Swinomish Channel

SVH: Swinomish Tribe gets grant to study rising sea levels

The Skagit Valley Herald has a story about the effects rising sea levels have had on the Swinomish reservation:

The reservation’s Snee-Oosh area is just one spot that tribal leaders are concerned will be affected by the sea level rise expected to come with climate change, said Ed Knight, a senior planner for the Swinomish Indian Tribe.

Higher sea levels mean storms and extreme high tides could cause more erosion and damage. Rising water during the 2006 storm came close to cutting off Reservation Road, the community’s northern access point to Highway 20, Knight said. (more…)

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Upper Skagit Tribe buys waterfront property in La Conner

The Skagit Valley Herald:

The Upper Skagit Indian Tribe recently purchased 6 acres on the La Conner waterfront, including a warehouse and small pier, for $6.8 million.

The land, acquired from La Conner Pier LLC, is directly across the Swinomish Channel from the Swinomish Indian Reservation.

About a half-dozen organizations lease property on the land formerly owned by the Roche Harbor-based limited liability corporation. Among the lessees are the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and two manufacturers, Alpac Components Co. and Comptex Inc. (more…)

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Skagit County receives millions

The Skagit Valley Herald (story not available online) reported last week on the SRF Board funding in Skagit County, which included several Skagit River System Cooperative and Upper Skagit Tribe project:

Local habitat efforts get state’s second-largest share of grant

A grant agency saw the value of protecting salmon in Skagit County. Organizations here have received $6.3 million from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to restore salmon habitat.
Projects in Skagit County are getting the second-largest grant total in the state behind King County’s $7.1 million.

The board awarded more than $60 million in salmon recovery grants statewide.

(more…)

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Swinomish hope for biodiesel from sunflowers

The Skagit Valley Herald has a story about the Skagit River System Cooperative’s study of saltwater intrusion on farms and the potential for growing crops that can be used in biodiesel production:

First, it’s a long-term study of saltwater intrusion on the crops and ways farmers can avoid it without compromising fish habitat.

Second, it’s a test to explore a crop that could figure in the local economy — particularly in the realm of growing biodiesel usage in Skagit County.

(more…)

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Earth Day volunteers landscape Swinomish restoration site

The Skagit Valley Herald (subscription required) covered an Earth Day event on the Swinomish Reservation this weekend:

Volunteers participated in five environmental service projects in the morning, before relaxing with an afternoon of music, crafts and a salmon lunch.

The service projects included stream restoration work at Lone Tree Creek, within the Thousand Trails campground, clean-up work on the beach at nearby Lone Tree Point and along the Swinomish Channel, blackberry removal around a tribal elder’s home, and invasive Scotch broom and blackberry removal near Swinomish Slough.

(more…)

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Working With Local Farmer, SSC Launches Ambitious Recovery Project

LA CONNER (August 1, 2003) – The latest salmon recovery project from the Swinomish Tribe and the Skagit System Cooperative (SSC) isn’t just critical for fish: it’s a positive step, across daunting barriers, toward cooperative environmental work in the Skagit basin.

SSC, the natural resources consortium of the Swinomish, Upper Skagit and Sauk-Suiattle tribes, is collaborating with local farmer Gail Thulen on a comprehensive habitat restoration plan for 300 acres of Swinomish tribal land ‘ which Thulen leases to grow wheat, peas and potatoes.

(more…)

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