Detailed planning and design, followed by thoughtful
construction projects, have begun to tame the stormwater menace in
Clear Creek, an important salmon stream that runs through
Silverdale in Central Kitsap.
A renovated stormwater pond at
Quail Hollow near Silverdale includes a walking trail and enhanced
wildlife habitat. // Photo: C. Dunagan
Stormwater has been identified as the greatest pollution threat
to Puget Sound. In Kitsap County, many folks believed that the
dense development pattern in and around Silverdale has doomed Clear
Creek to functioning as a large drainage ditch for runoff into Dyes
Inlet.
But reducing stormwater pollution is not beyond the reach of
human innovation, as I learned this week on a tour of new and
planned stormwater facilities in the Clear Creek drainage area. The
trick is to filter the stormwater by any means practical, according
to Chris May, director of Kitsap County’s Stormwater Division and a
key player in the multi-agency Clean Water Kitsap program.
Projects in and around Silverdale range from large regional
ponds of several acres to small filtration devices fitted into
confined spaces around homes and along roadways.
I can’t begin to estimate the number of times I’ve typed “Kitsap
County Surface and Stormwater Management Program” over the past 20
years in stories about pollution in Kitsap County and the need to
clean up local waterways.
Kitsap County Commissioner
Linda Streissguth, left, along with Commissioner Rob Gelder and
water-quality manager Mindy Fohn reveal the new name on a truck
used to clean out storm drains. / Photo courtesy of
Kitsap County
But my typing fingers are already offering thanks for a new,
shorter name, which will no doubt save some ink as well.
We won’t be talking about the “swim program” anymore when trying
to pronounce the abbreviation, SSWM. I hope we won’t need any
abbreviation for the new name, which is “Clean Water Kitsap.”
“Clean Water Kitsap” nicely wraps up the goals and image of the
long-running program with just three words. It’s a good name with
an up-to-date style.
This is the program that collects stormwater fees from
properties in unincorporated Kitsap County and uses the money to
track down pollution, reduce stormwater and help people do the
right thing. The spirit of the program is captured in a new video
you can see on this page.
Four agencies receive portions of the stormwater money and
coordinate their efforts to clean up our local waters. Here is a
short summary of what they do:
Kitsap County Public Works (Stormwater
Program): Maintenance of public stormwater systems,
inspection of private systems, upgrades to regional systems, street
sweeping, watershed monitoring and public education.
Kitsap Public Health District: Countywide
monitoring of streams, lakes and bays; pollution identification and
correction programs; pollution advisories; public-health
investigations; and septic system education.
Kitsap Conservation District: Farm-management
assistance and planning; rain garden and green infrastructure
grants and assistance; and backyard habitat grants.
WSU Kitsap Extension: Training for stream
stewards, beach watchers and rain garden professionals; and
coordination of various volunteer projects.
I wrote about the newly approved name Clean Water Kitsap in
November (Kitsap
Sun, Nov. 29, 2013, subscription), when officials began
planning on how they would roll out the new name and logo. Some
people wanted to start using the name right away, but organizers
kept a lid on it.
As of today, the new name is official and will be used with a
new logo. A new website is coming.
I wrote a brief story for tomorrow’s newspaper (Kitsap Sun, May
22), but I could not attend today’s dedication because of other
reporting commitments.
From a news release from the county, we get these quotes:
Kitsap County Commissioner Linda
Streissguth:
“It seems fitting that we are making this change in 2014, at the
20-year mark of this innovative and nationally-recognized program.
It is built upon partnerships between agencies, volunteers and
community groups.”
Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder:
“Our community may not know what their stormwater fees pay for or
think about stormwater management every day. But, Kitsap residents
benefit every day – rain or shine.”
The site of the dedication was an overhauled stormwater pond
north of Silverdale. The pond, with 2,000 young plants, will
increase stormwater storage by 20 percent and provide habitat for
birds and other wildlife.
Chris May, manager of the county’s Stormwater Program,
speaking of the revamped pond :
“Thanks to the Public Works crews for transforming this ‘water
prison’ to a water quality improvement project for Clear Creek and
a community amenity. As we move to greener stormwater solutions,
it’s facilities like this that will help restore our streams and
Puget Sound.”
County Commissioner Rob
Gelder joins the planting effort at a stormwater pond at Quail
Hollow north of Silverdale. / Photo courtesy of Kitsap
County
