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Sound Stewards
September 2023
go with the flow - free the Deschutes!
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Hello and happy fall,
September brings cooler mornings, an abundance of zucchini gifted by friends and neighbors, and the return of the Chinook salmon to the Deschutes River.
For the last 70 years, salmon that return to the Deschutes have experienced additional stressors such as exacerbated predation, poor water quality conditions, and physical barriers. The results of a fruitless and aging dam. We can provide clean water and clear passage when we remove the 5th Avenue Dam and restore the Deschutes Estuary. However, similar to a salmon's journey back to its spawning grounds, we have and will face many challenges to achieve this.
DERT is dedicated to a free-flowing Deschutes River, a restored estuary, and a healthy watershed... but we need your help. DERT exists today thanks to community members like you. Please consider purchasing a ticket to our October Auction & Dinner at Octapas. Every dollar donated goes right back into cleaning up, monitoring, and restoring this beautiful watershed from the estuary and up.
Read on to learn what DERT has been up to this past month-- and we'll see you in October!
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You are part of the vision and hard work that guarantees the Deschutes River WILL meet Puget Sound without a barrier. Together, we will continue to advocate for the restoration of our urban estuary. Please consider donating to DERT today. | |
2023 DERT AUCTION & DINNER | |
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Join us for a night of celebration and camaraderie at Octapas on Saturday, October 21st, 2023. Buy your tickets today! The evening will include:
- Dinner & drinks - Dinner include with price of admission
- Music - Live performance by Marena Lear and Ale Fleites
- A silent auction with exciting items such as stunning art from local artists and gift cards or vouchers for fantastic local experiences
- A live auction hosted by State Representative Beth Doglio with exciting opportunities such as:
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A private catered dinner for 10 with wine pairing provided by the Oyster Boys | |
A two-hour sail with the Olympia Sailing Company | |
Landscape design consulting with our very own Ray Willard | |
Have engaging conversations with board members and other DERT supporters and be part of the building effort to secure a healthy Deschutes Estuary and Watershed for our whole region! | |
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Saturday, October 21st, 2023
Octapas Cafe
610 Water St SW, Olympia, WA 98501
(Across from the once and future Deschutes Estuary)
Tickets include your meal. Drinks not included.
*Discounted student pricing available though there is limited availability as all proceeds fund the work of DERT
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PIONEER PARK TRASH COLLECTION | |
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DERT hosted a trash collection afternoon at Pioneer Park late in August. Though turn out was low, participants were able to collect 3 bags of trash in just one and a half hours. They had a blast and even floated down the river to collect trash while enjoying the cool late summer water and beautiful sites!
Look out for future volunteer opportunities and email us at olydert@gmail.com with suggestions or ideas about how you would like to participate with your watershed.
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UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES | |
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Below are a number of upcoming volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in participating, please sign up to be a volunteer here and send us an email at olydert@gmail.com to confirm your interest. .
Please keep a lookout for our upcoming Community Forum in October. More volunteer opportunities to be added to our calendar soon as well!
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Event Tabling
Volunteer to table at the following events or come find us as you enjoy the event yourself!
Nisqually Watershed Festival – 9/30/23
Tumwater Falls Fest – 9/30/23
Oyster Boys 2nd Anniversary Event* – 10/7/23
Olympia Farmers Market – 10/8/23
Orca Recovery Day (hosted by Thurston Conservation District) – 10/14/23
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SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY FORUM | |
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In our continued Community Forum series, DERT was excited to host Dr. Zoltán Grossman and Sarah Brady, M.E.S. for extraordinary presentations on Indigenous Climate Justice, dam removal, and tribal consultation in environmental resource management.
Professor Grossman teaches Geography and Native Studies at The Evergreen State College (TESC) and is a longtime community organizer, activist, and author as well.
If you are interested in his work, you can find him at his website, and also check out some of Dr. Grossman’s work in collaboration with students and other TESC faculty linked below!
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Sarah Brady is a recent MES graduate whose research focuses on Washington State’s policies and practices surrounding consultation with tribal nations, particularly when cultural resources will be impacted by proposed environmental projects.
With experience in community organizing and advocacy on early learning, labor, and economic justice issues, she has recently started as the Communications Director for the Washington chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
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Thank you to both of our amazing speakers for sharing your knowledge with our community.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming forum at the end of October/beginning of November, we have exciting guest speakers that we will be sharing soon!
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You are part of the vision and hard work that guarantees the Deschutes River WILL meet Puget Sound without a barrier. Together, we will continue to advocate for the restoration of our urban estuary. Please consider donating to DERT today. | | | |
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Oyster Boys 2nd Anniversary Celebration
October 7th, 2023
3:30-6:30 PM
Perkins Family Farms in Olympia, WA
Join DERT and the Oyster Boys for delicious local oyster and other treats, beverages, and a live concert from Kate Dinsmore. As a sponsor, DERT will be serving beverages at this event. Tickets at:
Purchase tickets here
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DERT was out at Olympia’s Harbor Days over Labor Day weekend and had a wonderful time engaging with the greater South Sound communities about the restoration of the Deschutes Estuary, what to expect and how to get informed and involved!
Our coordinators and volunteers chatted with hundreds of people, sharing about the cultural and environmental justice issues (past and present), environmental health, estuary restoration goals and facts, and upcoming events. We collected hundreds of dollars in donations, over 40 new newsletter recipients, and more than 5 new volunteers!
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Deschutes Estuary: Port wants state funding and for sediment mitigation included in interlocal agreement
"The Port Commission expressed this when it adopted a resolution on Monday, September 11, stating that the Port wanted to be involved in developing an interlocal agreement for the funding, governance and management of the Deschutes Estuary. "
JOLT | By Jerome Tuaño
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Sea Level Rise team eyes NOAA climate grant
"The Sea Level Rise Collaborative Team is eyeing a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant, potentially providing the region with $15 million to $75 million to bolster Olympia’s resilience against extreme weather."
JOLT |By Lorilyn Lirio
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County commissioners reassess minimum shoreline buffers
"The Board of County Commissioners is reconsidering requirements for shoreline buffers after county staff provided new information about state guidelines during a meeting on Wednesday, August 30.
The board is now looking to see if 250 feet of buffer is enough for areas designated as “urban and rural conservancy” and “natural” under guidelines provided by the state for the Shoreline Master Program."
JOLT | By Jerome Tuaño
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America Is Using Up Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow
"Global warming has focused concern on land and sky as soaring temperatures intensify hurricanes, droughts and wildfires. But another climate crisis is unfolding, underfoot and out of view.
Many of the aquifers that supply 90 percent of the nation’s water systems, and which have transformed vast stretches of America into some of the world’s most bountiful farmland, are being severely depleted. These declines are threatening irreversible harm to the American economy and society as a whole. "
NY Times | By Mira Rojanasakul, Christopher Flavelle, Blacki Migliozzi and Eli Murray
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Do you have watershed news to share?
Send it to us at olydert@gmail.com
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Facebook Recurring Donations
Are you an estuary enthusiast?
Consider becoming a recurring DERT donor on Facebook! Facebook routes donations through Network for Good so we receive 100% of your donation - no fees!
With monthly donations from caring supporters like you, we can do more good, every day, for the health of our Deschutes estuary and watershed.
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POLLUTION REPORTING RESOURCES | |
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As a community dedicated to protecting the Deschutes watershed and South Puget Sound, we must all keep an eye out for potential pollution incidents when we are out and about.
To report suspected pollution in your community, email olydert@gmail.com.
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DERT's South Sound Healthy Watershed Program operates thanks to our sponsoring foundations and donors like you. Did you know that donors are now able to set up automatic recurring monthly donations in any amount? Follow the link to the right to get set up. Thank you for working with us towards a free Deschutes! | |
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Do our emails get lost in your promotion tab? Here is a quick trick to make sure our newsletter goes directly into your primary inbox*. Simply click on the email in your promotions tab, and drag it up and over to your primary tab. Voila! From now on, every DERT email will go directly to your primary tab! | |
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For more information CLICK HERE
*This tip is for those who use Gmail, but it may be applicable to other platforms.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS | | | | |
