Breaking news kept us from publishing our daily event list today – you can always preview what’s up for the hours/days/weeks ahead by checking the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, to which we add new listings every day. But we do want to take a moment to mention the lone one-time-only event on the calendar tonight – an Earth Day screening of the film previewed above, the documentary “Common Ground.” All are welcome to the screening at 7 pm in Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Pastoral Center (northeast corner of 35th/Myrtle). Organizers say, “Common Ground was a winner at multiple film festivals, including the Tribeca Festival, and provides hope for future generations, with concrete ways to fix a broken planetary system.”

(WSB photos/video)

Some paddled out on the sparkling water of the Duwamish River to remove trash and debris …

… and others dug into the forest floor for tasks to help it heal. They were among the 400 volunteers who volunteered today at 12 sites during the spring edition of the twice-yearly Duwamish Alive! mega-work party. Those who welcomed them during an opening gathering at həʔapus Village Park across from the Duwamish Tribe’s longhouse included tribe chair Cecile Hansen.

Duwamish Alive! Coalition leader Sharon Leishman also introduced indigenous Wisdom Keeper Jacob Johns, and 34th District State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon:

After the gathering, groups of volunteers got their orders – at this park, some were off to the kayak cleanup, others to install “goose fencing,” some to remove ivy, and more.

If you missed this event, watch for word of the fall Duwamish Alive! in October, and many other opportunities throughout the spring and summer, such as those via the Green Seattle Partnership.

The state Department of Ecology confirms it’s investigated a fuel spill first reported online Wednesday by local wildlife biologist/advocate Kersti Muul. She received photos including the ones she gave us permission to republish here – showing the sheen on the water off Harbor Island and the West Seattle Bridge.

Here’s how Ecology spokesperson Ty Keltner responded to our inquiry:

There was a spill a couple days ago in the Duwamish. Ecology got multiple reports of sheen near the southeast end of Harbor Island. The source of the spill is believed to be the tug Westrac II. The tug reported a spill of 40-50 gallons of hydraulic oil to due to an engine drive unit issue. Ecology Spill Responders went out to determine if anything could be recovered and to ensure the vessel is no longer spilling. We sent out a responder again yesterday to see some of the leftover sheen, but it’s very weathered and there isn’t much we can do for recovering what is left.

Kersti notes, “We should continue to keep eyes out for wildlife and pockets of concentrated oil.” The state hotline for reporting a spill is 800-OILS-911.

One week from Saturday – 10 am-2 pm April 27 – the Southwest Precinct will be one of three locations in the city for the twice-yearly Drug Take-Back Day. This year, SPD is adding shredding to each location – which means that weekend has two shredding opportunities in West Seattle.

First: At the precinct, Iron Mountain Shredding will have a truck on site, with the limits/requirements shown above. It’s free, but they’re welcoming non-perishable food donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. The precinct is at 2300 SW Webster.

Second: A reminder about the already-announced shredding event/food drive in the northwest lot at Westwood Village, 9 am-noon Sunday, April 28 – this one is presented by John L. Scott Real Estate – Westwood (WSB sponsor), also free, with food or cash donations welcome for the White Center Food Bank.

(WSB photos)

That’s just some of what volunteer divers, coordinated by Seattle Dive Tours, brought up from the seafloor around Seacrest this morning. With the Water Taxi taking a break this weekend, it was the perfect chance to remove some discarded junk from Elliott Bay, as SDT and volunteers have done before. This electric scooter was one of the more unusual items:

Also retrieved: A handgun, which had been turned over to police by the time we visited the pier in late morning. Fairly rusty, we’re told, so it’s apparently been in the water a while. (Checking on last year’s cleanup coverage – divers found a scooter and gun then, too.)

P.S. Want to volunteer on land – in a way that benefits local waters and wildlife? Duwamish Alive! is next Saturday.

(Image from 2020 video of Lincoln Park’s kelp forest by “Diver Laura” James)

By Sean Golonka
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

There is more than one large forest at Lincoln Park. But for people visiting the West Seattle treasure, the
“other” forest cannot be seen on a typical hike.

Take a walk along the park’s north shore and you may see signs of the other forest — brown bulbs and blades intermingling with the surface of the water — but to really explore it, you’ll likely need diving gear.

Beneath the water off Lincoln Park sits a large kelp bed, one that is thriving relative to other similar kelp and eelgrass beds around Puget Sound. Much like how the forest on the land at Lincoln Park is filled with various creatures, the kelp bed is a marine habitat that’s home to myriad species of aquatic animals.

Lincoln Park’s kelp forest is part of the thousands of acres of kelp and eelgrass beds that have long served as vital aquatic ecosystems across the waters in and around Puget Sound and Washington’s other coasts. But, like the state’s forests above ground, these underwater forests have been shrinking for decades.

Even as Lincoln Park’s kelp bed has stood out as a success story, with the small forest that runs along the park’s north shore remaining present in recent years, similar beds in other parts of central Puget Sound, including those outside Bainbridge Island and Vashon Island, have significantly dwindled or disappeared entirely.

Spurred by these plants’ steep losses — historical studies indicate that floating kelp has disappeared from approximately 80% of shorelines in central and south Puget Sound over the past 100-plus years — local groups and state leaders are taking action to reverse course.

Read More

As winter’s end draws near, summer planning speeds up. The regional nonprofit Birds Connect Seattle is offering its nature camps again this year, with locations including Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor), and registration is open now – here’s the announcement we received:

Birds Connect Seattle started Nature Camp in 1982, and for more than 40 years we’ve built a reputation for quality environmental learning, emphasizing experiential outdoor activities that instill an appreciation for nature. Small group instruction with experienced naturalists inspires children to become explorers and stewards of nature.

This summer, we will have camp sessions for 1st-5th grades at Seahurst Park [Burien] from June 24 – August 2, and Explorer West Middle School from August 5-23. Campers will spend the week learning about local urban nature, around various themes: oceans, birds, bugs, art, and more!

Registrations are open now. Learn more here.

10:01 SM: Big early turnout at the north lot of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) for this year’s recycle/reuse/shredding event, scheduled to continue until noon. Waiting cars have been lined up past the college’s south entrance, but once you get into the lot, it’s fast-moving with multiple stations depending on what you brought. Check our calendar listing to see what they are and aren’t accepting.

11:57 AM: As noted in comments, and in email we just received, the event is over – capacity maxed out.

Partners included the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, West Seattle Junction Association, Seattle Public Utilities, Waste Management, and individual companies/organizations that actually collect and handle the materials.

The next free dropoff recycling event in West Seattle is the twice-annual Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church, 9 am-3 pm Saturday, April 27. Here’s the list of what they’ll be accepting. If you’re wondering about other ways to recycle/dispose of items – try the “Where Does It Go?” lookup.

(WSB file photo from past recycling/shredding event)

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 9) is the big day – free drop-off recycling/shredding for a variety of items, in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), 9 am-noon. As noted earlier this week, the list of what they’ll take has been expanded:

ACCEPTED ITEMS
Foam blocks
Household batteries (no damaged batteries)
Florescent tubes and bulbs (no broken bulbs, limit: 4 ft.)
Small, empty propane camping canisters
Small electronics (TVs, computers, etc.)
Small appliances (non-freon)
Paper for shredding (limit: 4 boxes of paper)
Household textiles – clothing & curtains
NEW: Reusable building materials (doors, windows, cabinets, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting, HVAC, hardware)
NEW: Solid wood or plywood furniture

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:
Commercial loads
Garbage
Yard waste
Household recycling (items that go in your cart/dumpster)
Hazardous waste
Automotive waste
Construction waste
Non-recyclable or reusable items
Car seats
Mattresses

Drive up, ride up, walk up to drop off. Participating organizations may have limited capacity, so don’t wait until late in the morning,

(WSB file photo from past recycling/shredding event)

We’ve been reminding you about Saturday’s big dropoff recycling/shredding event in West Seattle. Today, organizers just sent word that the list of what they’ll accept has grown. Here’s the update:

Have stuff to recycle that doesn’t go in your cart? Bring it to the West Seattle Recycling & Reuse Collection event! We host this event every year to collect items for recycling and reuse that can’t go in your home recycle carts or dumpsters.

ACCEPTED ITEMS
Foam blocks
Household batteries (no damaged batteries)
Florescent tubes and bulbs (no broken bulbs, limit: 4 ft.)
Small, empty propane camping canisters
Small electronics (TVs, computers, etc.)
Small appliances (non-freon)
Paper for shredding (limit: 4 boxes of paper)
Household textiles – clothing & curtains
NEW: Reusable building materials (doors, windows, cabinets, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting, HVAC, hardware)
NEW: Solid wood or plywood furniture

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:
Commercial loads
Garbage
Yard waste
Household recycling (items that go in your cart/dumpster)
Hazardous waste
Automotive waste
Construction waste
Non-recyclable or reusable items
Car seats
Mattresses

This is happening 9 am-noon in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). All free – drive up, ride up, walk up to drop off. Co-sponsors include the West Seattle Junction Association, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Public Utilities, and Waste Management.

By this time next Saturday night, you might have a lot less no-longer-needed stuff. since the annual free recycling/shredding event presented by the West Seattle Junction Association and Chamber of Commerce is next Saturday morning – 9 am until noon March 9, in the north lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). From the official flyer, here’s what will be accepted:

First-come, first-served, so don’t wait until the last moment; some trucks might fill up last. Also note that shreddable paper is limited to four boxes. (See the list of what will NOT be accepted by checking our calendar listing.)

While we’re talking about person-to-person recycling/reusing – here’s an event this weekend, in case you haven’t already seen it in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar: This Sunday (March 3), families are invited to participate in a free West Seattle toy swap! It’s happening (updated time) 2-4 pm Sunday at the Fit4Mom studio (2707 California SW). From the invitation:

Have toys that your little one is no longer loving? Let’s keep them in use!

Please bring 3-5 toys (any toys) geared toward little ones 7 and under:

– No vintage toys, or toys with missing parts or broken pieces
– All toys should be wiped down prior to showing up
– Bring a reusable bag or boxes for your takeaways

Leftovers will be donated. (Image via Freepik)

(Port of Seattle file photo of park near outfall that overflowed)

The King County Wastewater Treatment Division disclosed this afternoon that a pump-station malfunction caused a combined-sewer overflow into the Duwamish River during heavy rain overnight:

King County crews this morning stopped a combined sewer overflow that occurred overnight, caused by an electrical malfunction at a pump station. Employees initiated a cleanup by mid-morning.

The electrical malfunction — (compounded) by the heavy rainfall — caused a mixture of stormwater and wastewater to back up from maintenance holes and into two local businesses and overflow into the Duwamish River. Staff from Seattle Public Utilities discovered the overflow and alerted King County.

Crews from King County Wastewater Treatment Division responded just after 2 a.m. to the West Marginal Pump Station (7119 West Marginal Way SW). Crews determined that electrical equipment had malfunctioned and prevented the system from operating normally, causing sewer backups and the release of combined stormwater and wastewater into the river.

The combined flow was released from an outfall located near t̓ałt̓ałucid Park and Shoreline Habitat — formerly 8th Avenue South End Park [map] — along the south bank of the Duwamish River. County employees are working to determine the amount of combined sewer that flowed in the river. King County is working to repair the pump station equipment and clean up any affected property in the area.

The Wastewater Treatment Division reported the overflow to the Washington State Department of Ecology and is coordinating with Public Health – Seattle and King County to determine the impacts to public health, based on water quality testing results along the river. It is generally recommended that people avoid contact with local water bodies near a combined sewer overflow outfall for 48 hours following a discharge event.