B.18: Skagit County Public Utilities District (PUD) www.skagitpud.org Skagit Public Utility District Number 1 (Skagit PUD) Resource conservation and stewardship are increasing concerns of the operates the largest water system in the county, PUD. Recognizing the value of water resources in Skagit County, the providing 9,000,000 gallons of piped water to PUD is a member of the Skagit Watershed Council and is actively approximately 70,000 people every day. The PUD participating in efforts to protect ins-stream flows. maintains nearly 600 miles of pipelines and has over 31,000,000 gallons of storage volume. The vision of the PUD - is to be recognized as an outstanding regional leader and innovative utility provider that embodies environmental Mount Vernon, Burlington, and Sedro-Woolley receive the majority of stewardship and sound economic practices. the PUD’s water. Due to public demand for quality water, the PUD also provides service to unincorporated and remote areas of the county. The mission of the PUD - is to provide quality, safe, reliable, and The District’s service area includes part of Fidalgo Island at the west affordable utility services to its customers in an environmentally- end of the county and extends as far east as Marblemount. From north responsible, collaborative manner. to south, the District’s service area starts in Conway and extends north to Alger/Lake Samish. The values of the PUD are: PUD water originates in the protected Cultus Mountain watershed area Quality east of Clear Lake from 4 streams. Melting snow and season rainfall Reliability are diverted from an uninhabited, 9 square mile, forested area, located Environmental responsibility high about the mountains. Response service Low cost Water from this pristine area is piped to Judy Reservoir, where it covers Economic responsibility 124 surface areas and stores approximately 1,500,000,000 gallons of water. The water is then treated and filtered to meet Safe Drinking Pressure on Skagit PUD water resources comes from many sources, Water Act regulations, using modern water treatment technologies. In including population growth in-stream flows (protecting fish, wildlife, the future, water will also be pumped from the Skagit River to Judy and recreation), and business needs. Water systems using their water Reservoir during critical periods or when the stream run low. efficiently allow growth in their communities and water for other environmental uses. The efficient use of water helps ensure reliable Skagit PUD is a municipal corporation governed by 3 elected water supplies are available to PUD customers. commissioners, who serve 6-year terms. The commissioners represent the same geographical districts as the Skagit county commissioners. In 2007, The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) established The positions are non-partisan and elections are staggered every 2 a Water Use Efficiency Program to ensure efficient operation and years. management of water systems. DOH specified requirements on water suppliers to set conservation goals and report annually on their performance to customers and DOH. B-50 Appendix B: Resources Skagit County UGA Open Space Plan Through a public forum in 2007, the PUD established measurable water-saving goals for the next 6 years for both the supply and demand sides of the PUD distribution system. These goals will provide a benchmark for achievement and play a significant role in defining the success of the PUD’s water use efficiency program. B-51 Appendix B: Resources Skagit County UGA Open Space Plan B.19: Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) www.skagitfisheries.org The Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group (SFEG) is a public in salmon enhancement activities across the state at the nonprofit organization formed in 1990 to engage community level. SFEG regional boundaries include the Skagit River communities in habitat restoration and watershed watershed, the Samish River, and the watersheds of the San Juan stewardship in order to enhance salmon populations. Islands, and North Whidbey Island. As a non-governmental organization, SFEG has unique The mission of the SFEG - is to build partnerships that education and cooperative relationships with local land owners, engage the community in habitat restoration and watershed conservation groups, government agencies, and tribes. Through the stewardship in order to enhance salmonid populations. hard work of volunteers and professional restoration crews, SFEG has been recognized as a local leader in salmon restoration. Volunteers are the backbone of SFEG and are recruited and educated to achieve SFEG’s goal of increase public awareness for salmon As one of 14 Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups in Washington enhancement. All volunteer projects are based on education through State, SFEG Is part of a coordinated effort to education and involve the B-52 Appendix B: Resources Skagit County UGA Open Space Plan hands-on activities. Opportunities exist for volunteers of all ages and Willing property owners make salmon enhancement possible. Without in all seasons. cooperative landowners to lead the way there would be no opportunities for salmon restoration activities in the watersheds. WFEG Community Education works with local landowners who are interested in protecting salmon Educational projects and presentations are designed to increase public resources to implement restoration projects on their property in a non- awareness and the community excited about salving salmon resources. regulatory fashion. SFEG assistance is often free and landowner SFEG visits schools, community groups, and service clubs to deliver participation is completely voluntary. SFEG works with willing educational presentations and teach the community about salmon. landowners to do the following types of restoration projects: SFEG partners with many organizations including North Cascades Riparian projects including revegetation Institute (NCI) to deliver the Skagit Watershed Educational Project to Fencing classrooms, sponsor stream clean-ups, and arrange service projects for Improving fish passage including culvert replacement, building students of all ages. SFEG is available for speaking engagements bridges, and building weirs including interactive presentations to educate community members In-stream projects including logs in creeks, channel about watersheds and salmon restoration. enhancement, stream bank stabilization Nutrient enhancement In partnership with other agencies and organizations, SFEG offers several workshops for adults through the years. At the workshops Some of SFEG’s recent restoration projects include: volunteers learn about stream restoration and ways they can help restore salmon to healthy populations. Volunteers learn to monitor East Fork Nookachamps Creek – SFEG added 6 large woody physical and biological components of aquatic ecosystems to help debris structures to enhance rearing habitat and to restore the determine their ability to support anadromous fish, or simply learn riparian zone of this 33-acre Wetland Reserve Program about things they can to at home to make their backyard stream more “salmon-friendly”. conservation easement site. Other project elements included removing 500 cubic yards of fill, installing perch poles for SFEG is also available to visit community groups to give presentations raptors, and stripping reed canary grass sod flow lower on salmon habitat restoration projects in the local area. Presentations portions of the field. focus on a variety of subject areas including salmon biology and habitat requirements, habitat restoration techniques, and volunteer opportunities. Restoration projects Improving salmon habitat is the primary way SFEG seeks to enhance salmon resources. Habitat loss and environmental degradation continue to threaten the clean, healthy, and cool water salmon need to survive. SFEG projects are designed to improve and protect local watersheds by offering assistance to local landowners. In addition to salmon, SFEGB projects also benefit the other 80% of wildlife species that depend on health watersheds such as frogs, song birds and deer. B-53 Appendix B: Resources Skagit County UGA Open Space Plan Deepwater Slough – SFEG’s restoration removed invasive plant Harrison Creek to potentially recreate at least 24 acres of estuary species and reestablished the dominant scrub-shrub plan, habitat. sweetgale of this slough located in the Skagit Wildlife Area of the Skagit River delta. Ennis Creek – SFEG will help restore 50 acres of wetland property and plan and build a bridge crossing over Innis Creek Thunder Creek – SFEG conducted invasive species control on Road in this tributary to the Samish River Basin. Himalayan blackberry and Japanese knotweed and planted native trees and shrubs in the riparian zone along Thunder Creek and Project monitoring Samish River. Monitoring is an essential element of salmon enhancement. The purpose of monitoring programs is to evaluate the effect of restoration NP Creek – SFEG is seeking funds to remove an old bridge and work to improve watershed conditions and salmon resources. concrete sill and replace it with a bridge and install rock weirs in Volunteers are involved in all SFEG monitoring programs. the 1.5 mile upstream channel of this tributary stream of the upper Samish River near Wickersham. Monitoring may involve visiting a restoration site once a week, once a month, or once a year depending on the goals of the study. Results of Day Creek – SFEG will host a workshop series with a variety of monitoring