Never-ending chore: Removal of sunken, abandoned vessels
Re-post: written by Noah Haglund
“Snohomish County is arranging for the removal of seven derelict boats littering Snohomish River sloughs. Snohomish County recently contracted to haul off five abandoned boats from local waterways. Another two removals have gone out to bid. Tidying up the Snohomish River and surrounding sloughs is a ceaseless effort, at times with little headway in sight.
Typically, that work has been up to the state Department of Natural Resources. Since 2003, the state has removed 105 abandoned vessels in Snohomish County alone, and more than 800 statewide, said Troy Wood, who manages that program.”
Why is this issue important:
Washington Department of Ecology has had 39 notifications of vessel incidents regarding oil spills on Ebey Slough, Steamboat Slough, or the Snohomish River over the last two years.
What you can do:
- Volunteer with our many groups doing restoration in Snohomish County including the Snohomish Marine Resources Advisory Committee
- Support the state and federal programs that help salmon, agriculture and flood risk reduction
Did you know: The Habitat Strategic Initiative is working to refine and implement the Estuaries Implementation Strategy which aims to support the restoration and quality of estuary habitat in Puget Sound.