July 22, 2022
As sea levels continue to rise, coastal hazards such as flooding and erosion will become increasingly common. According to recent assessments, over 14,000 homes and structures in Washington State — representing a current value of over 8 billion dollars ...
March 24, 2022
Floods. Erosion. Sea level rise. Tsunamis. All of these hazards threaten Washington State’s coasts — with potentially dire consequences. Although there have been many efforts and investments to respond to disaster events, geographically isolated communities on the state’s Pacific coast often lack sufficient capacity to undertake comprehensive planning efforts to ...
Read MoreFebruary 17, 2022
Indigenous People have been stewarding the ocean for thousands of years. This stewardship has appeared in many different forms around the world, all of which represent a reciprocal relationship between humans and the sea rooted in deep place-based knowledge. From octopus houses in Haida Gwaii to fish ponds in Hawaiʻi, an Indigenous mariculture renaissance is making waves as groups across the Pacific seek to ...
Read MoreNovember 29, 2021
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded $259,888 from the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) to the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and partners, including Washington Sea Grant, for a project to develop community-based hazards and habitat resilience planning in the Columbia River Estuary.
With this funding, WSG will conduct outreach and adaptation planning workshops to identify and prioritize site-specific project concepts to strengthen ecological and community resilience. The project ...
Read MoreNovember 15, 2021
We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Crystal Dingler, who was mayor of Ocean Shores, Washington. Dingler partnered with Washington Sea Grant on many projects, especially on initiatives geared toward building greater economic resilience in Grays Harbor County.
Read more about Mayor Dingler in The Daily World and KXRO.
Read MoreSeptember 7, 2021
The National Science Foundation has funded a multi-institutional team including Washington Sea Grant to work on increasing resiliency among Pacific Northwest coastal communities.
Led by Oregon State University and the University of Washington, the new Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hazards Research Hub, or Cascadia CoPes Hub, will serve coastal communities in Northern California, Oregon and Washington. The hub’s multidisciplinary approach will span geoscience, social science, public policy and community partnerships.
The Pacific Northwest coastline is at significant risk ...
Read MoreJuly 21, 2021
The record-breaking heat that hit the Pacific Northwest from June 23 to 28, 2021, caused harm to many intertidal shellfish and invertebrate species on Washington beaches.
On many beaches, species such as cockles, varnish clams, butter clams, and native littleneck clams—normally buried out of sight—popped to the surface of the substrate in large numbers. Manila clams were also impacted in some areas. Surfaced clams were observed to be gaping, a sign of stress, or had already died from the ...
Read MoreJune 22, 2021
By Kathleen McKeegan, WSG Science Communications Fellow
It’s not a matter of if, but when. New tsunami hazard maps published by the Washington Geological Survey and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) show that a large earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) off ...
April 28, 2021
“Our coast Salish people had methods of cultivating the natural environment to support the ecosystems but also to feed the people,” says Alana Quintasket, senator for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. “And a clam garden is one example of that.” However, clam gardens have been dormant for hundreds of years in many of places that they used to exist. The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is currently working toward reviving the ancient mariculture practice in modern-day Washington.
Not only does this ...
Read MoreMarch 31, 2021
We are thrilled to announce the release of Planet Ocean, a nonfiction book for middle-grade readers (ages 8 and up) written with an underwater perspective about how climate change and pollution affect the sustainability of our sea. In addition to some cool science, Planet Ocean readers discover our unbreakable connection to the sea. Writer Patricia Newman and diver/photographer Annie Crawley give voice to stories from inspirational scientists, Indigenous peoples, and kids and teens impacted by ocean changes and working to combat them.
Meg Chadsey, ...
Read MoreMarch 11, 2021
By Carrie Garrison-Laney, WSG Tsunami Hazards Specialist and PMEL Liaison
On March 11, 2011 the largest earthquake ever recorded in Japan — the 4th largest ever recorded worldwide — and the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Sendai, and Fukushima in eastern Japan. The tsunami attained a maximum height of 133 feet (40 meters) — the height of a 12-story building. Some communities were completely washed away. The tsunami also caused a nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi when ...
Read MoreJanuary 12, 2020
In case you missed it, here’s the recording for Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline Virtual Opening Celebration from the Burke Museum, a special exhibit opening sponsored by Washington Sea Grant. Learn how artist Ray Troll and curator Dr. Kirk Johnson created a lifelong friendship and partnership that over the past decades has led to a brand new exhibit on view at the Burke Museum.
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By MaryAnn Wagner, WSG Assistant Director for Communications
Owen Beach, located in Point Defiance Park, is a popular area for many communities in Tacoma, providing beach access for boaters, swimmers and ...
Read MoreDecember 14, 2020
In a typical year, we would invite the public to join us at a king tides viewing party this week to learn about the highest tides of the year, and what they can teach us about sea level rise. We all know that this is not a typical year. Instead, we invite you to learn about king tides from Bridget Trosin, WSG coastal policy specialist, in the video below.
Learn more and see the calendar of when king tides ...
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