Accomplishments: Green-Duwamish Urban Waters Location
2019
Urban Waters Expert Award
River Network River Hero Award
Green Duwamish Revegetation Communications Strategy
In 2019 the Green the Green network completed a Communications Strategy funded by the Green Duwamish Urban Waters Federal Partnership. This strategy will help coordinate revegetation efforts and communications amongst dozens of organizations and agencies throughout the watershed. The contractor completed a communications strategy for the Network that the UWFP-GD is now working with partners to implement. This includes audience targeted strategy and messages, as well as Network-wide branding and communication tools and approaches.
The Green Duwamish Learning Landscape (GDLL)
The GDLL is a Forest Service- led partnership focused on cross sector collaboration for projects in the watershed. 2019 saw the implementation of multiple projects using this collaborative structure, demonstrating the value of such a collective approach. The UWFP-GD continues to be a convening partner and organizing agent for this partnership.
Riparian Restoration ROI Study with American Rivers
Using Trees and Moss as Air Quality Indicators - Community Study
Desimone Oxbow Study
2018
Green-Duwamish Watershed Symposium
The 2018 Green-Duwamish Watershed Symposium EXIT will give exposure and promote connections amongst the broad and diverse work being done within the watershed and the opportunity to network with individuals across fields, locations, cultures, organizations, and settings. The Workshop will be held on February 26, 2018 at Green River College, Auburn, WA.
2017
Building Green Infrastructure Careers
The Duwamish Infrastructure Restoration Training (DIRT) Corps focuses on building stronger communities by growing green infrastructure careers through on-the-job training for Duwamish Valley young adults.
Follow the Duwamish Infrastructure Restoration Training (DIRT) Corps. EXITfor more information about watershed restoration events and activities.
Green Wall Cleans Air in Lower Duwamish Valley
The South Park neighborhood of Seattle is celebrating the completion of a green wall designed to address air quality in the highly-industrialized area of the lower Duwamish Waterway.
A blog post on the project can be found at the Just Health Action website. EXIT
Watershed Restoration Events
On April 22, 2017, the Duwamish Alive Coalition hosted its spring watershed restoration event, including opening remarks from local and regional environmental groups and congressional representatives. The program included volunteers working at 15 habitat restoration and river cleanup sites across the watershed, a leadership group flying over the whole watershed, and a closing ceremony featuring the Mayor of Seattle.
Visit the Duwamish Alive Coalition website for more information. EXIT
Lower Duwamish Fishers Study
The final report for the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Fishers Study EXIThas been completed. As part of the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Superfund Cleanup, private and municipal entities collaborated to perform the Fishers Study.
Watershed Ecosystem Forum
Stakeholders gathered on February 9, 2017 for the quarterly Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 9 Watershed Ecosystem Forum meeting. Key agenda items included:
- an overview of the 2017-2018 state legislative and congressional priorities,EXIT
- an overview of the process to update the Salmon Habitat Plan, EXIT
- a technical briefing on climate change effects on salmon.EXIT
Learning Network Blog on Community Engagement
Read Hannah Kett's blog on effective community engagement efforts to clean up the Duwamish River, titled: A Community-Driven Cleanup: Restoring the Duwamish River. EXIT
2016
A Measurable Difference
In the lower Duwamish Waterway, inclusive community engagement has made a measurable difference for the river and the nearby communities. It has inspired many to see what is possible for rivers that pass through industial and low income areas in Seattle. River Network authored additional information on this accomplishment.
November 10th
The Water Resource Inventory Area 9 Ecosystem Forum met to discuss the proposed Duwamish River Shallow Water Habitat Creation project, a preview of the WRIA 9 2017-2018 State Legislative and Congressional Priorities, and proposed updates to the Habitat Plan including the Re-Green the Green Riparian Revegetation Strategy. This Strategy includes a list and map of priority areas for riparia tree planting, cost estimates, and an interactive map for tracking progress.
Re-Green the Green Riparian Revegetation Strategy. EXIT
November 9th
Stakeholders met to discuss the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Cleanup. The meeting's agenda included updates on the cleanup from the Washington State Department of Ecology, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/Technical Advisory Group, and others.
Fact sheet on the final cleanup plan. EXIT
October
On October 20th, officials from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) joined state and local officials to announce new federal actions to help protect and recover the health of Puget Sound, EXITone of the nation's largest estuaries. The action signals a firm commitment by the federal government to help restore the iconic estuary.
Spring
The location continues to work as a member of the Green-Duwamish Revegetation Working Group to develop a comprehensive revegetation strategy. The goals of revegetation are to reduce water temperatures to improve salmonid health and survival and to restore healthy native riparian vegetation to mitigate the effects of land use changes, invasive species, and climate warming on the Green River. The group meets monthly and the next meeting is scheduled for March 25th, 2016. A draft strategy is expected by May, 2016.
February 29
The Green-Duwamish Urban Waters Partnership program co-sponsored the first Green-Duwamish Watershed Symposium EXITwhich attracted an overflow crowd of 250. The day-long event featured fast-pitch style presentations focused on sharing knowledge, building partnerships, and fostering collaboration across the whole watershed.
February 13
Members of the Green-Duwamish Urban Waters team presented at the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in Portland, OR, which attracted over 2500 participants. Their panel focused on achieving multiple benefits from green stormwater infrastructure and was moderated by the location Ambassador. Presentations featured the power of collective impact in incorporating green infrastructure in urban communities, how green infrastructure is being used to address social and environmental justice issues, and understanding the inextricable link between nature and human health.
2015
Green-Duwamish Watershed Tour
On July 14, the annual Green-Duwamish Watershed Tour showcased the year in restoration with a particular focus on strategic partnerships and projects that yield multiple benefits, such as habitat restoration, social equity, and human health and well-being. The event was hosted by King County’s Salmon Habitat Restoration program and the USFS Urban Waters program.
Quality Water for Spawning Salmon
Across the Green-Duwamish River Watershed in Washington State, maintaining water quality for spawning salmon has long been a focus of federal natural resource agencies. Recently, through a series of meetings with tribal leaders and environmental justice stakeholders, the agencies have expanded their focus, exploring how public health and economic development concerns overlap with natural resource management.
Research Activities in Progress
Project and Collaboration Activities in Progress
2014
Duwamish Blueprint facilitation Exitfunded by the Green-Duwamish Urban Waters Federal Partnership. This Duwamish Blueprint (Blueprint) is a working draft that intends to provide guidance to governments, businesses, and citizen groups as they improve the aquatic ecosystem of the Duwamish estuary.
Healthy Waters/Healthy Communities Page ExitThe Duwamish Valley Healthy Communities Project aims to identify, prioritize and take action to address a variety of threats to the health of local residents, workers and visitors.
2014 Research Accomplishments Report from the Green Cities Research Alliance (20 pp, 1.5 MB, About PDF) Exit