

Canal.

Red tide

closing

Hood Canalsuffered i ts

first-ever closure tored tide in 1991.

Now that theplankton is present

in the canal,shellfish groupersare concerned the

blooms couldbecome morefrequent andfvi des pread.

has avoided red tides so far.Every spring, Hood Ca~al undergoes

blooms involving oneceUed plankton caUcddiatom., he says, Stable weather sunUghtand high water temperatures are aU factors.

After the spring bloom, central HoodCanal, which is fed by the clear watersflowing out of the Olympics, becomesdepleted of inorganicnitrugen, said Rensel.

DinoflageUates, free-swimming pla nkton, areunable to move past the clearlayers of water in centralHood Canal and die, accord-ing to Rensel's theorv.Gonyaular crrfanellrr, the redtide organism, is one of thedinoflagellates.

So far, the clear watersof central Hood Canal havesaved lower Hood Canalfrom serious red tide prob-lems, he said. But conditionsin lower Hood Canal may bemore favorable to the redtide orgarusm due to the highlevel of nutrients that havebeen measured there.

During winter months,most plankton drift to thebottom as cysts and liedormant.

"Once you get the cystsin the sediment," said Rensel,"there is the possibility that itmay be there from now on.The only thing keeping it outof South Hocrd Canal may bethat it hasn't been thcrc insuch numbers before."

Don MUes of theBremerton-Kitsap CountyHealth Department said he has heardunconfirmed reports of a major red tidebloom during the '1940s, but he is not sure ofcondihons present at that time. Old-timersrecaU a reddish bloom of plankton, but thccolor may bc due to another species ofplankton unrelated to the red tide organism.

Rensel has proposed a study of HoodCanal that would measure the dangerous

plankton and conditions affecting it.The amount of toxin that !ed to the

closure v as 226 micrograms of toxin per 100grams ot shellfish tissue. The level for closingthe beaches is 80.

VnrmaUy, plankton blooms "take twoor three weeks to develop, then can disap-pear almost overnight," said Louisa

Nishitani, who studied redtide for 20 years until herretirement as a University ofWashington searcher in1985.

The plankton v eren'tknown in large numbers insouthern Puget Sound until1978, when a major bloomoccurn< up north, After that,the organismhas beengradually moving intosouthern waters.

"We knew it was in the

main basin of Puget Soundfor years before 1978," shesaid, "but the conditionsweren't right for it to bloombefore that � or it could

have bloomed in isolatedspots but just wasn't pickedup.

The same could bc said

of Hood Canal today, shesaid.

Hood Canal beaches inthe affected area werereopened txvo weeks afterclosure. During that period,! on Day nf Scabcck was thenrdy grower waiting toharvest o> sters from hisbeach.

But thc threat of redhde extends to oyster

growers throughout central and southernI lood Canal, especially when one realizesthat cysts of the organism can remaindormant, waiting like tiny time bombs fnrthc right conditions to return,

Increased population in the HoodCanal v atershed may heighten the risk ofpoisonous plankton blooms and add lo thethreat already posed by grov ing poUution.

CI IAImR

~ SO ~ OOOO ~

NAVAL

SUBMARWF.

BASV, BANGOR

SFt<tOtx 1

HOOD CANAI

BFua~t FS TFIF

NAX~ S

CHOICE

Bv L >>li� P> >t>. >>ct>

~ 131 ~

Uss Bl»nd» retur»s fry»» «h»knfm» E>la>e»r B>r 4 p h~ Df D»t»>t> B»y i»> Had Ci»>at

bout midway along themeandering eastern flank ofHood Canal, the rocky beachis blocked by a fence thatextends from the woodedbank all the way down into the

waters of the hdal zone.On the fence is a prominently dis-

played sign, "Warning. Restricted area. KeepOut. Authoriz~xi Personnel Ordy."

This is where wild and natural HoodCanal meets the orderly structure of theNaiy.

What lies beyond the fence on the

shoreline is one of the most extra<>rdinarymilitary installations in America � theNaval Submarine Base at Bangor.

lt houses a support complex for aweapon system so incredibly powerful thatit could, in the space of less than an hour,turn the spraw ling mass of the Soviet L nioninto a cratered, smoldering hulk.

lt has never been used for this purpose.And it won't be as long as the Soviet Uniondoesn't attack America erst, say those ii hon jn the program. lts purpose is to deterwarfare, not cause it, thev say.

The base does this bv keeping the eight

132 ~ Ilsuvo THE REQTURcr

a ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 0 ~

Abnost as

soon as thnjleave Hood

Canal, Tridentsrrbrnarines

based at

8angor canreach most oftheir Soviet

targets withthnr nuctear-

tippedmissiles.

The reasons may be unclear to abndlubber, but to most submariners they areobvious.

"It's a deep body of water without a lotof navigational hazards," said Capt.Malcolm Wright, commodore of the Tridentfleet, which first became operational in 1982.

That means the giant subs based onHood Canal can submerge almost as soon asthey pull a way from their pier. It also rnea nsthat very little dredgmg was required tobuild the base's waterfront facilities.

Another plus � the 7, l00-acre sitechosen for thc Trident support base alreadywas owned by the Navy.

Bangor had been a sleepy ammunitiondepot establrshed in the final years of WorldWar II and named after a nearby hnycommunity on the shore of Hood Canal.

The area's relahve remoteness fromurbanize indushial areas is a plus, too � to

nuclear missile subniarines based thereready and rotating constantly out to sea.

But the 7,100-acre mstallation on HoodCanal is more than just the physic a! base fora weapons program. It is part nature pre-serve, small city, industrial facility and 5'avvhome port � all contained within a settingof breathtaking grandeur.

Where is the ideal home tor a fleet ofeight Trident nuclear missile-firing su brna-rines?

Back in the earlv '70s, when the Tridentsystem was ready to move from the drawingboards to reality, the Navy asked itself thatqueshon.

The answer it came up with then, aftermuch searching, was a site along a vast,natural fjord sandwiched between the snow-laced Olympic Mountains and the undubt-ing evergreen hills of Kitsap Peninsula inWestern Washington.

We, of course, know the waterway asHood Canal.

Now, 20 years later, there is wid econsensus among the submarine communityat Bangor that the choice not only wascorrect but also a stroke of genius.

But how can that be? How could aremote waterway surrounded by vastbmoding forests, fa r from any industrialsupport facilities, be considered an idealplace for a strategic submarine missile baseand the 10,000 sailors and workers who runit?

the submarine Nav !Said Wright: "It you have to make a

choice between, sav, Ellintt Bay or a remotearea � especially one that you already own� then you pick the less populated area."

Not only does that increase the marginof safety, but it means less marine vesseltraffic to interfere v'ith and observe subma-rine movements.

There are the charactcrishcs of I IoodCanal itself.

One of the deepest inlets in WesternWashington, Da bob Bay, is 35 minutes fromthe Trident base as the submarine goes-oftering a perfect test site for the giant subsbefore they lea ve on an operational patrol.

"Having Dabob Bay so near is greatsaid Crndr. Keith Arterburn, the base'spublic affairs officer, "We can come back tothe pier and fix any problems that arediscovered."

"It thc bay! serves the Navy a greatpurpose," added Crndr. Henry Gonzales,executive officer aboard one of the Tridentsubs. "It saves us a lot of hours. In a little lessthan an hour from home base!, we candive."

Then there arc the less tangible, but noless important factors.

Hood Canal country is a scenic,friendly place to live for the submariners andtheir families.

"Look at how many people stay here. Navy! people do all they can not to leavehere," said Wright. "Why is that? It's thequality of life. The people are friendly. Thecrime rate is low. This is America at its best."

The Navy's top submarincr, Vice Adm.Roger F. Bacon, and his wife Joan may live inWashington, D.C., but they own property onHood Canal.

They' re not the only ones."I asked specifically to come to Bangor,

and I got what I wanted," said Lt. Crndr. JayPerkins, training officer for Trident Subrna-rine Croup 9. "I plan to die here,"

Chris Mygatt, wife of a Trident sailoraboard USS I Iorid a, added: "People here arevery warm and welcoming. I' ve never livedin a community that had so much supportfor the Navy."

Despite all that, Hood Canal does haveits drawbacks.

For one, it's a long way � 155 nules-from the Bangor base to the open ocean.Submarines on patrol spend most of theirfirst and bst days travers'mg that distance on

Nev~t St te~~~rUvt 5 ~s<, 8 ~w'o~~s ~ 133

the curvature of the sub's hull all the waydown as far as it went," he said.

In no other port in the world had heever seen what the sub looked like below the

water's murky surface.Then, looking up, he took in the vast

forests and mountains surrounding HoodCanal and he knew he had entered a special

place,b Bay lt i» a feeling shared by

many of thc sailors andofficers stationed at the

sprawling base, the onlyindustrial facility anywhereon the cana 1's 242-rrule

shoreline. It catches bysurprise many of those whoare stationed there for thefirst time. It is like no other

military compound in theworld,

Envious sailors based atother local facilities refer tothe Bangor 5'avy base as

Wa terS Of "that national park."ay Offer a "You can go rightnt ~laCe tO do~ to the S ~m P er on

base and go crabbing orclamming," says sailor

Sub after Shawn Steeleof USS Ala-he Bangorross the The park-like beauty of

the area has Ied Vavynal. officials to exercise more than

usual care in protecting the environment atBangor.

The base's huge Delta Pier was spe-cially constructed away from the shoreline tokeep from disrupting salmon runs. Thepiling» supporting r't are wrapped in aprotecti ve, non polluting plastic.

A number of systems also are in placeto prevent oil, hazardous waste or radioac-tive material from spilling into thc water-wayy. Spills of hazardous materials still oculsometimes, but are quickly cleaned up

So far, though, the Havm's painstakingand thorough precautions hai e prevented adevastabng accident from destroying thccanal and it» ecosystem.

The sailors and civilians stah<med atBangor love Hocxl Canal as much as,perhaps more than, the rest ot us. Theiractivities pollute the fjord and its m atcrshedless than many of Hood Canal's less impos-ing neighbors.

the surface at »knv spcwsIs.Another disadvantage is that the Hood

Canal area's distance from urban areas can

be trying for young single sailors stationedthere.

But these are minor problems whencompared with the tremendous advantages,including what may be the ultimate ad van-tage. That is, Hood Canal'sstrategic geographic location DQb0within the Trident missiles'

4,500-mile striking range ofthe Soviet Union.

Said Capt, Wright: "Ithink the real reason theHood Canal areal was picked� and this is just MalcolmWright talking � is itsgeographical loca tion. If youwanted to hold at risk all the

targets in the Soviet Union, they are! very close to beingin range as soon as you getout of the Strait of Juan deFuca." The deep

"I think one reason for Dabob Bhaving the base here is itsproximity to the mostdangerous scene of a con-flict." Trident

He Said it may nOt be refit at tpossible to hit all potential base actargets in the Soviet Unionfrom just off the Washingtonstate coast � "but your steaming hme ismuch shorter to reaching those targets!"�especiaUy if missiles are fired over the polarregion.

'1t ccrmplicates the Soviet»'! efforts tolocate us in the ocean a nd gives us! morepre-launch survivability," said Wright.

And, he added: "Yes, we could hitsome targets from right inside Hood Canal."

Petty officer Mike Schriver remembersweU the first time he rode a submarine, USSBarb, into the crystaUr'nc waters of HoodCanal.

As the nuclear-powered sub docked atits berth in the Naval Submarine Base atBangor, Schriver looked down and wasastonished to see the submarine's blackshape under the water, in detail, as if hewere peering at it through glass.

"The water was so clear, you could see

~ OOOO ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Our irr feresf

today is topreserve our

way of fifewithout beirrg

undulyfhreafenirrg."

� Capt. MalcolmWright,

Subrnarucc

Squadron 17

~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ 0

SECTION 2

THE CANAL'S

COMhKNlT'

By Voyd Prffchet!

cfftlfft' 1, I1 flw!tf. rAA'I'lfffr 'l Hflfl I',III' ' c ll llIl

Dt f0'lrtlrfffr'Iff Cr'Iflr'I'. lSJ flit IIIII' Irl Illf' tt'I Ilrlr'

If'lfrf IIIII lrr' fl1 ' f1 III'latl'. If ltt ffritf I III ' I rff if' rf f R I r

I:rIIIIIIIIIIIlfff

hen a wicked wind and icestorm came screaming outof the night, shutting downcivilization in WesternWashington for days inDecember, l 990, everything

fell apart for the young Naw wife living inrural western kitsap County.

Her power went out, her driveway

piled with snow, hcr car would not start, shewas low on groceries, her hvo preschoolerswerc hung@.

And her h usband was hundreds ofmiles out to sca, aboard a Trident submarine,somewhere in the North Pacific. He wouldnot be returning for weeks.

Fortunately, her phone still worked. 5oshe made a call.

hlavac SLra taker Bast', Bavw~z ~ 135

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t ~

77te base is a

community of10,000 people,the largest onthe canal. It

hasits own

lrousing,supermarket,departmentstore, childcare center,

restaurants,

clubs, library,movie thea ter,

recyclingcenter,

ski rnrn ingpool ... the. list

is endless.

"Hello," said a familiar voice on the

other end of the line."I need some help," said the Navy

wife.

Within a short time, another wifewhose husband was atxrard thc sarncsubmarine drove up in a four-whee14rivevehicle with three bags of groceries,

The second wife helped out u~til thefirst could get reorganized and back on hcrfeet.

This is the kind of drama that ChrisMygatt � the familiar voice on the end ofthe linc � is trained to deal with.

She is the "ombudsman" for the Blue

Crew of the Trident submarine USS Florida,based on Hood Canal at the fxfaval Subma-rine Base at Bangor,

Onc of her jobs during the sub's patrolsis to find VSS Florida wives who can helpout others in need.

For wives and family members ofFlorida crcwmcn, many of them new to thearea, she is the orle person they can count on24 hours a dav when the crew is at sca for2 ' /r months at a stretch.

She knows all 114 wives with a hus-band on the Blue Crew which alternatespa trois wr'th the sub's Gold Crew'J.

"It's like a big family," shc said. "I feellike I have 114 sisters."

Although extreme winter storms don' tcome along cvew day, other type. s ofprobleiiLs crop up constantly while theFlorida is out at sea.

Mygatt is there when there's an illnessin a USS Florida fanuly, she's there whensomeone has a qucshon, she's there whensomeone needs a sympathetic shoulder tocry on.

She knows about every pregnancy thatis likely to ternunate while the crew is away.And she makes sure a plan is worked out inadvance � with voluntccrs ready to escortthe mothers-to-be to the hospital and takecare of their homes during the husbands'absence.

She's also thcrc to help in more seriouscases � when a wife is assaulted or w henthere is a death in a famiIy.

"1'm the captain's representative to thcfamilies," said Mygatt. "Last patrol I tookover 700 phone calls from tamily members.I'rn on call 24 hours a day for the entiredeployment."

Shc. is the only civilian adviser on thecaptain's small persona! staff.

She said her role is to "help sailorskeep their minds on their mission when theyarc at sea for 75 days and make themconfident there's somebody back home totake care of their families,"

Every crew of every Trident submarineat Bangor has an ombudsman like Mygattwho serves as a link to the families ofcrewmen.

Mygatt says she understands what thefamilies go through because her husband,Cliff, has been in the Navy for 13 year andaboard thc Florida for two years. They havegone through 10 patrols aboard differentsubs. They have a daughter; Heather, 6 '/r,who she says is "very proud of her father."

The base is the equivalent of' a smallcity. It has its ov. n housing, superrnarkct,dcIxirtrnent store, child care center, restau-rants, clubs, library, movie theater, recyclingcenter, swimming pool, bowling alley, gym,archery range. sports center, fishing lakes ...'I'he list is endless.

It is a cornrnunity of 10, f00 people, thelargest on thc canal.

Mygatt and the othe r submarineombudsmen are just part of a network ofpeople m place at Bangor to support thcfamilies and crewmen who maintain theirconstant vigil out in the lonely depths of theocean. Navy people, and the self-containedcommunity at Bangor, call the concept"taking care of our or~."

"Thc submanne force does it betterthan anybody else in the Nas>," said basespokesman Crndr. Keith Arterburn.

New Navy families amving at Bangorhrst make contact with the extensive supportsvsteIn through the base's FamiIv ServiceCenter, ivhich offers a packet of informationabout the area - and that's just for starters.

The center, headed by Cmdr. MarieMcElligott, also offers hnancial and personalcounseling, hosts 100 workshops and classesin evewthing from first aid to stress manage-ment and serves as a link behveen the "4avvcommunity ancl local school svsterns.

It helps Bangor tamilies when theyamve and when they have to leave, and theentire time betv een.

Here, too, is v here the subs' ombud»-

men get their training.And the center reccntlv put together a

new program called "junior ambassadors"� in which youngsters who live at the base

I 1<, ~ ll s l<I' Ki

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ t 0 ~

"Yon can go

right kn >n tof Pre '>err>ice Pier

on l>ase and gocrabbing or< Arnrming."-- Slia<'n < t<~ I»,

I 'bh Al ih,ini,i

< '>lunteer to h<. friend ne<s Xav1 ki t»arriyin<,' In the area and sh<iiv them thcrope».

Thc center offers such an array otsec< ice» that "there's ri;illy nothing like it inthe civilian w«rid,' said Arterbum.

It»ides the Family Service Center, th T'ridcnt has< offers a child care center I«penM«ndav thr iugh Saturday!, h iu»inl; reterral<>ffiec~, 'Navy Reliif' S<icicty and Chal1cl.

Alt«I,'ether, this support »c> vice» are!;iven hil>h niark» by»aik!r» chen thcv arc»urv< y<st to tind i<i t wlii they decide t i stayin thc %1< y.

The»upport actii itic» n >t only help thcIanul i~, hut they help each subrnariner at»c 1 keep hi» mind on lii» j<>b, »c»-.ur<' in thikn<>vvl d!;<' that there i» 1 Iietw<irk <it pe<>piethen. t«help his iwn tainily while hc'! y<>ne in p,itr il.

,"<levcrthete»», d ~cpit< the eaten»iv<'s ipli >rt sere Ccc», there C<inie th«»e tim <»ivhen each submariner, hi»»pou»e andt.imil y mu»t learn to rely on them»el ~.

"You have t<> he t«UI,'h-»kinncd andindependent t<1 he a»ubrnariner'S Wife!,"»aid 1 tcf-:Ilil;ott. "You have to have confi-d< n e in v<iur»elf."

While thc hu»band I» aiyay on patrol,th ' ivifi' play» th .' f<ile ot mother and father.1 h .' kid», nlea niyhile, learii to yet hy iyith the.it tl'nt'l<>il >toil '. pa> int.

I.«nclin ~» can be a big fact<>r dur>ny, ap itn>l, t<x>, h1cI llil<«tt » iid. "If you' re a s ife,v<>u see y iur children d<>in', net thinf>s andh< tthc hu»band! i» not ther <t<i ivatch."

1« help bridt, th» conimunicati«n yapbet<i «en fami lie» and»eafaring Subma incr»,thi ihavy allov » eiCh wite t<i send eightsh«it Ulib<s92't IT> ~»al <rc sc' licit "tarnily-I,iam!" t<i lier hush,ind <turinl, each Tridentpat r<il

Bl t the> e i. n > cul <' t<>I !<»li«' il tl'I 'teel>ii!;! th<1 t pla <ue ivI '< es an t t<iinlli i! <vh 'na subnia rni i! <»I p,it «i

There» a p<>I it ii'I'th <' 'ery <vite,there.'S a lvv1V» th it inklui!, <it tear iii the bach >I y«ur n1ind I that the !I>b miI:ht Iiot re-turn!,"!aid SIV!�att "r'<iu hie« t« I rnCmherthat the mcn .. <ire hII;hly trai» d, <xpcrt»in ivh1t thev <3«.. I hi< c,in d<i their j«hs int h .' I r»l c'e p.

"All the» ni< n,ire pr«fe»»I«nal», tr<>rnthe!eanien recruits t<i th«,ipt1>n," »h 'added.

Kith»o nn>ch ot their time taken upyrith ineeti>i the d< nia Ii<t! <it the!Uhniarine

rvIcc, 'the iv<>l'id<'r Is t!11t flic Trident

COniinunity at Linl;<ir al!<> has the time t< >eat<'nd a helpin!,' ha nd to thc ci1 i lian c<irn-munitv.

8ut it do s.

Trident sail irs v >hn>teer at local»cho«l! thr<>ui;h the Vcr» inal Fxcctlc>icethrough Cooperative Fducati<in PFCF!pi «I> ram.

Th» Trident Trainuig I-icility operates acomrnuiiitv acti<in Program, called "I lelp»i<Hands," that help» <iut cI< ilian <>rganiz itioii!and Individuals with project» on Saturd1ymornings.

And the base I ventIy ",id«pted" atii o->nile! treteh Of State Higliway 3 nearH1n<>or, vvhich it keep» Clean thr<iuy,h reg IIarlitt< r-g1thering patr«l».

lt all thi» create» the niage that th» hasei» a !;nod CitiZen n11dc up ot re!;ular Arneri-cans, veil � it'» no itnal e, but the truth, »aythe official» v ho run the place.

'These are evervd a i American citizensaboard the»c ships," »aid Capt. Ma]coin>V'nI>ht, comm«<tore ot the Trident » luadron in I lood Canal

A Canal Portfolio

Botanist Jerry Gorslineinspects a tiny sunderv plant,

zvhich catches insects rvithsticky secretions. Gorsli ne

has studied cunuch of theHood Canal watershed irr

detail, and he's found a feroareas, like Devil's Lake, that

have witlrstood theencroachmen t of foreig n

plant species. Gorslirre Irascalled for state protection of

such ecosysterrrs,

138 ~

John and lrtss Blalne right! escaped a hectic

urban setting to parseethei r art on the shores of

Hood Canal. BradKauzlaric below!, a

Seabeck artist, workedfor months on a

painting thatrepresented his

perception of thewaterwaY.

~ j39

Elders, like joseph Andrews Sr. of tlieSkokoinish top!, still renieniber wiieii tiiebounty of the canal was the source of tiieirsustenance. T7ie culture of fhe hJortinoestCoastal Salish people, zvho originallyinhabited the Hood Canal watershed, u assystenzaticallyattacked by tire zz>hites zz hosettled tirere. Oiil y recently has there bee!ian nttenipt to rez~izie the old zoaq.'. PertGanrble S'Kiallani Jake Jones left! lenrirs toiiiake a bentioood boy in the zvaii of iiispilcestois.

T7<e carl! 's b db nny/>cop einui~nV difflozvd foo U ,, t ~pgy, its beache< ~

~ 14.0'

dentands oz the canal that its natura1 syste!ns cannot nieef, Only canfi l use of f1'» r»acetousresource can prvser7>e it for future generations,

~ Idl ~

]$7 ~

TIre rich n»d tlrc poor stnt.ochre!»fo tire I locut Cnrrrri < >rrterstrert.CIrr ck nrrrt JOArrrre Hrrseirrronti fncirry I»q;e! I~lnrt o» tIre goI fcol< r se IIror/ Irr ilt orr tire gr' »rrr ksof their ho»re rrenr OIrtrrrpic 'tier».F rrrrrcr Johrr Drrzis Pointer! forrrrr7it irrcrensi»gly dif6crr t trr scrirtchorrt n Iir irrg frnrrr tire soil nrorrrrdBelfair, so Ire rrtozed Iris fnrrriliy toWisconsi» irr 1991. Aloirr

Act orrrrnrr �eff! rruri erI toQrrilcerre frorrr Morrtnrrn ns rrtecrrager i!T tire Inte 1930 arrdforr»ci that tIre eirrrnl Iiroi irh'd ir"ctrriet I f»" for Iris u~i fe «nd forrrcllilrt r'err,

144 ~

The waters of Hood Canalsti1l ojIt.ra bounty, but the

waterway's ability toprovi de is being

challenged by pollutionand sedimentation from

human development,logging and agricu1turaluses. Harvesting oysters

right! is possible onlybecause most of the canal'swaters remain clear, Tribal

Pshermen on theSkokomish River below!

see fewer and fewerreturning salmon, a result

of overPshing on theoceans and the destruction

of spawning habitatupstream by darns and

development,

~ ~ ~ ~ OO0 ~ ~ ~

SECTION 3

400 FEET

BE~V THI.

CAXAI

Bq UJrJJd PrJJFIJctt

J'<! Jq c JJfrc<'r2 JJ<J CJ<Jc /«J«J,vtn<J<v<JJ JJi< JJ<i<JJ «J JJss FJa«d«J«rz<~JJ<

JJ<<'!<<I'J««' <'tf HOOd C<1<l<IJ.

n the control room of the Trident

submarine USS Florida, Petty Officer2nd Class John Mosley munchesrhythmically on a tasteless scrap ofgum and nudgcs the small ovalsteering wheel before him to the right"Right 15 degrees rudder, steady

course two-seven-eight," he says in a calmvoice from the swivel chair where he srts.

Mosley, considered the best helmsmanwith the Horida's blue crew, can't see wherehe is going.

Instead, he eyeballs a panel clusteredwith gauges and instruments and respondsto course headings ordered by the ship' sofficer of the deck.

For the rnornent, the 18,700-ton sub iscruising along the surface of I food Canal.The officer of the deck, known as the"CX3D," is perched at the top of thesubmarine's towering black sail, out in abrisk spring wind. He communicates to the

N«r aJ 5JJRL1:'<RJNJ Ha!t, Bay<a >J< ~ J4 5

control room below via intercom.Also atop the sail is the Florida's

conunan ding officer, Capt. Paul Sulh'van. Hewatches wordless!y and stoically over theOOCys shoulder.

Today the crew is taking the billion-dollar strategic sub from its berth at theBangor naval base to ~foot-deep DabobBay in Jefferson County for a test spin. It's ashort 3%minute cruise acToss Hood Canal.

The idea is to put the submarinethrough its paces one last trme before itheads out on another 75-day patrol underthe unforgiving ocean after nearly a monthin port.

"If the ship gets out on a patrols andsomething doesn't work ... it can create a realdomr'no effect," said Cmdr. Henry Gonzales,the Florida's executive officer. "One reason

that doesn't happen much is because wehave Dabob Bav here to use for testing."

The ere~ also needs to know if all

146 ~ Usnvr. nrr Rrsaurrcc

I ~ OOO ~ ~ eO ~

''The averageage of the crew

r's only 21years old. A lotof times a newcrew member

senses the

weight of thewhole world is

on his

shoulders. Bttt

I remind hitttthat it's reallya team effort ...l call it 'Team

Florida'."� Capt. PaulSullivan, USS

Florida

systems are working noiselessly, since a subthat makes noise is a sub that gets found.And Trident subs aren't in the business ofbeing found.

Any noises detected by sensitive sounddetectors planted nn Dabob Bay's bottommust be tracked down and silcnccd by repaircre~s before the sub can head out to sea.

As the sub enters the bay, it begins along, looping racetrack circuit. It is nearlytime to dive.

The personnel on the sail � the OOD,the junior OOD, the captain and twn look-outs � clamber down a long metal ladderthrough two hatches into the control roombelow. The last one down closes and seals

the hatches.Vow the officer of the deck will guide

thc ship by periscope,A command passes aver the ship' s

speaker system: "Watchstanders, man yourphones in preparation for submerging theship."

At the heim, Mosley chews his gumfaster as the moment for diving approaches,His right leg moves up and down rapidly ina nervous rhythm.

Also at the ready is the ship' splanesman, to Mosley's left, who controls thesub's angle of descent, and the chief of the~ atch, who mans a panel showing whichvalves, hatches and openings on the ship' shull have been closed.

Before the sub can submerge, everyopening must be shut,

"We don't want water getting intowhat we caII the people lackeys;" explains thesubmarine group's training officer, I t. Crndr.J*y Perkins.

The OOD orders more course changesand the helmsman answers.

"Right full rudder, aye," savs thehelmsman, just the slightest bit of tensionentering his voice. "All ahead one-third, aye.

Passing course ane-eight-zero to the right,sir. �. Continue course twn-zero-zero, helmaye. Officer of the dc', steady on coursetwo-zero-zero, sir."

'Very well, helm," answers the OOD.Then the planesrnan receives his

orders: "Submerge the ship, nmkc depthseven-eight feet."

And just as it has been portrayed in athousand Hollywood movies, a vnicecrackles over the ship's speaker system:

"Dive! Dive!" A harn alarm soundstw ice, and then the order is repeated: "Dive!Dive!"

"All vents open."' answers the chief ofthe watch, as he throws open switches.Thousands nf gallons af Hood Canal waterbegin pouring noiselessly through valvesirrto the sub's ballast tanks.

A rush of coal air passes through thec ontrol room.

lrnrnediatcly, the red digits on thesub's keel depth gauge begin increasing asthe sub starts on its way below Hood Canal'sgray waves. The planesrnan calls out them creasing depths.

' Three-eight feet," he says. "Faurwix.... Four-eight.... Five-zero feet, ... Five-twa."

"Deck's awash," calls aut the officer afthe deck, signalling that the waves are nowcombing aver thc sub's outcr deck.

When the keel depth reaches sixty-eight feet, the huge submarine is completelysubmerged.

Once it passes belovv 84 t'eet, it will bctoo deep to use the periscope.

"Order depth onc-nine-one," intonesthe OOD.

Shortly after, he lowers the periscope.The helmsman seems to relax. I lis lcg

stops moving up and dovvn. But hc still yveshis guns a workout.

Now is thc time when the ship's snnarroom takes over,

"We' re the eyes and ears of the boatwhen we' re not at periscope depth," ex-plains Sonar Technician I st Class MichaelGuinn.

What the sonar crew does is listen tasounds in the water � very carefully�using a multimillion-dollar hightech elec-tronic system called the A V/BQQ6 thatanalyzes sounds on a screen.

The system is so sophishcated that,with a crackerjack operator, it can puttogether a three-dimensional acoustic"pi<~" of all sounds surrounding the ship,identify where they are coming fram andwhat is causing them.

It can tell whether a nearby sound iscaused by a wlrale, a supertanker, *n oceantug � or a Victor class Soviet submarine-and then allow the sub to avoid it.

"Just by listening, we can tell howmany screws propeUers! a contact has, andhow many blades are on each screw," saidGuinn.

Today, in Dabob Bay, the sonar systempicks up the tiny sounds of hundreds nfsnapping shrimp. The sound of a passing

~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ OOOO

patrol boat also leaves a thick acoustic wakedown the sonar system's scri~n.

But out in front of the sub, all is clear.Down below on the ship's lowest deck,

in the Florida's torpcxfo room, another crewis getting ready for action.

Today the crew will test-launch a Mark48 torpedo � a million-dollar v 'capon sosmart that if it misses its target it is pro-grammed to come back a nd try aga in.

The torpedo being shot today has nowarhead on it. After launching, it will beretrieved and put back into ser>ice.

No tense, sweaty-faced officer barks"Fire onc!" into his headset as a torpedoroars from its tube, Instead, there is a calmcouritdown, after which a technician pushesa button in the conti ol room.

A loud hiss, tasting less than a second,is thc only sign that thc torpedo has beenpushed from its tube by pressurized water.

After the launch, a hurly torpedomanopens the tube to check it. Inside he sees thesmashed remains of hvo 1 food Canalshrimpsuckcxf into thc scrccns during the launch.

"It's the catch of the day," he says.

Thc Trident submarines based atBangor spend more than twice as much timeout on patrol as they do in port.

For 75 days at a time, ]60 crewmenstand ready at a moment's notice to launch24 missiles packing up to eight warheadsapiece toward targets in the Soviet Union, ifcalled on by the president to do so.

The chances of that call coming areahnost incalculably remote. Nevertheless,the crew must be ready to act.

They live inside their enormou~ steelvault on manufactured air, surrvunded bypipes, cables, computers, machinery � a»dmissiles � never contacting the outsideworld, from an undersea world about asalien as any found on this planet,

A shakedown cruise in Dabob Bay ispart of the preparation for a cruise that startsabout three weeks before thc sub actuallyleaves on patrol, a time called "refit."

'"Hiis is the must pain fu I period in asubmariner's 1ifc," said Seruor Chief

Machinist's Mate Greg Mercer ot Bangor,who has served aboard Trident subs foryears.

Refit pmod means 1B-hour work days,hard work, no slccp, inspections, extra dutyand very little time. for anvthing else,including one's fairuly. And it's all domi-

mated by the certainty that it wMI be followedby about 75 days at sea.

It takes most of a day for a sub to getfrom Bangor to thc sea, Once the Tridentreaches the western end of the Strait of Juande Fuca, "it's time to puII the plug." saidGonzales, executive officer of the Florida'sblue crew.

After the sub dives, it needn' t come

back to the surface unhl the patrvl is over.Atr is manufactured, water is purified fromthe sea and tons of food are stashed aboard,

During all this hme, one thing is moreimportant than any other to the ship and itscrew: silence.

Aboard a Trident sub, any sound canjeopardize nahonal security if a listeningSoviet sub is anywhere within miles. There-fore, silence is not just a vdrtue; it is a neces-sity, a habit, a way of living.

Machinists don't drop tools. Cooksdon' t bang pots and pans. Doors and hatchesaren't slammed, they are closed with great,gentle care. Whenever possible, crewmembers climb into their bunks, or "racks,"

to avoid making noise. Toilet lid s aren't evenlitted for fear thev will fall back down with a

bang."Something like that can be heard

miles through the water," said Senior ChiefMercer, who adds the cre>v goes "to anylength to eliminate" noise.

Meai>while, the work load hardlv lets

up."The average officer can easily work 18

hours a day," said I'erkins.Every crew member stands six-hour

watches, v hich are followed by 12 ho~rs ofwork, training and drills. Thc remaining sixhours can bc used for sleep if there are nomore drills during that time.

It's easy to forget whether it's dav ornight, said Mercer, so most crew met»borsorient themselves by which meal thev are

eating � breakfast, lunch, dinner or mid-night rations.

Under thi kind of regimen, theexcitement of heading out to sea v cars offat'ter about the first tvvo wixks of the patrol.

Thc sameness gets to some pimple. It' salways thc same shipmates, with the samen>annerisms, telling the same sea stories inthe same way.

And there are the worries of isolation."1'rn confident in mv witi''s ahilihes; shc canhandle anvthing," said Mercer. "But vou stillvvorry. You worix atx>ut yoiil fanuly. Youworry about the unkn<»vn."

The sonar

system picksup the tinysounds of

hundreds ofsnapping

slrrirnp. Aftertest firing atorpedo, a

torpedomanremoves the

smashed

remains of trvoHood Canal

shrimp suckedinto the tube.

748 ~ if''G mr. REsourtcr

I ~ s ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"lf the shipgets opt on apatrol! andsomething

doesn twofk-it can create a

real domino

~. &rereason that

doesn't happenrntrch is

becarrse we

have Dabob

Bay here to usefor testing."� Cmdr. Henry

Gonzales, USSHorida

By the midway point of the patrol, thccrew is ready for some diversion. So, bytradition, there is mid-patrol night � anevening of skits, auctions and other hilaritythat crew members don't talk about to

outsiders,After that, the world begins to look

brighter as crew members start counting offthe time until the end of the deployment�four weeks, three weeks, two, one �,

And then comes that magic day whenthe submarine returns to the Strait of Juan deFuca, rises up fmm the ocean depths andsurfaces,

The hatch is opened and for the firsttime, the smells ot the world above comepou ring down into the filtered atmosphereaboard the submarine, So strong is it thatsome crew members with sensitive nostrils

nearly swoon.Hours later, the Trident berths at its

Bangor pier and the crew files off, eyesblinking in the harsh, unfamiliar sunlightand straining to focus on distances fartheraway than the end of the rrussile deck,

Microbes in the air � absent in thesubmarine's manufactured ahnosphere-give everyone in the crew a cold,

But the hardest thing to get used to isthe excess of noise � horns honking, peoplejabbering, dogs barking, television, radios,car engines ...

It can aII be overwhelming to a subrna-riner not yet weaned from the culture ofsilence.

About three days later, the sub'salternate crew takes over and the just-retumed sailors get some well-deserved timeoff.

The Florida's Blue Crew has all this tolook forward to as they spend the rest of themorning and afternoon steering their hugesub around the underwater Dabob Baycourse. They change depths, submerging asdeep as 400 feet. They test equipment, theyliionitor everything. Then it is time for thefinal test.

"Emergency surface the ship!" ordersthe officer of the deck in the control room.The diving alarm sounds three times.

The chief of the watch reaches over andthrows open the emergency blow actuatois,foning tons of water from the ship's lanks.The sub angles upward and the red digits of

the keel depth gauge race from 400 to 350 to300 to 250 ...

As the sub breaks the surfaa., there is amomentary surge of weightlessness. Thenthe sub goes level.

A sailor scranibles up the ladder to thetop of thc sail, opening the hatches on hisway,

The outside air floods into the control

room, bringing with it the scents of theoutdoors tha t ha ve bccn missing all day inthe suh's sterile, manufactured atmosphere� the salt air, trees, flowers ....

The QOD orders a course heading backtoward home at thc Bangor base.

The helmsman tosses his gum into thetrash.

The Concept of Deterrence

Along shadow is cast on the golden

glitter of sunrise on Hood Carial bythe tall sail of a Trident nudear

missde submarine pulhng away from theenormous Navy pier complex at Bangor.

The giant billion-dollar submarine,the most fearsome weapons platform inthe U, S, arsenal, is about to disap pearbeneath the sea for 2 '/i months with itscrew and 24 nuclear-tipped missiles.

The sub's mission while there is toact as a well-hidden persuader � toconvince the Soviet Union that Arnerim isready and able to respond with megatonsof nuclear fury lo a Soviet attack against it.

This is what the Navy calls "strate-gic deterrence,"

At any given time, there are five orcnore of the huge Trident subs patrollingthe waters, of the Paafic off the SovietUnion.

But the sobs can't carry out thei.rmission without a horne base to keepthem supplied and working. And this is it� the 7,1~ere Naval Submarine Base inKitsap County, with its high-tech facili-ties, equipment and thousands of skilkdworkers,

And the base can't operate withoutthe Hood Canal itself. This is the subs'conduit to the sea, 155 miles away.

Together, the waterway, the subsand the base offer a very peni~stveargument against starting a mucker war~thtl UmmSt t .P dth rsvp

X8'I'Ai SusMsat.'VI: Bast, 8alv >i< ' ~ f4/

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~

Bp U~d Pntchetf

whole idea."The worst thing you can have in

deterrence is uncertainty," exp ainedCapt. Malcohn Wright, commodore ofthe eight-submarine Trident fleet basedon Hood Canal. 'That lets the enemy!think, 'Maybe we can get away with <anuclear strike!.' You don't want himthinking that."

n fact, everything at the Navy'sBangor base on I food Canal }s designedto keep the Soviets from thinking that.

First, there is the Strategic WeaponsFaciTity Pacific, or SWFPAC pronounced"swiffpack" !. This is where the subrna-rines' missiles and warheads are stored,maintained and serviced, lt is guarded bya company of Marines authorized to usedead ly force against intruders.

There is the Trident Refit Facility, inessence a small shipyard that keeps thesubinarines operating fla wl~y andsilently.

The base's Trident Training Facility,with simulators that reph'cate all theequipment on a Trident sub, is used forteaching and re-teaching crew membershow to operate their ship before theyever go to sm,

On the waterfront is a huge off-shore pier complex, complete withdrydock, that can accgmmodate severalsubmarines at once and provide supportfor the nuclear reactors that power them.

A covered explosives handlingwharf, the tallest structure in Kitsap

County, is where the ships' missiles areloaded and unloaded.

Using all these facilities, a Tridentsubmarine returning from patrol can berepaired, loaded and readied for anotherpatrol in 25 days. Then it's back out to seafor anothLm 75 days with a ncw, ref~ed

'deterrence is a furmy conceptsaid Commodore Wright. "We have tohave the ability to do sorriething thatnobody wants to do � and do it so wellthat we never have to do it."

To keep its edge, the crew con-stantly practices missile hunches � goingthrough the procedures without actuallylaunching missiles or, less often, launch-ing missiks armed with dummy v'ar-heads,

Eventually, the procedure becomesso ingrained in each crew member's mindthat he can do it without thinking.

But could the average middleAmericans who man the launcher and firecontrol consoles � guys raised on morn,baseball and apple pie � bc able to hrcweapons knowing they would destroymuch of the world and the people in it?

"I don't think they crew members!could do it. I knout they could," Capt.Paul Sullivan, omunanding officer of theTrident sub Florida, said. "The nuclear!threat has to be a viable deterrent. I have

no doubt that the crew could perform itsmission."

77re Trident

submarines

based at

Bangor spendmore than

tzoice as much

time out on

patrol as theydo in port.

During all thistrme, one thing

is more

iniportanttharr any otherto the ship and

its crews:

silence.

3 $0 ~ USIA rttE RESOURciE

~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

SecnoN 4

Barrgrrr is arhere ilorxt Canal nafrrre crrexr'sfs ter'th tireauwmtne tin lxrurer cr the nuclear treaprrrr s agc.MlSS10N:

KEEP IT

C~

8tt boyd Pritchett

Canal.

The pair descended and landed on thepond�'s glassy surface.

The large birds immediately liked whatthey found, No humans or dogs intruded onthe pond's solitude. Plenty of wild food wasa variable m the immed tate v>aruty. Thevs'a ters of the pond were clean and aniple.

So they stayed. And in the followingmonths, they hatched and reared a brood ofgoslings there.

he two Canada geese v erewinging northward, high over thetreetops of Western Washington,when they spotted a small pondbelow in the midst of an enor-rnous grassy field, near Hood

Little did the geese know or care thatthe little pond they had chosen for their nestwas in the midst of the largest concentrationof nuclear weapons in the region.

Surrounded by a double row ofbarbed->~topped chain link fence, thecleared grassy field with its small seasonalpond is horne to the Strategic WeaponsFacility Pacific, inside the Naval SubmarineBase at Bangor.

Sitting at the top of a bluff overlookingcfood Canal, it is the storage and rnainte-nance area for hundreds of nuclear missilesand warheads carried on undersea pan'olsby the giant Trident subs hnmeported at thebase.

Any unauthorized humans who might

h/u'q Sus«arrtsr Bai>. Bas'<x>s ~ 151

~ $0$$ ~ OO ~ ~

By Lloyd pritc!retf

try to enter the area could be shot by Marinesentries constant!y on guard. t!ut the Canadagee~a were welconied.

As the pair raised their young familythere, they often tciok thc goslings for wa!ksbetween thc earth-topped concrete bunkerswhere the weapons are stored, oblivious tothe megatonnage around them.

The gene aren't the only creaturesperfect!y happy to live inside a militaryinstallation known more for its powerfulweapons than for its plentiful wildlife.

Some 5,0tI acres of the 7,! N!-acresubmarine base are wcxxied, and it also ishorne to lakes, wetlands, fields, srna!l

Preserving the Envimmnent

Here is a sampling of specific things

the Nava!Submarine Base atBangor is doing to preserve and

enhance the environment at the installa-tion on Hood Canal:

~ A coho salmon hatchery has beenestablished and salmon runs restored onstreams feeding Devil's Hole, a naturalwetland on base. So far, 5%!@00 salmonhave been released.

~ Old hazardous waste sites on the

!Lmgor base, created years ago beforetnodern disposa! methods were available,are being investigated for possiblecleanup. Two are on the shore of HoodCanaL Crews tentatively are scheduled tobegin an !nterirn cleanup of the worst site,known as "Site F," in the near future.

~ AH waste discharges from the baseare being pumped away from HoodCanal, Hazardous industrial wastes aretrucked by licensed haulers to a federallyapproved site off-base. Waste oil isprocessed at a recycbng plant. Sewagedischarges are pumped off-base to theBrownsville treatment plant, operated byKitsap County.

~ The amount of hazardous wastegenerated by the base has been slashed inhalf in the past few years, The facility nowis embarking on a program to cut theamount of ozone-depleting chemicals itUses,

~ The base's fonwts are logged on a100-year cyc!e, or about 30 to 40 acres per

estuaries, a dozen streams, and otherhabitat>, including four mi! es of shorelinea long Hocid Canal.

All this diversity supports a teemingpopulation of wildlife.

Here are great blue herons and greathorned owls, osprey, kingfishers, mountainquail, ducks, widgeons, mergansers, cohosalmon, rainbow and cutthroat trout, red fox,bobcats, river otter, beavers, coyote.', rac-ccions and more than ! 50 blacktail deer

And Trim James, the base's fish andwildlife biologist, said even cougars ha vebeen sighted inside the compound, attractedby thc deer.

year, providing income to support thebase's forestry program and some extrafunding for area schools.

~ Contract loggers hired to log onthe base are required to leave 10 largetrees per acre, leaving a diverse environ-ment behind instead of a c!earcut. "If youleave large trees, you attract hawks andeagles that eat the voles that might chemdown little trees," said base foresterArthur K. Schick.

~ Natural areas of the Trident base,including all wetlands and lakes, are off-lirruts to construction and deve!opment.

~ Cattail Ldce, at the base's northend, is stocked with rainbow troutCutthroat spawn naturally in the lake,and an I 1-pounder was recently caught.

~ Submarine pier facilities on HoodCanal were built far off-shore to allowroom for rnigrahng salmon to pass.

~ The base is cooperating withresearchers to find white pine trees onbase that are resistant to blister rust � a

!d!!er disease that is wiping out who!estands of the tree across the West.

~ Each winter, thc local chapter ofthe Audubon Society is admitted to thebase to cond uct a bird species count.

~ Wild Be is monitored across the

base, leading to interesting discoveriesabout habits of different species. A recentstudy found that each b!acktarl deer onthe base ranges over an area of only aboutone-third square mile.

The 8angorbase goes to

extraordinarylengths to

prevent oil orwaste fromgetting intoHood CanaL

"I' ve never

seen a rnilitartjbase where tire

wateris so

pristine," saysLt, Robert

Rothwell, base

operationsofficer.

152 ~ Vsr.vc r>rs Rmruact

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 I ~ 0

p Htg

around themarine Base at

vironmentalncal disposal

te on the base.erly an22 scattered

here explosiveried to places

1

all the sitesrrullion by Navythe federal

gency sayhigher. At

under way tof dealing

nunary of theperfund" list

ite A: The firstpexfund listfor ordnancence includedmokeless

'Ae site is

the base. Toxicted ground wa-drinking

teF:Auth-centralxdered one of

A policy ofenvironmental

protectionalorrg with a

strict,centralized

authority overoperationsmeans thesubmarine

base, with10,000

residents,pollutes the

canal

watershed lessthan rrrany

communities

with j ust ahandful of

homes.

On the shoreline, there at e musse}sgeoducks butter clams ovsters*nd crabs,nabundance.

And, of course, everywhere there arehundreds of smaller animals --- front voles tosalamanders to several species of frogs.

As the rest of Kitsap County hasbecome increasingly urbanized, the Bangorbase, protected behind its fence, has becomea de foctn nature preserve � with wildanimals sometimes spilling into the human-occupied areas of the compound.

"I couldn't get into mv parking placethe other day because a deer v as blockingthe way," the base's operations officer, Lt.

Robert Rothweli, recently sa!d in a mock-rious complaint.

The miracle is that the habitat remainsso pristine despite the base's industrialmission � which inclu.des repairing andxnaintaining eight Tndent missile subma-rines based there and the nuclear weaponsthey carry.

The presence of 15,00t! people who liveand work on the base also has not frightenedav ay the w0dlif» or tainted the waters ofHood Canal.

But Marvin1 rye, the base's environ-

Ba ngor's most significant hazardouswaste sites. The lagoon was used fordumping various military compoundsfrom 1957 to 1972. Tests find toxicsmoving slowly through the water tabletoward homes a mile away

~ Operable Unit 3 � Site 24: Atorpedo fuel incinerator was operated inthe southeast corner of the base from1973 to 1983 befoxe removal Testsuncovered heavy metals, ordnance andPCBs in the soil,

� Site 16: Adjacent to Site 24, thespol was the storage area for the torpedofuel incinerator. Drums of wastewaterand contaminated rags, along withwaste solvents, were stored there. Smallspills also were reported.

� Site 25 is made up of a numberof storm water d rainage ponds whichaccepted runoff fmrn industrial activitiesat Bangor.

~ Operable Unit 4 � Site C West:Fill material was xemoved from this sitelocabed und er Building 7700, an areaused for the disposal of picric acid andtorpedo fuel froxn 1946 until 1973. Thematerial was moved froxn Site C East.An investigation will determine if aH thematerial was rexnoved.

~ Operable Unit 5 � Site E: Thiswas a dump area for electroplatingwastes from 1960 until 1973. Tests foundlow levels of metals in grmxndwater.

� Site 5: A metallurgy test build-

N i'ai Susmaeiet BAN, Baw,o ~ 1 3

~ OOOOO ~ ~ ~

mental program director. says it's really nomiracle. Rather, it's all the result ot careful

planning and fogow-through, he says."We operate a full-scope integrated

environmenta I management program. Wetake a holishc approach, if you w ill ... abalanced approach,' said I.rye, who has runthe program since its beginnings jn the1970s, when the Navy compound wasconverted from an ammunition depot to asubmarine base.

The environmental program "ernpha-sizes man and nature living togcthcr inharmony," he added.

its thrcc "overriding goals" are to

ing located here was tom down about1973. Experts suspect the site may bccontaminated with mercury.

� Site 11: Close to Site E, this areawas used for the disposal of barrels andcans of pesticides. Consultants havebegun removal of the material.

~ Operable Unit 6 � Site C East:From 1946 to 1973, unknown ainourrts oftorpedo fuel wastewater, explosivematerial and solvents were disposed of ina gravel pit,

� Site D: Explosive compoundswere burned on the ground here from1946 to 1965.

~ Operable Unit 7 � Site 26:Discharges from various industrial anddisposal operations may ha ve mntami-na ted sedirnen ts along the shore.

� Site B: Floral Point at the northcnd of the base was a testing area forpyrotechnic- fmm 1950 until the early'1960s and became a burn/disposal areafor garbage, explosives waste and scrapmetal until 1972.

� Site 2: A dump site along Nauti-lus Avenue, across from the Hect De-ployed Parking Lot, contains scrap metaland inert explosive material.

� Site 4: Carlson Spit may havebeen used to dispose of ignition devices.Further site inspections are phoned,

� Site 7: One-gallon paint cans and5~Uon drums were dumped over ahillside near a creek feeding

preserve and enhance the environment, tocomply with all environmcnta! Iaws-including state and local laws � and tocooperate with all environmental regulatoryofficia Is, Frye said.

It's a big order, considering the envi-ronrnental damage the base could do. It is,after all, an industrial facilitv larger thanmost private businesses.

Even more important, the base handlessome of the deadliest materials known toman.

Take ncarlv 200 nuclear warheads

lake. The material was removed in 1981.� Site 1 f7. Buildings 1676 and 1677

in the southeast corner of the base wereused for herbicide storage fmm the late1950s to 1979. Some contamers apparentl.yleaked through wooden floors. The twobuildings were demolished in 1983 and anew building was constnrcted with apaved parking lot,

� Site 18: Betvi een 5 and 10 gallonsof PCB fiuid were spilled at Building 1016in the southeast corner of the base. Thearea has since been covered with asphalt,

� Site 27: A pit in the southeastcorner of the base was used to steam-dean locomotives. When the pit was full,the grease and residue were hauled away.The pit was filled during the 1970s.

� Site 28: A ditch adjacent toBuilding 1032 in the southeast mmer ofthe base was used for paint ivaste andsolvents.

� Site 29 Empty peshcide/herbi-cide tanks were rinsed with water thatflowed onto the ground in the maingarage and pubhc works area in thesoutheast mrner of the base.

� Site 30: From 1977 to 1985,neutralized pesticide and herbicide rinsewater was disposed of on thc ground neara stretch of railroad tracks near the Hect

Deployed Parking Lot.

By Cfinstopfrrr Ouiiagari

Some 5,000acres of the7,100-acre

submarine

base are

wooded, and italso is home to

lakes,wetlands,

fields, snrallestuaries, a

dozen streams,and other

habitats,including four

miles ofshoreline along

Hood Canal.

154 ~ Usmc roars Rcsourjcr

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 0 ~ ~ 0

Ae rrtiracte isthat the

habitatremairts so

prrstirre despitethe base's

irufustrialrrr cssiorr.

Maror'rr Faye,the base's

envirorrrrrerI tat

progra rrr

director, saysit's theresuft

of carefulplarruing and

follour-through.

packing 2.3 rnegatons of explosive power,stack them on 24 rockets f]]]ed with 25 tonsof high-explosive propellant apiece, then linethem up inside a steel submarine housing afueled-up 90NN-hon~ower nuclearreactor.

What do you get? An extreme case ofsafety-mnsciousness, say perscrnnel at thebase who work with this high-power techno-wizardry every day.

They say the Navy goes to such lengthsto minimize the hazards of its nuclear

submarine operations on Hood Canal thatthere is really nothing for peop]e in thevicinity to worry about.

With the pervasive culture of safety inthe submanne service, the risk level isreduced to as near zero as possible, they say.

"To the Trident sailor, safety is para-mount. We breathe safety, we train safetyand we live safety," said Lt, Cmdr. JayPerkins, training officer for the Tridentsubmarine group at Bangor.

"The emphasis on safety rea]]v pre-c]udes any major catastrophes."

Officials won't discuss the specifics oftheir safety precautions, but they are willingto discuss them generally,

Nuclear warheads are designed withmu1hple safety features, then are subjected torigorous ana]yses and testing to ensureweapon integrity even in the event of ahandling accident, said Crndr. KeithArterburn, spokesman for the base, Thatmeans a weapon won' t explode un]ess it lsactivated, prepped and launched thousandsof miles away during an actua] nuclear war.

The missr]cs that prope] the warheadson their way are touchier. Loaded with tonsof solid rocket fuel, they are listed as a "ClassA" explosive � the most sensitive type.

To prevent an accidenla 1 ignition of thefue] by lightning, bui.ldings where themissi]es are ma inta ined are outfitted withenormous 50-foot iightning rods.

To keep the Fuel from degradmg, it iskept at a constant temperature and humid-ity. Safety procedures guard it against beingbumped or jo]ted during handling.

When missiles are loaded aboardsubmarines at the base, they are movedinside containers carried aboard specialvehicles that transport them at extremelyslow speeds,

A half-hour before the missi]cs are

transported from their bunkers to the base'sexplosive handling wharf, the entire roadsurface and roadbed is inspected visually,electronically and with guard dogs.

During the loading procedure, blastshields are in place.

ln case the worst happens and a missileaccidentally ignites, they are only stored ormoved in areas of the base away fromcojnmunity facilities, public highways andprivate property that could be damaged-

The subs' nuclear reactors are built toexacting standards, A]l radioactive fissionproducts are contained within high-integrityfuel modu]es that can withstand battleshock.

No radioactivltv is released to theenvironment, and tests are conductedannually in thc air and water at Bangor toconfirm this.

A few environmental problems havecropped up from hrne to time includingchemical and oil spills.

But Frye said all spills are immediate]ycleaned up, no matter how minor.

Old hazardous waste sites on the base,created back when it was an a rnrnunition

depot, also are being readied for cleanup, hesaid.

And all waste from the base is pumpedaway from Hood Canal, he explained, toprevent contamination of the water. Smallresidential areas outside the installation putmore pollution into Hood Cana], throughtheir septic systems, than the entire Bangorhase,

The fact that so many wild creaturesare thriving and that the waters of HoodCanal remain unpolluted is a signal thatenvironmenta] programs and safeguardsestablished by the base are ~ orki ng.

"Hood Canal is a tremendous asset tothe United States Navy and to nationalsecurity and we' re doing all we can to makeour presence as neutral environmentally aswe can," said Capt. Maknlm Wright,commodore of the Trident submarinesquadron,

Added Capt. lawrence], Kramer,commanding officer of the submarine base:"It rea]]y is a beau hful place. I hope it willalways be that way."

0 ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ t ~ t

RECREA1IOh,'

SECTION 1

WHEX

BEACHES HOST

MILI IOYiS

Bl/ Se<rtnitl/ RI<rrr t<.

~ 155 ~

'<1 r J»<i l »1l<<»'f nnel> i ih '»rat<'4'rr f»YId< ar i av» !S Si»i» Park.Y<9<<'rl/ liar a»ull»»t i»vPI» i»i<t ll»'

f»<rk <nvr Ch<v»< a» t< tiers

he sun tint~ the beach as it risesred from an August haze atTwanoh State Park. A lone manand his leashed dog leave tracksin the rough gravel just below thehigh tide line, Soon, others amble

down to thc beach to stretch and watch the

midweek morning paint pockets of snowpink on the Olympic Mountains to the west.h4ost people visiting Twanoh's beach at thishour come from the park's tiny campgroundacross Hiy,hway 106.

Forty m ven camp spots are available atTwanoh, Hood Cana I's finest public beach. Itis a rare August day that the campgroundisn't fuII, even if it rains.

But campers won't erase the earlytracks from the beach. By day's end, as manyas 4~ people will visit Twanoh to splashor swim or sunburn. Their tracks willobliterate those of the da wn visitors.

A city larger than Seattle settles on the

public beaches around I-lood Canal evervyear. In ]uly 1990 alone, more than 130~people enjoyed Twanoh's beach. .denly aboutone in every 36 of those people camps at thepark.

Visitors to thc seven state parks aroundthc canal bring their boats and fishing poles,their water skis and v ater « ings. They bringvacation cheer and the emerald water works

its magic upon them.When many of the~' nearlv two

million people go horne at the end of thesummer, they may think they leave HoodCanal just as they found it. Their tons oftrash have been properly disposed, theirsewage treated. They are conscientiousvisitors, f' or the most part.

But heavy recreational use takes its tollon these glorious waters. Som< bays in thecanal record huge increase~ in bacterialcontamination during wccks of heai~recrea hona I use.

f56 ~ UstNG THt RfsoURcr

a ~ ~ ~ ~ t ~ I 0 ~

It is a rare

August daythat the 47

camp spotsavailable at

Fcvanoh State

Park, HoodCanal's finestpublic beach,

a~'t fidl, evenif it rains.

Nobody is certain how many more manager at Dosewallips State Park and nowpeople can en}oy the canal without killing it. works at Fort Flagler State Park, says mostWhat is certain: those who enjoy the canal campers at Dosev allips came there to stay.today are eager to preserve it for their "We had to be one of the busiestchildren tomorrow, campgrounds in the state. Senior citirens

''I'm not an ecology nut, but I do would carne to stay in the winter and webelieve in keeping things for future genera- had massive attendance around May, whentions. I believe we need to take the steps people came to shrimp."

Tmanoh Stateplace for the people who K>tsap Memonal State Park,follow," says Chuck Stuart, a PQrk says most of the campers72-yearold Bremerton who stop there are probablyresident who has been on their way to the Olympicvisihng Twanoh for more Peninsula. "But we' rethan a half century. becoming more of a destina-

Stuart and his v.Me, hon camp," he said.Marie, sat by their campfire At Twanoh, however,at Twanoh as three genera- l. hat >s happerung across thetions of the family stopped to road from the campgroundtalk. The afternoon sun may be more important toburned through clouds and the canal's future. The beachbegan wartning the beach draws scores of canal savers.across the road. Children' s Last year, 1.98 millionshouts drifted from the beach people visited state parks onto the quieter campground, the canal, accord tng to the

"! ttunk it s the old- There are iimes !n Washington State Parks andtimers who want to see this I Recreation Commission'splace preserved said Ma+e tr'V Sunny Summer

dTWartOh S tate Park Perhaps 100 sunbathers

John, and daughter, Beth beach is are on the beach by 2 p.m. as

the main parking lot. om-Brernertnn. NOw theygather CampgrOund iS pared tOa weekend crOwd,every August for a familv f't l!ed p/ednesday he says, the park is empty.camp-out, They stay in thesame spot every year. for ihe nexi "I' ve seen gcxxl years

and bad vears, as far as"lf there's somebody IOeekend ~ crovvds go says Ottohere" Iokes Jim Stuart, "we throw 'em out." Bremerton native. "I know that the last three

The Stuarts agree that public beaches weekends, the whole park has been close tohke Twanoh are vital to building a consensus total gridlock "of canal savers. They fall in love with the He posted "L JT FULL" signs at a! Iplace; they want to keep it lovely. three entranc'es, and cars lined up along the

~> >s our only shot," says Jim Stuart, highway. As soon as one day visitor pulledindicating the green campground with its out, it seemed, three cars pulled in,hispenng creek- "I'eople like us will never The incoming tide warms itself on the

be able to afford waterfront along the canal." gravel, so that by 5 p.m., perhaps 4fi"That's whv we have to preserve this," swinuners at Tv anoh splash in the warmest

says his father. water of the day. On the weekend, Otto says,Families like the Stuarts can be found easily 10 times that number might enjoy the

camping every year at all of the canal's state day-use area.parks' Shine Tidelands, Dc~wallips, Nearly a half million people � 469 431Potlatch, Belfair, Scenic Beach and Kitsap � stayed a day at Twanoh in1989, Almostlvlemonai. Children gmv' up there and bring all visited between April 15 and Sept. 30. Thetheir children to grow up there. 180-acre park sustains greater day use than

Al Giersch, who ser ed 10 years as any other public area on Hood Canal.

R< t R / rl! a '4 ~ 157

~ ~ ~ ~ s ~ sos ~

on

lair /r.

Almost 20,0N! mon. visitors stopped atTwanoh than at I'ot! atch, the second mostpopular of the canal parks for day visitors.

ln fact, Twanoh ranked 20th among thestate's 144 parks in daytime attendance in1989. Otto is pleased that his park's bigcrowds don't bring big problems.

"When I first carne here �2 years ago!,we seemed to have a lot of vounger kids, andthey created some problem~. But we are afamily-oriented park, and ~ e don'I have alot of problems. There just isn't muchvandalism at all.

"We had a couple of professors fromCalifornia last week. They came specificallyto this park so they could play on their

unity of Familiar Faces

Gge and Maryjane Becker startedping at Twanoh State Park in a

tent 40 years ago. Today Becker isTwa noh's volunteer "campground hast."

He registers campers and helps theranger and manager around the carnp-ground.

Becker says Twanoh has changedsince he first visited, "When I first campedin here, there were stumps everywhere.And the road was dirt. The roads weren' tpaved until '74 or '75. Of course, it' sgotten a whole lot more crowded, too,"

"It seems like mast campers herecome fram Seattle, Tacoma or Olympia,"he says of the people who come to thisunique fjord to play. "We get groups fromOregon and Idaho who come over in thespring for shrimp season."

Families choose Twa noh as adestination, says Becker. They aren' tcampers who stop there on the way to theOlympic Perunsula.

' &e kids are well-entertained here,There's a lot for them to do. That's whyfamilies come here. It's pretty safe here,

II I 1

sailboards on Hood Canal. They' ve comehere for vears and years," he said.

"To me, that says something. You seethe same people every year, It's like gettingto be a family. And they take this park on astheir own personal area, and they don't wantto mess it up."

Sunset is as spectacular as sunrise atTwanoh, The Olympics turn purple v hilethe sky burns. The day area closes at dusk, socampers are often the only witnesses tonature's finest fireworks.

The camper and his dog return for anevening walk. The dawn tide vill erase theirtracks, but visitors will make more tomor-

row.

of them get to be good friends," says thecampground host.

While weekends are still busiest,Becker says the pace of the campground ispicking up during the week

"A lot of times, it can be raining. andI' ll still have campers corning in. IYscrowded all the time, but pretty nearevery weekend, you' re going to have toturn people away. There's always somethat don't believe the 'Campground Fufj'sign.

When the campground is full,Becker says he sends campers to Belfair orPotlatch state parks, the closest publiccampground alternatives on Hood CanaL

"We' ll try to send them to Manches-ter, but they don't want to leave the carel.They' ll go there if it's the only place togo.

When the campground and mostother activities at Twanoh closes forwinter, Becker moves to Belfair State Parkon the other side of the carel to serve asthe host there. But he tries to hnd time inthe winter to take the 12-mile dnve fram

A city largerthan Seattle

settles on the

public beachesaround Hood

Canal everyyear. In July1990 alone,more than

130,000peopleenjoyed

Txeanoh 's

beach.

~ ~ ~ ~ e ~ ~ ~ 0 0

SECIION 2

A~G

Hmow

AS A

SPOT

By Sribury Bhir Jr.

I 58 ~ Usta: mr RrsouRce

roc" Eddy's Rose PointResort is gone fromHood Canal, but thespirit of the place. liveson at motels and resortsfrom Qullcene to Belfair.

"It was mostly loggers and trappers,"says Virginia Trammell, the late Doc Eddy's65-year-old d aughter. "Thcv came out tohave fun, and that's why people come out tothe canal today."

Sixty years ago, Trammel! moved outto the resort and 4t'8 acres of prime HoodCanal real estate her father purchased for525, MO. Remnants of a once-grand lodge,above 1ynch Cove three miles west of Betfairon the South Shore, is all that is left.

But in l929, Rose Point Resort was ahot spot for residen ts from 8 ierneiton,Seattle and Tacoma.

'In those carly days," she said, "log-gers h.om nearby camps on the canal wouldget down hcn. any way they could to! et ottsteam,"

Timber that will never again grow astal! was falling even~here along the canal.Thc men who were cutting and moving the

to mills were a rugged breed."I remember stories Dad told that were

told to him: There were wild and woollyfights and war-whooping on those week-ends. It was about the only outlet for thepeople who worked in the woods.

"I remember one year, a loggerbrought in a bear cub. Everybody fed it andit grew up pretty fast. It got out of its cageand here was this lady getting a bathing suiton in her room and in walks this youngbear."

The bear was invited to leave shortlythereafter.

Early photos show a resort signadvertising "fine fishing, sandy bathingbeach, cabins, tents, boats, catering to familypicnics and ouhngs."

' fhere were so few people out herethen," says Trammell, who resides in Bclfairbut o~ ns a lot at the resort site. The countrywas in the midst of the Great Deprcssion.-resort rent took different forms. Tents rentedfor 50 cents a night. But I3ad would let a lotof the loggers and trappers pay vvith venisonor ducks instead of rent."

The resort operated until l94l, whenWorld War ll brought gas rationing and thecountry was in no mood for recreation. InI M43, several feet ot snow collapsed the root'of the lodge.

~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ 0 I ~ ~

That was the beginning of the end forthe Rose Point Resort. But now, as then, the

myriad of recreational opportunities alongthe canal attract growing numbers of people.Trarnrnell believes they will be either thesalvation or the death of the spectacularfjord.

She is sorry to scc Hood Canal socrowded, but happy so many can enjoy itsbeauty.

"When I grew up, the nearest neighborwas more than a mile away. Now thepopulahon is so wall-to-walL My dad alwaysused to say 25 years from now, it would be

like this. Boy, was he right. It's changed,There are so many more people here, bless'em. They love it and v edo, too, But it reallydoes affect everything."

She talks of a day in thc not-too-distantfuture, a day when sewers will be necessarvalong the canal. She thinks people will bemore than willing to pay for it.

"If we don't pay for it, it wiH kill thccanaL If we don't look at the big picture,we' ll just be down the tube, People whodon't think about it aren't looking beyondtoday. We have to think about it. I hope toheaven it's not too late now."

''In those earlydays, loggersfrom nearbycamps on thecanal would

get down hereany way theycould to let off

steam."

� VirginiaTrammelj

0 ~ 0 0 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

Rcnm 3

Hy Trnvis Baker

160 ~ Usaa. -mr Resounder

or Bob and Anne Hart at theHood spott Grocery, septic tanksare gcxxl omen, '1V henever yousee a sephc tank go by and up thathilL" said Hart, "that's newbusiness,"

Up that hill is Lake Cushrnan, a 3,000-lot recrea bona } development that is thelifeblood of the Hoodsport business commu-nity in Mr, Harl's view. He estimates thatlwo-thirds of his increased business in thesummer is from summer residents. The restis from tourists passing through.

And a septic tank bound for Cushmanmeans another lot oe ner has derid ed toinvest money in a residence there � andprobably time and shopping dollars in thefuture.

Hke nearly everyone nn the canal, the

Smnl , «<de@. «di rrt n t«ikvs nrr tire nits a rw««d HeedCa«n!. ar d ma>rV ia p «it o« t te.'««««er ln«rii« ~so«+t/rr b«it o th<ar a «««a! snips.

Harts see business swell in the summer,tripling that of ~inter, "lt's not unusual to doas much on a three-day weekend as thewhole month of January," he said.

The end of the hot selling season variesfrom business to business, but for Hart, it' sLabor Day. "It chops in half the day after andgoes dowI+ill from there."

ln this statistics-laden society, there isremarkably little hard data on the economicimpact of tourism a nd recreahon alongHood Canal.

There is a widespread assumption thatpopulation along the canal tnples during thesummer, but proof of that figure is hard tocome by. Public Utility District No. I inMason County, which provides electricityfrom near Alderbrook Inn at Union to theJefferson County lime, provides as firm an

162 ~ Usmc rrrr RrsouttcE

~ ~ ~ ~ a a a ~ oo

She Finds 'Pushing" the Canal an Easy job

By Trm,~i Brrker

Them is a

widespmadassumption

Heat

populationalong the canaltriples duringthe summer,but proof ofthat figure ishard to come

by.

when deer-hunting in the faII, "People tendto buy that stuff out here," he said of hisartwork,

As one goes north along Highway 101up the west side of Hood Cana l, there ls asubtle shift in the tourist draws. Scott I Iatch,working behind the counter at the rebuiltHdon Store owned by his brother, Craig,said campers m the Olympic aviational Forestcontribute greatly to the store's fair weatherbusiness,

Backpackers arid campers arriving andleaving. or getting provisions if they outstaythe supplies they brought with them, aregood customers. But weather is crucial, saidHatch, remembering one rainy July 4thwhen no one stopped in the store.

Overnighters at campground s oper-ated by and in the Olympic National Forestbrought 265500 people into the forest in1989, said Ken Eldredge, assistant recreationstaff officer for the forest. But they are justthe tip of a very la rge iceberg.

Day use, mostly one-day car tours, isthe largest part of what forest officialscalculate to have been 4.6 million visitors tothe forest last year, Another 3.5 million were

hen a group of Shelton businesspeople formed the Mason CountyTourism Council in 1989, they

chose 75-yearold Mary Helen Andersonto run it. A fourt+eneiation MasonCounty resident, she decided to end 10years of retirement to begin her fourthcareer.

"I tNnk we live in the inost bea utifulpart of the United States, and I like topush it,"

In her younger years, she did leavethe area and wound up in Washington,D.C,, a single girl during World War II,helping print inoney with the Bureau ofEngraving and Printing. But she returnedhere in 1944. The war was winding down"and I was homesick," she said.

She married George "Andy"Anderson, a Montanan, in Seattle, and shebrought him to Hood Cana1 country.

While he worked at SimpsonTimber, she ran the Holiday House floralshop in Shelton, then was a nursery

counted within Olvmpic i~ a tional Parkthough most of those went to attractionsreached 6 om the western side of the park

"We have wilderness, hunting, fishing,auto touring. A Iot of people just like to drivethe backroads," said Eldredge. 'That's one ofour biggest uses."

I Ie figures 60-65 percent of thosepeople use facilities in the part of theforestbordering Hood Canal "simply because it' sclose; it's a tank of gas fmm Seattle and themetropolitan areas." And he figu res only 5perCent of the forest's visitorS COlne in thewinter.

Mike's Beach Resort north of LIIIiwaupwas named after Bob and 'I rudy Schultc'sson Mike shortly after his birth 39 years agoand has been run by the family ever since.

"That's the way of the canal, fainily-owned," said Trudy, who has run the resortwith her son since her husband passed away."The season's so short you can't afford anemployee,"

And, in fact, there is scant corporate orout-of-county ownership along the canaLMinerva Beach RV park at Hoodsport,owned by a Seattle limited partnership, is a

manager-She retired

retired but diduntil agreeing tocenter.

The centernearly 6,000 tramonths of 1990

Mary Helen was born in Aberdeenon Christmas Day, as her parents werereturning from visiting family inHoquiazn,

"My dad was a captain on a four-master schooner sailing out of PortTownsend, Port Ludlow and I'ortGamble," she said, "back in the dayswhen they sailed out of those placidinstead of Tacoma and Seattle. My familyon weekends would go on httle trips"along Hood Canal, she recalled, establish-ing her love for the area that remains tothis day.

ones. "New Year's Eve we'rc always full,"said Mrs. Schcrcr, though Christmas isn' tthat good.

When Johnson bought Alderbrook Inn35 years ago it's existed for 7S years!, it wasstrictly a summer resort, said Mrs. Schcrer,and aII that ~ as there v ere the cottages anda restaurant and lounge where the pool is

now. No+. there's a golfer br p pk course and 36 motel unitsInn

that were added around1980.

season,They regularly ha ve

no-vacancy nights, winterand summer, she sar'd, andhave had single conferencesthat fill the inn's 80 roomsand 20 cottage units. I'orsome of the biggest, they' vehad to farm out the overHowto motels in Shelton and

Belfair, or to some cabinsnearby.

Though thc inn getsindividual customers from all nvcr, it doesn' tdo much marketing out of state and over-seas, she said. Despite such robust business,there is no talk of expanding.

As with just about everyone elsecatering to tourists and summer residentsalong the canal, shrimp season rncansbusiness � nan-conference business � far

Alderbook Inn, said Mrs. Scherer, Shrimpersrent many of the rooms during the season.The inn's dock, where spaces are rioted, istrl! ed with boats at that h me af year, Innoperairors don't make any special effort toavoid conference business at that time ot

yea.r. But shrimpers have their oven means ofmaking sure there's room, "Shrimpingcustomers normally vrill book for the nextyear when they check out," she said.

Hunhng season contributes little to theinn's business, but holidays dn, even ivinter

Alderbrook inn, themost completeresort on Hood

Canal, defeats theseasonal doldrums

by hostingconferences and

meetings.

rare exception, There are tew businesses ofany size. Alderbrook Inn has no rival alongthe length of the canal.

The lOO-unit inn, Hood Canal's mostsumptuous hostelry, depends less onsunshine, tides, and drive-by traffic thanmost of the canal's tourist

businesses, Alderbrook's AldWes Johnson, who seemsalways to have the inn up forsale but sornchow never sells

it, has carved out a niche m

the conference and meetingsarea.

Opera hons managerBeverly Scherer saysAlderbrook does more andbetter business in the sum-mer than the winter, butconfcrcnccs arc thc heart ofthat business, whatever the

Helen Nickels sweptthe sidewalk in front of theTrue Value I l ardware sheand her husband owned for

the last time one sunny Julymorning in 1990, Thatafternoon, they were sched-uled to sign papers sellingthe Hoods port business theyhad for 20 years. They wereretiring.

It took three months toll the business, but only l4

days to sell their doubler widemobile home on the canal,"Everyone seems to want toget a house on the water allof a sudden," she said.

And where does one

retire to after living m atourist mecca like HoodCanal? Moses Lake, said

13elen. "They have morc fishing lakes therethan anywhere else."

John Skelton, owner of the HungryBear restaurant in EI don for seven years,says his business still is mcrea sing but hewanders if everyone s is.

"The big drawing cards arcn't here anymorc," he said. Fishing is a shadow of whatit used to be; shrirnping is limited to a coupleof weeks in Mav before school is aut; and

clamming and oystering is shut down at theDoscwallips, because of seal feces.

"It scurried like before the parks wererunning full most of the summer months,"he said. "tv'ow you can get into mitst a ov otthem most of the time.

"We' re shll increasing tat the I lungryHear!. There's still plenty nf penple corningthrough, but I dnn't think there's as manypurple staying here anymore," he said.

~ ~ 0 ~ OOOOOO

'Vf are don' tpay for

sewers!, itwill kill the

canal. Peoplewho don' t

think about it

aren 't lookingbeyond today.

7 hope toheaven it's not

too late now."

� VirgiruaTr anunell

7+ ~ U~Q rH» RFSOLIRce

The port of Seattle regularly bringstravel writers from Japan, Germany and.

here to tour Washington state. Onesuch tour, 11 purnalists from Germany,made a rare stop along Hood Canal on the

~ ~ ' ~ ~ a ~ ~ Kitsap side in June, gladdening hearts at theVisitors and Convention Bureau inBremerton.

"They did a seven-day tri p of theOlympic Peninsula, and Hood Canal wastheir favorite place of the whole trip," sa jdMirn Heuss, head of the bureau. "We putthem up in four different bcd and breakfastsakmg the canal, and they will be going backto Germany fired up about telling pnpteabout the canal."

B,J. Stokey, tourism manager for thePort of Seattle, acknowledged that it was arare stop along the canal for their mediatours, and her staff who accompanied the

Germans reported that they were highlyimpressed.

"We hope to do it more often," she saidof the canal stops.

Heuss also tells ot a Calitornia couplewho, after seeing Kood Canal, asked "Whyhasn't someone developed this for tourism'"

Some very likely will try, and soon,observes Jay Johnson of Clcn Ayr.

Faruily-owned tourist and recreationbusiness arc "the usual thing at this time," hesaid. "But w c see land values growing and itwill force some big changes out here. Thesemom-and-pop operations may go by thewayside because of the value of the land.You may ha ve to either get big or get out.

"On this side of the canal, there' snothing like Alderbrook Inn and it's dose todemanding that kind ot' place. Once sorne-one whacks out something like that, it will bea lot tougher for the smaller ones."

~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SvcnoN 4

Ho<v

RECI~TIOr

THRF ATE%5

pull in for food and gasoline, one can discernrock~ and pebbles in water up to 't0 feetdeep.

Pleasant Harbor is the last place youwould expect people to be dumping rawsewage from their toilets. Yet during theopening days of boating season in 1988, theharbor was suddenly hit by bacterial pollu-tion, according to researchers taking samplesthere at the time.

ln the quiet, undeveloped bay, boatswere the only logical source of poilu tion on

Pstates, "in that 9] percent of thc samplesfrom within the harbor exceeded the com-mercial shellfish meat standard."

That's not to say boats are thc principalsource of pollution for Hood Canal as awhole. Other studies point to failing septicsvstems, livestock and even harbor seals asmain sources ofbacterial contamination inother areas of Hmid Canak

But even occasional ~mitors can

damage water quality, said John I Ical,administrative director of thc Hwxl Canal

166 ~ Usa' rrrE Rcsourr cs

y ~ y ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ t 0

"Boaters Hke

to say, Vt's notNs' � like

farmers arrdloggers andseptic tankOrorrrvs. Brrt

tJrenr 's no

questron it' slrapperrmg, andthe impacts are

noticeable."� John Heal,

Hood CanaiCoordinating

Council

Coordinating Council."Boaters like to say, 'It's not us' � like

tarmers and loggers and septic tank own-ers," said Heal. "But there's no questinn it' shappening, and the impacts are noticeable incertain small embayments on busy week-ends."

Such impacts are believed to bc theresult of pleasure boatcrs and commercialfishermen who pump their marine toiletsoverboard in viola hon of federal law. Theincreased polluhon can be measured,especially in shellfish that concentrateorganisms in their meat, and poses a threatto human health, ofhcials say.

Jay Wilkens of Fresno, Calif., nurveledat the dear waters of Peasant Harbor, wherehe moored his boat "Good Times" while ona trip to Canada. "The delta at Antioch lnearStockton, Calif,! is like a sc~er, You cancatch flsh, but they' re not lit to eat. Peoplethere just dump the stuff overboard."

It's important, said Wilkens, thatboaters understand what they have in HoodCanal and do whatever they can to protect it.

"When you can see the bottom in 8 orI 0 feet of water, that is wonderful,"

Boarers also may spill small quantitiesof oil and gasoline into the water, threaten-ing the health of marine organisms, particu-larly at rnarinas. Oil forms a toxic layer onthe water's surface, where many microscopicplants and animals spend a critical part oftheir lives.

Non-boaters also need to pay attentionto their impacts on Hood Ca nal, officials say.For example, summer visitors may overtaxinadequate septic systems al ong the water-front, and litterbugs can turn the canal into agarbage can � with dangerous impacts onwildlife.

Some boater. become defensive whenpeople talk about sewage. Certainly not allboaters are to bla me, said Heal, but smallbays are especially vulnerable.

'There are enough studies that I'rnconvince bacterial contarnina hon is aproblem, and a good portion o f it comesfrom boats," said Heal.

In a 1988 survey of more than 3,000boatcrs around Puget Sound, nearly one outof five readily admitted their boats had atoilet with direct discharge into the water.Coast Guard regulations require that suchboats have at least a holding tank to containthe wastes

Of boaters whose vessels had a 'Y-

valve" � which directs the waste either to aholding tank or into the water � some 14percent sard they always leave the valveopen to the outside waters. Another 38percent said they discharge sewage only inthe main channels of Puget Sound.

Federal lav prohibits dischargeswithin three miles of shore � that is, any-where rn Puget Sound or Hood Canal.

A shortage of shoreside facilities is thereason cited most often for illegal discharges,ln Hood Canal thc only pump-out station inoperation in 1990 was at Porr I.udlowMarina.

The state Department of Parks andRecreation and the Hood Canal Coordinat-ing Council both launched programs to teachpeople about the impacts of boating, andboa ters may be listening.

Lance Wilhnon, assistant manager atPort I udlow, said the number of boaterusing the marina's pump-out system haveincreased from just a few over the course of ayear to as many as 20 on a typical. weekend.

Pleasant I harbor Marina managerWayne Harris said so few boaters used themarina's pumpout station that it was hardlyworth thc constant repairs.

'The pu mp itself was not designed fora saltwater environment," said Harris. "Ihepump froze up, and I ended up just throw-mg it away,"

But more and more boa ters startedasking about the facili ties.

"I' ve turned dow n tenfold the numberof inquiries this year than we pumped outlast year," said Hams in 1990. "People arebecoming aware. [ think the ad vertising isgetting out to people."

Hams wanted to get the facility back inoperation, but a replacement pump is costly,53,000-$4,000, It was running again in ] 991.

Under a new program funded by bcrattaxes, the state will pay for construchon ofpumpout stations if marina owners agree tomaintain them and pay for electricity. One ofthe first pump-out stations under the nevvprogram was built at Twanoh State Park onthe South Shore of Hood Canal and openedin 1991.

Holding tanks aren't the only ap-proved method of handling sewage, accord-ing to Coast Guard officials.

Bob Crornes of I illisvaup installed a$3,500 sewage treatment system that grindsand treats the sewage with chcmica L,. Thetreated effluent can be legally discharged,

RrcRF:ara>v ~ 16,

~ ~ 0 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ 0

In a 1988

survey of morethan 3~

boaters arorrnd

Puget Soundnearly one out

of fiveadmitted their

boats had a

toilet veith

direct

discharge intotire water, inviolation ofCoast Guard

regulations.

but thc method isn't without controversy."We would never pump it out in a bay

like this," said Cromes, sitting in the galleyof his boat "Blue Chip", docked at PleasantHarbor Marina. "We live on Hood Canal, sowe' re verv protective of it."

Cromes and his wife often travel to

Canada, where officials prefer that hedischarge the sewage without chemicals,which contain forma1dehyd e.

''They'd rather have waste! in thewater than formaldehyde," said Crornes.

Formaldehyde can be toxic to marineorganisms, as it is to bacteria, but the V,S.government puts the first priority on humanhealth and won't allow discharge withoutchernica1 treatment.

"There is no question that people havegotten disease from waters that are in-fected," said Dr. Willa Fisher of theBrernerton-Kitsap County Health Depart-rnent.

On the F tst Coast, c ontarninated water

is associated with hepatitis and intestinalillness, she said. In the Gulf of Mexico,people have contracted cholera. Tuberculosisis another disease passed through rawsewage.

"The other thing you see," she added,"are eye infechons and skin infectionsrelated to bacteria in the water."

The Coast Guard, charged withenforcing illegal discharges from boats,appears to be cracking down on violators.

"MSDs marine sani ation devices! areregularly checked whenever we do anvCoast Guard Jaw-enforcement boarding,"said Dennis Booth, chief of marine lawenforcement for the Seattle District. "For the

last two years now, we have really ~ orkedhard at enforcing the MSD rcgulatiorcs inpugetSound."

In a 12-month period ending in June,1990, 575 MSD violahons were noted in

Washington and Oregon, said Booth, andabout half of those resulted in fines rangingfrom $150 to $350. The others werc wam-

mgs.Coast Guard officers regularly check to

make sure that boats w ith an installed toilethave either a holding tank or a treahnentsystem. The Y-valve must bc "secured" in aclosed position to prevent discharge over-board, said Booth. That means using apadlock, heavy tape or non-releasable tie.One can also remove the valve's handle, hesaid.

Boaters are allowed to use portabletoilets, said Booth, but they can't dump themoverboard.

Dennis- McBrecn, manager of SeabeckMarina, said hc finds boaters often stop atthe marina to use the d ockside restroomsrather than disposing of their waste in HoodCanal. Scnne also are carrying portable toiletsonto their boats � even if they have aninstalled toilet already, he addi'.

"people don't want to get their in-boattoilets dirty; that's a continual line we hear,"said McBreen. But the use of shoresidefacilities also means people are th.inkingabout pollution, he said,

"In Hood Canal, the number of peoplewho dump it overboard is quite sma]l,"added McBreen,

lt is hard to compare the impacts ofdifferent types of polluhon, according to BillCleland of the state Department of Health.But raw sewage dumped into the w atercreates a more hazardous problem than thcsame amount of effluent from a rnalfunction-

ing septic tankUnlike liquid effluent, which is diJuted

by saltwater, floa ting solids can harbor h ugecolonies of dangerous bacteria for longperiods of time, When the solids finallybrcak apart, they release bacteria that canruin shellfish beds and swimming areas, hesaid.

Donna Simmons of I loodsport, v hogrew up on I food Canal and recentlyheaded an education project aimed at areaboatcrs, sa vs people must be willing tochange if Hood Canal is to survive.

"From the hme I was a little girl untilnow," she said, "there has been a trernen-dous increase in thc number of boaters."

I Ier Hood Cana! Boater Task Force,

sponsored by the Hood Canal CoordinatingCouncil, drew together local people whoconcluded that ixlucation was the solution.

The group produced a brochure boatingmap and erected signs last su rnrncr at 15ma rinas and boat launches.

"1'he signs basically ask that peopleproperlv dispose of sewage, trash andengine-rnaintinance products," she said.'They point out that Hood Canal is a veryfragile bodv ot water and is susceptible tothat kind of pollution."

The message is getting through, sheadded, hwause it come> horn the hearts oflocal pimple � mcluding boa ters w ho ca reabout Ilood Canal.

~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0

"Hood

Canal is a

very fragr'lebody of

toater and is

susceptibleto that kind

ofpolhr tion."

� DonnaSimmons

l� ~ Usmc err Rzsoumc

WiMIife Victixn to Debris

espite its natural beauty, HoodCanal is marred by the trash ofmany people.

Habitat, seexningly abundant fors, includes killing traps made of

abandoned fishing line and plastic six-pack rings. And natural %%dod sources inthe water and along the shore are taintedwith tiny bits of plastic that birds pick upand eat, mistaking them for Ash eggs andtiny creatures.

Hood Canal is actually cleaner thanmany areas around Puget Sound, observ-ers say, and residents and visitors aregenerally good caret'~ of the water.But the human rerxrrd is far from spotless.

"People for the most part want thewater to stay dean," said DonnaSunmons, rxrordinator of a boater edurn-tion ~/8m for Hood Canal, "but thereare always those who do not make theconner.ban brWreen throwing a six-packring into the water and the idea that theymight be destrerying wildlife,"

The answer is to keep plastics out ofthe water � but that' s easier said thandone, said Ken Pritchard of Adopt-A-

Beach. While it is il]egal to dump anywaste off a boat � and boats over 26 feetmust display a sign saying so � a srrrpris-ing amount of the debris comes from thelard, he said,

"The bulk of the debris in PugetSound is land- and shorr. based. A lotcomes from roads, ditches and stormdrains."

The most common type of marinedebris is plastic foam used in drink cupsas well as %%dod and bait packages. It's alsoused as Rotation in docks, and a tremen-dous amount breaks off into the water,said Pritchard.

Eventually the foam chunks breakdown into round "cells," small enough tobe eaten by birds ard fish. The solution,he sad, is to sheath flotation material invinyl, so the plastic foam can't get loose.

Pritchard says the problem will onlybe solved when enough people realizethat every plastic cup they leave behind ata picnic, every plastic bag they fail to grabwhen the wind cornea up, is part of Hood~'s debris pmblem,

Sy Christopher Drrrragarr

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isiting Devil's Lake is likestepping back in time, perhaps200-300 years, to a period whencivilization had not yet carriedthe seeds of foreign plants tn thePacific Northwest. At one end of

the lake lies an enchanted world � a rarebog. where the sound of distant bubblesaccompanies each footstep in the spongymoss.

Here, tiny sundew plants secrete asticky residue to capture microscopic insectswild cranberries cling to delicate ~ines; and

spongy lic hens grow in 3-foot-tail moundscalled humrnocks. Nearby, a "pygmy old-growth forest" yows ever so slowlv in the~ et peat.

Only a botanist could fully appreciatethe precious values of this ancient lake,huggrng the slopes of Mount Walker southof Quilcene. One botanist, jerry Gnrsline, isecstahc.

Gorslinc, a member of the WashingtonMati». c Plant Society, has identified fivedifferent types of vvetlands and dozens ofnahve plants within the lake's drainage, all

Rscxiar>ow ~ I I

~ I 0 S $0 0$ ~ 0

help arrange agreements about how timberwill be harvested. The process is known as' TFW," for Timber-FLsh-Wildlife. Gorsline

has proposed keeping the logging back fromthe lake.

"As a TFW person," said Gorsline, "Ihave to respect the harvest goa I, so I didn' tgo to DNR! and say, 'I want no harvest ataII.' "

Hut what Gorsline would really like is atrade of land between the ONR and theForest Service that would bring Devil's Lakewithin the Olympic Forest boundary.

In doing so, he said, protection couldbe extended to the old-growth timber, thefive wetlands, as well as a hillside thatcontains some rare and unusual "sapro-phytes' � plants that grow on decayingmaterial.

Few undisturbed lakes are left a ny-where today, said Buckingham. Devil's Lakemay be especia Uy at risk. "Lakes are likepeople, You can compare them loosely, butevery lake is different. I can't think of anyother lake quite like tt."

"Only byattracting

attention to

this place isthere hope ofsaving it."

� Jerry Gorsline

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r 77! ~

ressed in a red flannel shirt andblue jeans and wearing a toolbelt hitched up with widesuspenders, Keith DanieL tookaim and pulled the trigger,"Wham! Wham! Wham!"

Shiny steel nails surged into smoothlumber as Daniels directed the powerful nailgun with little effort.

lt had taken the 29-year-old carpenter,with the help of onc or two others, 3 ' t'weeks to create the basic structure of a 1$00-square-foot home.

Darucls smiled v 'armlv as he stepped

down off thc 6-foot ladder, He v as nearingthe cnd of another honest day's labor. A fcwmore days like this and he would bc finishedframing this house ovc rlooking Hood Canal.Then he would move on to the next Iob.

Construction is everywhere in HoodCanal country, where new houses sproutlike spring flowers.

Some builders carve out choice build-

ing sites on steep lots overlooking Seabeck,Union and Quflccne, Some squeeze expen-sive nev structures onto the last remainingwatL~front lots along the South Shore, Otherstransform older vacation homes into modern

176 ~ THz PEoe~ ar Haoo Carver

~ ae0 ~ lao ~ ~

'%%atis Ice

good of aholse if youdon thave a

torerable

planet to put iton.

� Henry DavidThoreau

waterfront wonders.For nearly every new house going up,

one can find a family-in-waiting, fosteringdnssms of moving into a new neighborhood,making new friends, enjoying the naturalsettmg. Waiting for the house Daniels iserecting are Glen and June Forbes, who solda house with a Puget Sound view to buildtheir new home overlooking Hood Canal.

Every silver lining has a dark side, andthe dark side to a new house is the unavoid-able damage it brings to the Hood Canalecosystem For every human family movinginto the forest, some wildlife must move out.For every family impnavmg its quality of life,there is socne effect on the quality of water.

The damage is dictated by the locahonof the homesite as well as the concern of thebuilder and future occupants of the building.

The damage at each lat may indeed beslight, But already, tens of thousands ofhuman beings have become an integral partof the Hood Canal ecosystem � and plan-ners tell us that real gmwth is just nowcoming ta the region.

With the arrival of spring, Daniels hasbeen working l0-haur days on this house inthe Driftwood Key development near the tipof the Kitsap Peninsula, He feels good aboutthe work.

Earlier in the day, a ra re April hailstorm pelted the unlinished roof with frozen

As Daniels talked, melting ice stilldripped thmugh th» cracks.

"It's nice out here," said Daniels,glancing toward the loud-covered water."This is where I'rn going to buy. We just rentnow.

Like other areas once considereddistant from civiliza tion, Hansville doesn' tseem so remote in today's real estate market,"People moved ta Bellevue until they foundthat Bellevue wasn't so nice anymore, sathey moved to Bainbridge," said Daniels."Now thev're moving here."

Trained by North Kitsap High School,Daniels says his job as a carpenter is "cre-ative," better than the "menial" pb he hadfor three years working in a lumber yard.

Construction is an important force inany economy. Statewide, more than 5percent of the labor farce is ernploved inconstruction trades. Housing construction inparticular is gomg strrrng in the Hood Canalre~an.

Driftwood Key, developed in the mid-1960s, once had the appearance of a lazy

resort comrnunitv Today funny httle houseswith u psid ed'. n rowboats in their yardsstill capture timeless views af Hood Canaland the Olympic Mountains.

Disappearing, however, are theundeveloped lots. Modem new houses havegone up almost as fast as the price of lots stillfor sale. From almost any vantage point inDriftwood Key, one can spot two or threehouses under construction.

People looking for a natural view andquiet setting are finding it throughout theHood Canal region, one of the last unspoiledareas in the Lower 48 states,

The price of growth is very real saysRick Kimball, environmental planner for theKitsap County Department of CommunityDevelopment, but it's not easy to see theenvironmental impact of a single home.

"I think we' re dealing with these thingsbetter and better," he said, "but if vou have50 acres of forest land and yau put 50 houseson that, vou can't help but have an impact."

One of the first, and most noticeable,results of clearing land for a house can beseen after the hrst rainfall, said DaveDickson, a drainage specialist with theKitsap County Public Works Department.

ln a forest, trees, vegetation andorganic groundcover soak up moisture like asponge, releasing it slowly inta streams andinto the ground itself. But human encroach-ment removes a portion of that na luralsponge. The roof of a house, a driveway or astreet prevent water from soaking bac'k intothe ground, Even a grassy lawn has only afraction af the absorption qualities of a thickorganic carpet on the tarest floor.

"Everybody likes nice wide streets,paved sidewalks and d ri veways, but allthose things cover the pervious surfaces wehave left," said Dicksan. "A weII manicuredlawn looks mce but ... there's not a lot afpercolation through a lawn unless it isunderlain by gravelly soils."

Seeking lower ground, water will drainoff such hard surfaces, ptck up speed acrosssteep slopes and then carve ou t drainagechannels that never existed before. Streamsswell more rapidly due to the surge of water.Flows are higher than the last Bme it rainedequaBy hard. But after the rains stop, there isless water released by the remaining vegeta-tion. Streams decrease in size during dryperiods.

This tundarnental change in drainage larry Ward, owner of Olympic Homesaffects fish habitat. Silt transported by water in Poulsbo, argues that some of the newcan smother salmon eggs buried within a regulations represent a basic shift in thestream's gravel. High water flows can philosophy of who should pay for carnrnu-rearrange the gravel, dislodging eggs from nity services.their nesting place. "When I was a kid, l went to public

lt's the sarnc boom-and-bust pattern of school," he said. "I lived on a city street withwater flow caused by logging clearcuts, but city sewer and water and paved sidewalks,the effecb, of development The local government paidare even more pervasive. I'or them, because it ~ asClearcuts eventually grow W Wri 8 V perceived that the v.holeback; developments are J ~ ~~ Y community benefitted by theforever, sidev alks we ~ alked on and

by the schools we v rent to."Now, government

Daniels was hired to spends the money and sendsframe this new house by Dan the bill to our children. WeForbes, a contractor who has have shifted the burden tobuilt numerous homes in thc the home buyer. We askMansville area. Thc owners them to pay for schools andare Dan's parents, Glen and sewer svstems,"fune Forbes, the former Those against grov thowners of the resort in support the higher cost ofMans ville known as Forbes housing, said Ward. But thelanding. strategy may backfire on

"For 20 years, we had Hood Canal because it forcesthe same view," said Glen new horne huyers to move toForbes,65. "Ships came in all nor thews t bank Of more remote areas wherethe time,but after a while I the canal, lard is cheaper, such as thedidn't even nohce the view." D rift~OOJ Key forested lands of Kitsap

Now, they have a view th b 'lg ' a t County and even the foothiHsof Hood Canal with the wi ui ing sites of the Olympic Mountains.Olympic MountainS Standing fOr 726 hOmeS, Within the entire Mood

tall on a clear day. relieS SOlely On Canal drainage area, it is"Hood Canal is a SeptiC Systems. g~gdifh~«af d»

beautiful piece of water," area unspoiled by humansaid Forbes. "l hope people development, accordmg torecognize the value and try to protect it," local planners and biologists.

A growing list ot building codes, health Newcomers transplanted from citi<w -�codes and energy codes � nat to mention and even some people who have lived in theenvironmental regulations to protect wet- country all their lives � drag a host oflards and reduce stormwater runoff � keep urban-type problems into the woods withraising the price of a basic house, says Dan them.Forbes. But he recognizes the need for most ln addition to ca using inneasedof the rules, he said. storrnwatcr runoff, the average familv

"We' re all working on a level playing consumes 300 gallons of water a day, saidfield," he nated. "You figure you have to get Jerry Deeter of the Hremerton-Kitsap Countyso much money from each house to make a Mealth Department. Families who waterhiing for you and > our familv." their lawns in the summer may use up to

The extra cost is just ~ssed along. 1,000 gallons a day, he added.A major problem for younger families Ln mast areas, water is pumped out of

is that the price of even the cheapest homes the ground, So tar, water is plentiful in mostmay be out of reach. Daniels, mamed with a locahons in the canal s~ atershed, but increas-7-year-old daughter, hopes to wor k out an ing grexsth may reduce groundwaterarrangement whereby he can use his build- supplies and bring a dav of reckoning.ing skilLs to obtain his own home. Mast An average farnilv also generatesyoung families don't have that option. nearly 100 pounds of garbage a week

~ ~ 010 ~ 0 ~ ~

Construction

is everywherein Hood Canal

country, wherenew houses

sprout likespring flowers.

178 ~ THr. Psor«.v or Hexa C~at

~ 4 0 ~ 5 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Kvertjrtewhovse brirtgsvrravoidabie

damage to theHood Carral

ecosystem. Theamount ofdamage is

dictated by theiocatiorr of the

homesite as

xoe0 as tIre

corrcerrrr of thebvilder and

fvtvreoccvparr ts,

throughout the year and recycles about ] 0pounds, according to a new study in KitsapCounty. ln addition, laundry and cleaningchemicals are flushed down the drain, wherethey enter the septic tank and ultimatelyflow back into the groundwater.

With the exception of Alderbrook Innat Union and Port Gamble, sewage treatmentplants don't exist on Hood Canal. Sev agegoes into septic tanks, some so old thatnobody knows if they even vvork anymore,

When David and Carol Smith built

their home near Union in 1984, they toredown an old structure that started out as

nothing more than a sleeping platform, builtby Da vid's grandfather about 1912.

"A ht of the old buildings just sort ofgrew as people wanted more comfort," saidCarol Smith. "They'd build a wall here, akitchen herc, a bathroom there,"

When the Smiths tore down the oldhouse, they were dismayed to find nothingmore than an antique cesspool buried not farfrom the water's edge.

Health officials from aiI three HoodCanal counties conhnue to discoverdrainfields that no longer work, if they everdid. High bacteriaI counts have been mea-sured in several places, spoiling primeshellfish beds � one of the canal's greatresources.

ff norma I wastes aren't bad enough,you don't have to look far to find an Isolatedspot rn the woods where somebody lesdumped a pile of garbage. Often, the pile isnear a stream, which means it is not soisolated after all. Then there are people whobelieve that disposing of motor oil meansdumping it on the ground.

Vehicles themselves leave a trail ofpollution, including oil and heavy metaLssuch as lead, copper and zinc.

Even green space, that Jovely grassylawn, can create serious water quahtyproblems. The owner of a quarter-acre lot,following manufacturers' recommendations,would apply as much as 40 pounds ofnitrogen and 80 pounds of phosphorouseach year to keep a yard nice and green.

Fertilirers and weed killers can migrateinto natural areas, upsetting native plantcornrnunihes. Washed into surtace waters,they can generate a igae blooms and dec>easedissolved oxygen, even to the point of killinghsh, as has tx~n seen several times in lowerHood CanaJ.

Insecticides used on lawns create avariety of problems, In at Jeast two places nnthe Kitsap PeninsuL«, Diazinon pellets killedflocks nf ducks after the birds ingested thepellets, apparently mistaking them for food,said Greg Schirat<i, a biologist with the stabeDepartment of Wildlife.

Even when the inseticlde does its jobperfectly, it may not have desirable results.Birds may eat poisoned inscwts, thus poison-ing themselves, or else the insects maydisappear, eliminating an important foodsupply tor both birds and fish.

In general, people are much too casualabout their usc of pcsticidcs, says Cha Smith,director of groundwater protection forWashington I'esticide Coalition. "The waythey pesticides! are advertised and pro-rnoted really encourages their use andoveruse.

As developrnentspreads into remoteareas, new house~ crowd wildlife out of theforests, said Schirato. Dead or dying trees�ideal habitat for birds and small animals-

are often removed to prevent their fallingonto someone's house,

Rotting vegetahon, including fallenlogs, arc cleaned up, destroying an irnpor-tant part of the food chain. Overhangingtrees and vegetation may be chopped backfrom alongside streams, altering the watertemperature, eliminating a source of fishfood and causi ng stress to saIrnon and trout.

Ncw home owners never realize the

damage they cause."PeopJe don't think much about it

because they don't see dead animals," saidSchirato, "but the animaJs are gone. Theyeither die or move someplace else, crowdingother animals out."

Many fatnilies wouldn't think ofmoving to a new home without the familvpet. But a dog or cat can do morc damage towiJdhte than the house and all the people tnit, said Schirato. Ibogs chase and kill deer.Cats go after birds and fish.

Some people think the wmxls are aperfect place to let their animals run loose, henoted, but nothing couhd be further from thctruth.

People love rural areas for a variety ofrcasorts, and some are very careful abouttheir actions. Still, anyone who bemrncs apart of the Hood Canal ecosystem alters thebalance that went before.

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any of the private lands thatdrain into Hood Canal havebeen carved up mto buildingsites and appear headed fordevelopment.But not every property ov ner

has dollar signs in his eyes.Consider David Smith, 62, a Seattle

insurance agent who inherited 90 acres nearUruon and would like to pass on the land tohts children.

"I was born and raised up there," saidSmith. "I dearly love the area. I have seen mykids raised up there and now my grand kidsare corrllng Up,

Smith's land spans both sides ofHqPway 106 and includes a watcrfrtmt lotwhere his grandfather gradually constructed

a house in the early decades of this centurv.ln 1984, Smith replaced the old horne with amodern house, which he 6 its on thev cckcnds.

Smith's management of the remainingforest land is a lesson for property ownerswho are conservation-minded but have nodesire to lock up their land strictly for fishand wildlife.

"We are thinking about keeping it intimberland," said Sznith, "unI~ someone

would agree to do a reasonable job ofdevelopment."

Snuth hired a forcstrv consulting firm,Washington Timberland ~management ofL'nion. Cary l lanson, owner ot the companv,worked out a plan to thin the timber, whichprovided Smith the cash hc need to

I80 ~ TttE PFOPLE OF HooD CAHhL

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ s ~ 0

"l dearly lovethe area. We

are thinkingabol t keeping

it in

timberland,Unless

someone

tvostid agrt;e todo a

reasonable jobof

development."� David Smith

subdivide the property into five-acre lots and of money in his pocket," said Hanson.put in a high-quality all-weather road. Hanson planted grass seed along the

lf an excellent builder carne along with new road where vegetation had beenthe right price and a sensitive plan for removed. In the areas that contained dis-development, Smith admits he might seU the eased fir, he planted white pine. State lawlots. But his preferred plan is to divide them requires reforestahon within three years, butamong his children. it is best to plant right away � before the

Hanson, the consultant, brush takes over, said Hanson,said some loggers take Smith Han son advisesadvantage of landowners by landowners to researchoffering deals that sound too property forestry issues before signinggood to pass up. a logging contract, That goes

"We find," said for anyone � even owners ofHanson, "that too many a single acre. A consultantpeople don't know the value isn't required, he said, but anof their trees," owner should certainly get

Smith's own father an independent appraisalallowed a logger to clearcut and advice on harvest andthe lower portion of the land replanhng.ior some quick income. But Hanson also suggeststhe logger failed to replant that owners take bids fromany trees. The bere land loggers on the basis of totaleventually grew alder trees, j weight or volume of timber,which were worth consider- as opposed to a percent ofably less than the fir trees gross value, because marketsthey replaced. Dgve Srnitg uSeg are always changing."My dad got taken," arf tt' b According to Hanson,admitted Smith, who had the care/' rm er the trees on Smith's propertyground replanted with hr management add value to the buildingseedlings, PraCtiCeS, inCluding sites, and homes can be

Hanson, who gradu- SeleCtiIIe tQinning worked in among the treesated from the University of ln loggl g tQ 9Q with less environmentalWashington in I967 with a in ogging e damage than in a clearcut

e in forestry advises Acr& ~ S On areaclearcutting only for specific bOth SideS Of Smith SayS the future Ofpurposes. For Smith's land, HiglIIOay 706 his land is uncertain, but he' sHanson thinned out about a not about to let the cornrnu-third of the trees, clearcut small patches nity down with shabby development. Afterwhere disease was evident and retained all, his own home is at the bottom of the hiII.several trees strictly for their habitat value. "If someone veants to pay me a lot of

"We were able to thin this, rehabilitate money, I might be swayed," he said, 'Nut Ithe lo~er end, and put a substantial amount don't think it is wotth screwing up the area."

Drvrt <tr vrrvr ~ 781

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SECTION 3

EX'~ COMIt

SO EVIL~

By t Itr ts,'0/~Itct'Dtt tttt,t«t

Residents itelr ttrri «n ~csrtv tn Fttt wttdbags lna«ntto'mpt hi kryo ti nntoff from tt gnIt cnsrse

dc ivlopstvttt fntttt iinrsnging tlvir /runes.

t seems like only yesterday that HoodCanal was a frontier kind of place.Turn around, and there are highways.Turn around, and there are develop-ments. Turn around, and there are golfcourses, gravel pits and shopping

cd ters,At an alarming rate, forest land is being

converted to housing and other uses inKitsap County, said Mike Reed, who reviewsforest practice applications for the PortGamble S'Klalhm Indian Tribe.

"The conversion applications just pileup every week," he said. "If we lost thisamount of tirnbcr in a blowdown in two

days, we would caII it a national emergency,

But we are doing the same thing overmonths."

ln North Mason and some portions ofjefferson Coun ty, trees are being removedFor developtnentatnearly the samepace.

No single housing development,grocery store, marina or golf course creates asignificant problem for Hood Canal, but thecombination of'all them together does havesigni ficant impact, experts say.

A typical golf course, for example, usesat least 10 tons of fertilizer a vear, saidDwane Erich ot Alderbrook Inn Resort nearUnion. Alderbrook also uses 18 rnilhongallons of water a year to keep the y assgreen.

182 + TtrE PEoeEE OE HOOn CArrAE

~ @os ~ ~ 0 ~ so

"lf cue lost thisamount oftimber ln a

bkntrdown intaboo days, are

wolld eall it a

nations!

etnslgeeCy. Brt true are do~

the same thingPeer months,"

� Mike Reed,Port Gamble

S'Kla liam Tribe

Nobody knows ho~ much of thechemicals escape to Hood Canal, butAlderbrook is just one of four golf courseseither operahng or propped in the HoodCanal watershed,

Despite the grov.'th, Hood Canalremains in prettv good shape, expel sav.Vast tracts of forest land remain undev el-

oped, and important fish and wildlife speciesstill make their horne in the watershed.Hood Canal offers Washington residents onelast chance to preserve an area that has notyet been spofled by growth.

''We are not yet at a point v here wchave lost so much habitat that wildlife can' t

migrate through the area," said GregSchirato, regional biologist for the stateDepartment of Wildlife.

While native salmon have declined

drastically, only part of the problem can beattributed to stream damage, according toDennis Aushn of the state Department ofFisheries, which intends to stud y the habitatissue in the corning months.

AJJ tluee Hood Canal coun ties-Kitsap, Mason and Jefferson � a rc strug-gling to deal with the growing number ofpeople moving into Hood Canal.

Straining the Litnits of SepticSystems

in most places, septic systems do anexcellent job of treating householdsewage, experts say. But aging systems

along the southern shore!ines of Hcxd Canalmay be killing the canal's production ofliving things.

No longer can you take shellfish atBelfair State Park; commercial oyster-growing operahons ha ve been shut down;and fish kiBs the past few years have beenattributed to low oxygen levels due topo Bulion.

'The whole canal is dying an inch at atime," said James [ockhart, a Port ot Allyncommissioner who has pledged to bringsewers to thc Belfair area.

The port cornrnissioners have pro-pcvaxf a sewer project for most of Belfair andfor homes along the North Shore of HoodCanal out to the edge of the district. But theproject has ban sh~ied while the stateDepartment of Ecologv considers the bestlocahon to dispose of the effluent.

Hood Canal should not be usia fordispcisal because ofits extremely low

flushing rate, Ecology officials have said."The one thing that makes you frus-

trated," said Lockhart, "is that there's too

much government bureaucracy. Nobody iscoming up with answers, and you can' tmove but at a slow crawl."

After Ecology gives the go-ahead, itvill take another hvo to three years ofstudies, design and financial plaruung beforeany work can be done, said I.ockhart.

nobody doubts the need for sewers, hesays. An ongoing study by Mason Countyshows that some 50M percent of waterfrontseptic systems are already failing in nearbyAllyn, which drains into Pugct Sound.

"As tar as septic tanks on HoodCanal," he added, "I'd say probably 60-75percent drain right into Hood Canal. Somesit just 6 to 8 feet from a bulkhead."

Poor soils and high v:ater tables meanthat septic systems don't always functionproperly, even when there is adequate roomfor a drainfield, according to a report byEdmunds-l.udlow Associates, consultantsfor the port.

Alderbrouk Inn near Union operatesone of the few sewage treatment plants onHood Canal. When the system failed tofuncfion properly in '1990, the Department ofEcology took over management. Today, thequality of effluent is much better, officialssay.

All around Hood Canal and along thestreams that drain into it, failing septicsystems have been discovered by healthofficials from Kitsap, Mason and Jeffersoncounties.

ln most cases, old drainfields can bereplaced or new drainfields can bc instafledfarther back from the canal. Jefferson Countyhas even implemented a lov:-interest loanprogram to help iiith the cost.

But nowhere is thc problem as severeas along the north and south shores of lowerHood Canal. Much more pollution in thatarea wM rncan increasing fish kills, saidHerbert Curl, ivho studied thc chemistry ofthe area for the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration,Nutrients from sewage, as well as

fertilizer, may be to blame for pockets oflow-oxygen water that sometimes spreadfrom lower 1 hexes Canal into the mainchannel,

Sewers may be the only answer forBelfair's 1 ynch Cove and the shallow areasof Hood Canal out to the Great Bend near

D& 92 t fc!pcs vt ~ 783

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

No singlehousing

development,grocery store,marina or golfcourse creates

a significantproblem for

Hood Canal,but the

combination o fall them

together doeshave

sigt ri fr cantimpact.

Union and Tahuva, according to a grove ingnumber of residents,

"The people on the canal in the portdistrict are all for it," said Lockhart. "We

have had public meetings to hnd that out-and wc'll have more as soon as we gct adc~ision from the Department of Ecologv."

Lockhart says he w ill continue to pourhis energv into the dream of building asewer system.

"That's the reason I ran for the portdistrict. We need it bad. After that, 1 d on'tgive a damn. I don't want the jnb."

Cbarrging Nature's Buf fer

Waterfront residents along Hood

Canal often claimed their piece ofparadise by filling a shoreline lot and

building a bulkhead to prntcct the hll fromthe water.

In doing so, they unknowinglyspeeded the destruction of the canal'sshorelines and beaches.

In many places in Hood Canal�notably from Union to Belfair and out toTahuya � homes were built upon fill placedbehind bulkheads, according lo Sean Orr, ashorehnes adn>inistrator in Mason County,

Fver since then, homeowners haveclung to their valuable piece of waterfrontproperty, replacing the bulkhead whenevernecessary. Only recently has Mason Countybegun to question the need for cvcry newbulkhead, said Orr.

"When we try to discourage bulk-heads," he said, "people think we are crazy.'

Orr, along with state Department otFisheries officials, may force a propertyowner on the South Shore of Hood Canal to

remove an expensive nev bulkhead built 4feel in front of an old one that was failing.

"Thcrc was a masscvc smelt spa wnmgarea below his failed bulkhead," said Orr,"and 250-300 square feet of spawning areacvas lost because he stuck that bulkhead outthere."

Tom Terich, a geographer and regionalplan~ing expert, argues that bulkheads are"enhrely unessential as far as serving anvpurpose for the common good ... The milesand miles of w alks and piles of rock simplyserve to protect the private property ot a fcwindividuals who built too close to theshoreline to begin v ~th."

Lcxal government should do every-thing to encourage people to build their

homes farther back from the water � and to

leave the natural systems in place, he said.The concrete bulkhead could well be a

htting monument to man's ongoing battleagainst nature,

There it stands at the edge of HoodCanal, solid, unyielding, absorbing thepunishment of waves, day after day in allkinds of weather. Then it cracks and col-

lapsesThe folly of bulkheads, argues Terich, a

professor at Western Waslungton University,is that they attempt to hold back natu ralerosion, but end up altering the entireshoreline. "One of the major problems withbulkheading is that vie are putting a veryrigid material in a fiuid, mobile environ-ment."

Beaches are the result of natural

erosion From sandy bluffs and upland areas,hc said. In fact, beaches have been called"rivers of sand" due to the consistent

movement of sand along a shoreline.'The one thing I am most concerned

about is if wc keck putting up structures, wewill prevent that sediment from gettingdown to the beach. We vc ill start having aloss of beach."

During slide presentations to thepublic, Terich shows photcrf~aphs of beachesthat have been altered in a matter of yearsdue to bulkheads, which also have destroyedwetlands and near-shore habitat for fish and

shellfish.Thc easv flow of fresh water into

saltwater is disrupted by bulkheads, whichimate vertical walls at the edge of thc v 'ater.

No bulkhead can be considered

permanent due to the dynamics of uplanderosion and lateral movement of sand, not tomention wave action, said Terich. Wavescause increased turbulence in Front of avertical bulkhead, undercutting the wall andcausing failure.

Where bulkheads are necessary toprotect propertv, Orr said, neighbors shouldwork together to consider the enhre system.

"Oftenhmes, one property owner putsup a waII, cihich causes vc ave energy al theend of thc w all, so the next property ow nerfeels hc has to do something lo protect hisproperty.

Researchers are studying new designsfor bulkheads that minimize damage. hcsaid.

One of the "softer approaches' toprotcchng beaches, said Terich, is to add the

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' ~ ' Ribborts of DevelopmentDespite the

growth, goodCanal remainsin prettJJ goo d

shape. Vasttracts of forestland remainrrndeveloped,

arrd importantfish and

wildlife spreesstill make their

honre in the

watershed.

H ighway 101 along the western shore ofHood Canal offers travelers a beau tifulintroduction to the scenic waterway,

but that road would never pass today' senvironmental rules, experts say,

The same goes for Highway 106 alongthe South Shore and Highway 300 along thcNorth Shore.

'To fill the wetlands and in some casesthe beach itself, to cross the ri vers and creeksand cedar swamps and bogs would be analmost impossible job today," said MikeLeitch of the state Department of Transporta-tion in Olympia.

Throughout the Hood Canal area,development would not exist were it not foraH the roads and highways that carry peopleto and from their homes, These long ribbonsof pavement break up wildlife habitat andcause drainage problems in every spottouched by concrete or asphalt,

Highway records are somewhatsketchy, but it is easy to imagine the hu gecliffs that had to be excavated for portions ofHighway 101 and 106, Rock and debris fromthe cuts no doubt were used to fiH wetlandsalong th» route.

The long stretches of uniform highwayin place today once were smaUer countyroads. Since the 1920s, the state has up-graded various sections of the roads, officialssay.

But few road ways in the state come asclose to a sensihve body of water as thosearound Hood Canal � and runoff from

roads can be a major source of water poflu-hon,

"Any time you have an impervioussurface, you have two things to worry aboutwater quantity and water quality," said CaryKruger of the state Depanrnent of F~iogy.

Major pollutants mclude petroleumproducts dripped from au tomobile enginesand gas tanks, lead deposited from gasoline,and zinc and copper loosened during wearand tear on the eng<nc. In add ition, pcsh-cides used to reduce roadside vegetahon canbe carried along with stonnwater.

Ecology and the Transportation

184 ~ T~z prod or Hoon Ca,v~right type of beach material in a particularlocation and allow the waves to spread it outalong the beach.

"You have to treat the whole beach as aunit."

Department are working jointly on a $50million program to redesign highv'aydrainage systems throughout the state toreduce the amount of water poilu hon.Strategies rnclude using existing right of wayand buying new land for the instaflation ofsettling ponds and grassy swales, both ofwhich reduce toxic chemicals,

Unfortunately, the major roads aroundHood Canal were built at the ed ge of thewater, sometimes next to a sheer diff. Roomenough for such pollution control measuresmay not exist, said Clay Wilcox, a IXYfmaintenance supervisor for the area.

Grass-lined ditches, proposed for someareas around Puget Sound, simply aren' tpractical there, he said.

"Along Hood Canal, we are lucky tohave any ditch at aH," he said. "There areareas where there is just barely enough ditchthere to say there is a ditch."

To make matters worse, the ditchesflow more or less directly into Hood Canal.

"Ch cr hy the marina on Ilighway 106 at Union!, there are cross col vcrts that washdirectly onto the beach," he said,

The district has three areas that create atrerncndous amount of sediment in theditches due to sloughing from steep banks,said Wilcox, In addition to the marina area atUnion, one is where the Skokom ish Riverapproaches Highway 106 and thc other isnear the Purdy Creek crossing of Highway101,

It takes two or three days of work eachyear to clean thc stretch of ditch called PurdyCanyon, he said, and about 1,600 yards ofdebris is removed in that time from that oneditch.

Nobody knows how much sedimentalong the highways f'ails to settle out in theditches, thus washing into Hood Canal, saidWdcox, but it is no srnaH amount. Ueaningout the ditches isn't considered poHutioncontrol, he said, but without that rnamte-nance the ditches would fiH up and aH thecontaminated sediments would wash intothe canaL

Demand for Gravel Alters the

Landscape

AI Hoover used to have a nice Httlcduck pond in his front yard. Now, hrsyard i nothing but a pond, And the

water is shH rising.Hoover's entire neighborhood along

DFvei{!vent !'! +' 185

0 ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ I

Hood Canal

offersWashington

residents one

last chance to

preserT.!e an

area that has

not yet beenspoiLed bygrowth.

Old Belfair Highway is affected by excesswater.

"The ducks and geese love it," saysHeaver. Not so the neighbors, however, whocfaim their problems began a decade agowhen Anderman Sand and Gravel took overa surface mining operation on a hill behindtheir hoines.

Gravel mining is needed to build roadsand concrete foundations for all types ofdevelopment, In fact, state law considerssurface mining prograins as vital as hmberand agriculture.

"We moved out here in 1980 because

we liked the area," said I Ioover, a qualityassurance inspector at Puget Sound NavalShipyard, "We purchased property acrossthe street and lived there until 1987, whenwe moved here."

Unhl 1983, the gravel pit was ownedby Service Fuel Co., which operated a sinallasphalt plant on the top of thc hill. Theoperation went bankrupt a few years laterwhen the qua 1 i ty of gravel declined. In 1986,the current operator arrived.

"When they came, the area had beenlogged," said Hoover, "but it was selectlogging. They cut thc rest of the trees."

Among thc trees cut down, he said,was a 50-foot buffer between his land and

the gravel operation. Anderman alsoexpanded the pit down the edge of the hill,he said,

Anderma n officials choose not to

coitunent, but during legal proceedings, theymaintained that thc opera hon has compliedwith all state and local rules.

Hoover climbed the bank behind hishouse and pointed out a natural swale on hisland, where water accumulates duringheavy rains. But silty water from the gravelpit has begun to fiII in the swale, he says.

Despite an earthen dike behveen thehvo properties, Hoover's land still gets morewater than it ever did, hc says.

Hoover's neighbor, Richard Iviedeiros,also has a low-lying area on his property tothe south. The area has tumed into a swamp,filled with cattails and other wetland plants.

Joe Watson, who lives across the streetwith his backyard to the Union River, saidsurface and subsurface v atcr has flooded hisyard and even run into his well underpressure.

"Sornetunes we used to get water inthe yard," hc said, "but it didn't stand liketlus,"

Katie Littlefield, who lives next to theWatsons, sat at her kitchen table and glancedout the window at the gravel pit, whichdoininates her view.

"We have lived here about 18 years,"she said. "It was really beautiful then."

The Department of Natural Resources,which has responsibility for surface miningoperations, has attempted to reduce the flowof water from the pit by requiring a series ofsedimentation ponds on the pit property. Butone initigation plan after another has failedto keep silty water froin flowing unto theneighboring property.

One answer would be for the neigh-bors to grant easements to get the waterswiftly to the Union Rive+, but nobodyw ants to be part of a plan that directs dirtywater into the already troubled river.

Besides, say the neighbors, that wouldonly complicate the problem bc~useenviroruncntal agencies such as the stateDepartment of Fisheries and Department ofEcology would never allov- the discharge.

"They' ve approached me to buy myland," said Medeiros, "but it's not for sale.My contention is if the state requires them tocontain the water on site, then that's whatthey have to do. The only solution I see is toput the vegetation back to the originalcondition."

The Department of Natura I Resourcesordered that Andennan solve the drainageproblem, but Anderman appealed the matterto a state hearing exarnincr. Christine Clisheruled that the current systein ot dramage"removes that runoff to a safe outlet, namelythe natural drainage pattern in thc area,which indudes the adjacent properties."

Furthermore, said Clishe, "Anderrnanis not by law and should not be required tocorrect the cornrnunity water prohlcin of thearea. That long-sianding problem has beencreated bv nature- and several propertvowners,"

Needless to say, the neighbors weren' tpleased with the ruling, and I]oover pledgedan appeal to Superior Court.

The Results of Cleaxeuts Show UpDownhill

More than a fcw' Mason Co untvresidents have grumbled the past fewyears that their county government

was failing to control dcvelopinent. But, thcvsay, a single event in November 19111 may

186 ~ THE Ptoptr. Or HooD CAPRI

+ ~ OOO ~ ~ OO ~

"Pd sayprobably 60-75pert.ent of theseptic systems!dratn right into

Hood Canal.

Some sit j ust frto 8 feet front a

bulkhead,"� James

4xkhart, Port ofAllyn cornmis-

sioner

have jarred the county to its senses.The awesome power of stonnwater

runoff was demonstrated near Union duringIhe heavy rams over the Thanksgivingweekend, when water gushed down a steepravine, depositing tons and tons of soil andgravel across Highway 106 just above HoodCareL

"The material was coming faster thanwe coukl get rid of it," said Clay Wilcox, amaintenance supervisor for the state Depart-ment of Transportation.

Despite the best efforts of both stateand county crews using heavy equipment,they eouldn't beat the onslau ght of sand a ndgravel washing down the hill, They endedup closing the highway for a day.

Since then, Mason County has filed a$250,000lawsuit against the property ownerblamed for the mess, George H eidger ken, aShelton developer building a 230-acre golfcourse and resort community on the hilloverlooking Hood Canal.

The county claims that Heidgerkencleared the property of all trees and vegeta-hon without proper drainage controls. Healso failed to install a system ordered bycounty officials atter they discovered theproblem but before the flooding occurred,

The lawsuit was filed to recover thecounty's emergency costs as well the cost ofhiring a consultant to work out drainagecontrols, said Mike Clift of the MasonCounty Prosecutor's Office.

"l think we can make a case that whatthey did led step-by-step to the damage upthere," he said.

Heidgerken says he should not be heldresponsible for damage from natural runoff,and he blames most of the problem not onthe clearcutting, but on the heavy rains.

it's an argument that most residentsdon't buy.

'That area handled every rain event forthc past 30 years," said Bob Close, presidentof the Mason County I'rotective Association,which represents property owners in thearea.

After the clearcut, water coming downthe 50-acre ravine cut a path between twohomes and flowed down a driveway toHighway 106.

"It was most fortunate that the drive-way was there," said Close, "or onc or twohouses could have been in jeopardy."

Since then, culverts have been installedto bring thc water off the hill, carry it acrossthe road and release it into Hood Canal

The county ordered the developer toprepare an environinental impact statementbefore any more wor k was allowed on theproject, knov n as Black Bear Resort. The firstpriority was to stabilize thc slope andprevent further damage,

Close and Clift agree that the incidenthas alerted Mason County officials to thepotential problems of development. At thetime, the county had no ordinances fordealing with the kind of clearing andgrading taking place on the steep hilL

Since then, thc county has adopted agrading ordinance, approved a Vorth Masonwater quality plan and is gaining speed onnew rcxluirernents under the state's GrowthManagement Act.

"They are kroking at things muchdifferently " said Close.

Thc Growth Management Act requirescounties to identify problem areas and takesteps to protect them, Mason, along withJefferson County, could have opted out ofthe requirements of the act based on theirpopulation, but the two Hocxi Canal coun-ties agreed that planning for growth was intheir best interests.

Dt I' f! ottut,h! ' ~ Ltd

~ ~ OO ~ OO ~ ~ ~

SF TJON 4

PLA5'.4LNC H3R

GROWTH

fti/ 0! risk!! !f1»i'Di tlr!»<rn

4<at nffictttt> ttre. an, Julia r,'<ir a m~q t» aBfa i' ftl» 92ma»thtlat 5 tltroittnlttlg t0 «<vnr'llrtta ttJ» Hr&rt Cr1!tet a'BtrvstIAf.

tate requ ireinents for managinggrowth cou Jdn't come at a bettertime to protect Hood Canal, saysLarry Dennison, a Jefferson Countycommissioner.But norma J, everyday people hold

the real key to the t'uturc, hc added.The Hood Canal counties � Kitsap,

Mason and Jefferson � are rapidly movingtoward new policies they hope will protectforest and agricultural lands from theonslaught of development.

State law also requires that theyidentify and protect:

~ Fish and wildlife habitat.~ Wetlands.

~ Ground water recharge zones.~ Lamd slide areas.~ Areas prone to flooding.Under the law, the public gets to help

design Jand-use policies that protect thenatural system � and that should meanmore than government just gomg throughthe motions, argues Dennison, who chairsthe threc-county Hood Canal CoordinatimgCounciL

"Policies are worthless unless you ha vethe conshtuencies to support them," he said.''Until enough penple value these kind ofideas, v:e v;ill not bc able to make thcrnwork."

Dennison wants the environmentalmovement to have personal meaning to allwho live in the l food Canal region. Hc

wants to see "polihcs" at work � not thekind of backroom politics that has gained abad reputation, but thc original meaning ofthe word. "Pobtics is the process of creatingpublic policy, The power has to be i.loseenough to the people that they can feel it."

All three coun ties ha ve begun pl a nmingat the grassnmts level, but they eventuallyhope to coordina h. their efforts for HoodCanal. lt is a different process than oneevolving in Oregon, where such policies areset at the sta te level.

Kitsap County Co!n!nissioner JohnHorsley said he belie vcs pcmpfe can under-stand the goalof protecting public resources.

"But 1 think we a re gomg to get intosome tremendous controversy when we go astep f'urther and trv to restnct v. hat peoplecam do ssith their lamd."

Horsley knows about planning forgrowth. As the county's tirst Trident coordi-nator a nd. later as coun ty commissioner, hehelped prepare for the population bum thatarrived arit the giant Naval Subnaarinc Basat Bangor.

As a result, Kitsap County is ahead ofboth Mason and Jcffcrson in growth-rnanagemcnt planning. But with f!ve timesthe pOpulahon ot MasOn and 10 tlrn»s thcpopulation of Jefferson, Kitwp also suft'crsthe Jneatest enrironmentaf dainage horndevelopment that's already occurred.

"We can hand!» th» next l W,tlt10

people who com~e in.," said Horslev, "tf we

I88 ~ THc Pror tr. oi Hooo Car

!s<ll«< KI�lf, /<r /<iir<son. Aiv<og <<uns<s and sun shrff «<arch

develop a land-use pattern that concentratespniple in our urban centers and protects therural arms from overdevelopment."

None of the major urban centersproposed are within the Hood Canalwatershed, though Port Gamble maybecome a much larger community than it istoday, said I lors]ey.

"What we' re hying to discourage is acheckerboard pattern ot 2 '/=acre tracts or 5-acre tracts without adequate road systems,water systems nr open space," he noted.

Phyllis Myers, a habitat biologist forthe Suquanush Indian Tribe, says she isweary of the growth battles taking place asrural areas are fnrced to make room for more

people."I'm feeling sad these days," she said,

"Someone said to me recently, 'We don' thave growth management; we just havegrowth.' "

Myers he]ped put together a newwater-quality plan for Dyes lnletbetweenBrernerton and Silverdale. The plan calls fornew populations to move into areas alreadypaved over by development,

"IX'velopment should take the form ofredevelopment in the city of Bremerton," shesaid of the counly's future.

Maintaining areas in forestry is a goalrequired by state law, though it may beeasier to accomplish in the lesser-developedportions of Mason and jefferson counhesthan in Kitsap.

Horsley said he hopes to be able toconvince major forest land holders in Kitsapto retain their property in timber � perhapsby allowing them to build higher-densitycommunities in more urban locations.

But he says he's "discouraged" aboutthe declining runs of wild salmon and aboutmanagement by the state Department nfFisheries

The numbers of fish reaching theirnative streams are governed by two factors:I ! the success of their reproduction � whichdepends on the local water quality, and 2!the number caught on their wav home.

In the spring of 199I, Fisheries an-nounced a cutback in commercial and sportfishing to protect wild coho returning toHood Canal But Northwest Indian tribes sayit is nnt enough.

It is sad to think that the magnificentfish may be on a permanent decline, saidHorslev. He suggests that salmon may bc agood yardstick for measuring the success or

Drvrr or.ur.vr ~ 389

~ y ~ ~ l ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

State law

requires thatcounties

jderr tify andprotect fis hand wildlife

habitat,wetlands,

grounrlwaterrecharge err es,larrdslide areas

and areas

prone toflooding.

Failure of local mnfrals on development.'They are like the canaries that v'ent

down into the mines as a test of when thc airwas bad," said Hursley.

Unfortunately, studies are lacking onjust how severely thc streams already havebeen degraded.

One section of the Growth Manage-rnent Act which has gotten little attentioncalls for innovative techniques in managinggrowth.

"It is a very shurt, but I think powerfulsection," said Steve Wells af the stateDepartment of Community Development."Think ot a tool kit in thc hands of the

counties and cities. They are right nowdeciding what tools are going to ga into thatkit."

They may choose a heavy hammer-the police authority of local government,including zoning controls and buildrngrestrictions. They may add a scalpel � theability to purchase development rightsprecisely in a reas that shoo ld be preserved.

In essence, the state has given thecounties authority to decide.

Mike Reed, a biologist with theS'Klallam Tribe in Port Gamble, has urgedKitsap, Mason and Jcfferscrn counties toadopt what he calls "urban thresholds," aconcept originally proposed to protectr<~urces from lagging operations.

Thresholds are measurable values thatreflect the amount ot damage to an ecosys-tern, such as a watershed.

For example, biologists can measurethe amount of sediment in a stream. Onetlueshold level � perhaps a 10 percent ratioof sediment to gra vel � v ou ld alert forestmanagers to an upcurning problem, andlogging could be reduced. At a second level,perhaps 25 percent, drastic changes wouldbe required to reduce the level of sediment� even if it meant stopping logging alto-gether.

Reed argues the same approach shouldbe used "when you move dawn the watcr-sheds i nto the urbanizing areas." Urbanthresholds would put the burden on devel-opers to prevent the kind of damage that hasoccurred in the past.

Only in this way, Reed says, willpoliticians be held accountable for commit-ments they make in the face of economic and

political pressures.Both Dennison and Horsley say they

find the concept ot' urban threshold s appeal-ing and would like to incorporate it intoregional planning,

State and county agencies are gettingbetter with environmental regulations. Natso many years ago, t he Depar trnent ofFisheries failed to prevent, ar apparentlyeven notice, damage h'orn development.Naw, both Fisheries and Wildlife review theplans For ncw dcvelopmc nts with an eyc forpotential impacts.

Fisheries can force developers tuprotect streams, and Wildlife can oftenprotect habitat for migratory birds and otheranimals. Both arc using their authority understate law to mandate storrnwater controls to

prevent excessh e runoff.Kitsap Counhr, which has made some

attempt to control the rate of runoff in thepast, is now discussing strong new rnea-sures, including those that v auld reduce theamount of pollution, said David Dickson otthe Kitsap County Department of PubhcWorks.

Using a computer, engineers can nowdesign a stormwater system that moreclosely matches the natural-flow conditionsof a site. In addition, grass-lined drtches,known as hiafiltration swakw, can be used toabsorb pollutants before the water leaves theproperty.

Already, the county has begun requir-ing such modern storrnwatcr controls in newdevelopments, though a full-blown ordi-nance and storm-drainage manual probablywon't be ready until 1992, said Dickson.

Unmanaged grovvth has spoiled manyareas ot the country, including part~ ofWashington state, Some would argue thateven Hood Canal has been damaged beyondrecognition. But a majority of planners andbiologists say Hood Canal still containsmany natural wondcvs, despite the pressinggrowth.

"We may have let things get out ofhand," said Reed. "W'e may have some dirtylaundry that v e need to clean up. [ believe alot of our actions arc bawd un the remoteidea that we wrll not be around to hve withthe consequences of what we do today."

That attitude, hc argucw, has gut tochange. And what better time than naw'.

0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nw~

AMERlCANS

%CHION I

WHEh;

bVWVS PLXD

Im WATERS

By Gene YwÃrum

~'tekriiiiisli i t'ai.J '%'p i Ailrbtaw Sr,

the canal as a much simpler, more pristineplacem theiryouth, when it was a base fortheir subsistence.

JosePh ~- Andrews Sr., 76, recalled theyears just prior to 1920 as a time when hc»rely wore clothes and when Hood C'.anal

s a bc» tiful place" to bc while grow ing"P arly in the morrung, he'd watch deeralong the shores of the canal lick salt offrocks at low hde.

~rcws' eyes glistened as hc talk«i

ood Canal offered bountifulfishing amid cool waters and apicturesque aquatic ltighway tothe three major indian tribesliving there in the decades priorto the 20th Century. The history

of the canal was shaped by the Tvvana,Chemakurn and S'Klallam tribes, but onlyremnants remain today: the Skokomish, theSuquajnish and the S'Klallams.

Elders from the three tribes describe

~ 190 ~

~ 0 ~ OtO ~ ~ OO

abc!ut how the autumn sky "just turnedclark" as huge flocks of migrating geese flewoverhead, issuing sounds "that were like alullaby to my ears,"

He remembered sitting in the bow ofhis grandfather's 24-foot shovel-nose canoeas a preschoo!er, "eahng salmonberries thathung nut over the canal. I wasn' t a very goodpicker, but 1 could eat them pretty good.

"When I was a young boy, before Iv 'ent to school, the Indians traveled the canal

by canoes and rowboats equipped v ithsaiLs," said Andrews, an cider among theSkokomish, whose reservation sits at theCreat Hend of liood Canal in Mason Countv.

"We had camps on both sides of thecanal,' he said, "There were plenty of fishand clams. There were trees a!ong both sides;the logging camps were just getting started."

A ndrews sar'd hc "didn't wear c]othes

until he was 8 years old. There was no needto because there was lots of privacy outthere."

When he was about 13 years old,Andrews had an encounter with a couple ofv hales that he's not forgotten.

"About halfway across the canal, thesetwo whales buzzed me," Andrews recalled."They bumped the boat and made wavesthat bumped me, and thc dogs barked, butthey didn't tip mc over."

When hc told about being accosted bythe wha]cw, Andre.ws said his mother

explained the huge beasts may have beentrying tn gct to the dog and her puppies,noting tha twhales eat seals and other smallanimals.

Andrews' tribe shared use of the cana]

with two others, the Suquamish and the PortGamble S'Kla 1 ! a ms.

Thc Sknknmish elder said his peoplehad friends among the Suquamish indians,a!though "they had a hostility among them.lt seemed like they ale ays had to havesomeone's permission to be in the area. Wenever v orried about it, but they did,"

Hoth sides of Hood Canal originallywere inhabited by the Twana Indians,divided into three bands, the Du-hie!ipsSknkomish and Kolsids, thc Rev. VlyronEc]ls wrote in The Trrrrr rra, Chc~mhurrr arrd1Jrr ffrr»r hrdrrr r rs of Wnsfrr'rrgtorr Territorrf,published in 1887.

He said the vvord "Twana" was

be]ievcd to mean a portage, coming "from

the portage between Hocxl's Canal and th»main waters of the Sound, where the' Indraby carrying his canoe three miles, avoidsrowing around a penmsula 50 miles Io ng-

Skokornish means '%iver People,"derived from their sett]cmcnt at the mouth ofthe large freshwater rivrer that empties i«othe canal.

The Chemakums are believed to ha verrrigrnatcd from the Kwilleuts, who livedsouth of Cape Battery on the Pacific Coast.Eel]» wrote that a portion of the Kwilleuttribe, according to the Kwi!]cut tradition,came inland from the coast fol!ow ing a veryhigh and sudden tide long ago and settlednear Port Townsend, calling thcmseIs cs"Chemakums."

By 1887, Ee! Is said the Chemakumswere "virtually exhnct," there being crn]v 10left who had not married v bites or membersof other tribes. Only one four-membc r farnilvwas included in the tota.l. At one hme, theChemakums na~picd ]ands from the mouthof Hood Canal to Port Discovery Bay.

The S'K]a]]am tribe derived their namefrom "Nusklaim," a word in their languagewhich meant "strong people."

The S'Klal!ams had c ]aimed territonfrom Port Discovery Bay to the I Ioka Ri s eron the northern coast of Washington.

Shortly before the turn nf the 20thCentury, Eells noted many S'K]allams hadmoved tn Little Boston, opposite PortGamb]e; to Jamestov 'n north nt Sequ irn. andPort Townsend and Pnrt Discovery Bav,where most werc employed at sa w mi1!s.

Another band of S'Klallams made therrhome in Elwah, about eight miles west at'Port Ange! es, living largely nn fish. Al-though the Port Gamble clan changed thespellrng of the tribal name to S'Klal!atm, theclosest ref!ection to the correct prnrrcrrrcia-tion, the Jamestown and Lower Elwah c!ar-cssti]I use Klallam in their named

The Suquam!sh and the Skokornishwere the main users of Hood Canal durinthe latter years of the 19th Century, accord-ing to Iwv rence Webster ot Indranola.

At 91, Webster is the e!dest of th»Suquamish tribe, centered on the PortMadfsc>n indian Reservation m North V;tsa<

'They used the v est side, we <r~~i theeast side" of the canal, he sard. The Kla I]amTribe, particularly those from Port Comb! edrdn't begin tn make substantra! use c>t liood

7he Northzoest

Coast tribes

lost most oflheir creative

traditions

u,ithin a fezodecades oj tfzetreaties thewysigned ztritlz

zvhites in the

mid-19th

Cert hery.htdian nrlture

zvas banished

during theschool year at

boardingschools the

children zzrere

setzt to.

JV a rivi Ahl F rrrr

~ 0 0 ~ ~ g ~ ~~ ~

SF.CTICrN 2

TRIBI>SEEK TI-IFIRSPIRIT

By fr fi»4fcCorrrri cl,

Sl!!kn!!!!si! sr~!r!rvvfi!edema 8rrr»! A4! l»rpro!!gi!r rh!'!!id»99!ra!!IV t!fr!!ri hr»k r!!l1rs ink'.

t is mid-winter and pre-white man.The last of the yabu, the dog salmonpeople from the Skokomish and otherrivers, have been hauled in andsmoked. Food the Tuwa'duxq havegathered should last the season.Now it's time for the l,000 or more

people of various bands scattered around thecurled leg of water they caIItuwa'duxcllsi'dakw � the Twana's saltwater� to congregate in their plank houses anddevote their time to morc spiritual matters.

Vine communities sutra rrnd theTwana's saltwater, occupied by thr'ee or fivebands, depending upon whose accountconstitutes history.

Edward S. Curtis, who photographedtribes throughout the West at the tom of thecentury, located the Duhle'lips at UnionCreek, the 5'kokomish at their river, the

Soatlkobsh along both sides from what isnow Hoodsport to the Dosewallips at whatis now Brinnon.

Members of the S'Klallam tribe

apparently camped at Brinnon, but farther tothe northeast thnv. werc more Twanas � the

Kolsids at what is now Quilcene, anotherversion of their name, and the Slchoksbishon both sides beyond.

Farther were more S'KIallams at Little

Boston and Port Gamble, Port l.ud low,I ladlock and I'ort Townsend.

The S'Klallams spread into the formerChernakum temtory from their originalcamps along the Strait of juan de Fuca as theChernakums � depleted, it is said, by v arand smallpox � declined first to a remnantof a people, then to a memory, then to afootnote.

By I859, only a few years after thefederal treaty had been signed v'ith the thr'eetribes, the S'Klallarns were very much inevidence all along the passage to the canal.

Their chief, Chetzemoka, hosted athree-d ay ceremonial gathering of 400S'Klallarns in 1859 that a San Francisco

newspaper correspondent described as an'invocation to their Tomanawos, or GreatSpirit." Tomanawos was a Chinook word,the trading jargon spoken by India~ andwhite alike.

Once into the canal, the saltu. aterbelonged to the Twanas. Before centurv'send, their five bands v ere all calledSkokomish ai'tcr the river where their 4,000-acre reservahon was located, and w heremost of their depleted population er entuallvsett/ed.

194 > THE PEopce or Hoor C~ac

tO ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ OO

Unlike the

northern tribes,many of whose

similar

ceremon les

were attended,described in

detail,explained andanalyzed by

white scholars,most of the

Coast Salishwere � and

still are-

secret. And the

artifacts oftheir rituals

gone.

They had named 32 different places onthe river, 146 on the canal, including somewhtrlpools and other special spots that wereto be avoided lest the salmon people becomeoffended and not return.

This inhmate relationship with theirnatural surroundings, upon which theyre4ed for their relatively abundant existc nce,was shared by all the Coast Sahsh and othertribes throughout the Northwest PacificCoast,

Winter was the hme when thoserelationships were most often displayed insong and dance. It is the time when tribalmembers may become "indian sick," thcterm members of Xanxanitl, the Skokomishtribe's secret society, ha ve given to a state ofmind that requires certain prescribedspiritual steps.

"Indian sick is when you go through asudden or maybe a gradual character changein your life," says Bruce Miwer, a Skokomishspiritualleadcr.

Miller brought thc old practices back tothe tribe after his initiation in a Lummtceremony in 19zl. Indian sick is like a flu forwhich there is no detectable cause.

"That means that your spirit song istrying to be born," lvliller explains. "We livein a society in which the majority nf peopleare without a song, and from my observatinnthey wander lost. They leave their ownculture to find a culture that will give them asong."

Song � harmonies of human soundthat precede and underlie forrnal Language� was given by the Great Spirit to expressbasic human emotion.

It's the same old song � and d ance�Miller notes with a slight smile. Spirit danceaccompanies song in the longhouse orsmokehouse where rituals known only tornernbers resemble those of ancestors likeFrank Allen, one of thc last dancers.

Allen's death in the 19.'Kk, at the sametime as that of Miller's grandmother, also adancer, was the end of spirit dancing for theSkokornish unhl Miller reintroduced thcpractice.

Song is a cure for Indian sickness, anexpression of the power ot the spirit whosename you have taken in a naming ceremony.In the old davs, says Miller, a person withouta song wasn't really alive.

The ceremonie- described by the S~Franctsco newspaper correspondent in 1859

were full of color � although he was notallowed to witness much � -- but not

grounded in meaning,Four people went into cxtcnded

trances and were revived by mask-wearingdancers. Spirits were called by the beating ofrattles upon the roof of the lodge house.

People danced masked as bears,lizards, cranes. People bLackcned their facesand hlled their hair with white fcathrrs. One

man appeared to sv allow an arrow.None of that should have been re-

corded, remarks Miller. 'I'he correspondentnotes that Chetzemoka was admonished forpermitting whites at an evening perfor-rnance, where they disgraced him withlaughter.

Vnlike thc northern tribes, many ofwhose sinular ceremonies were attended,

described in detail, explained and analyzedby white scholars, most of the Coast Salishwerc � and still are � secret. And the

artifacts of their ntuals gone."You could pass along thc right to have

a mask, but not the mask itself," explainsMiller. "To have an uninitiated personobserve vilified the cerejnony."

Vn hl the 'l 978 Native American

Frnxfom of Religion Act, ceremonies werealso technically illegal. Tribal members weresometimes jailed for parti cipa tion.

At the Skokomish Reservation, onlythe Treaty Days ceremonies the last Saturdayin January are open to the public. They arecalled Treaty Days because celebration of thePoint-No-Point Treaty was thc only justifica-tion government agents would allow for theforbidden practices.

Xa nxanitl initiates must endureisolahon and deprivation, based on thetheory that it strengthc.ns one for hardshipthat can come at any time. "That teaches kal,the utmost belief that the spr'rit will give youwhat you need to survive until you getbetter," says Miller.

The Salish and other Pacific c'oast

people had wealth-based cultures. Statuswas achieved partly through the redistribu-tion of wealth in the potlatch ceremony andthe children of the wealthy particularlvneed such tranung.

When an initiate ends his or her fast.each morsel must be shared, "brause thenyou begin your new life by sharing ... in anatmosphere of thankfulness," savs Miller."They are forced to admire the beauty of thcsimplicitv of their life."

Na<nl Ahu<<<«v ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 104 ~

SFCTlUix 3

ftv frii<l%$ C<v'>n"'t

5«a<iamc Jt «r<iwn F<i Career<

d Cam ere's eyes gare down atthick fingers tangled in theirdeliberate work. L<ist in it, his voice

is barely audible as he telL aboutthe conviction that drove hi<n to re-learn this painstaking task after so

many years."My desire is to make baskets that

aren't being made anymore," says theSuquamish indian, arching and weaving stiffceda r strips ot limb and root into ivarp and4'eft.

"1 fed like it's a link, a connection, andl'<n doingit ncactly the xiay it v<as donehundreds of years ago."

Carriere is starting cia ni basket bot-torns for his class of novi ce. They often getstuck <in this difficult initial part of theprocess, so he is sparing them that frustra-tion in their early work.

Although there are many basketma kers among the coastal. tribes, onlvCamere regularly attempts the traditionalopen-weave clam basket. They are sturdierand less showy than the more tightly wovengrass and cedar bark baskets used f<irstorage, carrying and cooking.

Clam basket makers did not adornthetr creations v ith meticulous fanciivorklike that of the other h pes. They would lastonly a season or h o before breaking downfrom heayy use and saltwater decay, i< hilethe others lasted gener ahnns,

The Northwest Coast tribes lci t most

of their creative traditions «ithin a fewdecades of the tn aties thev signed w ithwhites in the mid-1<tth Cenhirv.

They were quick to adapt t<inew iv<»s.Manufactured goods rcvlacnh many of thematerials thev had colkicted for centuries t»

196 ~ Trrr Proprr. or Hoao CavAt

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

7he art ofbasket rrtafciug

warred frrorrtarrivai of

white societyurrti! the 1930s,

rvherr,irortically,

goverrrrrrert tpF8gFartrs

sought to teachbasket rrrakirrg

to

irrrpoverishedIrldfaÃs durirrgthe DeymssiorL

carve, weave and decorateDenim and gingham repI ced h;d�

beaten cedar and dog's wool clothing,Modern cooking in pots and pathe tightly wow~ baskets u~ tu make"stone soup," any water-based concoctioninto which hot rocks were dropped for heat.

People used pails to collect and washclams. They lasted longer than the strong oldbaskets.

Only a few women retained the basket-weaving skill, One of them was Carriere'sgreat-grandmother, Julie Jacob.

Once her fingers became too stiff forthe work, the 15-yearold great-grandson shehad raised was taught to help.

But when he was grown, Carriere, nowin his late 5Ds, stopped making baskets, we ntto work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard andraised a family.

"In '691 started to work with it againand bring the art back." he said. "It took meabout four years to make a fairly good,decent looking basket, I had to try to pull aIIthat knowledge out and try to remember."

Carriere believes he owns close toevery basket book ever written in English.Multi pie examples from other basketryspecialties have joined a bnMd assortment ofNorthwest native work on shelves inCa mere's living room,

For more than 20 yea rs, his workbenchhas been the dining table in the house hebuilt across from his great-grandmother'shome. It is located on family land along theIndianola beachfront in North Kitsap.

But this year, Carriere is completing a

workshop addinon to house not onlybasketry but carving materials and tools.

He's taken up can ing under thetutelage of 5'klallaur Jake Jones and DuanePasco, a white carver who has gained aworldwide reputation for meticulous workin the Northwest Indian tradition.

"Every artist needs something else," hesays with a conviction born of experience.He has a log on his land all picked out for hisnext major project, a canoe carved in thetraditional style.

Carriere sells every basket he makes,and he also likes to produce a bent cedarbark pouch of a type used to carry whalingtools in the bows of canoes.

I'eople find him. He does not advertise,nor prepare work for galleries, nor takespecia I orders, "because then it would be justlike a job. I just do it when I have the timeand I feel like doing it, because then I canmake a better basket."

Completing the first of a long series ofbottoms for the class he's teaching at the PortGamble S'Klallam Art Center, Carrieremuses aloud about his students and hiswork.

I le says it takes 12 hours to make amedium-sized clam basket, not includinggathering and preparing materials, v. hichare stored in a freezer.

"It looks soeasy, and then, when I startteaching class, no one can do it." He smilesinto his hands. "Ivfy fingers get really wornand smooth if I'm weaving every day ... Allthe little fingerprints get worn off."

far rvr Aarr >; ca v, ~ I 9

0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 0 ~

SECTION 4

TELIC I IIVGTHE TRlBl.c>

LWT Are

8» /r>lix. t<c !»'>i;i> k

t>l>>u>r «incr> >I»>>- ra >xn «a>~»~ a>! ex >err >>!tr>>>r>lr«l>r> >I>>r >!« I .ir C!415! trit>z c>>viz>lg, r>>rc l< '

n! ta>s! rr re» lr>x»>!t h>x >>»rkr»rr.

"... the co> rstrz<ctio» of t tirese! f>oxcs isso»rerr>liat peculiar. Tire siifirs a»if e>rds are madeof one lazar d; rohcre tire cor>zcr is to I>e, a sr!!allrrr!'teris c»t, l>atlz oir the i»srrfe aud outside, t>rrrtfr tizr»rrglr. Then the cr>r>rarsare steamcdand f>e>rtat righ! arzglr~, a!»i the i! rsiile miter r's crit soperfecttr that it fi ts rrrzter-tr'i>frt «>lrnr the conrersirrc f>crit." � Kev. Myron EelLs, rrrissionaryand diarist, in The Trier»a, Chcnrakrr m ar sfKIatlarrz f>rrfr rrrs of' Washington Territr>rr , 1887.

n the beach at Point Julia,Northwest carver Duane Pascois tending a rock-filled fire anddigging trenches in the sand,His students in the bent boxclass, several from the Port

Gamble S'KlalL~rn tribe, are putting finishingtouches on their rectangular cedar boards,prepared at the reservation's new artbuilding across from the tribal center.

The last bent boxes handed dow~within the tribe were reduced to ash several

years ago in a fire that destroyed tribalchairma~ Jake Jones' horne.

The tribe put up a building in 1989 tohouse a canoe carving project led by Pa scofor the state's cetrtennial, When that was

done, the building became a classroom toh elp bring back the traditional arts.

Pasco, a non-Indian carver in theN orth~ est Coast tribal tradition, teachesdesign and txzx making to several oldertribal members. They, in turn, wiU pass it onto the next generation, said Jones.

More modern steaming method s areavailable to soften the wood for bending, butthe class aLso used the traditional method ofburying it with hot rocks covered in swordferns.

IIent box ma king methods wereentirely lost, even among the more tradi-tional northerly tribes, by the time Pasco firsttried it 30 years ago. An account bv pioneeranthropologist Franz Boas seemed completeuntil he tried it and failed, Pasco said.

The next step was to study examplescoHectcxI in museums and � voila! � a kcv

undercutting method could be discernedthat allowed a scored piece of ~ rxxl tr> ti>ki

198 ~ THF. PropU' or Hoon Caeal.

0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

The bent boxes� unique tothe roorld of

the Northroesttribes � were

often used forstorage, andsolnetirnes

boundbyrvoven strands

of cedar barkfor carryingand to bind

theln tOgether

hghtly in upon itselt and form a watertightseal.

The bent boxes � unique to the worldof the Northwest tribes � were often used

for storage, and sometimes bound by wovenstrands of cedar bark for carrying and tobind them together insid e canoes.

A t the Skokomish Reserva tion, 40miles south by canoe a long Hood Canal,tribal member Bruce Miller has shared hisbasket making skills and experience withothers, induding children, since I 970.

Among the three Hood Canal areatribes, the Skokornish have been mostsucamful at maintaining their traditr'onalart,

"Actually, we have a budding commu-nity of artists," said Miller, known primarilyfor his twined and coiled baskets, but also asa carver and beadwork artist, There are I4Skokomish basketmakers, who generallymarket their work to a steady clientele ofcollectors and galleries,

The work of carver Andy Wilbur,silversmith Pete Peterson and basket maker

Richard Cultee has gained Internationalrecognition for beauty, Miller said.

Miller, 46, credits two key elders,Louisa Pu}sifer and Emily Miller, for passingalong before their deaths the traditionallyfernale art of basket making to his genera-tion.

Miller learned from Emily Miller,whose granddaughter Mary Hernandezn~mtly decided to continue thc familytradition into the fourth generation.

Baskets of all sizes and for aH purpr~cccontinued to be made privately bv tribalmembers, Miller said, because it was anenjoyable occupation and because it, unlikeother arts asscxlated with forbidden reli-gious practice~, was never banned,

Miller once found some Louisabaskets" in New York shops and learnedthat one of his had reached a collection at theMuseum of Folk Art in Berlin.

But the art waned from amval of white

society until the 1930s, when governmentprograms sought tn teach basket making toimpovenshed Indians during the Depres-sion.

"We thought it was hilarious," saidMiller. "lt was like selling refrigerators to

Eskimos."The basket making is an mtegral part of

the economic well being of the conununitybecause we' re a poor people, basically." saidStiller.

Miller and other basket makers in thetribe now often use modem dyes andmaterials, including ratfia from Madagascar,rather than pursue thc laborious process ofgathering, treating and creating native dyes,

"The basket making itself comprisesonly about 5 percent of the whole process,"he said.

But some entirely traditional basketswith trademark Skokomish dog, stacked-boxand other designs are still made frombeaqpass, cattail rushes, shredded cedarbark and "sweet grasses."

Rit dye easilv replaces and outlasts the'blue mud" of the marshes used to stain

materials black, the roots of Oregon grapefor yellow, the alder bark that once waschewed to a paste to obtain red. Nowadays,we use a blcndcr,' Miller said, but it's notthe same red,"

While such methods may not seementirely authenhc, Skokomish artists arequick to point out that the elders t~lveswere fond of innova tive techniques thatcould save them time and trouble.

Hernandez laughs at the memory ofher grandmother, who decided the best wayto remove unwanted mucus from grassmaterials was to place it bctwccn plywoodsheets and drive back and forth over it with acar.

"My grandmother didn't even knowhow to drive," she laughed, but it beatscraping off the stuff with dull knives.

It's not only troublesome, it's oftenhopeless to try to do things the old way.

Rediscovering the old methods isanother matter. Miller said he learned mostof what he kno~ s about tribal traditions "bykeeping my ears open. Some of this I' venever seen, but was described time after timeby rnv elders."

For several decades, renev ed interestin the Northwest native arts has opened n evmarkets and created a revival of interestamong tribal members themselves, whn canpoint to the work of their elders and ance~tors with pride and appreciation.

Hntd star!;fu tents at thr P<vt t,artrbtr5'Llttttain 7rtlvt Crvtrr are vttrytvnI

la tlv' l�>l gl IAttr' f/ tttev' rut estihrs,

~ t ~ ~ t ~ ~ 0 S

ShrnOX 5

USP'G TIK

CLASSROOM Tt t

RP~t T1I I-

TRADITION

A Cultural Appreciation

Many of their grand parents went to

bc' rding schools, where much of theIndian culture was banished during

the school year.Today, the grandchildren attend Hood

Canal School, where educators try to re-kindle interest in Indian traditions.

Almost 100 Indian students attend theschool, located at the Skokornish Reservation

on the Great Bend ot the canal. They repre-sentabout40percent of the K-7studentpopulation.

Inside the school, students get remind-ers of the culture that existed long betorewhite man's schooL» first came to theSkokornish in the 187Us. Interest in Indianheritage seems to rise during the fall whenthe curriculum includes a thret week scwsion

on ihative American studies."fust that time of year everybody says

"I am part Indian,' " said Pat I lavvk, directorof Indian Educatron at the schooL Hawk, an

18-year Hood Canal employee, directs thesession, where students learn cultutalcotnpari sons among the American tribes.

' I'hey didn't all live in tepee; theydidn't aII wear feathers,"

The session also includes visits bv

people in the tribal community who shareskills in storytelling, pu ppctrv, dancing,utdfishing lore.

She also directs a year-long art cia»s torthe older students, who worked on paintingan Indian mural in the halhvav.

"We want to keep the traditional aAsahve, Hawk satd.

The school'» funding for indianeducation i» limited, said Superintendent

2IN ~ Ttre PFoFu oF Hoao Capiat

0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0

Native

American

students leam

better bydoing. They

pick up morejeer discovery

titan Pombooks,

Bir]essic~MiI lip,an

robert Weir. State funds totaling $5,200, andfederal Title V Funds totaling SI7,BIO xvent tothe school for Indian education in 1990.

"We have to squeeze salaries from that,as well as things for the kids," Weir said,

Tied to the money is the requirementthat Indian people in the community stayinvolved with the school, An Indian Parent

Education Committee meets monthly todiscuss curriculum and classroom problems.

"We are a liaison between parents andthe teachers and staff," said Laurie Byrd,parent and Head Start teacher.

If parents ra ise concerns, committeemembers act on their be half.

"A Iot of the parents a re uncomfortablewith thc teachers," Byrd said,

Only two of the school's 22 teachers areIndian. The underlying cultural differencesmay have something to do with parentaldiscomfort Whatever the reason for anydiscomfort, Byrd believes the solution isgetting people together to talk.

"We need to keep communicationopen," she said.

The Indian Parent Education Corninit-tee was successful in aiTanging tuto Nng forIndian students last year. The SkokomishTribal Council foots the bill, paid for out ofthe council's fi-h tax. Many of the Skokomishare fishers,

The tutoring sessions includ e not justemphasis on any skiU the students need topractice, but also about 15 minutes a sessionon native arts or era Its,

"We want to ensure that there is amulticultural concept m aU the curriculum,"said Sally Brownsficld, a fifth-grade teacherat the school and a parent inember of theIndian Parent Education Committc~. She is amember of the Squaxin Island tribe.

Brownsfield contends that Indianstudents have different learning styles fromtheir Anglo classmates.

"lt's been shown that Native American

students learn better by doing. They pick upmore from d iscovery than from books,"Brownsfield said. With that knowledge, sheplans her classes so the students can beinteractive.

"I Ict them do the experiment first, thenthe reading, then the experiment again," shesaid. "With other classy, I might give thereading and instruction first,"

Revsvrrtg the Language

Nuts oo ... chasa .. Ucewh

The guileless pre-schoolers in the PortGamble S'KlaUam Tribe's Head Start

class wrap their throats around the clusteredsyllables of their ancient language as if bornto it.

" "ngoos ... Ihq'achsh ... t'xung."They hold up Lach llttlc finger and

repeat with teacher smyrna MdhoUand fromthe Lower I Uwha KlaUams, who holdsflashcards with pictures of fainiliar tradi-tiona I objects.

Nuts'oo kw'ayungsun � one eagle.Two whales � chasa ch'whe'yu. They runout of fingers at 'oopun.

Milholland is out of numbers afternineteen, she admits to her adult class laterin the morning. She had only a few words ofnuwhstla'yum ootsun � the S'KIaUamlanguage � until, as a young woinan, shebegan helping her mother, NcUie Sullrvan,with the sometimes unruly mixed summerclasses of adults and children.

MilhoUand recalls that children in thetribe had begun to mimic the language whenher mother used it, poke fun at thc oldsounds, until she stopped speaking it.

She loved working with her motherand tries to keep up the v ork despiteoccasional feelings of inadequacy, "Some ofthe words are so hard, I'd almost have myface in her mouth trying to pronouncethem," she smiles.

When her mother died a fev ' years ago,ordy six elders in the Elwha tribe retainedany use of the spoken tongue.

Now MilhoUand must use a taperecorder to preserve v hat is ]cft of thclanguage among her elders and hopes to gctaccess to the Vniversity of Washingtonlanguage tapes made decades ago andstored somewhere. A book of the languagecreated by Vnivcrsitv of Hawaii researchersis flawed, based upon only one source whospoke two tribal languages and mixed themup. Her mother told her to ignore it.

Milholland's mother needed her helpbecause she was educated to teach childrenand she knew how to keep them busv anddeal with their short attention spans. Today,as with every WedncMay language class, thechildren are learning something neiv andadding it to thc small store of basics.

Out carne the animal puppets. You

1V»T vI .'tan g,<~ !g <

0 ~0 ~ + ~

8y Jufie,'vlcCorrni<-k

remember sta'ching, the wolf, saysM i 1 holland.

He played a key role in the story ofpretty Nakeeta, heard lastweek and relatedagain t<xtay. Straying fro<m her motherduring a berry picking expedihon, shebecame lost and was eaten, Her mother' s

grief was so strong that she was given LakeSutherland as consolation.

Tsyas, hand. They tra c e the outlines oftheir ten frngers onto their b<mk of coloringpictures. I inter, they will take these b<xrk»horne and maybe their parents will take aninterest.

It is with the children that the iuiure ofthe traditional culture rests, tribal leaders

say.Most adults share a legacy of genera-

tions of iwhite control that included bans on

the language and customs, distrust andcontempt for the "savage" ways of a PacificNorthwest Coast culture rich in personalindustry, art and religious ceremony.

"I think we were one of the first peopleto give them up," S'Klallam chairman JakeJones says of the old ways, mostly because ofearly and persistent contact with whites, hesUIIIllses.

Separate S'Klallam bands once rangedfrom Neah Hay at the far western hp of theOlympic Peninsula to Discovery Hay nearPort Tov mscnd; from Lower Hadlock, whereartifacts at a beach caHcd Tsctsibus indicate a

meeting ground centuries old; and later to

1'ort Gamble, where tribal sources say thecamp was displaced by thc whitecommunity's graveyard after the mill townwas established in 1553.

The ancients were known as excellenttraders and fierce warriors. But by the timeJones' generahon was born, there were nomorc canoe makers, no more spirit quests,no more "nuts'oo ... chasa ... Ueewh,"

The Port Gamble S'Klallams recentlyput the traditional "s" prefix back beforetheir name. Uke rmany of the words, it workstx~t if you suck in on the prehx, breathe nuton the next syllab]es, much like playingharmonica.

The tribe hired Milholland to helpregain their culture, w hich as any linguist orpoet knows, is embedded in the words.

Jones' sisters, Ginger and Geneva lee~,signed up for the adult language class andadded to h%lholland's vocabulary withmemories of sounds buried srnce the deathof their grandmother 47 years ago.

All three agree on the variable meaningof omit, svhich can be sit down or get up,depending on what you do <iith your hands.

But nu can't be the only way to say"no," says Geneva. '%he always said'aunu'," shc muses about the large old ladyshe waited upon in old age. Maybe shemeant "no more."

Myrma MilhoUand writes that do<st.Maybe her elders will know.

erst rarIl ltitrr&aI A@I~>~$sl rar+ < tr.g�,.of S~«ratisbon s

of Ztrhjt<.carr~I that

includ<-ddistrus t sang>

cotrterrrpt fear a~ acr fic

N>rthzcrestCoast culta rc

rich irr

personalirrdusfry, artand re1igious

CffC77t 0 ltd.

C~R

~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ON THECANAL

Bill Briiiis nipvs a riui iifcoffer al the Hi ljiiir

BELFAJR

By /i!n %!thgeh

~ �2 ~

"I consider myself very fortunate,"said Bruns, "I' ve Jived in the best of Brnes fora sportsman like myseJf. For someone whoJikes to hunt and fish, I can' t think of anymore desirable tixne and place to be thanright here."

For an innocent moment, Bruns, a 69-yearold rchree from Puget Sound NavalShipyard, was Belfair's chief spokesman, Thechamber of cornmercc coutdn't ha ve said itbcttcr.

I,~<ated at the eastern most point of

years younger, he might o g.such praises of 19elfair and its rural appeal.He knows there are signs that the parade ofnewcomers may be sapping Belfair of itssrna U-town foundation.

"In 20 years, you probably won't evenbc able to recognize this town," said Bruns."We' ll see large residenHal areas developedbecause of the spillover from KitsapCounty."

In the last two decades, Belfair's cupalready has filled.

~ There once were two morn-and-pop

<xs r<n C <su ~ ~i!$

~ 0 ~ OOOO ~ ~ ~

Located at the

eastern nrost

point of HoodCanal, Belfair

and its

sr<noundingterritory have

became a

haven forpeople insearch of

tranquili ty.

grocery stores in town. Now there's a largesupermarket, and rumor persist thatanother large supermarket chain will soonannnunce plans to build in Belfair.

~ In 196S, there was only the Be]fairCafe. Now there are at least six family-styleeateries along the strip on I lighway 3.

~ There were no sen>or housingfaci]]ties. Vow there are two, each fundedthrough the federa] government-

~ There were two churches servingnstly an interdenominational audience.

Nov< there arc six churches with ]2 separatedenomination~

~ The mnst prnspcrous banks wereonce a hole in the backyard or a space underthe mattress. Now Belfair has a bank, asa>dngs and loan, and a credit union.

They' re all signs of a spreadingpopu]ahon and one wonders just how muchlonger Bi]] Bruns can call Be]fair and thiscnmcr of H<md C~na] an outdoor paradise.

It was in 19f<4 that Carol Went]and tand her husband, Sanford, first moved toBe]fair from their home in Seattle. Heworked at puget Sound Naval Shipyard andhad grown weary of the daily commute toBremerton. land around Belfair was cheapin the 1960s and the Wentlandts were eagerbuyers. By today's standards, land va]uesaround Belfair are shll on the downside.

Went]and t says now she can relate herexperience then to author Betty VfacDona]din the Western Washington c]assic, The Egg<rr<d L

"I was used to life in the fast lane andthis place was so quiet," said Wentlandt,who lives along the south shnre of HoodCanal. "]t was hard to make the adjushncntbecause this place seemed like we wercmoving to the cnd of the w<>r]d,"

Now Wcntlandt manages the Mary E.Theler Communitv Center, carved from theestate nf one nf Be]fair's most influentialfamilies and the c]oscwt thing theunincorporated town has to a fu]]-timetourist information center and chamber ofcommerce,

"lt used to he that people would just«casional]y come in vsnth questrnns abnutthe area," said Went]andt. "Now wc'rcgett]ng nevs comers at about the rate nt threehmes a week. Pcop]e come in and sav, 'I' vejust moved here, what is there to do".

"What I tell them is that they rcagvhave to like the outdoors � camping,hshing, birdwatching. There's not many

L r r

cu]~m] things to do herc so you have to likethe rural atmosphere and appreciate thoutdoors."

Just off the 0]d Belfau' H>ghwav nearthe intersection of North Shore Road, sits aramshackle house behind a mw of trees,

The back half of an old Mercedes Benzhanangs out the garage and irnrnediatelythrough the fmnt door of the house a fedfeet away is the ]utchcn. Tum right andthere's a bedroom so fi]]ed with smoke andheat from a wood-burning stove that it' suncomfortable to breathe.

This the modest horne of Cecil Vancx,an 82-year-o]d Be]fair character who chngsmostly to his mcrnories. Nance often wa]ksthrough toys, stopping at the Belfair Cafe,the post office and Thriftway. He has veryfew teeth, but it doesn't stop him frombearing a wide grin, even for sh angers,

"I lived here <vhcn the only time you' dsee anybody, it was in a horse and buggy,"said Nance. "I liked it here a lot better then."

Those were the days when Belfair wasknown as C]ifton, a town of homesteaderswho depended on Hood Canal tor its fishingand the timber around it tn cke out a ling.The canal was too shallow to make Cliftonmuch of a port town, so it depended mostlyon a <aiss-cross of roads over which loggerstoy 'ed their loads.

' This has always h~n a crossrnadstown," said Irene Davis, who's compiling ahistory nf Belfair. "The <~ter of the cornmu-nih was the intersection of the roads to

orth Bav now A]]yn! and Seabeck."That center has changed through the

decades, as Highway 3 eventuallv rep]acedthe Old Be]fair Highway as the town's mostimportant artery, Later carne the develop-rnent on the roads lirung the nnrth and southshores of the canal, shaping Beltair into whatit is today.

According to Nance and Davis, the oldClifton post office was closed in 1913. Nancesays it was brause the postmistress was toobusy reading everyone's mail mstcad nfdistributing it. I'wo years later, the towns-people demanded the p<xst office he re-opened, and changed its name to Belfair.

' The name Be]fair carne horn a novel,ca]]ed St. Ehr<n," said Nance. "I i7>y Murraywas reading the b<mk at the time and theyjust decided on that name, for no specialreason. Mv mother thought Belaire <vou]d

204 ~ THE PF >P F. 0F Ht>or> C<xe.

have been a better name, but I wish it wouldhave stayed Clifton." yiel

"New Clifton" is still a crt>ssroads

town and a lot of people view that as a landproblem. Despite its constant flow of traffic,there is only one traffic light � flashing at a hoodcrosswalk.

"Traffic has always been tough around havhere�especially in thesummer," said Neii wemer, 8yalfiii yowner of Neil's Lumber andGarden Center. "I can

remember many years agohaving to wait to cross thestreet, and I still have towait."

Werner, like others,favors a new highway toeliminate the problem but itoould hurt his own business,

"Jhe solution is to put abypass on the ridge aroundthe town," said Werner,"That way yoil couldeliminate a lot of the trafficthat's just passing through."

The state highwaydepartment supposedly isstudying it, but bureaucracymoves slowly � just tike thehorse and buggies thatNance remembers frt>m hischildhood.

~ J ~ ~ ~ ~ a 0 ~ ~

Belfai r, the fastestgrowing

community on thecanal, is adjacent

to some of thewatershed's most

fragi le areas.

"In 20 years,you probablytvon't even be

able to

recogni ze thistrrtvn. We' ll see

larpresiden tial

areas

developedbecause of thespillover from

Kits apCourt ty."

� Bill Bruns

The key to Belfair's future may not testwith the people runrung over the top of theland as much as it does with the waterrunning under it

Sewers are a hot topic in this NorthMason area, where, according to Werner, thepopulahon numbers about 10,000 in thewinter but swells to more than 60,000 duringthe summer,

Because of thc pressure that septicsystems place on the delicate ecology ofBelfair's wetlands, some people say there arevery few bathrooms along the row ofcornrnenial businesses on Highvsay 3 thatwork properly.

"Belfair had hetter solve its sepficproblems, but there is a sharp division onthis," said Jerry Walker, a retiredmidwesterner who moved here about fivevears ago. "The oldtimers sav a well-managed septic tank is best, but thc new-comers say sewers are the only answer."

But ff Mason County governmentds to the demand for sewers in Beifairthe sun ounding area, it may open arush even more prominent than todayAnd there goes the rural neighbo�

A growing popula ti<>n does, howevere its benefits. The North Mason School

District, growing at the rateof about 10 percent per yearfor the past decade, hasprospered with the steadystn am of 20th Centuryhorncsteaders,

In 1980, xt was one ofthe poorest distncts in thestate, so bad it faced d iscon-tinued school bus sersdce inan entirely rural district,

"Ihc cornmuruty wasdivided between the upperclass on the shoreline and thelower class living inland,"said Walker. "It ivas astrafified population, but themiddle class was missing."

Since then, more andmore baby boomers withschool-aged children havemoved into the district, andschools have prospered withthe passage of each new levythat couldn't get passed 15

years ago.

That led to better times. North Masonis now one of 33 school districts in the stateserving as a model for the state' s 21stCentury educational program.

"It was amazing to see this small, rural,econondcally undernourished school systembecome a model for the state," said Walker.

About 39 percent of the students in thatschool district come from famil i cs sixthincomes from the federal government.. It' sproof that much of North Mason has becomea bedroom corrununity catering to workersfrom PSNS and Bangor, and rnili lary familiesin general.

They' re vviIIing to trade 30 to 35rrunutes commuting one-way to their jobs in«change for reasonable housing prices andthe promise of a quiet, rural life.

Bill Brurcs, who likes the c<>ffiac at theBelfair Cafe, paid $18,000 for 10 acres ofundeveloped land near the Tahuya River '

!if/ ov u?6 C ivdt ~ !q

~ ~ ~ ~ t 0 ~ t ~ ~

! 973, I-Ie figures with hLs 9-year-old house,s worth ab >ut $125. !t� to $�0,000 todav.

hgures are inild compared to the~ring pr<iperty valUes today in Kitsap,

ng and Pierce counties.But with its preferred !cication and

prices, Belfair teeters on the verge ofprosr-ros~itv, It almost sums that everything

8~ about it � land bargains, rural atmo-sphere, friendly people � is a! ~> bad-~~sed poIlution and overcrowded roacls.

The one crinstant that won't go away isan ever-increasing populahon.

"If Sea-Tac Airport eventuaUy takes offand decides to build a satellite at Kitsap Bremerton! Airport, this place ~% beanother Mercer Island � a fast-growingmetropolis out of control," Carol Went!andtsaid. "That's why a sub-area plan is needfor this area. You can't stop progress, butyou want to make sure people appreciate itand make sure that it grows properly."

And il the Bremerton Airport doesn' talign with Sea-Tac?

"Belfair wiH still grow," she said, "onlyslower."

trtitttis croti 2 tire tmt rtn!irt «t theHndgrttirrett rti", i topsti hatt i!t Stittttr 1'i»irt

~ I ~ ~ yap ~ y ~ridgehaven is a prrsh communityoff South I'oint, near the spotwherv I lood Canal kisses PugetSound. I'erched on its miniaturepeninsula IO feet above sea level,Bridgehaven forms a canal within

the canaL

ln some rcwp~ts. it is a rnicTocosrn ofthe splendid ftr!rd it faces; perhaps 30Bridgehaven homes line the beach on bothsides of the peninsula. About a football field'wide, this man-enhance sand bar � like theshores of Hr.xrd Canal � serv e» as the solefilter for the septic drainage from thesehomes.

SI-art. 2

NEW HOME;JAV TJIF

BACKWATERS

Brt Snthttrrt ftftrir Jr,

206 ~ Tt» PFot'r.s or Hoon Carry

Some residents of Bridge haven sailpasta marina at the north entrance ot theirmicro-canal to moor their 40-foot sailboats attheir homes, Some drive their Buick» andtheir Jeep Cherokees onto their treelesssandspit from the community of Trail's E nd

They cross speed bumps and 30-miles-per-hour signs, and pass a sign that advisesall who enter that Brid gehaven is a privateresidential cornrnunity.

The folks who live above J3ridgehavenat Trail's End look across the roofs ot' theBridgehaven houses to the emerald stretch ofFlood Canal.

The Trail's Enders don't often cross

paths with the Bridgehavenites. If they visit Outside, a survey crew is atternptrng tothe spit, they dig clams or sun themselves on find old property hnes between tire tavern'stheir corrumunity beach at the south end of parking lot and Bridgehavc~ property. Mostthe finger of sand that scratches thc eastern of the stakes are buried under the asphalt ofhdeline of Hood Canal. the old feny parking Iot.

Where the two groups arc morc likelyto meet, hov ever, is at South Point's onlycommercial establishment, The surveyors are harbingers ot a new

The Trail's End Tavent wave o growth that is aboutonce rocked and bulged with bout/ po!g t to slam into the shores ofpeople, ~ hen South I'oint South Point. Wilcoxen andwas the eastern terminal for Rockefeller talk of thethe barge that ferried cars proposal to build a 60-acreacross HocV Canal during a shopping center just east offour-year span after the the intersection of the SouthHood Canal Bridge sunk on Point Road and HighwayFeb. 13, 1979. 104.

Dee Wilcoxen took over "I don't think i'll get inthe tavern several months there. Pope and Talbot won' tafter the bridge was restored let it happen," says Wilcoxen.in the early 1980s. On the day The Port Gamble timberthe Beach Girl stopped pant has its own plans for arunning, the tavern's former shopping center closer to itsmanager closed the doors burgeoning vacahon-and ncvcr came baCk. It's ~ PZdgePapen retirement COnununity Ofbeen quiet ever since.

"Some days," says development at From his Trail's FndWilcoxen, looking across the So~ tI1 P01n t +S vantage point aboveold parking lot to the canal, filled a narrow Bridgehaven, Bill Shiplcy"I'm here by myself until 4 Sand Spit Witg watches a develop~ digo' clock. 11's pretty quiet three septic percola tion testaround here these days." < ' holes in two rernairung lots

On this day, Don 'Rocky" Rockefeller, on the spit. Shipley, a Gnrst resident, lives inwho lives in a motorhomc across the parking a travel trailer parked permanently on hislot, is cuunhng pulltab hckets for Wilcoxen. recreational vehicle lot.Rockefeller " They tell me I'm his ninth I le's fixed his trailer up, with a bigcousin."!, 46, spent his teen years at South deck facing the sunrise acr<ms the canal. APoint and relates how Trail's End got its catwalk to a feeding stat.ion fair squirrels andname. birds arches From his bank to the trunk of a

"Yeah, it used to be the end of the trail big fir, perhaps 30 feet oft' the ground. It's anIor the Pony Express. See, they made I'ort airy lookout, one Shipley says his suiteAngeles the otficial west cnd of the I'onv doesn't like to visit.Expres~, and this is tvhcrc they would ride Thc retired I'uget Sound Navalto." Shipyard worker is proud of his ge taw av. He

The tavern and restaurant werc built says he's camped up and doi~m 1Iood Canalmore than three decades ago, before thc most of his adult life. Hc Fishes � "I caughtbridge was built and the new H>ghwav1 W an 18-pound salmon nght off the point lastbiassed South Point bv three miles. vear' � and puts out »s crab pots rc~tlarlv.Hu.n ters and fishermen still stop by the Shipley says hc hasn' t nohced anytavern, savs Wilcoxen, but mostly it serves decline ot' shellfish in the canal, and savs.the folks of Trail's End. though there are fewer salmon. "vou can still

"iNot too many pcx>pIc from catch them if vou knov ' whc~ to go " HeBridgehaven come in here regular," she says says that when the salmon run, you canWilcoxen sips t'rom a glass of bottled water. prachcally walk across the canal on the decksThe. tavern's well, located across the parking of commercial hshir g bxats off South I'ointlot within 100 feet of the canal, contains salt Hc keeps a small boat at the marina. h»and iron and cannot bc used for drinking savs Hc iiax es in thc general directnin ot'

0 ~ ~ 0$ ~ 0 I ~ 0

John Barber ofBridgehaven isglad that mostof the houses

along thesandspit are

built because it

couhfn't

lrandie too

many more.

2pft ~ Tire P«» s oF Hooo C~vAt

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

Bridgehaven before continu ing: "But if youwant to see some boats, you ought to godown there in the summer. That's w here theITloney ls.

Seventy-four-year-old John Barber wasamong the first Bridgehaven residents,Freshly retired out of Bellevue, Barbermoved to Bridgehaven to watch it explodewith houses after it was "discovered" bythose seeing the vacant lots from the decks ofthe Beach Girl,

Barber says he helped establish aresident-controlled Public Utility District toget water piped down to the spit from wellsup alive, As he talks outside his beachfronthome, he waves to a passing car, explainingthat a neighbor is driving her hu sband to theTrail's End Tavern for an hour of socializing.

"She' ll drop him off and then go backand pick him up later," hc said.

Barber says hc's glad that most of thehouses along the sandspit are built because itcouldn't handle too many more.

LIFE ON FHI CANAL a 209

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0

SECTION 3

B XSH

PRO PE~

flV Arttt Stre. »«f< r

Ffre "S<.ttafer Castle" on ti<e eatral'sSguttt 5«ore, designed from a

Eurapean lns!card ot 1926, ia One afH<~st Canal's ptusts prot rtiea.

ood Canal houses a number ofthe rich and reclusive along itsshores, but there's no truth tothc rumor that Clark Gable onelived in a turreted castle not farfrom Twanoh State Park.

"That's just a story," says Bob Close,who owns the landmark known as theSchafer Castle, "The ranger up at Twanohlikes to send cyclists down here to see 'ClarkGable's house.' "

About four miles west of Twa noh, thestritung half-timbered bouse � with weII-groomed topiary trees at its entrance � is areal head turner.

Close says his grandfather, AlbertSchafer, had architect Elizabeth Aycr designit from a postcard he had received fromfriend.s m Europe.

"I think the postcard showed a place

along the Rhine. He said. 'Here's the post-card, EIizabeth, no» you design it.' "

Ayer, the first woman architect li-censed in Washington state, took him up onthe challenge. Working with Edward J. lvey,she included many castle-like details: a hugefireplace with a little seat inside it; a ro manticwindow scat facing out on the canal; a turretwith a winding staircase; and a leadedarched window made with old bottle glass.

It was built as a summer place in 1926.Schafer and his two brothers werc owners ofSChafer BrOthers IAlgging CO. m GraySHarbor.

Close, n ho manages industrial parks inSeattle, grew up }n Aberdeen where hisfather practiced law. But he spent surnrnersswimming and»aterskiing at his grandpar-ents' place on the canal.

"Thev'd open it up Memorial Dav

210 ~ Tnr Proper. or Hero Caser.

~ ~ ~ OOI ~ ~ ~ I

Dowrr theroad � on

the west side

ofAlder&rookIn~ is the

cotrrpolndowrted byBill Gates,the fosrnder

of Microsoftwhose net

worth was

recentlyreported at$4 billion.

weekend and close it on Labor Day week-end."

A perfect place for children, thc houseincludes boys' and girls' bunkrooms, wherea child could have as many as five friendsstay overnight. The unusual purple fixturesin aB the bathrooms are originals, says Close.

"I' ve noticed Kohler is introducingnew colors, but I' ve never seen a color quitelike this."

The inside of the house is linedthroughout with clear Port Orford Oregoncedar. The sandstone around the big centralfireplace carne from Tenino, and the a nte-lope, mountain goat and moose heads on thewalls were supphed by his father, a big gamehunter.

A visitor notices modern touches aswell. An outdoor shower has been convertedinto a hot tub and spa, and the roof, origi-nally made of cedar bark, has been replacedwith slate,

Down the road � on the west side ofAide*rook Inn � is the compound ownedby Bill Gates, the founder ut Microsoft whosenet worth was recently reported at $4 biBion.

From the road, a thick stone wall keepsrubberneckers away; from the water you cansee a group of low, tastefuBv designedmodern houses, The Nordstrorn family aLsoowns hvo houses on the South Shore ofHood Cana I, on the Belfair side ofAld erbmok.

lf you'rc in the market and a cool $1.2rnrllion doesn't phase you, c heck out theDaviscourt estate, also on thc South Shore.The 4,NIO-square-foot main house, hiddenfrom the ruad by a discreet cedar hedge,includes a solarium, a family rcxrm with aprxrl table, 230 fed of waterfront and deepwater moorage,

"You can bring your vacht," sayslisting agent jim Avery of John L. Scott,

Bud Davrscourtof Bellevue had it builtas a surnrner house 16 years ago. He alsobought 10 acres on the other side of the roadand bui! t two additional house» there. Itwould make a perfect family compound,Avery observes, but it may be broken up intotwu parcels.

Eoh Close may ha ve a turret and theDaviscourts thrir own dock, but how manypeople have their own private golf course?

Chuck and joAnne Haselwood do,Their sculpted IO-acre course slopes

down to their white Mcvtitcrranean-stylestucco house and swimming prxrl. ThcOlympic View prvperty � near SubaseBangor � overlooks Mood Canal and theOlympic Mountains.

Haselwood, owner of HasclwoodBuick and West I Iills l fonda in Brcmerton,says he's no golfing fanatic.

"I play once in awhile, but mostly, Ilike the atmosphere," he says.

Maintaining that atmosphere of paLmtrees and manicured greens keeps threeworkers busy full time. Equipment forcourse upkeep is stored in a building the sizeof some folks' houses.

Thc course was nearly three years inthe making � last summer was the first timethe Haselwoods and their friends gof achance to play on it.

The sloping ground had to be shapedand mounded to create three greens, lwopond~ and 11 tees, "You can play IH holes ifthere's only one foursome," saysHasclwood.

Designers from McCormick Woodsbuilt the course, and bonsai specialist DanRobinson did the landscaping.

The Haselwoods moved to the canal 15years ago from a house on Lansing Street inNavy Yard City. "A friend owned theproperty," recalls Hasclwood. "When wecame ou t here to look at it, thc woods werepretty thick, and we had to paw our ~ aythrough. When we saw the view, we saidthis is for us."

The scenery is always different becauseof thc play of the sun and the clouds aroundthe mountains, the Haselwcrods say. Their333 feet ofwaterfron t is high bank � 85 feethigh, in fact � but they' re now in theprocess of installing a tram down to thebeach.

Chuck Gilman, a local architect,designed the house. At the time, theHaselwoods shll had f'our children living athome, so they had a four-bedroom, two-bathroorn "kids' wing" built af one end ofthe house and their own master bedroomwing at the other,

Between them, they have sevenchildren and 11 grandchi]drcn, so theswimming pool and the extra bcdrourns getplenty of use, especially during familygatherings in the summer.

It was Dan Robinson who suggested

the palm tr~x~, Mediterranean fan palms doIust fine in the Northwest, Haselwood savs,Thev've been thriving on his Hood Canalpropcrtv for 13 yea rs and can be seen on the

road to West Hills Honda too.

Clark Gable may not have lived on thecanal, but he would have felt right at homeamong the palms.

~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~

lace to Visit The scerxety isahvaysdifferent

because of theylay of the srnrand the clouds

around the

nrourrtains,

k Gable may never have ownedcastle-like home on the South

ore of Hood Canal, despitent rumors, but he once stayed atant Willcox House on the canak

And those who can't aHord to buy aplace on Hood Canal can still experiencethe serene bea uty of a night or a weekendon the v ater, as Gable did.

In recent years, a number of ownershave opened bed and breakfast inns orsingle cottages to the public. Accorrunoda-tions range from refurbished cabins to theWillcox House. Here's a listing of canal-side accommodations:

~ Canal House, 29993 Hudson Ave.NE, Poulsbo 98370, 779-2758; A guesthouse right on the beach. Cook-your-ownbreakfast. $80 per night. Coburn Allen,owner.

~ Clark's Seaside Cottages, E, '13990

night/$350 per week Sandy Spaiding,owner.

~ Seabreez Cottage, 16609 OlympicView Rd. NW, Silverdale 983fo, 692-4648:Private house on the beach with hot tub

and view of the Olympic>. $99-$1 29 pernight, Dennis Fulton, owner.

~ Surnrner Song, Bed and Breakfast,P.O, Box 82, Seabeck 98380, 830-5089: Onebeach cottage, breakfast sea ed on thebeach when weather permits. $55/weekdays; $65/weekends. SharonBarney, owner.

~ Tides End Cottage, 10195 ManleyRd. NW, Seabeck 98380, 692-8109: One

cottage on beach, full equipped. $60 pernight/ weekly rates. Derry Taylor, owner.

~ The Walton House, 12340 SeabeckHwy, NW, 830-4498: Decorated withantiques. Two guestroorns with privatebaths, $63 and $72.50; vacation apartment,$75. Shirley and Ray Walton, owners.

~ The Wilcox House, 2390 TekiuRd., Bremerton 98312, 83&4492: Five.rooms with views, $100-$155. Private

beach and pier; guests may amor seaplane.

Prices quoted were for 1990

~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0

SECT1CeV 4

WATHtFROm

LAXD RUSHstopping off in King County first.

Real estate people and canal residentsseem to agree. The price pressure that hasmade canal property hard to find and harderto pay for is corning out of the Seattle area.not from the Golden State.

"We took a poll in thc office," saidBonnie Dames, associate broker at ReidRealtv in Belfair, "as to who was buyinghere, and it was mostly Sea it]ites gettingready to retire and thinking ahead andcoming over and buying acreage."

'The demand comes from the Seattle

market, the 1-5 comdor, at least 80 percent ofit," agreed Leonard Schmidt, broker atReally 7 in Relfair.

Added Jerry Rogers of ERA OlympicRealty in Jefferson County, "The 1-5 corridoris growing, and some of those folks want. toget back to where they used to be but they'rc

By Trrr<>is Baker

12 ~ THE PEoPtE QF HooD CAvAE

he story of hordes of Californianswashing over the landscape anddriving up land prices aroundHood Canal may be an urbanmyth,They don' t exist, unless they' re

Drnrr>rrrd for rorrtr rfr o>rr honres on rior>>i Crr nrrihaS r>rr S rrr>rr>d . rr i>i> V.

not anymore."A lot of ncw residents and recreational

owners have come to Dewatto Bay in the 15or 20 years she has been spencling the warmhalf of the year there, notes Lydia Wood, anOld Belfair Highway resident the rest of theyear.

"Most of them are from Kent andAuburn," she said, "a few from Seattle. Mostof the time a friend comes out and brings afriend, and then buys a little piece of prop-

That pattern isn't universal, however.Karen Ramsey of John L. Scott's

Poulsbo office said Californians make up agood share of that office's clientele.

But Kitsap County statistics compiledby the Digest of Real Estate Sales and Loans,a Port Angeles publication, said that of 5,338sales throughout this county in the firstseven months of 1990, 250 buyers came fromCalifornia and 1,1'>5 were from the Seattlearea.

Whoever is buying Hood Canal

property, there's a lot less to buy than therewas just three vears ago, said the real estatepeople. A buying spurt in 1988 and 1989cleaned out a backlog of unsold properties,and new listings have not been plentifulenough to replace them,

But once again, the answer changessomewhat as one moves north. Jerry Rogers,a sales associate at ERA Olympic Real Estate,located alongside Hiy,hway 104 a couplemi]es north of the 1 lood Canal Bridge, saidthere is a lot of undeveloped waterfrontproperty that changes hands from time totime. And Jack Westennan, Jefferson Countyassessor, said "We ha ve a large number ofbare-land waterfront sales."

But land with homes on it is as scarceas to the south, said Rogers.

"People just don't want to seB theirhomes."

What sells does so for increasinglyhigher prices.

Westerman said his slaff is reapprais-ing the Chimacurn School District this yearand he expects land values there to doublefrom the previous appraisals four yearsearlier, Rogers said prices of canal waterfronthad been going up 10 percent a month untilthe middle of last summer, "but it was waybehind everybody else to start with.

"People came and bouyht the Seattlearea waterfront, then the San Juan! Islands,then suddenly they discovered JeffersonCounty wasn't very far away and priceswent up,"

But they' re still lower than in Seattle,he noted, and Frank Leach, associate brokerat John L. Scott in Silverdale agreed. "Valueshere are rniniscule compared to King andSnohomish county," he said. One hundredand thirty teel. of waterfront on Hood Canalthat might briny, $130,000 here could go for10 times that at Maidenbauer in Bellevue, hesaid.

Darryl Cleveland, assessor in MasonCounty, said property valuation increases onHood Canal waterfront have moderated. Hisstaff reappraised that end of the county forthis year's taxes and found only 13 to 20percent growth over the previous four years,

The land is the thing on the waterfront."Improvements are the lowest part of

the assessment," noted Mac McKenzie of AllPoints Properties and past president of theKitsap County Association of Realtors.Davies with Reid Realty in Belfair agreed.

"It makes it hard to do a market

Let ov nu Cay U ~ ~13

analysis for a client," she said, "We havesuch a diverse kind of house out here. Wecan have a $29!,000 house M.ith what lookslike a $50~ house next door, but it will costyou $150,000' because the land is so valu-able.

Waterfront buyer are a breed a pa rtwhen it comes to financing. too, sa idSchmidt at Reallv 7, V A purchasers arr,'becoming more plentiful xvith intent ratesat 9 percent, he said, But they' re the uplandbuyers,

"Waterfront buvers often! put down50 percent cash," he said.

~ a ~ ~ s a ~ a ~ a

~tttastsiaaaia

Qotttf Canal Residential 'Pemandt

!a NI1Ns ..'.

use af'�.=,. ",! .. filgstfattaw

NIIiN ~ IOItsP . s

, a-@ rr~itsssta

~ ttaais srtr Pk' -~~ ~;'.!' -'.,

I

- +jggggcerttrB1 KIINp - r'.,'.' -"tstasraa

- 4t ss1atsasr sea,TOsl ~

Sot'iitteekIItf!li+~~~+.'

" ' «rssitttsr. ',. " ~a

214 ~ THe Pton .c oF Hnoo CAvAr.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~ 0

The pricepressure that

has made

canal propertyhard to fied

and harder to

pay foriscoming out of

the Seattle

area, not fromthe Golden

State.

Buyers, Dig Deep

8ev Horning, who sold the HappyHollow convenience store to the Temp/eton'schain early in 1990, said her six years in thebusiness saw the South Shore of the canalbecome more permanently pop u lated. Shcknew of a lawyer and a father and son in thecontracting business who flew to work fromtheir homes on the canal.

"You also have a lot of young busmesspeople who are more affluent than others.They have beautiful homes on the canal andspend four days on the canal and work threein Seattle. Others commute from Tacoma

and Olympia.But the area remains essentially "a

giant retirement community, but onc ofextremely vivacious people. They might be55 or 85 years old, jogging down the road."

Many were not full-hme residents."We'd see the influx of people on Thursdays.And it became a very consistent business forme at Happy Hoflov whenever there werestorms or high tides as people came to checktheir homes."

Buyers on the canal want summerhomes, a place to retire and, occasionally, aplace to live now, Retirees and those plan-ning their rehrement make up a hugeproportion of ca nal real estate prospects.

Not all retire there."Many people buy with a dream of a

chalet on an acre," said Leach in Silverdale,"But they don't � for medical reasons orbeing closer to shopping,"

No matter. They buy the land, oftenpaying top price and creating the impressionthat newcomers are resented by the longtimeres id ents.

lf that's true, it appears tn exist more inthe abstract than in connection with speaficindividuals. And it tends to erupt around thctime the county assessor sends out notices ofrevaluation. The tax statements themselvesare easier to take, said Westerman.

State Iaw cushions the property ownerfrom the full impact of his escalating value,so that taxes increase substantially less thanthe lard value.

''We' ve scen that if we look in other

areas," said Westerman. "There was anunbelievable reaction to value increases inKing County last year, but not a fraction ofthe same concern now that the tax sta te-ments have lan mailed."

But some, like Ester Starccvich ofKing's Spit south of thc Bangor submarine

base, have a much longer view than oneyear. Ester says the progrcssio» of ltigherand higher taxes, however moderated bvcushions in the laws, worries her.

But she holds»o animosity for the

indiiddual moving herc."The Californians we' ve knov n have

been very nice," she said. "I don't blamethem for getting out of there, do you'."

Ls $1.2 million more than your pocketbook can stand? Can vou go%219~,or $209~, or $1 59~?

Those are the prices of four of theever smaller array of I food Canal water-front homes on the market earlier this

month.The $1.2 miUion place is the 10-acre-

plus Da viscourt complex on low-bankSouth Shore Road in Mason County,

The $21 9,000 was the asking pricefor a two-bedroom home with 1,400square feet on 1,25 acres with 100 feet oflow bank waterfront in jefferson County,It's on the remote Coyle Peninsula,halfway down the west side of the canal.

For%209~, you could gct a brandnew 'l,200-square-foot rambler with threebedrooms ard two baths on a 70-by-300-foot medium-bank lot in Kitsap Countynear Hood Canal Bridge,

And if you can scrape together$159~, it would buy you a double-widemobile horne at Bald Point,1 B miles outNorth Shore Road from Bclfair at thcGreat Bend in the cana l. You'd get a 50-by-100-foot lot with no-bank, bulkheadedwater frontage.

That, it would appear, is rockbottom for buying a home on the canal.

A reliable inventory of available realestate all around the canal isn't easilyavailable. But the Computer MultipleListing Service in Sil verdale can give agood picture of prices between Umcm inMason County and the northern extremeof the canal in Kitsap County, providingthe land Ls listed with a CMLS-memberRealtor.

A CMLS printout m March 1991

Lui or nu Cas:u ~ 215

listed 24 waterfront homes for sale by its membersbetween Union and Foulweatber Bluff. There hadbeen 43 waterfront homes sold betw~ the twopoints in the 12 months prior to that week.

Comparable figures for homes with a canalview �7 available, 62 sold!, raw land on the water �0available, 58 sold! and raw land with a canal view �7available, 46 sold! suggested there are properties tolook at.

As with all waterfront, undeveloped HoodCanal frontage is sold by the front foot. DarrylCleveland, assessor in Mason County, said NorthShore waterfront is worth between $1 /00 to $1 /50per foot just now, with South Shore going for up to$1,400. A hundred feet of shoreline m those areas,therefore, could set you back $1 20, I0 to $140~.

That's for land with good depth, and room for ahome and septic tank. Beachfront property on whicha home v. ould have to be built across the road dropsto about $400 per front foot, he said. Construction onsuch lots can be difficult due to the steepness of theterrain lining the canal.

High-bank waterfront in the difficult-to-reachDewa tto area goes for $200 to $300 per foot, he«dded.

T he economics of lots with a view of the canal,but no frontage, can be peculiar, he said, ln someplaces, it doesn't matter how big the lot is � withinreason. The view is what's being purchased, and theprice is the same to be looking out from a thini-of-an-acre lot as a half-acre, he said. Twenty thousanddoHars is a likely price tor those lots, if unimproved.

Jeff Chapman, chief appraiser for Assessor JackWesterinan in Jefferson County, says the mostlyhigh-bank canal frontage in his county ranges from$500 per foot on the Coyle Peninsula to about $1,000near Port Lud low. Just south of the Hood CanalBridge, $600 to $700 is a common per-foot price, hesaid.

Elmer Harding, a sa!esman with ERA Olympic

Real Estate alongside Highway 104County, sa id his firm had only onelisted, tbe one on the Coyle Peninsu

But for $145~ a person couacres with 371 feet of urumprovedwaterfront and extensive tidelands$3%I per foot, but it's located on mnBay in Jefferson County.

Two-and-a-hall acres of highfront on the Coyle Peninsula sounds hke a bargamat 539,51!, Harding said. But add another $15,N!O-$20,�0 if you want electricity, which would haveto be run to the lot.

Asking prices near Hood Canal Bridge vary.There vvas 7-10ths of ari acre with 76 feet of highbank ior $102~, For $155NIO, there was a wholesix acres just four miles away, And $130,000 wouldbuy five acres with 284 feet of high bank in thesame area.

There were other homes available on theNorth and South shores in Mason County, saidBonnie Davies of Reid Realty in Belfair. For$175,000, you could get an old fixer house suitableas a summer cabin on a good-sized 75-by-235-footlot, That's $2+33 per front foot and the bouse maysubtract value rather than add it.

South Shore also offered homes on the waterfrom $205 fN and $350,000, The latter one has adock.

Frank Leach, associate broker at John 1 . ScottReal Estate in Silverdale, said canalwatertront inKitsap County can run from $600 per front foot for"really lousy waterfront" � high bank and rnos lyunusable beach � to $3,NX'I for low bank andsome high bank with good dc'.

Mid-range prices for Hood Canal waterfronthomes is $450,000, be said. but a 110-by-325waterfront lot on Stave Bav Road v ith a 1,%0-square-foot home in average ccmdihon could behad for $175, NO. according to CMLS data.

Bu Tra;»s %4'r

216 ~ THe Pror u or Hooo CmAt

~ OOOt ~ 0 ~ ~

SECTlON 5

!obit DN f'5

MORE THAN

mz Sm

OF I15

HUMAN

P~

A Farmer Is Disphced

As a young boy growing up near Belfair35 years ago, john Datum has somefond memories,

On mostweekends, he and his broth-ers and sisters would pile into the familywagon on the family farm and head to town,where they sold fresh produce between thegasoline pumps at Pope's Grorwry Store.

Beans and purnpkins sold for a nickel,

and an average take for each of the Davischildren was about 25 to 30 cents a day.

"We used to sell out of all our veg-etables and then go horne," Davis remern-bers. "But today? People wouldn't dare senda kid to do that today."

What happened then and what' shappening now weighs heavilv vn Davis.He's probably one of the most traditionalfarmers in Western Washington and yet hefeels that tradition has been squeezed from

Lu< os 1Hr C,4~'ac ~ 217

~ 0 ~ ~ 01$ ~ ~ ~

"But there is

no way I couldstay on thisfarm and

npect to turnitover to mychildren. If Istayed, I'd begiving them a

third

generationfarm � and I'dbe giving them

rro thing."� !ohn Davis

By Jirrr Roffteeh

its p!ace, even in once-sl<~py Belfair.Now, thc 45-year-old Davis savs, "I'm

outa here." And he means it literally.Davis and his wife Judy left the family

farm north oi Belfair and Hood Canal in 1991to make a ncw home on an 80-acre spreadnear Ladysmith, Wis.

And in Belfair, losing Davis is bignev s. He is one of its most we!I-known andrecognizable citizens and certainly one of itsmost ardent farmers.

The streets of town have been wipedclean of Davis and his favorite mode oftravel � an old-fashioned horse and buggy.

Davis' reasons for leaving seem torefiect a few facts of hfe in Be!fair. He saidthe last straw happened about a year agowhen he was hired to plow a lot on TreasureIsland, in Puget Sound, about seven milessouth of Be!fair, and, in turn, the islanderscomplained about the v ay Davis crossedtheir one-lane bridge with his wagon teamand the droppings his horses left behind.

'1 told them that since they drive anautomobile and use gas and oil, they aremore a part of pollution than I am," saidDavis, who refused to clean up after hisanimals.

Davis savs he can remember whenTreasure Island had only a handful ofhouses, and now it's covered with perma-nent homes and summer cottages. Inessence, that's what has turned him off to thearea of Hood Canal c! osest to the populationcenters of Bremcrton, Tacoma and Seattle.'This is suburbia now, It's gone."

Dressed in overalls and a workshirt,the dark-bearded Davis talked about life ingeneral a few weeks before his move.

Davis is strongly opposed to the urbansprawl he believes has come to Be!fair. He' swatched it since he first located here in 1952,"Instead of adjusting to the city and subur-ban life, these people have come out hereand destroyed this," Davis said, "Integershave been driven out of the lowlands, andthe price of farming has become so expen-sive around here it's impossible to evenconsider it. So I am going where there is nou rban sprawl."

Sand Hill Road was once a dirt strip, atbest, and now it's a major asphalt artery!inking Tiger lake ~ith North Shore Road.Just a few years ago, a new elementaryschool was built about a mile horn Davis'

farm � another sign of a grossmg popula-tion.

Many of those newcomers to Belfairare people who work on federal militaryinsta! lations in Kitsap County and commuteto Brernerton and Silverdale. Like the tirsthomesteaders who settled this territorynearly a century ago. they' re looking for Iosv-priced land in a natural setting. And they arewi! ling to commute more than a half-hour towork in order to live there

"If they want to work a 4!-hour-a-week pb, they should live where they workand try to make t hat community a betterplace to live," said Davis. "It's just notnecessary for e vetvbodv to have five acres ofland and have to commute such longdistances to work."

The car has caused much of the

problem, he adds. And that' s, one reason heprefers to get around with a team ot horsesand a wagon instead of an automobile. Hiswife still d rives a car, but Daises likes horse-power, both on the road and on his farm.

Da vis sold his dairy cattle several yearsago when the who!esa le market dried up. Hehas raised corn, potatoes, oats, and timothy.

'Farming is more than just a job," hesaid. "It's a place you v .ant to be 24 hours aday. It's a place you hope your chi!dren wi!itake over someday and you want that farmin a place vour children would bc v,slling toaccept.

"But there is no way I cou!d stay onthis farm and expect to turn it over to mychildren. I.f I stayed, I'd be ghsng them athird generation farm � and I'd bc givingthem nothing.'

Love of the Outdoors Drew Them tothe Canal

Teresa and Mark Barron of Qui!ceneknow why thev hve on Hood Canal."Our love of the outdoors drew us

together," she said. "Our courLship was inkayaks."

Thev celebrated their first weddinganniversary on June 21, 1'P%.

From their residential vantage point onThornd yke Bay along the deep, cold canal,the Barrons enjoy "just watching anima!sand seeing what they do," she said.

Barron isa native of the region and hisss~ came to this area 12 years ago from I ns

Angeles.He is an artist, crafting pottcry most!v

218 ~ THr Prov> o> Huon C~i<

I 0 ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ 0

"Myinspiration fordoing what Ido came fromhaving grownup on HoodCanaland

getting toknow and lave

the wild placesI knew as a

kid."

� Ran Hirschi

8y Genre Ycxrchiart

and fuing it in an ancient-style Japanese kilnhe built himself. Hc is also a self-employedcarpenter,

She is employed by thc JeffersonCounty Planning Department, and formerlyworked with the Makah Tribe near Forks,the Olympic National Forest, OlympicNational Park and with fisheries in Alaska.She has a master's degree in resourcemanagement planning and also raisesminiature horses on their Hood Canalacreage,

Forests of the nearby Coyle I'erunsulaburned around thc turn of the century andnov' is in various stages nf second grov th,including some "remnant monster" treesthat have survived.

The 70-year-old second growth createsa "canopy of green" for the Barrons and thewildlife living along the carel.

"We' ve got deer, osprey, o~ ls, pileatedwoodpeckers, just to name a few a rumals,"she said. "Having this privacy and rapportwith nature ... makes us feel protective of ourenvironment and puts pressures on us tokeep the extraordinary quality of life wehave, to keep it as nice as it is now,"

The area is experiencing "lots ofspiUover from Kitsap and King counties,"she said, as folks burned out on urban lifeseek a different lifestyle.

"The world is corning to us now. It's atour threshold, although we really don'twantthe world to settle here. Everyone who liveshere feels es pecia Uy privUeged to be here.Besides New Zealand and Alaska, I' ve neverseen a more beautifu I, undisturbed place,"she said.

Afraid That the Best Is Gone

Growing up, quite literaUy, on and in

Hood Canal had an effect on RonHirschi, a former fish and wildUfe

biologist and author of children's book~.The 43-year-old Hirschi and his wife,

Brenda, have lived on MiUer Bay nearSuquamish for the past three years. Prior tothat, they lived at Vinland, north of Bangor,

He worked several years as a fish andwildlife biologist, most recently with the PortGamble S'KlaUam Tribe at Little Boston, Thisyear, Hirschi decided to devote his energiesto writing full-time.

"My insptration for doing what I do

came from having grown up on Hood Canaland gelting to know and love the v'ild placesI knew as a kid," he sa>d.

Much ot thc. historical pcrspcwtiveI lirschi has about the canal carne from his

grandmother, who told him about hergrandfather settlmg at Seabeck in thc 1850s.later, Hirschi's great-great-grand fatherbought thc Brinnon homestead at the mouthof the Duckabush River,

"My grandma always told storiesabout big elk herds at the mouth of theDosewaUips River, of cougars, of signs of elkin Kitsap County when shc was smaU,"Hirschi said. "Then, I started sewing changesin my own lifetime, and I became worriedabout losing what we have on Hood Canaland wanted to pass on what I knew aboutthe natural world to kids."

That inspired him to write his books."The canal has been my roots, my

home," Hirschi said. "I grew up in PortGamble. My father worked in thc mill, mygrand father and great-grandfather, I neverworked a day at the mill, but I spent a lot oftime following my dad around and fishingfrom the docks."

The decline of fishing in the canal issomething I lirschi has viewed with sadness.

"ln Kitsap and Jefferson counties, thestreams are really being neglected," he said.'Maybe it's because we tend to think that it' sthe bigger streams where all thc fish comefmm, but It's aU the small crrwks where theyreaUy come horn."

As a 12-yearold, Hirschi and hisfriends, had an mformal agreement relatingto a small, unnamed stream where an aldersawrniU was located.

"This was the first place I ever saw fishspawning and even as kids, wc had anagreement that you couldn't keep fish youcaught in that stream," he said.

But a few years ago a local Joggingcompany clear-cut along the banks, sprayed2-4D on maple trccs along the banks andthen piled wood chips in the headwaters.

"The combination of aU that meansthere are no more Bsh in there now," Hirschisaid. "A very valuable run of cutthroat troutwas «iped out."

The gradual destruction of the naturalhabitat of Hood Canal bv increasing num-bers of people has been disheartening,Hirschi said. It's prompted him to make a"painful decision," to leave Hood Canal andPuget Sound for a life in Montana. The

L>sr os' nor C,vwi ~ 21/I

By Gene Yrmd1uIrr

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~

"Crtrzens have

to take the

opportani tyand do the

work

therrtselves ifthey wantit to

get done."� Ralph Lartz

Brf Cene Ynrtcirrrtrr

Hirschis pla uncs to leave the area sometimeduring 1&1.

Enjoying the Lush Greenery

Moving to 1 food Canal frnm Montana

more than 50 years ago "was the bestmove we ever made," according to

Alvin Ackerrnan, now 66, of Quilcene.The hot, dusty, grasshopper-infested

wheat helds of Wolf Point, Mont., were nomatch for the lush greenery and mild clirnatcof Puget Sound and Hood Canal, Ackerrnansaid, recalling when his parents and 10 of thefamily's eventual 13 children came toWashington.

"We couldn't imagine all these greentrees and xvinter; it was so warm," he said."There v ere all these fruit trees and such.We'd never seen apple trees before, and wegnt out of the car and climbed up and pickedsome of those apples."

Ackcrman's wife, LaVerle, 63, alsocarne tn Washington horn elsewhere. Shewas 5 years old when her parents "got tiredof Wisconsin and came here to dig clams andfind a job," she said.

The two went through Quilceneschnols together and then Ackerman wentinto the Army during World War ll and wasawarded a Purple Heart after beingwounded in Cermany.

After his return to civi1ian life, herhusband-to-be came to her house one dav onthe pretext of "looking for some timber," shesaid. 'Mv folks, they always laughed aboutthat."

The couple has been married 42 yearsand had four children, three of whom live inQuilcene.

Quilccnc has offered the Ackcrmans aquiet life, "well, at least it used to be quiet,"she said, adding that even as the pace in theircommunity has picked up some, "at leastwe' re not like Silverdaie."

He Fights for the Canal

The water of Hood Canal nearlv laps athis doorstep, but hc cannot eat itsbounty.Thc oysters and clams in front ni his

horne arc tainted by septic runoff.The contrast between natural beauty

and pollution is evident to RaJph Lartz,60, otBclfair,

"We can shoot for the moon, but wecan't even take care of the earth," Iartz said,shaking his head.

Lartz, however, is willing to do hispart.

He recently iaaf a citizen group thatdeveloped North Mason's first water qualityproteclion plan,

The plan, adopted in October 1~,rcprc~ts the first time m 20 vears thatMason County has amended its comprehen-sive plan, the document that sets policics ford evclopment.

The water quality plan also representsthe first time Mason County has developed a"sub-area" plan that looks at just one of thecomers of the coun tv instead of thc countv asa w hole.

Past countywide changes to thecotnprehensive plan were shot down bypeople with their oww neighborhoodinterests in mind, Lartz said. The sn! utionwas to allow large "neighborhoods" todevelop their own plans.

"He's really d one a tremendous pb upthere," said Enc Fairchild, Mason Countyplanning director. 'That subarea plan pavesthe way for other areas of the county tofollow."

Lartz and a grnup of North Masonrepresentatives spent three years pullingtogether factions to hammer nut the waterquality plan. Essentially, it limits develop-ment on environmentally sensitive lands

"Cihzens have to take the opportunityand do the vvork themselves if they want itto get done," Lutz sard. Hc already isputting time in on his home computer io>wite drafts of ordinances to enforce thegoals in the plan. 1 fc's working on a drain-age and grading ordinance nnw,

Lartz isn't a professional land-useplanner Hut he has coupled his prnblem-solving skills with a concern tor the environ-ment

Lartz retired 10 vears agn from AT8r T,where he set up a regional cnmp uter maintcnance division that guidcxi the NorthwestATkT region toward awards for more "uphmc" than anpvhcre else in the ~ation.

He and his vrife bought propert alongthe canal in 1963. He joined the ChnstLutheran congregatton, and no si~ner did hejoin than an opening occurred tor the job ntretreat manager a.t the Christ Lutheran center

220 ~ Trr F Peon,s or Hnoo Calm

~ 0 ~ ~ t 0 ~ OO ~

Hy bessie Milligarr

on Hood CanaLHe joined the North Mason Kiwanis

and North Mason Chamber of Commerce.Both have proved to be outlets for hisenvironmental concerns.

Last year the Kiwanis Club sought aproject to commemorate its 75th anniversary.The club wanted to see on~top recycling inBelfair, Lartz organic a group ofKiwanians and Lions. The group secured asite at the hJorth Mason School District

complex. Now it's monitoring MasonCounty Garbage efforts to receive a haulingpermit.

A year ago he set up a recycling centerat the Christ Lutheran Retreat. It's used by

the community as well as the congregation.I iis involvement with the chamber

eventually led him to its presidency, and tolead the committee that developed the waterquality plan.

Lartz was intrigued by the grant-funded process of assessing communityknowledge of water quality. I-te helpedsurvey his neighbors, then helped work on acommunity education slide show.

"The really surprising thing of it all ishow little we know about our own earth."

The water quality plan probably won' tbe the last of his efforts to understand.

I iFF ot' FHF CA.M ~ >I

~ OtSOSO ~ ~ ~

SECTION 6

Ilq Dab.!ruliO'A>ls ton

Soilptnr Kepi i.inidnis~ u~>. ra<:cd en Haorl Carcoat,rriid he re i<nud topi<rave�/ris art off time.

Inspiration from the Canal

or artists, Hood Canal is more than

a pretty place. It's an inspirahon, arefuge, an obsession, and sorne-times a struggle.Like everyone else, they watchsunsets paint the water pink and

foIIow fog curtains up and down the rnoun-tains.

Unlike everyone else, they can turn aridge of snowy mountains into an ic~bluepainting. Or convert a circling seal andyellow trees into poetrv.

Artists are not immune to the beauty ofthe fjord, Hut their connection is inorecomplicated.

For John and Iriss Blaine it's been asanctuary for the past four years.

The couple traded their big-bucks lifein Chicago for a low-income, Iow-stress lifein Union.

In their version ot the popular Ameri-can success story, they owned a 3,600-square-foot house and an acre of land in thesuburbs. Their incomes added up to so<figures. They both worked 60 hours a weekin commercial art � he was an art director at

an ad agency and she was advertisingmanager for a ~store chain. Their lives yo-yoed around deadlines and other people' sagendas. There was never hrne to paint.

"We were burnt out from creativity oncommand," said John. "And all wc felt likedoing v as turning on the TV," added lriss.

Though they wanted to get off thehigh-prcssure treadmill, the Blames didn' tknow what their alternative was.

To help them cryst abje what they didwant, they enhsted a therapLst-fiend to askquestions. High on both ~vish lists w erecloseness to nature, time to develop creativeenergies, and making a living at i~ hat theyliked.

222 ~ THi PFOr tr. OF HOOD CAMAL

~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 I ~ ~

'Vhe canal

changes sorapidly. lf's so

diverse and

primal.Sometimes l

think l ggetjaded after

livbrg here fouryears, but l

still get a ruslrevery time l seeit. l don't care

which wayyou turrt, it' sunbelievable

scenery.� John Blaine

The Blaines sold the house, squeezedwhat they could into a 29-toot trailer, closedthe sa vings account, and headed west to acaretaker job they'd lined up outside Shelton.

The first two years were tough. Theirold car sucked up their savings and theBla ines couldn' t find work they had as-srlned would be available. Every minimumwage job, such as cu tting Christmas trees,attracted dozens of co~tenders,

If money problems weren't enough,the couple got cabin fever in their little trailerhome. The promised studio wasn't readyand they missed their friends, family, andthe cultural attractions of the big city.

"But I'd go outside and take a deepbreath and say Thank you,' " recalled Iriss."Even with the financial difficulties, it wasworth it."

"And never for one second did I thinkI'd made a mistake," said John.

By then, hc'd developed moral objec-tions to advertising.

What pulled the couple out of theirfinancial quagmire was John's hobby ofgardening. What he used to d o for weekendrelaxation in Prospect Heights paid the billsin Mason County.

Four years ago, he fcrund the ideal pb.In return for taking care of a 1.5-acre water-front estate for a couple in their 70s, theBlaines get a paycheck, fIexible work sched-ule, and a little cabi~ with a wide-angle canalview and studio for lwo.

They make a fraction of their Chicagoincome. Though they can only affordovernight trips if they camp out, they earnenough between John's gardening andhand yman jobs and Irrss' housekeeping andfree-lance commercial art work to survive.

Nirvana is how John described theirnew life in Union. They work at what thevlike to do, they set their own schedule, andthere's lots of time for art.

ln the boning, John's imaginationwas a little rusty after years of catering Ioother people's creahve agendas. To discoverhis own artistic style, he did a lot of sponta-neouss black-and-white sketching.

To his surprise, he'd changed from aphoto-reaIist to an impressionist. The canaland thc climate could have triggered thcsvritch.

"V/hat intrigues rnc are what artists callatmospherics," John said. ' I'hat's how theatmosphe re a Hect» the colors and the depthof field. On a gray day or late in the day, for

example, the mountains Irrok like thev'rc cutout ot cardboard.

"The suhject matter is everywhere. If Ihave a pmblem here, it's that there's toomuck I could spend the rest of my lifepainting the same view, and yet it's impos-sible to get in a picture. It's a challenge. Butit's intimidating too."

Then Iris» rushed u psta irs to announcea spectacular sunset in progress outside. TheBIaines dashed outside to the edge of thecanal and gav ked. To the west, bands ofpink and green sky glowed above thcsawtoothed mountain ridge stretching north,while distant light» and stars winked on inthe darkness of the north and east, Beforethem, circling ducks cut curves in thc glassypink water and quacked in thc stillness.

'The canal changes so rapidly," Johnsaid. "It's so diverse and primal. Sometimes Ithink Tll get jaded after living here fouryears, but I still get a rush every hme I see it.I don't care which way you turn, it's unbe-lievable scenery."

"Won Over" by the Canal

he poet and the violinist came for jobs.The sculp or carne for marriage. Boththe jobs and the marriage ended.The three artists stayed, and now they

wouldn't live away from Hood Canal. Forthem, it's the perfect mix of peace, scenicbeauly, and urban availability.

"This is the best cornhination ot

solitude and accessibility to the city," saidKatherme Michaels, the sculptor.

Though she d eliberatel v left the citywhen she moved to 11 acres over! ookingParadise Bay 15 years ago, she still needs thecity. Someone who makes a Iiring from artcan't ignore Puget Sound's artistic ncrvccenter.

''What I like is that I can come to the

woods, which is quite inspirational, and thencan take the ferrv to Seattle to do business

and see people," she explained.The other two artists agree. When they

came to Sealtle for jobs at thc University ofWashrngton, it »cerned like cultural Siberiafrom their East Coast persI~tives. Afterseveral decades, it's their cultural home.

"I thought it was exile," admittedWilliam Matchctt, whose two-year stint inthc UW English Department stretched into35 years. Four years ago, he retired andmoved full tirnc to the sprawling waterfront

Luf o,v rn/ Cks 4r ~ i23

4 ' ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ I

"It's a

beautiful placein which to

crea te. I like

the solitude

and peace andhartnony."

� KatherineMichae!s

house in Neliita.But Matchctt and his wife, Judy, keep

an apartment in Sea tt!e. They almost qualifyas commuter' they take the ferry so often togo to the theater, music, and dance events,not to mention socia! occasions.

Seattle is for cultural fun, but HoodCanal is home, That's where Matchett writes

poetry.

A!an Iglitzin, on the other hand,spends his surnrners on Hood Canal andlives in Seattle the rest of the year when thePhi!adelp!ua String Quartet is not on tour.Since it was cut from the UW's economicapron strings in 1982, the quartet has gonethrough a lot of changes.

But Iglitzin, the only original rnernberleft, continues his mission of dcrnystifyingclassical music and performers. The derelictdairy farm hc restored to house the O!yrnpicMusic Festival and Chamber Music lnsritute

plays a big part."When we started, we had a very clear

idea of what would be an ideal atmospherefor teaching young people ani1 a having amusic festival � relaxation and thc beauty ofna turc," said igli zen.

During the 10-weekend festival, theusicians play in jeans and sweatshirls in

the renovated dairy barn to an audiencesitting inside on benches and hay bales andoutside on the grass, The resident burrosoften bray in the background.

"We wanted to be more approachableby people who are put off by musiaans whoha vc thc aura: I'm a i~at artist and I don' trake leaves. l hat's absurd.

"Besides, the country !ifc gives you areality which is diffcrcnt from winter planesand trains," hc went on. "You hear theanimals, play with them, and watch themgrow. It puts you on another plane as ahuman being. I want to be a normal indi-vidual as v ell as be an artist � one thingdixon't prec!udc thc other."

The concept of chamber music concertsin the country, a first in the Pacitic North-west, has been a lut with audiences. In fact,the festival is probably Hood Canal's biggestcultural cvcnt and attracts visitors from thethroughout the Pacific Northwest as wc!i asfrom the East Coast.

The f!ip side of Hood Cana!'s appeal

for artists is the solitude. It's a necessary pariof the creative process.

"it's a beautiful place in which tocreate," said Michaels, the sculptor, "I likethe solitude and peace and harmony.

"I work better when there's harmony� and I need a lot of different kinds ofenvironments that make me think and feet,"

In addition to a nurturing, creativec! i mate, the canal also suggests subjects forher sculpture. Michaels, who used to teachenvironmental education, is drawn tonatural themes such as her current series of

oversized scapods.Matchett also mines his I iood Canal

life for ideas and images. The canal isn' tricher than other places, though it's a lotmore beautifu].

"Wherever I am, I write about it later,"

he explains. "I don't go and stare at thescenery, I sit in this room and think."

Thi room is a comfortable bnok-lined

fireplace-equipped study, and what hcthinks a bout are the patterns that emergefrom his daily jicumal.

"This is ivh ere I live, so it has an

impact. My poems tend to starr as a responseto a place and move to a quietaffirmation.

"But actua!ly, I'rn more involved insaving thc canal than writing about it,"Matchctt said, Like several other canalartists, he's politically active, in his w >rds,"to protect this p!ace."

Making Tinte far their Art

On the wall nf Ken Lundemo's huge,crow. ded Seabeck studio hang~ ascarred ivhite hardhat marked with a

faded yeHoiv-and-blue Hell Telephone logo.It's a souvenir of the double life hc !col

unhl his retirement from the phone companyin 1983 after 28 years. The responsiblebready inner side of him stayed in a

uninspiring job to support h is family. Thcartist side of hini longed to chuck thetinancial burden to become a tull-timesculptor.

This cunf!ict between family and art isa cornrnon one.

Virginia Hay kins expcnenced it fromthe domestic side. Sh» postponed paintinguntil her household respoiisibilities hadeased. At the age of 43, she gota high schooldip!orna in order to get into Olympic Co!!incto studv art. �nce Hai.i kins hnallv fo!lowedher dream, she's never looked back.

224 ~ THr Propm or Hoon Car'aL

0 IS ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

"When I jirstmoved into the

woods, I didgreens, thecolors were

overpowert ng.

But I'rn not

good at gneenand I don't like

it."

� VirginiaHawkins

Both artists are well-known in local artcircles. Lundemo's sculptures in metal, clayand wood include a seagulls piece outsideEdgewater East Apartments in Bremertonand the upended Viking ship at PoulsboMiddle School. Hawkins' painhngs havebeen shown thmughout Puget Sound, andher students number in the hundreds.

Their stories tell a lot about becomingan artist in the Hood Canal orbit. Not onlydo they experience opposite sides of the art-versus-family dilemma, they have differentresponses to the puH of this place,

Lundemo is a native who started alifelong love affair with the canal when hewas growing up in Seabeck. Over the years,he's boated, fished and scuba-dived in thewater, and caniped and gathenxl shellfish onthe beaches.

Art trickled into his life slowly, first inhigh school and then in classes at OlympicCollege. After he met and mamed his wife,he bowed to economic reality at PugetSound Naval Shipyard for a year, with theU.S. Navy for four years, and finally with thephone company,

"That had nothing to do with art," saidLundemo. "I just wanted to be a sculptor, afuB-time artist doing what I wanted."

He tried. For eight years, he spent mastof his free time in OC a rt courses and rar elysaw his family. Though his sculptures sold,he had to fight for time fo make them.

"You can't be an artist and a phoneman," said Lundemo. "But inaybe I shouldhave been tough and gone fuBtirne. An artistis like any other pmfessron � you have to becompletely selfish and forget your family.

"But there's a problem of waiting untilthe tiine is right and time can pass you by�I may have waited too long."

By contrast, Virginia Hawkins has noregrets � except at first, when she movedvery grudgingly to the Olympic Viewneighborhood fmm I.ong Beach, Calif�whenher husband retired from the Navy 30 yearsago,

"I liked city living," said the Brooklynnative, who didn't want to move to theboondocks.

But the family did, and Hawkins fell inlove ss ith the beautiful boondocks on theeast side of the canal.

Her journey from busy homemaker toartist and art teacher started when she

decid ed to go back to school after years ofbeing a Navy wife.

"I used to draw," I-lawkins said. "Butwhen I got married and I made my choice-art or marriage, When we put roots downhere and the kids were on their own, I didwhat I had wanted to do for a long hme."

She took art classes at OC and paintedin a dark basement in-between the house-

hold chores."I couldn't believe the changes in rne,"

recalled Hawkins, "It opened doors, and Ilearned such confidence, At first I didn' tbelieve I could be a good artist until I startedwinning awards and selling,"

But it took a while For the canal to sinkinto her imagination and for I lawkins to findher style. The first painhngs were tradihonal,realistic cityscapes of her native New Yorkstreets and the George Washington Bridge.Then carne a wave of green landscapes thatreflected the surrounding scenery of her newhome,

"When I first moved into the woods, I

did greens, the colors were overpowering,"she said. "But I'm not good at green and Idon't like it.

In recent years, Hawkins has special-ized in impressionistic vistas of the moun-tains, which have filled her ss indows for

years. A mix of acrylic paint over canvas andrice paper fragments, they have blurredoutlines, steep angles, and soft blue-and-white tones.

"I' ve been exposed to this for so long,"she said, nodding at snow-covered Olympicswedged between fir trees, "that I havemental images of the rocks and mountains."

Lately, stark images and colors of theSouthwest and the Middle East, picked upduring recent trips, have crept into herpaintings.

"Now I'm going thruugh a red pc.riod," Hawkins explained, "An artist paintswhat's available. To gmw as an artist, youneed to do different things.

"I don't paint just ro sell," saidHawkins. "I paint to satisfy the creative urge.And sometimes I get so excited, I want toyell and celebrabe,"

Lundemo gets excited too, but one oldtemptation still lures him away from thestudio. Three feet away from the fadedtelephone hardhat hanging beside the door,a short fishing pole leans against a work-bench. It belongs to his young grandson,who is learning how to fish from a veteran.

"Fishing is a disease," says Lunderno."Art is more of a blessing."

Once a Thriving Artist Colorty

tOO ~ ~ ~ t 1 ~ ~

lire Deborah WaoL~ton

AII that's left of the days when artistsflocked to Hood Canal are somememories and a few pictures.

Thc glory days v. ere after WorldWar I, when passenger boats linked canalsettlements with Seattle.

Union-bound artists made the 10-

hour trip for all the reasons artists havefled cities for centuries. The little town onthe southern crook of the canal had

stunning scenery, peace and unhurriedpace as well as local color in the form ofloggers, fishermen and Indians.

After 70 years, the details are a littlefuzzy. But Fritz Dalby, now 79, remem-bers. He ticked off members of the artcrow d that included sculptors, painters, apiano-playing pcrstrnis tress, musiciansand writers. Of all the names, Ore Voblesand Waldo Chase are the most famous.

The story goes that Orc taught art atBaflard High School, travclcd to thc FarEast, and hostcd lots nf studio parties.

Maybe he built the odd little cabinsat Olympus Manor, the surnrner resortthat became Hood Canal's art headquar-ters during thc 1920s and 1930s. Thc pint-sized mansions had a Disneyland woodsytheme, according to Joe Morosco, whosettled in Union 20 years ago and helpeddemolish the last one 10 years ago,

Waldo Chase, the other name that

cropped up a lot, was one of the earliestOlympus Manor residents. Known as awondblock artist and free-spirited

bohemian, he moved into a tepee in 1929,recalled Dalby,

ln 1935, Chase became front-pagenews the day after his pagan wedding toa vegetarian bride. Dalby, v, ho was 22 atthe time, rernernbered how this peculiarceremony brought the tov nies, theloggers and the artists together on a hillabove town,

''His bride was a natural-t'ood

faddist who codd graze a hillside likeburro," he said. 'They were standing sideby side in an old Indian robe, talkinggibberish, and partaking of pa rched corn.A famous photographer from Seattle tooka picture of that dumb dame running outof the brush and into the tepee. It madethe magazine section of the Post-InteUigencer and went nationwide."

Dalby and Chase became goodfriends until Chase died in ]988. By then,most of the artists were gone from thecanal. The cabins and studio were tomdown in the late '70s to make way for theBlue Heron Time Share Condominiums.

It's the latest twist in the canal's

fortunes. Dalby, who lives in Shelton, isn' tvery nptimistic about its future.

"Before the d cvclopers moved in,Hood Canal was a beautiful place," hesaid. 'They haven't ruined the mountainsyet, but I figure they' ll buUdoze themountains and fill in the canal prettysoon. But I won't be alive to see it,"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

PART

CONCLUSION

CI<AIaXR

TH~ FLTLRE

OF THE

CAXAI

SF~~O~ l

MEMORIF5

>F Tl IE

CANAL

ffu L Ifrfs f<'!>! YrDn l faecui

ftt'fnrtf tn7f>f>t'I',Alfrfp Rog~eI', Ill&ebw r«d irirrnv, Iinitv'es rlannf;!,'<s

IJfrf JII1L.' OI1 f fAKI .OnrIII.

is white hair flowing in thebree7e, Andy Rogers sat upon adriftwocxi log, watching thewaves break upon the shore atStavis Hay, a serene inlet 1 '/miles south of Seabeck.

Time has not changed the unceasingpattern of wind upon water � not sinceRogers played tn this same spot as a child,not since the hrst vs hite explorers discoveredHood Canal, not since the original nativeslearned to hunt and Fish here thousands of

years ago.Most everything else has changed,

however, and Rogers has no room torregrets.

"I' ve worked as a logger and a trapperand I' ve always been a conservationist," hesaid. "I never trapped to get the last animals.I trapped the dumb one- and let the restremain free."

Rogers, 73, is ind ependent, opinionatedand even obstinate sometimes. He admitsthat hc likes to argue. In fact, he's neverhappier than w hen Iousting verballv withsome high-minded envtroninental type.

"It's tunny how well we' ve gottenalong v. ithout dinosaurs," he told oiie youngwoman. "Was it clearcutting or logging thatcaused the problem':"

But vi hen i t come to nature, fewpeople can rnatch Rogers' Io~ e for this H<.xxi

230 ~ Coact.us ow

0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0

"I believe itt

rights. To me,tf ~>at.0~

the ittdividtral

are Ssprertte."� Andy Rogers

Canal country, which is being altered day by couple others disappeared from the Big Beefday, week by week, year by year. area to the north in the I940s.

"Every tune anybody moves here," he Today, says Dave Brittell, a cat. special-said, "it gets worse � and that includes me. ist with the Washington Department ofYou can't do anything about it, People have Wildlife, the Kitsap Peninsula has beenrights. It seems our rights are going to ki!I us disturbed to the point that it cannot supportin this country." an ongoing popu!ation of cougars.

Others less independent-minded than On the other side of the Hood CanalRogers, who have been here watcrshcxl, in Ivlason anda shorter time, say it is not St~~lS ~~/ Jefferson counties, a curtail-too late. But there is no ment in cougar hunting hasagreemcnt about hov" much allo .ed the population togovernment interfcrencc can stabilize at around 30be tolerated to protect public animals.resources or how much Cougars, said Brittcll,taxpayers can aff'ord to spend tend to follow the migratoryon keeping an ecosystem patterns ot their prey � deerintact. and elk � which move into

There is no doubt that the pnvate lowlands tnthe sprcwd of human popula- winter and onto highertion continues to degrade the federal lands m summer.water qualily and to drive I'utting even a singleaway many species of home in this migratorywildlife a!though a few pathway could createanimals, suchas racoons and Alldy ROgerS iS Old addihonal problems for thecoyotes, have adapted quite ~pygmy tp animals, he added.well!, remember the rise "If we have to have

Rogers is old enough to r' ~~ c' houses in those areas, weremember theriseandfa!!of J J P should concentrate themany trees. Much ot the!and treeS <tp<g t~<S impacl and not allow thewas logged before he was Ki tggp Courf tY 177let scattering of houses up andborn. Much has been logged pf Hppg Cgt!Q! down the valley," he said.again, and some even a third Ultimate!y, cougartime, populations are limited by their own density

'The '20s was the greatest era of within the avai!able habitat. Like otherlogging," he said. 'They were logging both creatures at the top of the food chain, theysides of Hood Canal," have evolved a complex siicia! system,

As for wildlife, most animals come including defined territories, said Bri ttel!.back after a logging operation � some right Each male may cornrnand 50-60 squarea way, some a fter the trees grow to a certain miles, likew Lse for females.size. On the other hand, wild creature~ have Younger cats have to seek out theirless to!erance for human habitation, which own territories, which leads to con4icts withbrings high-spcM automobiles plus dogs people living on the outskirts of civilization.and cats runrung wild through the woods, With the way things are going, says

In the early days, people were more Rogers, there may come a day v hen theredirect. They'd ~hoot wi!d animals on sight, won't bc room for cougars or even bears onespecially predatory beasts. Bears, cougars private land.and wolves were considered a threat tn Bobcats, being smaller and controllingpeople and livestock. Eagles and seals were a less territory, remain plenhful in undevel-threat to salmon. oped parts of Hcxid Cana! country. They

"All the things man kiBed as a rnatter may continue to coexist wil.h people to someof survival have become man's best friend," degree.said Rogers with just a trace of scorn, though "Bears could too if people wouldhe agrees that Hood Canal becomes a !csser tolerate them," Rogers said, "But they can.'tplace when a species disappears forever. because they are so dangerous."

The last cougar in the Stavis Bay area According to Ro crs, human beingswas killed in ]936, acxxirding to Rogers. A have some major decisions to make about

Tnt Ftrrrirtr or r»i C.e,ci ~ 231

Rogers, who had been rotatrng histime-worn hat in his hands, paused amoment, then plopped the soft objectsquarely upon Iris head,

"I remember my dad wrihng thegovernor a nd county commissioners,wanting to get a road out here," he said."Then they wanted fire protection anduhli ties."

In those days, when people were fewand far between, new residents helpedimprove the quality of life, at least in theminds of adults.

For a young boy playing in and aruundSlavis Bav in the 1920s, the world was theforests and the streams.

"When I was 10 or 11 years old," saidRogers, "I savv a sign that said, 'No trespass-ing.' I went and asked my mother what thatwas, because I had never seen that before.People went where they wanted to go."

Life seemed slower and more simplethen, he said.

"Ihere wasn't any ballgames to go to,"said Rogers. "I spent my time going, up anddown thc streams looking at hsh."

Sahnon were plcnhful then, and youcould depend on their migrations likedock work.

"I knew the salmon would start up thecreek about the 20th ot August," said Rogers."Pert' near all these streams were full ofsalmon by Labor Day."

Now almost all the salmon are gone,thc result of too much fishing and too manyseals, in the view of Rogers. For most of thestreams, siltation from logging operationsand man-rnadc culverts have been onlyminor problems, says the old trapper, takinga somewhat contrary vie~ to modernbiologists.

When salmon arc coming back m greatnu mbers, they tend to clean the streams ofsilt as they dig into the gravel duringspawning, he said.

As he talks, Rogers reaches down,picks up a broken clam shell and turns itover and over in his hand. He kicks at the

sand with his tan, high-topped boots."Nature repairs itself awful fast v"hen

given the chance," he said.Then he suggests something that seems

More than other species, the salmon isthe symbol of Hood Canal and the entireC reat Northwest. The magnificent fishexpresses freedom by traveling thousands ofmiles through the ocean, It expresses aninborn responsibility by returning to its placeof birth to begin a new gcnerahon of its kind.

"Salmon arc keystone species," saidChris FrisscII, a biololnst at Oregon StateUniversity's Oak Creek Laboratory. "Zhevare very critical for the food cham of theentire ecosystem. They provide food fordozens of species like eagles and otters andbears and ospreys, literally hundreds ofspecies.

Because salmon are uniquely adaptedto thc stream of their birth, losing even onenative run of wild salmon is losing some-thing that cannot be replaced, says Frissell.

Frisscll wrote a pa per about theprotechon of salmon runs and entire ecosys-tems. I ke titled it "All the King's Horses andAll the King's Vien."

"An ecosystem is like an cgg," he said."It's not like a watch, which you can takeapart and put back together."

The danger is that man does notunderstand what he is doing t.o the salmonresource, he said. I Iatcherv-bred fish h.om adistant river systeru are released in kxalwaters, where they breed and compete withrla hlfal runs. It is not easy to measure theresult.

Another example: Ocean fishing tendsto catch the larger salmon because of thcmesh size of the nets. This unnatural sclec-hon increases the proportion of smallerad ults returning to spawner.

But it seems Likely t}rat m streams siltedin by logguig and development that. lhelarger fish vvtll be more successful at repro-duction because thev can dig deeper nests,called rcdds.

"Fishmg is sele<ting for younger,

the wildlife of I Rcxrd Canal."Man's the only onc of the species who

can control how many there are going to be."

out of character to this ma n who has madehis livelihood horn natural resources: Ifsalmon fishing could be stopped for just fouryears the life cycle of most salmon!, naturalproduction could recover to levels thatv ould provide a wealth for future fisher-men, he says.

Salmon numbers would reboundquickly, he continued. Bottomfish - � some ofwhich live to 40 years of age � would takelonger to recover,

~ 0 ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

"Pert'near all

these streams

rrrere fm ll ofsalmon by

Labor Day."� Andy Roga~

232 + CONCLLJSJO'V

$$000 ~ ~ OO ~

"An ecosystemis like an egg.lt s not like a

watch, whichyou can take

apart and putback together."

� Chris Frissell,Or< gon State

University

smaller fish," said Frissell, "while a de-

graded stream habitat is selecting for older,bigger fish."

A decline of wild salmon in HoodCanal, particularly the coho, has intensifiedthe debate over managing the salxnonresource. The Skokomish Tribe, for example,has demanded that the Department ofFisheries reduce its commercial ocean

harvest to allow more native coho to getback to their streams of origin.

"From our perspective," said RandyHarder of the Point No point Treaty Council,"the department responds to public pres-sure. Right now, they are responding to theeconoinic concerns ot the hshing industry.They should be responding as well to publicpressure to increase the escapement andrebuild the wild runs."

Harder objects to the "shortsighted-ness" of the Department of Fisheries, whichadvises people that Hood Canal will be aBright within a few years.

"We are trying to educate the publicthat there may be restrictions on their fishingopportunities," he said. "The SkokomishTribe has already accepted that they are notgoing to have a coho fishery on those stocksfor sometime. lt is going to take awhile toget out of this hole."

Both the state and the tribes agree thatmore inforrnahon is needed about thecondition of stream habitat. They are

negotiating toward a memorandum ofunderstanding about how joint studiesshould be done and who will pay for them.

Roger can remember steelhead inStavis Creek. They had evolved there forthousands of years. But now they' re gone.

"All these streams had steelhead," hesaid. "There was an old outlaiv who had a

bootleg market for them, and he'd put hisnets out in front of the stream.

"After he died, they steelhead! wereso rare that our parents would show them tous whenever they w oukd conic in."

Rogers pushed himself up off the olddriftwood log and began a short hike back tothe road near his home. He had bought his75 acres of land in 'f952 for Sl0 an acre.

Similar land had gone for $1 an acre duringthe Depression years, when few people hadany money to spend.

Rogers supports the idea of using taxincentives to protect forest land and openspace. He wants the county to offer incen-hves to developers who cluster their housestogether.

"But you cannot shut the door andkeep pmple out," he emphasizes, thenglances again toward Stavis Bay.

"l'd sure like to stick around and seewhat this place is hke in 50 years."

0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~

SECT!ON 2

PRFSERVAT!ON

THRONG! !

AC11ON

By ChristopherDiinag<t u

n May 1991, The Sun asked five peoplewho care a lot about Hood Canal to sitdown together to discuss their concernsand ideas for the future.

1hey were.Ron Hirschi is a former Bsherics

biologist for the Port Gamble S'KlallamTribe. He now travels to schools around thecountry to teach children about the environ-

ent, ! le also writes books for children

about ecology. He grew up in Port Gamble,but moved to Montana in 1991.

Marjorie Hedrnan has been a memberof the Puget Sound Water Quality Authoritysince its inception in 1985. A former memberof the Kitsap County Planning Commission,she li ves in a waterfront horne on HoodCana! in North Kitsap,

Donna Sirnrnons is a former presidentof Hood Canal Environmental Council andworked as education coordinator for theHood Canal Coordinating Counci!. She isvicechairwoman of the Washingto~ StateEm!ogical Cornrnission and is a supervisorfor a conservation district in Mason County.She lives in Hoodsport on Hood Canal.

Dennis Mc8reen ov ~ and operatesSeabeck !vtanna on Hood Canal. He ispresident of Hood Canal Salmon Fnhance-ment Group and is active in Save Ou r

THt F<nue <» mr Ce.va 233

Salmon, Kitsap P<yyje Club and ManchesterSports Club. He !ives in Port Orchard.

State Sen. Brad Owen, D-Shelton, is alegislatnr from thc 35th ! 3istricl, whichincludes a major portio~ of Hood Canal aswe!l as the timber town of She! tnn. Owen

has served in the Legis!ature for 15 years. Forthe past three sessions, he has sponsoredlegislation that wou!d make Hood Canal asport fishing pjeserve.

Sevcra! others were invited but wereunab]e to attend.

As the discussion opened, thc atmo-sphere was lively, yet cordial, Like a groupof friends who had gathered to talk aboutsomething important, they seemed to heel thefreedom to disagree and even raise theirvoices at times.

One area of agreement was about whatindividual people can do. ! t all sta rts on asmall scale, by working <>n a single stream,by improving sma!! watersheds, they agreed. Watersheds are areas of land that drain intoa given body of water.!

What follows are excerpts frnrn thctwo-hour discussion.

Hirschi lf v e restore each of those

streams, we may heal our community. Whennon-!ndian peop!e first came hne, like my

234 ~ CONCLUsioH

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 000

'%he qrrestionhere is whether

we now have

t.he politicalwill, whet.her

environmental

awareness has

built re to thepoint where

We' re going tosee cih zen

pressure put ondecision

makers..."� Donna

Simmons,

Hood sport

great-grea tend fa ther, they were here justto take, and we' re still in that kind of mode.We' re consuming and not giving back,

Redrrranr Working on smaHer watcr-sheds is a good way to gct people involved.If you live on the stream, you are going to beconcerned about what happens to it.

Driving around the southern part ofHood Canal, I inust say that I don't knowwhere the dra infield s are. I scc house,driveway, house, driveway, house, driveway� with no room for septic tanks,

For a small monthly fee � a lot srnallcrthan what sewer districts charge � youcould make sure that septic tanks aremaintained. They are perfectly good ways ofhandling sewage, but they must be builtright in the first place, and they have to bcmaintained.

Sirnrnons: The big question here iswhether we now have the potihcal w ill,whether environmental awareness has builtup to the point where we' re going to scccitizen prcssure put on decision makers toput together some plans or regulations thatwill stick and start turning things around,

As for growth, it's not the level ofgrowth so much as the kind of growth. Takea whole day and drive around the HoodCanal watershed and you will see thispiecemeal chopping up of land, which Ithink is the greatest danger we face rightnow, and we don't have the controls in

place.I heard a friend of mine say thc other

day, in fact a dcvclopcr, "We' re five-acreingourselves to death," and there's a lot of truth

to that.M<Breen: I have three big concerns:

that commerrial devi loprncnt bc done right.I'rn also concerned about the marine life.And the third thing is that we have devel-oped a rash of regulations that are no longerrational.

Owen; I belicvc we need to try toidentify and set aside the canal as a marinefish prese~ ation area and a natural area asmuch as possible for the nation and theworld, because I believe the canal is a uniqueplace.

We need to purchase sensitive landsalong the canal .. We, as a state, need to findthose lands that are still available and getthose for thc public, so it r's not driveways allalong the shore!. It's not going to gct anycheaper.

Redmanr The lack ot opportunity forpeople to dig clams...is real sad.

Hirschi: Port Gamble Bay ... is right on.the threshold of being decertified forshellfish harvesting!. Essentially the entirewest side of Port Gamble Hay is undevel-oped�. Failing septic systcins have some-thing to do with the problem. A couple ofsmallstrcams ... have something to do withthe problem, because there are cows andhorses still. using the streams.

A frustration for me is in seeing theresponse of public! agencies in not takingexisting regulations, existing authority andexisting money and doing something aboutthose streams.

Destruction of ivatersheds by foe~trypractices has completely devastated thechinook salmon! population. The wildchinooks are gone in tbe Dosewal1ips inJefferson County!.

McBreen: Thc wild chinooks are gonein the entire canal. But that is not because ofthe streams not being able to take care ofthem.

Hirschi; Well, it's a big factor. Trustme. All that rock that has moved down-stream in any number of the small tributariesfrom logging, and that has been a big factorin the Dosewa Hips.

Why not get a corrid<ir of national parkalong one of these streams so we haveinanagement for ancient forest conditions?The Ituckabush would bc another good one.It's a beautiful stream, but I 0 yea rs from rrowyou won't know it,

McBreen: The streams are there, aridhistorica Hy the salmon went up the streamsand had things to feed on ... Wc took anartificial system that was developed by theDepartment of Fisheries because theywanted to have an inland chum fishery ..and we started producing thousands andthousands and millions and millions ofchums in the hatcheries�,

We now release these churns and ive

send them back out, OK? The Department otFisheries has raised thwc 18 triHion churn.

How they send in 18 billion purse seiners totake them, and where are they going to takethem? They are going to take thea+ rightwhere they concentrate, right in front of thcstreams where they sit.

Wc don't allow anything to go up thestreams. We Fish the mouth of each stream so

hard that there is no brood stock going up.

THF FxJTilRf v THE Casa> ~ 235

~ ~ 0 0 t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"A frustrationfor me is inseeing theresponse of

agencies in riottaking existirlg

regulations,existing

authority andexisting money

and doingsowethxngabout those

streams."

� Ron Hxxschi,

kitsap Con ntlbiologist

ft's just a crazy thing,Redman: What about the bottoxn

hsh...?Hirschi There may be some things as

sport fishermen we' ve done, too. I wasraised a Catholic and grew up in PortGamble. It was my responsibility to bringhorme mostly rex k fish for Friday dinners.

Owen: What you are saying is thatthere's too man y Catholics?

Everyone laughed,!Hixschi: As a true sport hsherman, it

was my duty to go out and catch as manyfish as I could. I had enough rock. fish in ourfreezer, as a 13-year-old, to last for two years.

We do over-harvest as sport hshennen.,too, and I think it is important to take somepersonal looks at what we' ve done andmaybe even forego some opportunities,

Owern The draggers <cominercialbottom fishermen! also contributed to that.<Draggers have since been eliminated froxnHood Canal as a result of a bill by Owen.!

And I think a xnajor contributor to thedecline of bottoxn fish... is that the Depart-ment <of Fisheries! is behind the eight ball.They will wail until there is a problexn. Ithink they need to think about managing itconservatively.

McBreen: One of the nicest things wesaw during shrimp season was the fact .�that the kelp beds are starting to come back<following remova I of drag fishing!. For thefirst tixnc, you'd pull up a pot and find bigkelp. Three years ago we knew there v'asnothing there.

Simmons. I see two really big nods inthis whole issue. If wc'rc really serious aboutturning thi» around in the Hood Canalwatershed, it requires � along the xnoretechnical lines � a change in lie way we dothings. Possibly that xncans regulations andenforcement, tax incentivcw, all kinds of

ways we can change the way we do things.But there's also a need for a change ...

in the way we think,Sometimes I get furious when I hear

people go on and on about their rights, thexight to buy vieiv property and put a bighouseonit ... Hut that isnota right. That isaprivilege to have an unobstructed view ofthe water.

If he <a prop rty owner! carries hisperception of rights to thc point ivhcre hchelps to eliminate another legitimate use ot

the water sue'h as shellfish grousing!, thenth at, in xny opinion, is carrying things waytoo far.

Hirschi: Another perception that wehave to change is we have to recognize thebase of what we have to start with before wecan even think for a minute that we can takesomething from it.

We have been taking so much from thecanal since we first got here that we' veexhausted a lot of the resources. I think thereshould be a moratorium on a certain numberof harvest activities before we c~ en think

about more enhancexnent. We keep duinp-ing salmon out into the canal withoutknowing what the carrying capacity is forjuvenile salxnonids.

Why don't v. e try to determine whatthe natural carrying capacities of each of thestreams of Hood Canal are and manage forthose carrying capacities, allowing them toproduce what they can produce, thenharvest the excess,

What I am saying gets into the uplandsand puts a moratorium on growth as well ...We' re almost driving a herd of clk to extinc-tion ... We' ve lost 30 percent of thewinter elkhabitat on the Doscwaliips and yet wecontinue to allov both housing increases inthe watershed and fairly extensive logging ...

There's an awful lot of people inresource agencies ... who know biologicallywhat is going on. We aren't hstening tothem. Wc are listening to political statementsby management people in agencies who areonly acting like any other political arumalwill act. They will make decisions to keeptheir jobs, and it's usuallv counter to whatthe land is telling them.

McBreen: Evc~ybody is talking aboutputting more rules and reguLitions onthings. Ãe build one set of regulations forthis group and another for that group, andthey' re not working. Part of th» nfucationaIprocess is pointing to the gcxcxI side of things.If we could educate people to understandl hat if is c do it right, we v ill have jobs forpcoplc down the line.

SInunons; I have been an educa tor,and I agree, trout I ha ve also bean a round th»block enough times to knciw that you snnplvcannot limit vour range of alternatii es orvour tools.

I work w>th the <Mason Counh'l

Conservation District, and our first andforemcist tciol is educa lion. We offer monei .

236 ~ Cnsccusim'

~ 0 ~ soot ~ os

"We fish themolth of eachstream so hardthat then is no

brood stock

going up. ft'sj rrst a crazy

thing."� Dennis

McBteen, Sea beckMarina owner

We are not regulators; we don't have badges.lf we work with a farmer and inaybe

two years go by ... and he still has cows inthe stream and he still has water runningthrough a manure pile into the stream, wefeel we have to bebacked up with iegu]a-tions.

I am lucky enough to have worked on.enviionmental issues from a more radica]beginning ... a nd I, like a lot of environmen-ta lists, thought the solutions were regula-tory. But I' ve a Lao had the chance to work forgovernment now, and I can see the problemsfor government and politicians,

I will agree that environmentalists mayhave made some mistakes by only pus hingfor iegu]ations ... If you keep imposingrestrichons, one after another, and some-times regulations that are not even consistent... pn~ scxm you have that farmer sofrustrated that he will do exactly the kind ofthing you are hying to prevent. He will sellthat farm to the nearest developer, who wiHchop it up into 5-acre tracts.

NinrchL I'm not sure that is what' sdrivog people, I think a lot of times it's usedby the forest products industry as an excuse,

We are losing our forest industry mKitsap County. which I also see as very sad.That's one of the things I would put up nearthe top of the list of things that are specialabout the canal,

The forest industry sustained a groupof people for a couple thousand years, lt onlytook us 150 years to completely devastate it... Education is taking place very slowlywithin fishcmes agencies and slowly tricklingdown to enhancement groups, We a]I wantto do good, We all want to go out and plant atrcw or p]ant a fish. But we don't want to takethe more difficult task of Bxing what weha ve bev~ d estroying.

We have blocked run after run afterrun of wild salmon }, and this includes thecanal. There are culverts everywhere ... thereare miles of devastated stream banks.

The regula hons are not strong enough.Owen: I think logging practices have

improved dramatical]y over the years, but

they are not to the point the en virorunenta]community would hke to see them. Theywould like to see a real, real diminishing oflogging in the state of Washington, whichthey are succeeding in getting.

We have seen the pendu]um, whichswung too far to the loggers at one time,when they would literally shut off a streamwith a dam to back up the water to run thelogs down, Now it is! overkill on the otherside,

The logger has a place because thissociety has depended on paper products andhousing.

McBreen: There has got to be a certainamount of development to put our kids towork. &ere has to be logging some places totake care of building houses. We ha ve to drilloi] wells to keep the cars running.

We can't let one teeny minority controlwhat is good for the whole popu]ation, Thecanal is good for the people of KitsapCounty. It is a place to go, a recreational area.It is a source of food for a lot of people. It is apotential commercial asset, It is a place tolive and have jobs. It is a beautiful area.

I am an environmentalist. I work rea]hard to keep my marina clean, Let's not stopeverything because it is not the way it was20Nt0 years ago.

Owen: There are people out there whowant you to think that nothing is working,that everything is getting worse, that ]oggingpractices aren't working, that eclucation isn' tworking,

I think that is baloney. I can scc in the15 years that I have been in the Legislaturemy own self that the public's attitude onenvironmental issues has taken a tremen-dousturnaround. So it's bogus to say we aregetting worse. We are getting better, but it' snot to the point it can be yet The issue is,how do we make it better ... without takingan indushy like the logging indushy, andtotally wiping it out,

As far as the canal, I think it is worsetoday in some instances, but the attitude andmovement is in the right direction.

To a New Envimxtxnental Ethic

ho in his right mind, some peopleask, would destroy an entireindustry of hard-working loggers

and their families for the sake of an owl

that isn't much good for anything?Who in his right mind, other people

ask, would belong to an industry that hasdestroyed 90 percent of the unique old-growth ecosystem and now wants to takethe rest?

What we are seeing in this countrymay be xnore than a debate over protect-ing the northern spotted owl fromextinction. We may be experiencing apowerful collision of moral values relatedto man's place in the natural world.

The same morality clash is reflectedin issues related to timber management,fishing, development and recxeation,according to philosopher J. Baird Callicott,And what may be emerging out of theconflict, he says, is a new environmentalethic for the 2'I st Century.

Callicott, a professor at the Univer-sity of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, becameinterested in what he calls the "bigpicture" in the early 1970s, as Americansrenewed their interest in protecting theenvironment.

Calhcott, who formulated one of theflrst university courses in envirotunentalethics, says tod ay's battles are part of anevolution in thinking, which actuallybegan before the first luxnbermen came tothe Hood Canal region.

In the mid-1800s, Ralph WaldoEmerson and Henry David Thoreauexpressed a love of nature "with aspiritual est," said Callicott.

Emerson wrote that nature can be a

temple in which to commune with God aswell as a quarry from which to mine theoxe of industry,

Natural history became an irnpor-tant part of Thoreau's writing, but both heand ~n relied more on the experi-ence of nature � its ability to sparkcreativity and imagination in man � thanon natural science.

'The romantics," said Callicott,"were mto experience � Thoreau, withhis eyes narrowly focused on the things

around him, and Emerson with his headin the clouds,"

It took naturalist fohn Muir to turnthis romantic-transcendental philosophyinto a national moral campaign to appre-ciate and preserve wilderness.

Muir was not opposed to materialthings in a puritan way, said Callicott. Buthe despised the luinber barons, mineralkings and captains of industry whoseemed "hell-bent upon little else thanworshipping at the shrine of the almightydollar "

John Muir, who was read byTheodore Roosevelt, had profoundinfluence on the creation of many naturalareas, including federal lands in andaround the Olympic Mountains,

About the turn of the century, a newenv~nmenlal ethic began emerging, saysCallicott. Gifford Pinchot, a youngercontemporary of John Muir, is creditedwith formulating the ethic. It is basedupon science and the utilitarian view thathuman happiness should be the prixnarygoal of government.

The values of "nature" in the

romantic views that went betore werereduced to "natural resources" bypinch ot, who became the fust chief of theU.S, Forest Service.

'natural resources," wrole pinchot,"inust be developed and preservcxI for thebenefit of the many and not inerely thefew."

He also declared that conservationmeans the greatest good for the greatestnumber of people for the longest time "

Said Callxcutt, 'The lugher usescelebrated by Emerson, Thoreau andMuir had to compete on all four « ithindustrial, agricultural and other u tilitar-laxi uses.

Economics became integral partof the ethic. Cine could preserve theYosemite Valley or the «i]d Olympics,said Callicott, but only if s iciety waswilling to place a price on the wildern cpsex peri ence,

World War Il brought the issue ofpatriotisin into the equation.

"Mechanized technology was

238 + Cotta us«!N

~ ~ 0 ~ OO0 ~ t ~

I can see in the

15 years that Ihave been in

the Legr'slaturemy ourn self

that thepublic's

attitude on

environmental

issues has

taken a

tremendous

turnaround."

� State Sen. BradOwen, D-Shel ton

By Clrristopfrer D

developed for war psnpcrses and un-leashed on the domestic scene," he said."The whole industrialization of natureratcheted up a quantum leap,"

Protesting the exploitation of naturalre'xrurces became unpatriotic. Science andtechnology becnrne the driving force, andpeople pledged their faith to the experts.

Attrsnpts to increase the productionof natural resources led to the science offorestry and methods of growing uiuformstands of trees. The same thinking led tofaster-growing fish, which could be mass-produced in fish hatcheries,

Thus developed the legendary battleof the ~ationists, ~n ted byMuu', against the Conservationists,represented by Pinchot.

Muir's public campaign to preservewilderness had been based primarily onthe higher spiritual values of preservingnature, says Callicott, In that sense, bothMuir and Pinchot argued from anthropo-centnc positions � that humans possessthe only legitimate interests, that naturalentities are only a means to man's end s,

But privately, said Callicott, Muirwas already thinking in terms that wouldbecome the driving force for a newgeneration that people are just a part ofnature, that all creatures are valuedequally by God.

~rd ing to CaHicott, the conserva-tion ethic depended so much on sciencethat scientific advancement proved to bets major downfall. Scientists learned that

nature is more than a collection of useful,useless and noxious species, all arrayedpon a landscape of soils and waters.

"It is a vast, tightly organizedystem, less like a vast mecha nisrn and

more like a vast organism," he said.It feH to Aldo Leopold, who began

is career as a Pinchot conservationist, toarticulate this new ethic, based on thescience of ecology � the interrelahonshipf all living things.

Human beings, wrote Leopold in1949, "are members of a biotic team ...

plain members and cilizens of onehumming biotic community."

"In relationship to these otherviews," Callicott said, "it Ls very differentbecause it suggests that other forms of lifehave rights too."

That is not to place humans on alower level or to say that people shouldnot actively manage natural systems, hesaid.

Quoting Leopold: "A thing is rightwhen it tends to preserve the integrity,stability and beauty of the biotic comrnu-nitv. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

Sometimes it lakes active manage-ment to meet this goal, especially in lightof economic and political interests.

The trvuble is that changes in opart of the natural system may leadunexpected, sometimes profound,changes in another part, CaHicott sa

Lcxrpold d Lscovered this for hirnseEduring his years as a game managerSouthwest. Destruction of predatorscaused the deer population to increawhich Ied to destruction of forage pwhich increased soil erosion, whichcontinuing impacts on the entire ecostern,

Leopold's ethic � though it hanow been around for about 50 yearsstill has not become ingrained r'n ourthinking, says CaHicott.

"From the pubhc pomt of viewstill pretty far out to think that naturrights," he said.

Eventually, most Americans wrIIshift to this new way of thinking, piedCallicott, who sees no further ethicalchanges on the horizon.

The cha Henge for the 21 st Cenhc maintains, will be not merely tnconserve our natural resources but t

maintain and restore ecological integrr

The future rrrrceetnirrtrtnbaa! Ha!rd Ca!ratCan lre t rr ! t »r humarr term'.: r!Vr'll ,!r l SCn!r!;

97 !ter!ra rrarrr rrrrrr' be able ta errarrt!heuratr'rfrnrrt nt Rrrbi!rnrrvlrf~

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ a ~

SE< ilOX 3not easily erased.

But the handsniting ic not yet on thewall. For its size and resources, Hoc< Canalremains one of the most unspoiled areas 4 ftin the United States.

Decisions made today about land useand resource protection i'll echo dow nthrough history, savs Nancy Mckay, execu-tive directe r of the Vuget Sound WaterQuality A uthority.

"ln come ways, the problems are sosimple," she said, "more people creatingmore pollution. But when you tn to solvethese problems, it gets more and moreimam pie~."

Ai

UXCEVrATc.

FC-1>ZE

Hrr E err'! !!!p!I!'rDI!!! t j!!r.'

hat Hood Canal v ill looklike lt!, 20, b0 years fromnow will be the cumulative

result of many decision,

some big ones and manysmall ones, experts agree.

A small decision: How much fertilizer

should a homeowner use on his lawn eachyear?

A big one: How much private tirnber-land will local govnnmcnts try to keep outot the hands of developers?

Hood Canal is not a clean slate by anymeans. Civilieation has been here more thana century, and marks upon the landscape are

T> r Frtrt trrr r.rt rt-tr: Cwx'ar ~ '39

2X ~ C<mctrrsx>~

0$011 ~ 0 ~ S ~

"KitsapCounhjr is

quickly gettingto be xuhat a

lot of othercorrrrrruni ties

are, a bedroomcorrrrrrulriflJ

xuihout a

recollection ofits history or

tuildlifevalues."� Mike Reed,

biologist for PortGamble S'Klallarn

Tribe

Growth management, now a rnaprpolitical force in Washington state, must tryto reach for the more complete answers, shesaid,

"To me, one of the challenges is foreach of us to take ownership, not necessaryof the problem itself, but of our responsibil-ily to be part of the solution," said lvlcKay,

Cars, green lawns, boats, horses, septictanks, buBdozers, garbage, house construc-tion, dogs, cats, driveways... The list ofpotential problems goes on and on.

"Part of the challenge is to see thatmaybe one thing a person does may notmatter so much," said McKay, "but whenyou take it all together, our presence onHood Canal makes a real impact."

Donna Simmons, a resident ofHoodsport and vice-chairwoman of theWashington State Eculogical Commission,scribbled a note to herself one night andtaped it on her refrigerator, The note says,"Uncontrolled growth is suicide; controlledgrowth is controlled suicide."

"It carne to me after one of the MasonCounly Planning Cornnussion! meetings,"she said. "But I want to add that it doesn' thave to be. In my more oplimisbc moments Irealize tha t there are some good thingshappening,"

The advance of environmental scienceand the intensity of ncw thinking is apositive force for the entire Northwest, saysChris Frissell, an ecologist at Oregon StateUniversily in Corvallis.

'Me're in the throws of a revolutionwhen you realize what is going on to protectthings like endangered species and wet-lands," he said.

We' re also running out of time."For a Iong time, we could irnplernent

laws and still have wiggle room in terms of asurplus of natural resources," he said. "Nowwe are coming to the end of the surplus,"

The use of the land itselt is the greatestissue facing Hood Canal, says Frissell.

"In the lower 48 states, it is unique asan ecosystem," he said.

Land used for forestry or agricultureleaves future options open, at ieast to somedegree, he said. With urban development,there is no turning back.

Alarms are sounding for western

Kitsap County, a critical part of the HoodCanal watershed, says Mike Reed, a biologistwith the Port Gamble S'Klallarn Indian

Tribe. Development pressures there aregrowing intense, but pcs!pie don't seem torealize it.

"I went over lo the Slavis Bav! area,"said Reed. "There used to be loks of forestlands there. Now it's sold and will all bcdeveloped."

Unforhrnately, urbaoization of an areabegins as an invisible transformation. Often,not a single tree is cut down when the land istaken out of forestry usc,

Sornetirnes the change takes place witha hand shake, when an agreeable buyermeets an agreeable seller. Sometimes, it takesplace in the mind of the landowner, when hedecides the time is ripe for development.

Over time, properties that have beenremoved from the hmber hase seem to getdivided into smaller and smaller tracts, allready for one or morc homes. There is noparticular pattern.

Clyde Stricklin, long-range planner forKitsap County, says the counly is studyingways to encourage developers to put smallerparcels back together. The county remainscornrnitted to a policy of clustering homes inan effort to save some open space.

The county is offering developers theopportunity to develop more homesites ontheir property in exchange for dedicating aportion to open space in its natural cond i-hon.

While the populahon of western Kitsapis growing, said Stricklin, the land baseremains primarily forest.

'Me have been doing a tairly good jobwith new developments," he said. "Weknow we have to continue to do that job andto do the job even better.'

The job is much bigger for countyofficials today than it was even a year or twoago, says Bob Crowley of Port Townsend,executive director of the Olympic Environ-mental Council.

"County officials have traditionallybLx~ in the permitting busi ness," he said."They have not been in the resource-protec-tion business."

The state's Growth Managerncnt Acthas handed the counties major responsibili-ties to identify and protect forest lands,wetlands, wildlife habitats, areas prone to

Tn F mNF orrui Cas4i ~ 241

~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

'%his anh-

loggingrrfoverrren tis

acceleratingthe tnovefnent

of land fromforestry andagriculture

info urban and

industrial

deveioprrrent."� Robert Lce,

University ofWashington

sociologist

erosion, areas prone to flooding and areasimportant for groundwater supplies.

How well the cou nties v 'ill handle that

responsibility is yct to be seen, said Crowlcy."You' ve got to realize tlrat county

planning departments are staffed largely byurban planners," he said. "More than 90percent of all the planners in the country aretrained in urban planning. This new functionof resource protection may take them sometime,"

Crowlev would like to see the counties

apply soine new planning techniques,including an approach that has been giventhe fancy name "landscape ecology."

Landscape ecology might be called theart/science of finding a place for humanhabitation in the natural world. Its goal is toininirnize impacts of development throughan ecological approach to the landscape.

For wildlife, it goes beyond the idea otpreserving scattered pieces of open spacewith the hope that animals can find andmake use of the remnants of development.

Landscape ecology calls for preservingareas that arc thc most important as well asprotecting natural connections from one areato the next.

It is no coincidence that a couple of themost important habitats have already beengiven special protections under the Iaw.Wetlands, for example, offer a tremendousdiversity of habitat for ma ny species. Streamcorridors � when they include a band ofnative vegetation � can be wonderfulthoroughfares for wildlife.

The next challenge of landscapeecology, says Frissell, is to preserve as manynatural connec>ons between these areas aspossible, while providing for the equaflyimportant ncxxf s of human beings.

"When you fly in a plane over theNorthwest, there is a lot of space not occu-pied by human development," he said. "Butthe character of the land is the key. It sohappens that the lower, flatter country � thecoastal lands � are virtually gone, There arecritters there that can't just pick up and moveto the mountains."

Humans have managed to buildhighways to gct from one community to thenext, Frissell noted. In doing so, we havedisrupted the natural pathv ays of somewildlife,

"ln terms of effects on wildlife, roads

are vastly underestimated said FrisseII"Highways affect everything from elk toamphibians. Our road corridors need to belooked at in a landscape context."

It may sound farfetched, but over-Ixasses can be buil t to channel wildlife fromone side of a highway to another. OnInterstate 90, highway engineers uninten-tionally designed an ideal passage forwildlife under the high Denny Creek Bridgenear Snoqualmie Pass. But]ess expensivestructures may aLso work well.

At the same time, say» Frissell, wehumans need to think about enlarging ourexishng coinrnunities rather than buildingbrand new ones,

"Wc need to make sure our cities arelivable," he said, "but I think v 'c are prob-ably going to have a hard time reversing thetrend of people moving into the rural areas,

Traveling north on Highwav 101 alongthe western shore of Hood Canal, one is

suddenly presented with a long, stretch ofunspoiled torestland I5 iniles beyondHood sport.

An immense wooden sign along thehighway points out a Girl Scout campknown as "Robinswold."

'A'alking through the area, JimMes srner, site mana ger for the cainp, pointedout the dozens of activities available to thegirls � from observing marine life on theshore to hiking among the 4X! acres of'forestland ovswed by the regional Girl ScoutCouncil.

The gentle silence was pierced bv ascreeching noise coining from above.Messier pointed to the top of a tov eringtree, where thc ruffled head of a.n ospreypeered down over the edge of a nest. Thenest was nearly straight up from one ot thecabins.

' nus whole area was clcarcut, startingabout ]890," said Messmer. "Now we hase

100-year-old second growth tinrber."tviessmer, who has a college degree in

botany, says timber from upland portions ofthe camp and oysters from waterfront area~provide irxome for thc Girl Scouts. Someareas arc left alone for the wilderness

experience."We are in an enviab]e position of not

being market driven bv hmber or ovsters orwhatever," said Messmer, who has inanagedthe site for 13 vears.

242 < Cora;.tusrm

0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Economic

growth andenvironmental

preserrrationare

interdependent,not mufuatly

erclsrsiveinterests."

� WashingtonEnvironment

2010, a statewidetask force

Adjacent to the scout camp is a muchlarger piece of property owned by theRobins family. Helena Robins was the onewho donated the 430 acres to the scouts in

1928,Now her grandson, Dave Robtns,

manages his family's timberlands andshellfish beds as income-producing property.

Surprisingly, however, managementtechniques on the Robins property are not somuch different from those at the scout camp.It is simply good management, said Robins.

"There is nothing incompatible, in myview, about goad forest prachces, waterquality and wildlife habitat," he said.

Selective thinning and even carefulclearcutting are part of the plan, said Robins,who each year clearcuts about 40 acres�roughly 1.5 percent of the property � forsustained yield.

The last thing he wants to see isdamage to water quality from loggingoperations, said Robins, "because the oysterbusiness is a good part of our income,"

Both Robins and Messmer say theyplant a variety of tree species, not just thedouglas fir that is in demand from lumbermills. Roads are constructed about two yearsbefore logging to allow seltling and toreduce enation. Clearcuts are planned toproduce less impa ct to wildlife habitat.

It doesn't take a lot of acreage toprovide for both income and the environ-ment, said Gary Hanson, a timber consultantfor the Girl Scout Council.

"Unfortunately," he said, "mostproperty owners don't know how to managetheir timberland."

If saving Hood Canal demands a softerapproach to logging and development, italso requires a stronger commitment fromstate and county officials, says Reed of theS'Klaliam Tribe.

"Until recently," he said, "all thecounties were doing was ensuring that theirareas were being degraded, but in an orderlymanner."

Ki tsap County is beginning to take onthe appearance of a bedroom community for

metropolitan Scattk, hc said. It is losing itsidentity as a rural community with a sense ofhistory and valuable resources.

Controlling urban sprawl sornctimesmeans saying "no" to a lot of landownersand would-be developers, said Reed.

Unlike some areas of Puget Sound, it isnot too late for Hood Canal, but it requirespohtica] leadership in Kitsap, Mason andJefferson counties, Reed argues. It alsorequires vocal commitment from the peoplewho elect them.

"If a county commissioner were braveenough to speak out, I think he would besurprised at the support he would get," hesaid.

The Kitsap County Board of Comrnis-sioners recently made a major dedication ofreal estate taxes for the purchase andpreservation ot open space. The move hasbeen widely applauded.

Land trusts, such as the Kitsap LandTrust, Jefferson County Land Trust andHood Canal land Trust, a! so stand ready toaccept donations of valuable resource landsor conservation easements, both of whichoffer tax benefits to the donor.

"We found a lot of pent-up desire forlandowners to preserve their property insome way," said Gary Parrot, founder of theHood Canal Land Trust.

A conservafion casement lowers the

value of the land and thus the property tax� by setting limits on development, saidParrot. The reduction in value can become adeduction on the owner's income tax.

The landowner retains title to thc

property, which he can then sell or pass on tohis children. But the easement puts thebrakes on development, offering enduringprotections for wildlife and other naturalvalues,

' The greatest threat to Hood Canal,"said Simmons of the Ecological Cornmis-sion, "is continued uncontrolled growth.

"None of us should tool ourselves that

things are going to remain the v.ay theyare," she added. "A certain a mount of

growth is inevitable. Thc best we can do ischannel the grow. th to protect those thingswe find va luable."

Making the University of Washirtgtma art Ally

Researchets place coho salmon vrithin thepens and measure their growth andsurvivaL

In another part of the site, MikeKellett of National Marine FisheriesService tests a new rnachine that auto-maticallyy decodes a tiny electronic fish tagas fish swiin through the machine. Thestandard method requires killing the fishand reinoving tags by hand,

The ate Department of Fisheriesuses Big Beef Creek as an "index stream"for measuring the natural return ofsalmon to Hood Carel. Far years now,juvenile salmon have been trapped andtagged on their way to the sea, whileadult salmon are counted an their wayback up the stream

Kocan says he is being bombardedby requests horn fisheries experts whowant to use the stream for studies. And hehas begun to receive requests from otherresearchers, such as those in zoology, whowant to use upland areas.

Kocan's greatest task is to coordi-nate all the requests so that work on oneproject doesn't affect the results ofanother, he said,

''lf somebod> is doing a project atthe mouth of the creek!, can you a pprovesomething u pstrearn at the same time?"he asked, "This whole question has mademe look at alternatives or safeguard swhen I approve a projecL"

The site was acquired by the UW in1964, and by 1968 a few serious researchprojects rr 'ere under way. Then in the1970s, as the university was drawing upmajor expansion plans, state funding wascut

Uncertain about the future of theresearch sta lion, many university scieil-tists chose not to commit tn Iong-term

at Big Beef, said Kocan.As money dwindled, the universih

was forced to choose between selling theproperty and leasing it to a private art.It chose to lease the site tu Scan Am FishFarms, v hich ran the place until its leaseran out.

A'hen Kocan took over, much of the

~ ~ ~ J 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

Hood Canal rs

not a clean

slate.

Civilization

has left itsmark on the

landscape. Butfor its sinew and

resources,

Hood Ca~al

remains one ofthe most

unspoiledareas left in theUnited States.

siologists today would call it a wet-lands, But in the early days of HoodCanal, herds of cattle grazed on the

vast meadows at the mouth of Big BeefCreek in Central Kitsap,

just upstream from the meadows,the creek meanders through a semi-developed property covered by trees andcontaining scattered buildings, a rustytrailer and modern scientific equipinentused for fisheries research.

This 300-acre area, where beef cattleonce roamed freely, is owned by theUniversity of Washmgton and is calledBig Beef Research Station,

The site was almost forgotten thepast several years when a shortage offunds forced the university to lease thesite to a private salmon-farining opera-tion, But now the facility is coming backto life as the university resumes controla nd pumps a quarter million dollars intoreconstruction.

The university's presence on HoodCanal adds another voice in favor ofp~ng the natural values of the area,officials say,

The man in charge here, at least forthe time being, is Dick Kocan, a professorin the UW's Fisheries Department.

"We had to inake a decisionwhether we were going to lease it as acommercial operation or run it our-selves," said Kocan. "I'eaple in thevarious departments convinoed the dean<of the fisheries department! and othersthat this place was simply irreplaceable."

Kocan finds himself fielding re-quests from a variety of universityscientists who see the outdoor labaratoryas an ideal place to conduct environmen-tal studies that cannot be performed in abuilding in Seattle.

Walking thmugh the site, Kocanpoints out a number of projects alreadyunder way.

One UW researcher, Tom Quinn, isstudying ho~ different types of streamhabitat affcW salmon. The creek flowsthrough a series of pens, each containingdifferent amounts of natural debris.

Trrr F<rrrrrrr or ur! CRN'.v ~ 4.3

244 ~ Cora-t.usioN

anst had become overrun with brush. Theroads were in disrepair. Trash was strewnabout.

Now, the university is cleaning upthe site, rebuilding the roads and clearingout unused equipment, including an oldtrailer. Remodeling of a former laboratorybuilding is plarmed to create livingquarters where rereluebm can stay. Adeep weL which provides pure water, isbeing improved.

Kocan says it is not urueasonable tobelieve that, in time, Big Beef ResearchStation could buikI a national reputationlike that of the university's marineresean9t Iab at Friday Harbor in the SanJuan Islands.

Gordon George, the residentcaretaker at Big Beef, has lived in theSeabeck area most of his life. He evenworked at the university site in the early1970s while he was in high school. Geaqre

worries about the future of Hood Canaland believes the university's renewedpresence could become an important forcein protecting the canal.

Kocan said he and other universityofficials are interested in protecting thewater quality in Big Beef Creek, eventhough development and logging activi-ties may already have increased theamount of sBt in the stream.

Big Beef Creek begins in a marshyarea near the tiny cornmuruty of Cnmby.It Aows past Camp Union and into LakeSymington, where it spills over a darn,then makes a wide bend to the north

before entering university property."Places like this are getting harder

and harder to find," Kocan said. "For thisplace to have been retained by theuniversity and saved for the futun. showsgreat insight, I think"

By Christopher Dunagarr

0 ~ I 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~

SECTION 4

A VISION

By !vi~4. Ph l!q~r

ou could scour Hood Canal fromthe bridge to Heffair, and youwouldn't find a soul in favor of

defacing its beauty, of poisoningits life, of chaining its rnagnifi-cent wildness, Not if you put it

that way. Not onc soul.Hut nature puts it another way. Nature

turns to each of us and asks what we will doto protect the canal. If we who live here donot answer, it will not be done � and m

time, even the questions will scud away likeclouds running bcforc a cold mountainwind, and be forgotten.

We have examined Hood Canal inevery season. We have explored frombeneath its watets to the heights of itswatershed, from its wild places to its loggingcamps, its o ties and its submarine base.

Now it is time for us to recommendsolutions to the many problems and chal-lenges we have found. These arc not thc onlysolutions. We are journalists, not sages, Norare they easv solutions. We aren't magicians,either � just people who live near HoodCanal and who, like you, are among r'tscustodians.

What follows are seven approaches toprotecting Hood Canal from the threats itfaces, Only state government can accomplish

some of them, Only you can accomplishothers.

We do not claun to be the last word insetting an agenda f' or Hood Canal. But, withutter certainty�we do know this:

To do nothing is to lose Hood Canal.

The Watershed: Prote&ort Starts

Here

Across Hood Canal from Seabeck and

down a bit from Dabob Bay, a logger iclearcutting a modest tract. A stream runsthrough the tract, on its wav toward HoodCanal.

The logger is among the last of thesmall, independent breed, scrapping to behis own boss in a business gone global andtough, Time is more than money for thelogger; it is survival. He must fell trc~quickly, or he loses the economic race.

The logger is under state orders tnleave a 25-foot buffer around the strea rn, buthis hasty march through thc forest ca rricshim right to the bank in spots. Nobodvnohc es.

Rain falls a few davs later, and slnwh,softly, dirt washes into the stream and w orksinto the gravel along its bed. It is an old storyfor the stream. Already, it is silted almost to

246 ~ Corrcr.usrorr

the threshold beyond which salmon eggsmay not survive,

This time, silt builds past the threshold,and another salmon run passes into lore.

Such stories are told every day in theHood Canal watershed. They are told by thewaters and the winds, by the fish and theanimals, They are stories of death drop bydrop, of strangulation one microscopicsqueeze at a time.

Such stories, such prcrblcrns, cannot becountered by one grand scheme. Instead,they must be met in scores of smail ways. Ifthe Hood Canal watershed is to be pre-served, it will be done the way the loggersilted the stream: drop by drop.

Septic systems; Most of us ar en'tloggers. But most of us have indoor plumb-ing, And if we live within the Hood Can~Iwatershed, that means our plumbing ends ina septic system.

Septic system failure is comrnnn. In asensitive watershed like Hood Canal's, septicsystems should be inspected frequently.

We recommend that a three-countyutility district be formed throughout thewater hed. It would charge homeowners asmall annual fee and sub~ every septicsystem in the watershed to regular inspec-tions. It wnuld have the authority to orderrepairs or upgrades, with enforccrncnt beinghandled by the county of residence.

Sewers: Some might argue that allhomes around the canal should be sewered.We think better maintenance of septicsystems would be far cheaper and just aseftective in most areas.

But in a few high-density spots, sewersnnt only make sense, they are essential, Aneffort to sea er the north and south shores of

Hood Canal outside Belfair is moving slowly� far too slowly � through the halls ofgovernment in Mason County.

Forestry review: When permission issought to log a tract of land, the state' sprimary considerahun today is to assurercplanting within three years. Thc I ioodCanal watershed wouki be well served if

applicants also were required to leaveindividually calculated buffer strips aroundstreams, lakes or wetlands, and if theapplicant were fu rther required to observeindividually calculated scxlimentatiun limits called "thresholds"! for streams.

lnspectiuns � now a rarity � shouldbe mandatory in the watershed, and pen al-ties for not meeting the regulati<m~ should

extend not just to thc logger, but to theowner of the land.

Construction review: In the HoodCanal watershed, there's a good case to bemade for extending building inspections toinclude stream and wetland protection. Newbuild mgs should be set back from wetlandsand streams � especially salmon streams.

And construction methods shouldinclude tcrnpora ry da ms or filtered sedirnen-tahon ponds to keep dirt or sand fromwashing into streams. I'ortable toilets shouldbe required for crews working near streams,and they should be properly serviced.

Runoff: Cover too much of the landwith a hard surface, and a path to the canalhas been pa ved for all of man's chemicals.

It makes sense to offer incentives � tax

breaks, perhaps � to watershed propertyowners who drive on dirt or gravel, whofavor natural vegetation over lav vs, whocollect roof runoff and ease it gently into theground.

Bulkheads: Beaches are breed inggrounds for many marine life forms. Theyfilter runoft, and they give Hood Canalplaces to cast off its debris.

When people install bulkheads,beaches disappear. No further bulkheadingshould be allowed along Hood Canal'sshores, and as old bulkheads fail, theyshould not be replaced.

Other methods of combatting erosionexist, and state and local agencies shouldhelp property owners learn about them.They also should require that new construc-tion be set far enough back from the bank tolet natural, beach-building erosion take placewithout threatening the structure.

Hazardous waste: The same publicutility that provides septic inspections in thewatershed s,hould also provide frequent andconvenient opportumhes to safely dispose ofhazardous household waste.

Garbage collection: Garbage pickupisn't available to all watershed residents, Itshould be more than available; it should bcuniversal.

Mandatory garbage pickup wouldreduce illegal dumping throughout thewatershed. It would be an added expensefor many property n wners. But the privilegeof living so near thc canal cannot be hadwithout cost.

Off-road vehicles; Splashing through acreek in a fourwheeler can be great fun, but itrips up the stream bed and creates ru tted

Tnr Fururrri» rHi C~xai ~ 247

channels that help silt find the stream.Off-road vehicle recreation has its

place. Some trails already are available inless sensitive areas, and more could beprovided � away from salinon streams andwetland s.

Walk the last rnite: Consider your autoor truck in a different light for a moment; It' sa rolling tank of hazardous materiaL It picksup greasy road filrns wherever it goes andsheds thein whenever it rains. It leaks.

Your vehicJe is hardly I Icxxi Canal'sbest friend. If every road to the waterstopped a mile short, if a nice, well-main-tained footpath continued from there, I IoodCanal would gain breathing space fromautos and the toxicity that comes with them.

Streams and livestock: Livestock andclean streams don't mix, But farmers do havewater rights, and animals do need to drink.Streams and livestock can't be kept apartinflexibly, but land-use regulations in thewatershed should limit livestock access tostreams as much as possibJe. And livestockshould be kept out of wetlands altogether.

Farmers, homeriwneis and chemicals:Financial incentives for farmer s who volun-tarily limit their use of agricultural cheinicalswould be a gocxI investment in HoodCanal's future. And a program of cheriucaleducation and advice for all who Bve withinthe v ateished would give them all thc toolsthey need to make at least one conhibutionto a cleaner, healthier Hood Canal,

Marine Sanctuary: Give Hood CanalSpecial Status

Until two decades ago, I food Canalwas the mother of salmon by the millions, ofcod and crab, of oyster and ctarn. From herfertile v omb, life flowed into the greatPacific.

Today she is all but barren. Sheproduces salmon through the artificialinsemination of hatcheries. She breeds crab

fitfully and is empty of cod. She is at risk,even, of losing her shellfish as her gentletidal flush falls behind pollutiun's march.

IJefore Hood Canal can be such asource of life again, she inust be made safefor life � a sanctuary.

Making Hood Canal a national marinesanctuary would require federal ac>on. Italso would require agencies to give up turf,cominercial interests to give up a revenuesoun'.e, anglers to give up haunts, tideland

owners to give up a ineasure of control.But it would give them � and aJI of us

� life in return.Sa~ s,tatus would provide a

strong impetus for a non-tribal cornrnercialfishing ban in Hood Canal,

The commercials play a valuable rolein feeding the world, but their shore-to-shoreseines have filtered the canal's life. Their

drag nets have scraped the bottom clean ofhabitat.

Hood Canal is not just another part ofPuget Sound, not just another inlet to bedealt on the table of commercial fishingallocations. It is more fragile than the sound,almost enclosed, flushing so slowly over itsshallow siJLs that much of its water is

replaced just once a year,It must be set aside.But even such peace at home will not

mean pea~ abroad for I food Canal.The canal's sabnon fan out toward all

points of the Pacific Rim and heavy fishingpressure threatens the ca nal's abfl i tv torenew v ild strains Be they pirates fromTaiwan or legal commercials from Canada,the fishing fleets of other nations can bepersuaded only through negotiation. OurState Department, prodded hy our congress-men, will have a stronger case to make aboutHood Canal salmon if the canal is a nationalmarine sanctuary.

The first step toward creahng a HoodCanal National Marine Sanctuary is to getthe area on a site evaluation list. The HoodCanal Coordinating Council should draft aresolution in favor of the sanctuary, and thethree county coinrnissions should pass it-docuinenhng local support.

Meanv hile, our congressiona.l delega-tion will ncaa to introduce and lobbv forJegisla tion establishmg the site evaluationstudy.

The Harvest Take the Canal'sSounty with Greater Care

Until Sen. Brad Owen stopped them in1988, corrvnercia I fishermen ~king ccxi,halibut and other bottom feeders draggedheavy nets across the tloor ot the c.mal andscraped it clean of the kelp beds tha.t breedfish and shrimp.

When a combination of fishing pres-sure and degraded spawning streamsdrastically reduced the canal's w ild salmon,state officials responded w ith massive

248 + Cover.us>oN

releases of hatchery salmon � and setfishing limits too high to assure naturalspawning.

State officials have allowed sea cucum-ber to be harvested so intensively that diversare killing themselves seeking these exoticdelicacies at ever-deeper depths.

And they have pro posed that geoduckcolorues, which regenerate themselves in 25-year cycles, be harvested 10 years after thclast harvest, using methods that blast a seriesof craters along the bottom, up to 600 yardsfrom shore,

And every hrne Sen. Owen and otherHood Canal defenders try to move cornrncr-cial salmon fishing boats out of the canal,they run into a waII of hostility whose bricksare commercial interests and whose mortaris the state bureaucracy.

If Hood Canal were a marine sanctu-ary, and if its managers were devoted to thecanal first and foremost, these changes couldbe made:

Top priority for wild salmon Wildsalmon provide the genehc material forhatchery salmon, and without them, nomatter hov successful our hatcheries, weface a future of genetic inflexibility � unableto respond to unknown diseases or toclimatic changes we can't anticipate today.

Rather than respond to a diminishingsupply of wild salmon by putting largechunks of our resources into hatcheries, weshould respond by investing our resources inrestoring streams, in research and in fishingenforcement to better protect the wildsalmon.

Manage salmon in smaller units.. Forthe computer rnodelers who determine whatwill be caught every year, a Hood Canalsalmon is a Hood Canal salmon. But aDewatto River coho is not a Big Beef Creekcoho. Failure to manage Hood Canal salmonin smaller chunks means we' ll miss opportu-nities to intervene through fisherics management when a particular run is at criticallylow leve/s.

Encourage shellfish farming, As nevresidents linc thc shore of Hood Canal, theyincreasingly complain about shellfishfarming operations off their beaches.

Their objections primarily are aesthetic.However, they might think the sight asbeautiful as the sun behind thc mountains ifthey pondered more on the critical roleshellfish play in protecting Hood Canal.

Shellfish are the fust fruits of the sea to

suffer when water quality deteriorates. Theyare succulent morsels, and v hen their

harvest is forbidden because of pollution,people are quick to notice and to react.

Of all forms of aquaculture, sheilfishfarming is the least likely to disturb thelandscape and should be considered asnatural a sight on v ater as barns andpastures on land,

Severely limit other harvests pendingstudy; Wc've come to associate geoduck andsea cucumber harvesting with trouble but itneed not be so,

These marine resources also should beharvested in Hood Canal, but not until moreis known about their cyc les of renev al, andnot until thc methods involved can be less

dangerous or d isruphve of marine habitat.

Governance: Special Fowers toProtect a Special Flace

Neither watershed protection, nor amarine sanctuary nor marine harvestregulation can happen for Hood Canalunder existing governmental bod ies.

In alI the agencies, all the layers, all thehalls of goverrunent, nobody's first priorityis looking out for Hood Canal. This specialbody of water needs a special protector,

A good approach would be to simplyexpand the role of the Hood Canal Coordi-nating Council, which presently is a discu~-sion group of representatives from countygovernments and Indian tribes around thecanal. With the help of the Legislature, themembership and duties of the coordinatingcouncil could be expanded, a nd it couldbecome an effective protector for HoodCanal.

Makeup of the council: Besides thethree counties and the tribes, the statedepartments of Natural Resources, Ecology,FLshcrics and Wildhfe, and the U.S. ForestService and thc National Park Service shouldhave representatives on the council.

In addition, it would be helpful if a fewcitizens from the three counties who repre-sent forestry, environmental and economicdevelopment interests were appointed bythe three county convnissions.

Regulatory oversight One of thc mostimportant functions the expand ed coundlcould provide would be assuring that a ~ idevariety of govenunental regulatory functionstake Hood Canal's welfare into account.

Within the watershed, various govern-

mental enlitrcs regulate logging construc-tion, fishing, land use and zoning. publichealth, rcmd construe+on, wells, sewers,septic systems and waste disposal.

In cases where county commissionshear regulatory appeals � such as zoningappeals from local planning commissions-it might be use fu I if, in watershed cases, thecoordinating council heard the appealinstead.

ln other cases where appeals are heardat a higher level or in the courts, the coordi-nahng counciI should have standing to makearguments for or against appeals and tolodge appeals of its own.

Model legislation: Hood Canal's ncwbodyguard a!so should be charged withrecommending legisl ah on to thc Legislatureor ordinances to the three countic~ that setup watershed programs like septic systeminspccffons or special logging standards.

Research: The coordmating councilaIso should have central responsibility forenvironmentaI research in the watershed.

Available state and local researchfunds should bc channeled to thc coordinat-ing council for distribution and the counciIshould have funds from sta tc and localsources to hire a technical staff that couldadvise local and other governments aboutmatters ranging from stream flows to soils towild life populations in the watershed.

No taxing authority: Hood Canalneeds a friend, not a tax collecior, and thereis no need for this body to%ave taxingpowers.

Thc modest funds needed for sta Hingshould bc d iverted from other a gencies orshould bc shared bv counhcs who each need,for instance, part of a biologist but can' tafford one full-time. Sc~eral state agenciesare active in the Hood Canal region, andsome of their manpower could be shifted tothe coordinating c ouncflstaff. An excellentplace to look would be in thc Fisherics officthat makes computer models for the PugetSound fishing industry.

thresholds for forestry and construction: thepoint beyond which those activities, depend-ing on hnw they are carried out, can d nirreparable harm.

There is an ultimate threshold forHood Canal, We all know there's urn hercfor thc canal and for people. But how manvpeople? The answer to that question de-pends on how we address the smallerthresholds, Address them weII, and there' sroom for many more people withoutharrning the canal. Address them poorly,and we already have too many.

Every threshold needs a definition � ade finihon thoughtfully created after carefulresearch and thorough, public discussion.But wc don't know enough about the canaland its watershed to effectively regulatehuman activity in a way that fairly balanciiseconomic and environmental niMs.

Soon, urgently soon, we must developa much larger bcxiy of knowledge about thewatershed, particularly in these areas:

~ Salmon breeding conditions, streamby stream and type by type.

~ Serisihve land areas that are high-priority candidates for preservation.

~ Stream flnw cnnditions and needs,stream by stream.

~ Stream siltation condibnns, stream

by stream.~ Stream by stream and wetIand bv

wetland, tailored strategies to accornrnodateconstruction, agriculture or forestry whileprotecting the environment,

~ Water supply, throughout ourcomplex, glacier-tumbled geolc~,

ln knowledge, there wiII be the por crto make intcIIIgent decisions. Money spenton gaining knowledge wouId, in the Iongrun, be far more beneficia than money spenton hatcheries or on computer models offishing seasons.

The Public Improve Access andKnowledge

Hood Canal is one nf our great public'- but it is walled nff from the publictreasures,

by a ring of private property. So t e pu rccan appreciaeciale understand and support this

i Id benatura I treasure more windov s shoucut m that wall.

This is by far thc most expensive of ourrecommendations for Hood Canal But we

vcstrnent olthink of the expense as an invcstrncxtraordinarv value.

~ + ~ere Ignorance Wounds,Hem Is Healing

People who are wnrried about HoodCanal's future often use a familiar word in anew way: "threshold." They're talking aboutthc point where trouble begins, the placewhere a Hood Canal angel dare not tread.

There are � in theory, anyway�

Tfn Frrnlkf rs on ax u ~ 24<

250 ~ Co~usta

Now, before waterfront land is only forthe rich; now, when public support for andunderstanding of Hood Canal are so impor-tant; now is the time to open those windows.

Public beaches must be acquired, trailsmust be built, boat launches must be pro-vided.

In the end, only whole-hearted publicawareness and support wiII preserve HoodCanal, and it isn't reasonable to expect suchsupport when access is so liinited.

With access should come education.Let the marvelous intcrprctive centers

run by the National Park Service inspire us,Such a center in Belfair and at other cross-roads around thc canal could educate thepublic about wetlands, Indian cultures,forestry and marine life. The centers couldexpose hundreds of thousands of residentsand vacationers to Hood Canal and do moreto protect the watershed than any amount oflegislation.

A special effort should be made toeducate young people about Hood Canal.This generation of adults might manage toconstruct a sound framework of preservationtor the canal, but coming generations willhave to build the rest, Give them a head startof knowledge that most of us lacked.

And last, a modest proposal to raisepu b lie awareness of, and respect for, theHood Canal watershed: On e very road orfootpath that crosses into the watershed,place a small sign marking thc watershedboundary. Let none of use enter the water-shed without being reminded that we havetaken on a special responsibility just by beingthere,

To Save the Canal, Improve OurCities

Everywhere you go in this region,you' ll find a great sense of urgency to dosomething about growth around HoodCanal before growth does something beyondrepair to the canal,

Urgency you' ll find, but action�regionally coordinated, state-supported andadequately funded � is in short suppl».

The sheer physical presence of peopleinside the Hood Canal watershed is a central

issue that can best be resolved by makingnewcomers welcome in urban areas outside

the watershed, by making those areasattractive, livable and stimulating,

Brernerton, for example, could be horne

to tens of thousands more people whowould not compete with the canal's salmonfor water and who would not challenge thewatershed's ability to filter pollution, Yct forevery one of those ncw residents, the canaland its riches would be a short drive or

bicycle ride away.As Bremerton improves its housing,

rebuilds its coaunercial core, cleans up itsstreets and, in scores of other ways, makesitself morc attractive to newcomers,Bremcrton helps not only itself, but HoodCanal.

Other urban areas are right on theshores of the canal, and they offer specialchallenges.

Io the fast-growing Belfair area, forinstance, a sewer system is urgently neededto protect wetlands at thc tip of the canal, butaction has been held up by an a valanche ofred tape.

Almost at the other end of the canal, inPort Gamble, Pope Resources wants to builda good-sized town.

Kitsap County officials believe the ideahas merit if Pope commits most of its otherholdings, many acres in the watershed, toforestry.

How well Mason County meets theBelfair scwcr challenge, and ho w high astandard Pope Resources sets for its PortGamble project might well set a pattern forsuccess or failure as growth continuesaround Hood Canal.

Whatever wir do to manage thatgrowth, we must do as a region � as a three-county community of environrnentalists anddevelopers, foresters and factory workerswho accept our common responsibility.

Together, we can preserve a mapufi-cent natural legacy.

Apart, we will allow growth to destroyit.

The CosL A Clean, Healthy CanalWon't Be Free

In growth managenrent strategies nowbeing de~eloped can be found Hood Canal'smost positive hope. What wiII it cost toprotcxt Hood Canal?

Not nearly so much hard cash as youmight think.

The bigger cost of our agenda might bereducing governmental cash flow here andthere in return for landowner concessions,

Here are some possible fitmncial

impacts of a vigorous program of preservingHood Canal and its watershed:

~ Give tax breaks or transferrab!edevelopment rights to watershed propertyowners who write conservation easementsinto their deeds.

~ Otfer tax breaks and free technicaladvice to farmers who use agriculturalpractices that rnig,ht bc less efficient but arefriendlier to the water hed.

~ Offer tax breaks or waive inspectionfees or construction permit fees forhomeowners who use good runoff practiceslike gravel drivew ays instead of concrete.

~ Waive inspection, permit or licensingfees for bui!ders who use water hed-friendlytechniques.

~ Set up a permitting fast track forbuilders who agree to a set of watershedconstruction standards that exceed the law.A successful program like this m Floridasaves money and valuable time for the mostconscientious builders.

~ Make sirni!ar incentives available tologger .

+ With local and state contributions,fund a 5- to 10-rnernber technical staff for anexpanded Hood Canal Coordinating Coun-cil. Let this staff of biologists, geologists andpublic health experts provide the researchand technical advice about the watershedneeded by governments and the public. Thecost would be $200,000 to 5'LOO, XX! per year,

T~t i'rrrurr>: or nn Ca,var ~ 25!

and some of that could be cratered bymoving, a position or two out ot related stateagencies.

~ Capital investments in interpretivecenters and educational trails could comefrom a combination of state and localsources. Interpretive centers like oneplanned in !!e!fair would cost in the neigh-borhood of $3-5 million each. A wem-desig,ned interpretive center requires lowmaintenance, just a few staffer- to conductprograms, and can take great advantage ofvolunteer docents and guides.

~ Money to increase public facilitiesaround Hood Canal wou!d bc the greatestexpense of preservation. ! t probably wouldnot be difficult to spend $40 million or so inthe three counties setting aside v atcrfruntland. Local bonding wou!d be the mostlikely source of funds.

Hut the largest contribution wouldcarne from the thousands of watershedresidents, who must be asked to approachtheir lifestyles a little differently, to payseptic inspection and garbage pickup feesand, most important, to accept their specialresponsibility as Hrxx! Canal ca re takers.

On that contribution, no price tag can

be placed.

This sect cur is crrl'lert frrrrrr a series rr rrfltOrrrlLs rerrhen frt/ Srrrr Lfrtrrr iyfrke 1'irrihtrsrrrrrt prrfrtisherf Arrg, 12-17, !991. 1

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~

WHAT YOU

CAN DO

~ 252 ~

he protection, and in some cases,restoration of an ecosystem likethat of Hood Canal's is not just upto governmental leaders orbureaucrats. They can pass laws,make regulations and enforce

rules, but the fragile environment of thecanal watershed would still continue to

decline,Chapter I l explored the impact of a

single home being built in the forest. Theindividual designer, home builder and homebuyer have more inHuence on the ultimatehealth of the Hood Canal ecosystem than thenine commissioners of the three counties that

n «~< l b< i«Ji«d««I «< I<on, «< «««I< ~1<<<'<I<PI< b<< go<xn<<I1<*<III, fIÃt 4YI<s tel<'H««d C««« ««r le<she<I h< a/! hy.

border the canal. Landowner themselves

have more to say about protecting fish andwildlife than any of the state agencies. Ifpeople who live in the ecosystem and visit itfor business or pleasure choose a morebenign path, the canal will be the beneficiary.

Here are some things each of us can doto choose that more benign path:

Becotne a citizen watchdog:

~ Knov state and county rules. Reportimproper clearing, grading, fiHing, loggingand dumping. Also report failing septictanks, damage to wildlife habitat and

W>>.<.> y >L> C > v 0 > ~ 253

~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0

trespassing onto private property, Start v>4thcounty planning and zoning officia!s and gofrom there.!

~ C;et involved in growth rnanage-rnent planning. The resu! t may deterrr>inenot only the tuture of 1 !ood Canal but ofWestern Washington. Start with countyplanning offices,

~ Take an active role as city andcounty agencies develop new wetlandsregulations over the coming months.

~ Be aware of nearby wetlands andmake sure any planned deve!oprncntprotects the wetland.

~ Join a land trust or conservationgroup working to acquire deeds or develop-ment rights to important wetlands.

Get interested in protecting fish andwildlife:

~ Learn a bout the ecological connec-tions between plants and animals. Books andartic1es abound.

~ Join the Audubon Society's Adopt-A-Forest program, which seeks to protecthabitat in national forests.

~ Investigate plans for state andprivate timberlands. Know the landownersnear your home. Understand their inten-tions. Recognize what state rules allow.

~ Obtain a copy of the torest practicesapplication from the Department of Natura!Resources when logging is proposed. Makesure streams, wetlands and critica] habitatare !istcd -- and protected. Work coopera-tively with the DNK forester and bio!ogists.When necessary, file an appea!.

~ Know thc honting seasons andreport poaches to a wi!dlife agent. They canbe reached through the Washington StatePatrol, 478-4646.

Conserve water and electricitydrawn from the watershed:

~ Know where your water comes fromand how well the system is managed Beaware of whether demands are increasing,and ask about conservation measures by theoperator.

+ Check the results of recent water

quality tests for your water systen> to seethat they meet all state and federal requue-ments,

~ Learn to read your water meter ifyou have one. Keep track of dailv wateruseage and how your consumption relates toactivities such as watering your lav m.

~ Conserve water outside your horneby using native plants or special grasses thatuse less water. You can make an averagelawn more drought tolerant by graduallyextending the time between waterings. A!st>,remove thatch and aerate compacted soil toimprove watering efficiency,

~ Conserve water inside your hon>e bvrepairing leaking faucets and toilets. Tot!ctleaks can be checked by placing a drop offood coloring in the tank and watching to seeif it shows up in the bow! ~ ithout flushing.Reduce daily consumption in sho v ers,dishwashing and laundry.

~ Get invo!ved in water planning foryour county. Kitsap County Pubiic UtilityDistrict is in charge of developing a ground-water management program for the county

~ Conserve electricity by insulatingyour horne adequately, turning off lights andappliances when not in use and reducing theuse of hot water. h reduction in Northv cstpower demand eases the pressure to buildnew dams.

If you own timberland in thewatershed:

~ Keep your land as natural as pos-sible, whatever your future intent.

~ Consider thinning trees instead ofc!earcut ting.

+ For assistance, consult a stateforester !-R�-527-3305!, pin a landownerassociation or hire a professional consultant.

+ Keep a portion of your property intrees for birds and wildlife, The area neednot contain the most valoable timber.

~ Mana ge your land so y<>u have treesin a variety of ages, sizes and types.

~ Save standing dead bees unlessthey' re a safety hazard. They provide homesfor birds and smaU animals.

+ Leave decavin g debris on theground whenei er possible, !t can prosddefood and/or shelter to many creatures

~ Protect trees and vegetation along astream. Fence the stream to keep out petsand livestock

~ A void the osc of pestic>des. Thew candestroy unportant scgrnents of the foodchain.

254 ~ Coxtcr usrcrt

0 ~ 0 t ~ 0 ~ ~ t ~

If you are a boater.

If your property includes wetlands:

~ Protect your property from pollu fionand disruption. Leave it natural, Cons.ider aconservation easement to save it forever.

~ Maintain buffers at the edge of yourwetlands; 50 to 30D feet is recommended,depending on cond ihons.

~ Keep pets and livestock out of' fragileareas. Lcxal conscrvahon d istricts can

propose alternative watering plans for cattle,~ Consider planting native species and

avoid placing non-native plants in your lawnand garden that could invade nearbywetlands.

~ Find alternatives to ferti lizers andpest icides near wetlands.

~ Be sure your septic tank is function-ing properly and have it pumped every threeto five years,

~ lf a wetland is already damaged,enhancement may be possible. Scck profm-sional advice.

If your property includes streams orwaterfront

~ Leave natural vegetation alone.Trees and shrubs shade the stream and keepwater temperatures cool. Insects fall off thevegetation and provide food for fish,

~ Plant vegetation tn stabilize streamhanks. Blackberry bushy~, alder trees andwillows provide good root systems to reduceerosion.

~ Preserve natural d chris. Fallen tnt

and boulders are part of the stream habitatand should be removed only if they blockpassage of fish.

~ Be careful when building nearstreams. Heavy equipmcnt can destroyspawning gravel, remove important vegeta-tion and cau.se siltation.

~ Keep pets and livestock away.Livestock can destroy vegetation andspawning gravel. Dogs may chase spawningfish and stir up mud in the stream.

~ L'se garden and lawn chemicalssparingly. Some are toxic. Others canencourage t.he growth of wnxis and algae,

~ Keep thc beaches clean~ Consider growing clams or oysters if

your beach is safe.~ Never usc the water for disposal of

anything,~ Avoid bulkheads if possible, or at

least coordinate construction with shorelineneighbors. For inforrnafion, contact SeaGrant through your local office of WSUCooperative Extension Service.!

~ Maintain your sepfic tank. I iealthofficiaLs recommend pumping every fiveyears, but it should be checked more often.

~ Be informed. Tell others about thc

importance of streams and how to protectthem. If you see someone damaging astream, contact the Department of Fisheries,895-4756.

If you are developing your property:

+ Leam about ecology and usc thclightest touch in developing.

+ Take pa ins to preserve fish andwildlife habitat, then take credit for youraccomplishments.

> Design building sites with the leastimpact to vegetation, especially on slopes.

~ Control runoff during construction.~ Avoid changing natural conditions

near shorelines, streams and wetlands.

If you live in a horne in thewatershed:

~ When making home improvements,reduce thc amount nf hard surfaces. Use

paving stones instead of concrete, groundcover instead of grass lawns.

~ Find alternatives to chemicalfertilizers a od pesticides or use them spar-ingly, and only at the right time of year,

~ Recycle used motor oil, Never dumpit, In KiLsap County, call 895-3931 forrecycling loca fons.>

< Dispose of garbage properly.~ Reduce use of toxic hou sehoki

chemicals, including cleaners and phosphatedetergents. Most chemicals pass straightthrough municipal treatment pla nts andseptic systems. For information on alterna-tives to toxic chemicals, call the state Hazard-ous Substances Information Office, 1-800-633-7585.!

~ Cutback on water use,

i Maintain your boat's sewage system.If it has an installed toilet, it must have an

approved marine sanitation device MSD!,either holding or trx'afing the sewage.

~ Make sure there is no direct dis-

Wtrwr You Cav Do ~ 255

~ o ~ as ~ ~ ~ oe

charge from your marine toilet, Pump outyour toilet at an approved pump-out facility.

~ To locate area pump-out stahons,call Washington State Parks, 586-8592, orwrite 7150 Clcanwater Lane, Mail Stop KY-ll, Olympia 98504. On the canal, TwanohState Park, Pleasant Harbor Marina and PortLudlow Marina have pump-out stations.

~ Avoid pumping treated sewage inshallow area~ or near shellhsh beds.

~ Use shoreside restrooms whenpossible.

~ Keep track of your fuel level. Avoid"topping off" the tank, and wipe up spills ondecks and docks.

~ Use an absorbent sponge to soak upchemicals in the bilge,

~ Check fuel lines f' or leaks.~ Recycle used motor oil.~ Rcport small spills to the marina

operator. Report larger spiHs to the Depart-ment ot Emergency Management I-800-262-5990!, Department of Ecology �53-2353! orCoast Guard �-800-424-8802!.

~ Keep a secured trash container onboard and use it. Don't throw any garbageor sewage overboard.

~ Avoid thmwing any debris over-board. It is illegaL

~ Pick up floating debris and beachedplastics, including tangled fishing line thatcan be especially hazardous to marine life.

~ When maintaining your boat, usesanders with vacuum attachments. Catchpaint scrapings and drippings with a dropcloth, then. dispose of them in thc trash.

+ Clean up with non-phosphatedetergents rather than toxic deck cleaners,

~ Avoid paints that contain tributylhnffl3T!, which has been banned on all butaluminum boats in Washington state.

~ Dispose of chemicals during hazard-ous waste cleanup days.

If you like to drive amund the canal

~ Keep the car tuned and patch anyleaks that may drip oil on the ground.

APPENDrX

000 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

USEFUL

REFERENCES

0256 ~

Anderson, Helen McReaw, Hou.s Whe» andWI>ere orr I h»rd Ca»al, Puget Press,Everett, Wash., 1960.

Angell, T. and K.C. Balcomb, Mari>re Birdsand Prtam>ru>ls of Puget Sound, Washing-ton Sea Grant Program, Seattle, 1982.

Brown, Bruce, Mountain in the Clouds: ASearch for the Wild Sal>non, Simon andSchuster, New York, N.Y., 1982,

Buchanan, lva Luella, An Econo>nic History ofÃ>tsap County, unpublished thesis,University of Washington, 1930.

Bunton, Donna, and Robert Sluss, Anb>troduction to t1>e Nat ural History of theTheler Wetlands, for Hood CanalWetlands Proled, Bclfair, Wash., 1991.

Burns, Robert, The Shape a>rd Form of PugetSound, Washington Sea Grant Program,Seattle, Wash., 1985.

Cheney, Daniel P. and Thomas I:. Mumfordjr., Shellfish and Sear>wed HarcestsofPuget Sourrd, Washington Sea GrantProgram, Seattle, Wash., 1986,

Clayson, Edward, Historical h1arratizes ofPuget Sound, Hood's C'anal, 1865-1885,Ye Galleon Press, Fa irfield, Wash.,1969.

Dc> wning, john, The Coast of Puget Sound: ItsP> ocesses and De>ttoprnent, University ofWashington Press, Seattle, Wash., 1983.

Gilrnore Research Group, The 1988 P>>getSo>md Recreatir>nat Boatrm S>rrtey,Washington Public Ports Assr>ciation,l 989.

Hood Canal Advisory Cornrnissk>n, Hood

Car>al Handbook, Kitsap Countv Depart-rnent of Community Planning, I'ortOrc hard, 1977,

Hood Canal Advisory Comnussion, Repo> t tothe County Commiss'>oners, 1979.

I Iood Canal Coordinating Council, Boatingin Hood Canal: Boaters' Guide and

Resource ttrtap, Silverdale, Wash.Hood Canal Coordinating Council, Educa-

tional Serr>ices Project Final Report,Kitsap County Department of Commu-nity Development, Port Orchard,Wash., 1988,

I Iood Canal Coordinating Council, HoodCarurl Regional Planr>ing Policy,Silverdale, Wash., 1986.

Hood Canal Coordinating Council, HoodCar>al Water Q»ality Policies Analysis &Element, Port Orchard, Wash., 1987.

Jefferson County IMtorical Society, WithPride ln Heritage: A History of !efferconCo>rnty, Port Townsend, Wash. 1966.

jones & Stokes Associates, Priority WetlandssTI>rart Assessment, for U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency, Seattle,Wash., 1988.

Kitsap County, Department of Co>nmunityDevelopment and Public UtilityDistrict No. I, I'relirni nary Assess>nent ofWater Resource and Public Water Sert ices

Issues ir> Kitsap County, 1986.Kitsap County Ground Water Advisory

Committee, K>'tsap County GroundWater lvtanagement Plan, Kitsap CountyPublic Uhlity District, Poulsbo, 1989,

Usrr u> RF< i. >> > Ni s ~ >o>

~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t

Kitsap County Historical Souety, Kitsa pCounty H>story. A Story of Kits»p Countyandits Pioiieers, 1977.

Magoon, C., and R. Vining, lrit roduction toShellfish Aq«ac>dturei» tt>e Puget SoundRegion, Washington State Departmentof Natural Resources, Olympia, Wash.,1981.

Meany, Edrnond S., Va»cour~@'s Discovery o Puget Sin>>id, Bindtords and Mort,Porttand, Ore., 1935.

Nehlsen, Willa, Jack E, Williams and JamesA. Lichatowich, "Pacific Salmon at theCrossroads: Stocks at Risk fromCalifornia, Oregon, Idaho and Wash-ington," Fisheries, Vo!. 16, No. 2,March-April 1991.

North Mason Sub-Area Planning Coxnmit-tee, >Vorth Mawn Sub-Area Plan,Shelton, Wash., 1990.

Northwest Environmental Consultants inc.,Theler Me>nor>al Recreation Park C»mpre-hensive Plan, for Mason RegionalPlanning Council, 1979.

Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, PugetSound Water Quality Maru>ge>ne>it Plan biennial! plus issue papers on nurner-ous topics, Seattle and Olympia, Wash.

Simmons, Donna M., Directory of f nviron-rnentul Education Resources for the HoodCa>ial Regiini, Hood Canal Coordinat-ing Council, Silverdale, Wash., 1987.

Strickland, Richard M., The Fertile Ftord:Pla»kton >n Puget Sound, WashingtonSea Grant Program, Seattle, Wash.,1983.

Terich, Thomas, Living >faith the Shore o PugetSound and the Georgia Strait, DukeUniversity Press, Durham, N,C�1987.

Washington State, Department of Ecology,Coastal Zone Atlas of Washington,Olympia, Wash., 1980.

Washington State, Departxnent of Ecology,lnstrea>n Resources Protection Pr >gra>n,Including Administrative Rules, multiple volumes by area!, Olympia,Wash.

Washington State, Department of Fisheries,Fishcnies Statistic Reports, Olvmpia,Wash., annual.

Welch, Janet L., and Bill Banks, The Quilce»ejDabob Bay Water Quality Project,Washington State Department ofEcology, Olympia, Wash., 1987,

Williams, Walter R., Richard M, Lararnie andJames J. Ames, A Grtatog of WashingtonStreams and Soir»on Lttiiiwtio», Wash-ington State Department of Fish. eries,Olympia, Wash., 1975.

Yoshinaka, Martin S., and Nancy j. Fllifrit,Hood Caiial; Priorities for Ton>orr>ru~, U.S.Department of Interior, Fish andWildlife Service, 1974.

~ a ~ ~ ~ I ~ ~ 0 0

THE SERIES

Part IH

Sept

Sept

SeptSept

NovNov

NovNov

uch of the material in this

book was originally pub-lished over the span of a yearin The Sun, a newspaper inSremerton, Wash .. thatcirculates in the Hood Canal

watershed.The stories in the series were re-edited

and updated for inclusion in the book. Insome cases, whole new pieces were added;in other cases, articles were significantlyshortened.

What follows, for researchers orreaders who want to refer to the originalmaterial, is a listing of the dates of originalpublica Cion.

Part I: Introduction

July 9, 1%6: A waterway of nationalsignificance.

July 10, 1990: The canal's watershedJuly 11, 1990: Native Americans in the

canal's history.July 12, 1990: Early logging and white

settlement.July 13, 1990: The people of Hood Canal.July 14, 1990: Driving tour of the canaL

Part II: Recreation and Tourism.

Aug, 20, 1990: Recreational uses of HoodCanal.

Aug. 21, 1990: Economics of the growmgtourist trad e.

Aug. 22, 1990: Impacts of recreation,

Fishing

24, 1990: The Boldt decision and

tribal fishing,25, 1990: Commercial fishing onHood Canal.26, 1990: Sports fishing.27, 1990: Habitat loss and its threatto salmon.

Logging12, 1990; A Log's Long Journey.13, 1990: Logging's Delicate Eco-nornics.14, 1990: Profile of a logger.15, 1990: The spotted ov. I contro-versy.

Nov. 16, 1990: For Timber or the En viron-ment.

Part V: The Oyster

Nov. 22, 1990: The oyster industry.Nov. 23, 1990: Tribal claims to shellfish,

Part VI: The Culture of Hood Canal

Jan. 2, 1991: Northwest Indian culture.Jan. 3, 1991: Creating art on Hood Canal.Jan. 4, 1991: Artists of the canal.

Part VIL Wetlands

Feb. 18, 1991: Miracles of the Marsh.Feb. 19, 1991: A Puddle of Life.Feb. 20, 1991: A Regulatory Patchwork.

Part VIII; Life on Hood Canal

March 18, 1991: Crowing I'ams: A look atBelfair.

March 19, 1991: New Homes Jam SouthPoint.

March 20, 1991: Plush Properties,March 21, 1991: Waterfront Land Rush.

Part IX; DevelopmentApril 29, 1991: Houses Everywhere.April 30, 1991: Turn Around, and It' s

Gone.

May I, 1991: Planning for Growth,

Part X: Water Resources

June 10, 1991: A Precious Commodity.June 11, 1991: Jockeying for the Resource.June '12, 1991: Water Demand Grows.

Part XI: BangorJuly 2, 1991: A Setting for Awesome

Firepower,July 3, 1991: 400 Feet Below the Canal.July 4, 1991: Mission: Keep it Clean.July 5, 199'1: Hood Canal's Largest

Community,

Part Xll Conchrs ion

July 29, 1991: Memories of the Canal,July 30, 1991: Preservation Through

Action.

July 31, 1991: An Uncertain Future.

~ 258~

~ t ~ ~ ~ s 0 ~ ~

L~JDEX

C

B

Bald Point, 214

e 259 ~

ANE Forests of Puget Sound, 74-76Access

Impacts of, 170Public, 8-12, 249-50

Ackerman, Alvin & LaVerle, 219;photo 143

Adams, William J�60Ah Fong's Gold, 13Alderbrook Inn, photo 8, map 163

Golf course watering, 181Sev er 178, 182

Allvn, Port of, 182-83Anderrnan Sand and Gravel, 185Anderson, Mary Helen, 162Andrews, Joseph A. Sr., 190-91;

photos 139, 190Aquifer recharge, 39-40, 187-189

see also stonnwa ter runoff!Artists

Ban on, Mark, 217-18Blaine, John & Iriss, 221-222Iglitzin, Alan inusician!, 223Lund emo, Ken, 223-24M akhett, William, 222-Z3Michaels, Katherine, 222-23Ha wkins, Virginia, 223-24Olyinpus Manor artists co!ony,

225Auto touring, 8-11, 162Automobi! e

Pollution, 184Wetland impacts, 170

Bangor Base, 131-154 Sec Naval Subinarine Base at

Bangor!Bangor community, 5, 61; map 7Barber, John, 208Barron, Teresa & Mark, 117, 118,

21 7-18Beavers, 49-50Becker, George & Maryjane, 157Bed & breakfast inns, 211Belfair, map 204

Drive to, 9Grov th center. 250I Iistory, 61Name change, 203-04Pollution, 116Rural atmosphere, 202-05Sewer project, 182, 204Sewers, recommended action,

250Urban sprav 'I, 216-'17Wetlands, 3, 44-48

Belfair Cafe, 203Belfair State. Park

Recreation, 9Shellfish restrictions, 5, 182

Bernthal, Carol, 50-51Big Beef Aquifer, 39Big Beef Creek ]26 243-44Big Beef Research Stahon, 39, 243-44Big Mission Creek, 45Big Quilcene River see Qui!cene

River!Blaine, John & lriss, 22I-U~, photo

138Blinn, Marshall, 60Boating

Education, 166, 167

Iaw, 166I'olluhnn, 16M7Sewer puznp-outs, 166What you can do, 274-55

Boldt DecisionBasis for 96-97Change in nranagement, 91-93Coho ap cement, 111-13Future issues, 97Independence for trilie. 93, Qilvron-Indian renews, 92, 101, lt tlOysters, 124

Boldt, District Judge George, 92-93,96-97

BremertonGrowth center, ~ MWater supp!y system, 31, 3>, 42

Bridgehaven, 206-208, photo 2<16Brinnon, 19, 61, 218, map 19Brown Point 11Bruns, Bi! I, 202, 204-05, photo 2tBuckingham, Ne!sa, 51Bulkheads, 183-184, 246Busch, Russ, 27-28

Calbcott J Barrd,~ ii 38Camping club 161Carriere, hd, photo, 195-96, ph<!to

195Casad Dam, 38, 4'Cattail Lake»1Cavenham,76Chainber Mu rc Institute, "3Charrier, I am, 98-102Chase, Waldo, 225CheL>n Agreement, 31

260 ~ I fcmo Casse

D

F

Chesapeake Bay, 5, ]16Chetzernoka, Chief 193-94Clark, Jerry, 66, 67, 68Clifton, 61, 203Close, Bob, 186, 209-210Coast Guard, 167Coa~t Oyster Co., 4, 116, 118, 120,

121, photo 120Conservation easement, 242Conservation ethic, 84, 237-38 see

also preservation! Conserva-tion, water, 39

Construction see development!Cougars, 18, 230Creeks see rivers and creeks!Crowley, Bob, 86, 240-41Crown Zellerback, 76Crosby, I ICushman Darn, 23-26, 27-28, 160,

161, photo 23, maps 25, 28

Dabob Bay, map 133Humming noise, l3Oyster growers, 115-16Oyster reproduction, 117, 128Trident testing range, 145-148

Dalby, Fritz, 225Dams

Casad, 38, 42Cushman, 23-26, 27-28, 160, 161Elkhorn, Hamrna Harnma, 33-35Quilcene, 30, 41Salmon, effect on, 25

Daniels, Keith, 175-76, 177Davis, rene, 45,203Davis, John & Judy, 216-17, photos

]43, 216Daviscourt Estate, 210, 214Day, Jon and Loanna, 126-28, 130Decoteau, Mildred, 192Dennison, Larry, 187Development, Chapter 11, map 188

Erosion, 176-77Fertilize r, 178Garbage, 177-78Impervious surfaces, 176-77Oysters, effects on, 117, 129Pets, 178Pressures, 240, map 'I88Recommended actions, 246Recreation oriented, 160-6]Storm~ ater runoff, 176-77Timberland conversion, 181What you can do,254Wildlife, impacts on, 178. 189

Devil's Lake, ]69-7], map 170,photos 137, 169

Dewatto, 11, 26, 6 I, 94, 2]5Dewatto Bay, 11, 212-13

Dewatto River, 26Dosewailips River, photo ]7, map

36Elk herd, 86-87, 235Flow characteristics, 17-19Indian meaning, 26Power potential, 33-35Preservation, 234Seal pollution, 118Soutlkobsh Indians, ]93Water supply question, 26, 30Wild salmon, 234

Dosewallips State Park, 116, 156Driftnet fishing, 94

.ood Key, l76, map ]77Duckabush River

Elk herd, 87Mosquito fleet, 61Preserva hon, 234Water supply queshon, 26, 30

Duffy, Bill, 42

Ecological Commission, Washing-ton State 30

Economics see also real estate!Conservation ethic, 237-38Fishing, Indian, 93Fishing, non-Indian commercial,

99-101Fishing, sport, 106Land owners, 74-76Oyster trade, 119Recreation, ]60@4Timber, 71, 72-73, 80-82, 86Timber tax, 77

Educahon, environmental, 126-28,I 66, 167, 180, 235-36, 252-255Eel Glacier 17-19, map 18

Eldon, 162, 163Electrical Power Generahon

Cushman Dam, 2425, 26Elk Horn, Dosewai!ips, 33-35Ham ma Harnma, 33-35

Elk, 51, 86-87, 235Flkhom Hydro Project, 33-35, map

34

F.nd angered Species Act, 66, 86Erosion, 176-77, 183Ethics, 1'I l, 113, 235, 237-38Explorahon of Hood Canal, 60

F>sh, Chapter 7, map 112As symbols, 113Bulkheads, effects, 183Coho decline. 188, 232Uams, effects, 25, 30, 32, 34-35Development, effects, 177

Endangered runs, 32Genetics, 111, 231-32, 248Habitat management, ]10History of damage, 108Keystone spccics, 231-32Natural runs, 111-114Spawning sh earns, map 112What you can do, 253

Fish hatcheriesBold t, impact of, 93, 99-101Consequences of, 32, 234, 247-48Charge Adams, 25Hoodsport, 104Vaval Submarine Base at

Bangor, 151Point Vo Point Treaty Council,

95Qoilcene, 29-30, 31-32, photo 29Sign of desperahon, 108, I ]3-114Sport enhancement, 93, 106

Fisheries, State Dept, of,Coho decline, 232Commercial vs. sport, ]05-06Development plans, review, 189Enforcement, 91Hatcheries, 234-35Index stream, 243Management, 9] -92Sport preserve, ] 04-06, 114Fisherman's Harbor, 11

Fishing, Chapter 7, photo 144Bait business, 102Ban proposed, 92, 1]4Bottom fish, 99-101Commercial harvest nu mbers,

100Cordlicts, 105-06Enforcement, tribal, 91-93, photo

91Fish preserve, 92, 114Foreign fleets, 247GBlnet ter, 99, 101Hatchery fish, 102, 104Indian, 94-96 photo 91Management, 91-93, 96-97, 110,

111-1 3Marine sanctuary, 247, 248Purse seiner, 98-99Recornrnended action, 248Sport decline, 103-06

Horida, USS, 135, '145-48, photos131, 145

Forbes, Glen k June, 176, 177Foulwcather Blu ff, 46Frissell, Chris, 231-32, 241

Gable, Clark, 209, 211Garbage, 177, 178, 246Gates, Bill, 210

Ixnj r ~ ~6I

Iglitzin, Alan, 223Impervious surfaces, 176-77, 184Indian culture, Chapter '12

Arts, crafts, 195-96, 197-98Basket making, 195.96, 198Bent boxes, 197-98Bold t decision, 93, 96Cars' g, 196Chetzemoka, Chief 193-94Cushman project, 27-28I.ishing, 95Language, 200-01Song, dance, 194Spiritual practices, 194Teaching, 19496, 197-98, 199-200Tribes, locations, map 192

lnns, bed & breakfast, 211

Hamma Harnma Oyster Co., 119I Iamrna Harnma River

Elevation drop, 18I Iiking, 9I lydro project, 33-35Indian meaning, 26Water supply question, 26, 30

Handly, Mike, 69-71Hanson, Gary, 179, 180, 242Hansvrlle, 176Happy Hollow, 214Hatcheries see fish - -, oyster - -!Haw, Frank, 24Hawk, I'at, 199-2N!Hawkins, Virginia, 223-24Hayes, Gordon, 4, 118Hayes, Vcrn, 121Hazelwood, Chuck and JoAnne,

210-211, photo 143Highways, impacts of, 184Highways, map 10Hintz, Gary, 65Hintzville, 11Hirschi, Chuck & Ida Falcr, 62-63Hirschi, Ron & Brenda, 107-110,

218-19, 233-36, photo 235Holly, I 1, 61Hood, Admiral Samuel, 22, 60Hood Canal Bridge, 11, 161, 207, 215Hood Canal Coord ina ting Council.

167, 187, 247, 248

Manke & Sons, 74Marine debris, I68Marine sanctuary, 62, 234, 247Martin, Clarence & Dorothv, 592Martin, Louis, 115Mason County I'rotection Assn..

186Mason County I'L'D I & 3, 33Mason County Tourist Center, 161,

164Matchett, William, »~-23McBreen, Denrus, 167. 233-36, photo

236McFiligott, Cmdr. Mane, 135-36Melbourne Lake, 51Messmer, Jrm, 24112Michaeis, Kathc rine, >~~-23Mike's Beach Resort, 162Milholland, Mme, 20 l- llMiller, Bruce, 194, 19I', photo 19.Minerva Beach RV I'ark, I f"Misery Point, 118, 123Moran, Catherine, 192

Jackson, Garth, 26, 28Jefferson County land Trust, 242Jefferson County PUD, 33-35]erkovich, Vick, 98-101, photo 98Jones, Jake, 197, photo 139

Kelp beds, 10~, 235King's Spit, 5Kirk, G.R., 74-76Kitsap Bait Sales, 102Kitsap Memorial State Park, 156Kocan, Dick, 243-44

Lake Chelan Agreement, 31Lake Cushrnan, 80, 160, 161Lake Cushrnan Hydro Project, 23-

26, 27-28, maps 25, 26

Geology, map 2'IAffects on pollution, 117, 182Vav~, advantages to, 132Sills, 5, 22

Girls Scout Camp, 241-42Glaciers, 17, 38Glyn Avr RV Park, 161Goldsmith, Sir James, 76Golf courses, 181, 210Gonzale, Crndr. Henry, 132, 145,

149Good paster, J im Sr., 80-82, photo 81Gorslinc, Jerry, 49-52, photos 137Grave! mining, 184-85Grou nd water tormati on s, 37-39Growth management

County role, 240-41Decisions, 23940, 250Landscape ecology, 241Imgging, 89-90Mason County, 185-86Oyster growing, 118Resource protections, 38-40, 54-

56, 177, 189Growth pattnms, 212-13, 214, 234,

235, 240-41

Hood Canal Land Trust,4,46,48,242, map 5

Hood Canal Salmon ManagementPlan, 92, 111-113

I food Canal School, 199Hood Canal Seafood, 115-16Hood Canal Wetlands Project, 44-

48, photo 44, maps 45, 47Hoodsport, map 161

Drive to, 9Octopus holes, 13Mosquito fleet, 61RV parks, 161, 162

Hood sport G rocery, 160Hoover, Al, 184-85Horsley, John, 187-89Hungry Bear Restaurant, 163

Lakeness, Kirk, 115-! 6Land trust~, 242Landscape Ecology, 2-I ILartz, Ralph, 219-20Laudine DeCoteau Cnxk, 107Lawn chemicals.! 78Leopold, Aid o, 238Lichatowich, Jim, 32, I ArtLilliwaup

Mike's Beach Ri~cirtl4>t A While nm~rt 161

Lilliwaup Wetlands, 49-52, photo49, map 51

Litter, 166, 168Litt le Mission Creek, 45Little Quilcene River ~x Quilccnc!Lockhart, James, 18243Logging, Chapter 6

Clearcuthng, 69-71, 17i, 185Conflicts, %r88Daily life, 7MODevelopment, 1711Harvest levels, 87Impacts on fish, 97, 107-08, I I8-

09, 218-19, 231. 234Impacts nn oysters, 118Jobs, by county, 72Lilliwaup Wetlands, 70, 52Modem methods, 64-68, 69-71,

236Recommended actions, 245-46Small property owners, 179% I<See also timber...!

Lund emo, Ken, 22.3-24, photo 221I.vnch Cove, 20-22, 44-48, 116

262 ~ Heron C~vaz

N

R

Mosley, John, ]4~, photo 145Mountains see Olympic Moun-

tains!Muir, John, 61, 237-38Musicians: Alan Iglitzin, 223Mygatt, Chris, 132, 134-136

Native Americans see Indians!Na ture Conservancy, 46Naval Submarine Base at Bangor,

Chapter 9, photo 150De]ta pier, 133Deterrence, concept, 148-49Family lite, 134-36Nuclear safety, 152-54Pollution, 152-53Strategic loca hon, 132-33Submarine traffic, 11Submarine trials, 145-148

Navy, L.S�]1, 13, 13]-154Nellita, 11, 6 l, 222-23Nelson, Bert, 102Nobles, Ore, 225N ordstrom family, 210North Mason Schnnl District, ~7

204North Mason Subarea Plan, 219-20North Shore, 9, 161, 182, 184, 203-04

214 see also Belfair, Tahuya!Northern spotted owl, 78-84, 86Northwest Rivers Council, 35

Octopus holes, 13Old-growth timber, 78-80, 84, 86,

]71Olvmpic Kayak, 35Olympic Mountains

Geology, 20-22Inspiration, ~&], ~~, 224Mount Anderson, 17Mount Constance, 18Mount Skokomish, 23Saddle Mountain, 50Views, 177, ] 88, 123

Olvrnpic Mountain Music Festival,7n3

O]yrnpic V ahona1 ForestBackpacking & camping, 162Car touring, l62Forest mana gnnent, 42, 86, 87-88Spotted nw'l, 78-80, 82-84Wi]d & Scenic Rivers, 33, 35

O!vmpic National Forest Manage-ment Plan, 33,3>

Olvmpic View, 210, 223-24O]vrnpus Manor, 225Osborne Lake, 51C]tto, Iz~, 82-84, photo 83Ottri, larry, 156-57

Owen, State. Sen. Brad, 92, 104, 114,233-36, 247-48

Ovsters, Chapter 8, photos 115, 144,map ]27

Business & culturing, 4, 115-16,117, '120-21, ]2&28, 242

Ja panese, 117, 120Elarvest, by year,! 16E Iealth restrictions, 234, map 127History, 116-17Lega] issues, ] l 7, 123-26Pollution, 117-18, 125Property contlicts, 123-25Reproduction, 117, 121Research, 120-21Shucking, 115Tribal harvest, 123Types, 116, 119, 120

Pacific Coast Oyster Growers Assn]16, ]17

Pacific Funding Corp., 74Panama, sunken ship, 13Paradise Bay, 222Parks, Washing~on State

Belfair, 5, 182, 9Dosewallips, 116, 118Driving tour, 9-11Potlatch, 9Scenic Beach,Twanoh, 19, 155-57, 166, 209Visitors, 156-57

Parrot, Celia & Gary,3,4, 7,242,photo 53

Pasco, Duan.e, 196, 197, photo 197Pederson, Dick & Celine, 78-80,

photo 79Penny Creek, 29Peters, David, 5I'hil lips, Jean, 35Pickel, Marie, 4647Pinchot, Gifford, 237-38Pla nktnn, photo 126

Annual blooms, 130Red tide, 129-30, map 130

Pleasant Harbor, 165-67Point No I'oint. Treaty Council, 91,

95, 97, 113, 232, 111-13, 124Pnllu tion

Ab~culturah 236Automobile, 178, 184Bangor, 133, 152-53Boating, 165-67Garbage, 178Gravel mining, 185I zr m chemicals, 178I ~ging, 97, 107-08, 108-09, 118,

177, 185, 218-19, 234Marine debris, 168Seals, I ]6, 118Sephc tanks, 178

Oyster, effect on, 116Oyster grnwer- tight, 117Recommended action, 247

Pope, Andrew jackson 60, 62Pope Resources

Dosewallips elk, 86-87Formation, 61, 67land owner, 72-73, 74-76Management policies, 76Port Gamble plans, 250Timber trade, 71

Pope & TalbotHistory, 60-61, 62-63, photo 59Mill shutdown, 66-68

Port Ludlow log dump, 66I'ort Ludlnw Marina, 166I'ort Gamble

Driving tour, 11History, 60-61, 62-63, 218Mosquito fleet, 61Pope Resources plans, 188, 250Sewers, '178Shellfish, 122, 234

Port Gamble 5'Klallam Art Center,196

Port Townsend Paper Mill, 42Port Townsend water supply, 31,

414]Potlatch, 9, 61Preservation

Ethics, 237-238Preservation area, 234, 247Reasons for, 3, 62, 82-83, 234 See also conservahon!

Price Lake, 51Puget Mill Compa ny, 60-61, 62-63Purdy Creek, 184Purser, Irene, 192

Quilcene, map 121History, 61, 219indian meaning, 26Mosquito fleet, 6]

Quilcene Bay, 116-] 18Quilcene N ation a I Fish Hate hery,

29-30, 31-32, photo 29Quilcene Oyster., 4-5, 1] 6, 119, 12],

]28Quilcene River, map 42

Water supply, 24, 31, 41-42, 87Fish hatchery, 29

Real estate prices, 177, 212-213, 214-215

Recreation, Chapter 10Boating, 165-67Lake Cushman, 28Oft-road, recommended action,

246-47

U

Olympic National Forest, 162Oyster picking, 116Scenic drive, S-l 1Scuba, 12-13Shrimping, 161, 163Twa noh State Park, 155-57Visitors, 160-161, 16'3-64Wild and scenic rivers, 35

Red tide, 129-30, map 130Red man, Marjorie, 233-36RcM, Mike, 32, 89, 108, l81, 189,

242, 242Regulations

Be watchdog, 252-53Effect on price, 177

Rest A While resort, 161Rivers and creeks

Big Beef Creek, 243-44Big, Little Mission Creeks, 45DosewaUips. 17-19, 26, 30, 32, 33-

35, 45, 86-87, '1 18, 193, 234,235, photo 17, map 36

Duckabush, 26, 30, 32, 46, 61, 87,218, 231

Harn' I ]aroma, 9, 18, 30, 33-35Indian namcw, 26Iwudinc DeCoteau Creek, l07-08Penny Creek, 29Purdy Creek, 184QuUcene, 18, 29-30, 31-32, 4142,

45,87, 118Seabcck Creek, 108-09Silt Creek, I 7Skokomish, 9, 18, 22, 25-29, 32,

60, 184Ta huva, 205Union, 24, 3], 38, 42, 185WiM 8r Scenic, 35

Robins, Dave, 242.Robinson & Noble, 37-38, 39Robinswoki, 241-42, photo 239Rogers, Andy, 229-232, photo 229Rose Point R~rt, 158-59Runoff see stormwater!

Salmon see fish!Scenic Beach State Park, 9Schafer Castle, 209Seabeck, map 61

Ah Fong's Gold, 13Drive to,9Mill, 13, 60, 61

%mosquito fleet, 60Oyster beds, 123Proposed mussel farm, 118Sunken wreck, 13

Seatxwk Bay, 129Seabeck Creek, 108-09Sea beck ]v]arina, 104, 167Sea] Rock Campground, 116

SewageAMerbrook, 9282Be]fair, 250Boater, 165-67Failing drainfie]ds, 166, 178, 182-

83Recommended actions, 234, 246

SheUfishBangor Base, 152Be]fair, 182Early Indians, 192Geoducks, 248Health restrictions, 234Ki Isa p moratorium, 118Mussels, 118Tribal ha rvest, ] ~D-24 See also oysters, pollution!

Shipley, Bill, 207Silt Creek, 17Simmons, Donna, 30-31, 86, 88, 167,

233-36, 240, 242, photo 234Simpson Timber Co.

Land ovmership, 74-76Lilliwap wetlands, 51

S'K]aUam TribeFishing enforcement, 9]Fishing management, 91-93I angua ge, 2 %4]ShcUfishing, 122-24

Skokomish River, photo 103, map»2S, 104

Discovery of, 60Driving tour, 9] Iighways, 184Indian meaning, 26North Fork, r3-24St]ty water, 12-13, 22

Skokomish TribeBasket making, 198Coho decline, 111-113, 232Fisherrrren, 93, 94-96Fishing gear, 94-95Fishing management, 91Hood Canal School, 199Oyster harvest, 123Treaty rights, 25, 27-28

Smith, BilL, 94-95, photo 94Smith, David 8z Carol, map ] 80

Old cesspool, I 7 8Timber management, 179-80

Smith, Tim, I '16-17, 119Snooke Junchon, 161South Poirrt, 206-208, 161, map 207South Shore, 166, 184, 2 !9, 210, 214,

215 see also Belfair, Twanoh,Union!

Spotted o~ I, 78-84, 86Staircase Rapids, 23-24Starvevich, Iv]ax k Ester, 6-7, 214,

photo 6Stavls Ba Y 229-337 ~I, map 230Stavis Creek, 232Stormrvater runott, 176 ~ r, 189, 246

Strategic Weapons Fact]ih, 149. I WISunset Beach Grocerv, 161

Tabook Point, I]Tacoma Citv Light, 25, 26, 33-35, 27-

28Tahuva, 9, 11, 26Tahuva R]ver, 205Talbot, Frederic, 60, 62Tarboo Bay, 215Tax incentives, need for, 25 »]TeUes, Larry, 29, 392-32Theler, Mary E., Communitv

Center, 7, 44-]5, 46 � l7, 203Theler Wet]ands, 44-48, nips 45, 47Timber industry, Chapter 6

Automation, 86Conversions, 181, 240Economv, early days, 6 !-6]Economy, today' s, 69-71Economy, regional, 72-7'3, 83Harvest levels, 87Managemertt, Bangor, 151Chvnership, 74-'6, 179-80,241-42,

Practices, 76Srna ll land ov "ners, 179-St]Sustainable Forestrv R oundtable,

90Tax structure,7rThresholds, 90Timber, Fish 5 WiMht'e agree-

rnent, 89What you can do, 253 See also logging!

Toandos Peninsuk~, 11, t-4 map 66Tom, Bernard, 91, photo 91Trail's End, 206-208Trail's End Tavern, 207Trammel, Virginia, I Mi9Traveler's Insurance, 74-76Trcvathan, C]rar]ie k ]Mary, 1~~-23,

124Trident Submarine Base, ] 31-5-]

see Naval Submarine BaseTrillium Corporation, 74-7oTwanoh State Park. map 1 w, phcrto

155Recreation, 9, ] 55-57

Sewage pumpout, 16 Visitor, ]~]5Water tenaperatu re, 19

UnionAld erhrtrrk lmt. I: 8, 181 16Drive to,9Golf course t1crr]'.rrg. ]8 -86.

photo 181Hrghr~av cub erti, I<

264 ~ H AD C+vAt.

History, 6'1Olympus Manor art co ony,

Union City, 61Union Marina, photo 12U nion River

2,31,Bremerton water supp y, 2,1 24,38, 42

Gravel mining impacts, 185United Property Owners of Wash-

ington, 124-25USS Florida see Florida, USS!Usnick, George & Delores, 123, 125,

photo 122

V

Vancouver, Capt. George 22, 59-60

W

Walker, jerry, 44-45, 4b47Walter, john, 76, 87Washington Timberland Manage-

ment, 179, 180, 242Water characteristics

Bangor Base, 133

Flushing achon, 34High water tables, Belfair, 182Highways, impact, 184Layering, 12-13Low oxygen, Lynch Cove, 182Oysters, 117Rainfall map, 39Stream sediment, 189Tem perature, 19Wetland values, 46What you can do, 253, 254

Water resources, Chapter 4Average use, 177Bremerton, 31, 38, 42Chelan Agreement, 25-26C ushman Project, 23-26Dri king water standards, 41-42Elkhorn, Harn ma Ha mrna, 33-.

'n '

-35

Fish, wildlife needs, 30Future supply, 3740Garbage impacts, 178Geology, 37-38Golf course consumption, 18 1Groundwater, 39-40, 177-78Minimum stream flows,. 30-31

Politics, law, 30-31

Port Townsend, 31, 41-41Skokomish negotiations, 27-2-28

See also rivers!Water Resources Act, 31Webster, Lawrence, 191-92Wentlandt, Carol & Sanford, 203,

205Werner, Neil, 204Wetlands, Chapter 5, map 55

Beaver ponds, 49-50Growth management, 54-56Highways, impact, 184History of diking, 45Mosaic, 50Plant, animal communities, 47-

48, 50-52Regulahons, 54-56, 177Theler, 44-48, photo 44Values, 47-48, 49-52, 54What you can do, 254

Wheeler, Bob, 42Wilcoxen, Dee, 207Wild Rivers Conservancy, 35Wild & Scenic Rivers, 35Wright, Capt. Malcolm, 132, 133,

136, 149