Where Did the Rain Go?

"Where Did the Rain Go?"

By Guy Baltzelle
Woodinville, WA.

Of course, the Puget Sound area is famous for our “marine layer” rain and overcast. We typically get measureable rain 150 days a year and it is cloudy or partly cloudy 294 days a year. As we are all well aware, we get the least amount of annual sunlight  major cities in the lower-48 states.

However, what is less well known is that, in the summer, we experience a serious draught. A typical
July delivers .8 inches of rain to this area and August delivers 1 inch. This is much drier than almost
anywhere else in the country because most places receive rain from thunderstorms in the summer. Se-
attle is the least likely city in the country to receive thunderstorms.

Which brings us to this August. Here in the Bear Creek valley, we had exactly 0 inches of rain this August. Zero. Zip. Nada. In the seven years I have been measuring rainfall here, I have never seen a month with no rainfall. The closest we had was in July 2007 when we only had .07 inches.

So, if your lawn is looking a little dry right now, you have a good reason. So, next time your relatives back east tease you about all the rainfall out here in the Pacific Northwest, ask them “Oh yeah? How much rainfall did you have in August? Because we didn’t have ANY!”

Guy's piece is published in the Fall/Winter issue of the Water Tenders  newsletter

Removing "the buggers" - restoring the forest!

Here's a photo of my friend, Doug. He's standing in front of what used to be a huge mound of Himalayan Blackberries. This particular type of blackberry is a nasty plant that is harmful to the forest floor because it takes over the smaller native forest plants. We cleared out this area in just 35 minutes using city supplied tools. Amazing how fast it goes. Once we get these berry bushes removed everyone will be able to look into the forest and enjoy it. In the Fall we'll plant native plants the city gives us.

Doug is an exceptional person committed to restoration and forest management. He has a Masters in Horticulture specializing in invasive plants and really knows how to take these buggers down. In addition, he is a new member to the WATER TENDERS, a grass roots organization dedicated to conserving the Bear Creek Basin.

Doug and his son is a BMX cyclist and they enjoy riding the dirt bike trail nearby. After we stripped these blackberries Doug talked to the BMX youth playing on the trail and gave them a great lesson on tree conservation. Basically, Doug advised the kids not to remove dirt from the root zones of the trees. (Dirt is needed to build the course). My old "lunch buddy" Dallas immediately got a shovel and started covering the exposed roots. Protecting the trees is very important to the city and our "forest stewardship citizen program". Thanks to Doug, the BMXers know.

Speaking of forest stewardship: On Saturday, April 25, 10-2 you and your neighbors are invited to a "restoration" event at this same place to remove lots of these buggers. Come to the corner of NE 100th St and 171st Ave. NE by the LDS (Morman) Church lower parking lot. Make this your personal "Earth Day" event and have some neighborhood cookies, too!