Hood Canal Coordinating Council 
News
Keep up to date on HCCC highlights
Learn about HCCC’s most recent progress and achievements toward our mission to recover and protect Hood Canal’s beaches, forests, streams and wildlife for the benefit of our communities.
Duckabush Estuary Project to Receive SRFB Funding
On September 11th the Salmon Recovery Funding Board allocated $2,797,458 to fund the Duckabush River Estuary Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project - Design Phase. Once fully implemented, this important project will address the Highway 101 crossing impacts to summer chum habitat by moving the causeway and the bridge further up river to restore the Duckabush estuary. To learn more about the PSNERP Duckabush River Estuary restoration site please see this PSNERP Fact Sheet.
Citizens Committee Approves Salmon Habitat Project List
The HCCC Lead Entity Citizens Committee approved the 2019 Salmon Habitat Project List for submittal to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) for funding consideration for the 2019 grant round. Please see the July 17, 2019 Board Briefing Memo to view the ranked list of salmon habitat projects.
2018 National Estuary Program Near Term Action Funding
The Action Agenda Strategic Initiative (SI) Leads have released their FY2018 EPA National Estuary Program funding recommendations for the 2018 Puget Sound Action Agenda Near Term Actions (NTAs). Please use the links below to access the funding lists. These recommendations will undergo a public comment period, as well as tribal consultation, before EPA finalizes things to enable contracting with NTA owners to begin. Please see the message below from the SI Leads and contact the SI Lead for your particular NTA with any questions.
FY2018 Strategic Initiative Advisory Team (SIAT) NTA Funding Recommendations:
- Habitat SIAT NTA Funding Recommendations
- Stormwater SIAT NTA Funding Recommendations
- Shellfish SIAT NTA Funding Recommendations
The recommendations are also accessible via the Partnership's SI Leads website. A public comment period is open through March 8, 2019.
2018-2022 Action Agenda for Puget Sound Adopted
On December 5, 2018, the Puget Sound Partnership Leadership Council adopted the 2018-2022 Action Agenda after considering recommendations from the Partnership's Ecosystem Recovery Board, Salmon Recovery Council and Science Panel, as well as input received from advisory boards, tribes, and the public. The 2018-2022 Action Agenda for Puget Sound charts the course to recovery for one of our nation's largest estuaries, and complements and incorporates the work oflocal and regional partners from around Puget Sound to describe strategies and specific actions needed to recover Puget Sound.
Access the 2018-2022 Action Agenda using the links below:
Hood Canal LIO 2018 Direct NTA Funding
The Hood Canal Local Integrating Organization (LIO) submitted its funding recommendations for the 2018 EPA National Estuary Program direct funding of $100,000 for the implementation of priority local Near Term Actions in the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
Summer chum returning to Union River
It is that time of year that summer chum are returning to the Hood Canal and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca streams. The Union River summer chum run peaked in late August with a current count of 3,450 fish heading upstream and numbers still rising. In the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca streams, the peak is not quite here yet, but recent rainfall will hopefully bring summer chum into the streams.
HCCC Announces Release of Summer Chum Guidance Document
The newly released document, Recovery Goal Review and Updated Guidance for the Hood Canal Summer Chum Salmon ESU reviews the existing recovery goals for the Hood Canal Summer Chum evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) and provides guidance for updating the goals from those contained in the recovery plan for the ESU.
Harbors Magazine Highlights Summer Chum Recovery in Hood Canal
View the article in Harbors Magazine, ENDANGERED NO MORE: A Milestone for Salmon Recovery in Hood Canal
Ecology & DNR gathering information on cedar dieback
The Washington state Departments of Ecology (Ecology) and Natural Resources (DNR) are gathering information concerning the dieback of western redcedar in peatlands and other types of Western Washington wetlands. Since 2011, DNR and Ecology have observed cedar dieback in numerous Western Washington peatlands. In some cases, the trees have died, while at other sites the trees appear extremely stressed but are still sprouting at the base. In all cases, the redcedars’ needles turn orange. However, a shared and obvious cause has yet to be identified.
Ecology & DNR have created a brief presentation to share how these diebacks appear in the field.
Share your observations
Both DNR and Ecology are seeking reports of cedar dieback. Please share your observations with both:
- Joe Rocchio, DNR (joe.rocchio@dnr.wa.gov)
- Amy Yahnke, Ecology (amy.yahnke@ecy.wa.gov)
Where possible, please share the following information with your observation:
- Observation date
- Geographic location
- Wetland type and location within wetland
- Whether the trees are dead or stressed
- Obvious signs of stressors
- Other pertinent information
Draft 2018 Puget Sound Action Agenda Released
The draft 2018-2022 Puget Sound Action Agenda is available and open for public comment until October 15th. The 2018-2022 Action Agenda charts the course for Puget Sound recovery over the next 4 years. It incorporates regional strategies and specific actions to protect and restore Puget Sound.
For more information about the draft Action Agenda and public comment period, visit the Puget Sound Partnership’s website.