Tulalip Tribes explore natural methods to reduce pollution
Published on Thu, Jan 29, 2009Read More Local News
With a goal of reducing contaminated water runoff into Tulalip Bay, the Tribes' environmental scientists and planners are looking for natural solutions to existing and future drainage problems.
"The idea is to clean up drainage so that we can improve the water quality," explained Tulalip stormwater planner Val Streeter. "There are two different philosophies of dealing with water runoff. The conventional way is to use curbs, gutters and pipes to send water to a specific place, like a retention pond. Low impact development, on the other hand, uses the natural topography of the land and native vegetation to treat water in little pockets."
Low impact techniques have already been successfully tested in construction projects on tribal land. Parking lots are being made of permeable pavement, to allow water to soak through the surface, and the health clinic site uses biofiltration areas in addition to conventional underground water detention.
The Tulalip Boys and Girls Club parking lot has consistent drainage problems and will soon be retrofitted with a new engineered wetland area.
"The wetland will act like a filter to clean metals and pollutants from the water," said Streeter. "We will construct an initial settling pond so that pollution can settle out, then we'll add soils with high organic content."
Native plants will be added to the downhill side of the newly-constructed wetland. If the water is allowed to sit long enough, Streeter explained, it will come out clean through the outlet.
Streeter and other Natural Resources staff members hope to tackle additional projects with the available funding.
"Water from Tulalip Elementary parking lots currently runs through a pipe to Totem Beach Road and then to an outfall that drains straight into Tulalip Bay," said Julia Gold, an environmental planner for the Tulalip Tribes. "We'd like to intercept the water between the school and the health clinic, and construct another wetland so pollutants have an opportunity to settle out."
The Tulalip Tribes Board of Directors approved the planning and engineering of the water quality projects in November. The planned wetlands are being funded through a combination of $80,000 in grant money from the Environmental Protection Agency and $20,000 in tribal commitments. Construction is slated for July to September, 2009, with final planting in early 2010.
"The idea is to clean up drainage so that we can improve the water quality," explained Tulalip stormwater planner Val Streeter. "There are two different philosophies of dealing with water runoff. The conventional way is to use curbs, gutters and pipes to send water to a specific place, like a retention pond. Low impact development, on the other hand, uses the natural topography of the land and native vegetation to treat water in little pockets."
Low impact techniques have already been successfully tested in construction projects on tribal land. Parking lots are being made of permeable pavement, to allow water to soak through the surface, and the health clinic site uses biofiltration areas in addition to conventional underground water detention.
The Tulalip Boys and Girls Club parking lot has consistent drainage problems and will soon be retrofitted with a new engineered wetland area.
"The wetland will act like a filter to clean metals and pollutants from the water," said Streeter. "We will construct an initial settling pond so that pollution can settle out, then we'll add soils with high organic content."
Native plants will be added to the downhill side of the newly-constructed wetland. If the water is allowed to sit long enough, Streeter explained, it will come out clean through the outlet.
Streeter and other Natural Resources staff members hope to tackle additional projects with the available funding.
"Water from Tulalip Elementary parking lots currently runs through a pipe to Totem Beach Road and then to an outfall that drains straight into Tulalip Bay," said Julia Gold, an environmental planner for the Tulalip Tribes. "We'd like to intercept the water between the school and the health clinic, and construct another wetland so pollutants have an opportunity to settle out."
The Tulalip Tribes Board of Directors approved the planning and engineering of the water quality projects in November. The planned wetlands are being funded through a combination of $80,000 in grant money from the Environmental Protection Agency and $20,000 in tribal commitments. Construction is slated for July to September, 2009, with final planting in early 2010.
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