Volume 1, Issue 4
Produced by The Miner Newspapers
Paddle Boards are FUN . . . . . . and that’s no wake
See pages 2, 10
Water level issues ...
See pages 3, 5, 6, 12
July 2012
Summer storms Page 4
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P U B L I S H E R ’S N O T E Paddle boards make no wake
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ur cover models are actually Diamond Lake residents Kathy Akins and her neighbor, Brenda Yahne. I asked Brenda – or actually had to beg her – to show off her stand up paddleboarding (SUP) skills and she brought Kathy along for the show. (See story on page 8.) The Yahne family has found ways to have fun without going over 5 mph. Brenda’s husband, Dick, can be seen kayaking or swimming long distances on the lake many days. SUPers say it is easy, relaxing and good exercise. It is one of the newest of many new water toys on the lakes. I’m going to try fly fishing from one this weekend. Have you noticed? It’s finally summer. The water is warm, cold drinks are flowing and people are gathering. Lake life is great again. Fred J. Willenbrock Publisher
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On the Water at Diamond Lake
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Beaver tubes may be installed soon BY JANELLE ATYEO
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OF THE MINER
DIAMOND LAKE – The Diamond Lake Improvement Association may start installing beaver tubes sooner than expected. The plan was to wait until fall to avoid flooding downstream at Sacheen Lake. But since the water level at Diamond is not dropping, the association wants to take early action. “We need to take care of this problem now,” said Geri Guinn, president of DLIA. The association has the property permits in line and they’ve been in contact with the Lands Council. Work may start as soon as mid-July. Access issues will need to be solved first. Some landowners along the channel that leads to Moon Creek have been reluctant to grant access to the stream from their land. Some have questioned whether the beaver dams are the area to target. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued the hydraulic permit to the improvement association for installing the beaver tubes. WDFW habitat biologist Jeff Lawlor wonders what is slowing the water flow through the system. A survey done by Sewell Engineers and paid for by DLIA showed that the beaver dam is two feet lower than the lake level. “You can’t back water up from something that’s lower,” Lawlor said. He said more likely it’s the dense vegetation in the lake’s outlet that’s slowing the flow. Accessing the land to install beaver tubes may also be a problem. Waterways are public, but in some cases like at Moon Creek, the private property owner has ownership of the land under the water. Lawlor had his staff consult the prosecutor’s office. Their interpretation was that the landowner owns the land under the water, but they don’t own the beaver dams. That would allow the people installing the beaver tubes to canoe down the creek and get out of the boat on the dam. By that interpretation, the beaver tube crew probably doesn’t need permission, but the prosecutors suggest they still contact the landowner. The hydraulic permit states that WDFW does not authorize trespassing. Lawlor said things kind of got off on the wrong foot at Moon Creek. Some Diamond Lake residents canoed down the stream
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A beaver lodge can be seen in the center of one of the ponds along Moon Creek. A group of Diamond Lake residents wants to put tubes through beaver dams to allow some of the water to drain from the lake.
and began dismantling the dam this spring. A neighbor got pictures and took down license plate numbers to turn in to the WDFW officer. The officer visited the offenders and issued warnings. Sacheen Lake residents have
been maintaining beaver tubes in that lake’s outlet for some years now. Access has been a problem there too. They have worked out an agreement with the landowner. Their five-year maintenance permit expires this July.
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W E AT H E R B A B B L E
The dangers of thunderstorms and lightning
BY BOB LUTZ CLIMATOLOGIST
SACHEEN LAKE – After a record wet June with 6.36 inches of rain, summer arrived right on cue with much drier conditions and sizzling temperatures giving us some spectacular weather for our Fourth of July fireworks! And speak-
ing of fireworks, in this issue of Weather Babble, we’re going to talk about Mother Nature’s fireworks, thunderstorms. So you think this summer sun is hot? Well, try getting hit by lightning Lutz and see how that feels. On
second thought, let’s not. Here are the facts: The temperature of an average lightning strike can reach upward of 54,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is actually six times hotter than the surface of the sun; A typical lightning bolt contains around 1 billion volts and over 10,000 amperes; About 600 people are injured by lightning each year in the
U.S. and around 60 of them never get a second chance. While we do get a lot of lightning strikes here in the U.S., it’s nothing compared to the hot spot of lightning activity which sits within a small community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo called Kifuka. They average 158 direct lightning hits per year within just a 10-city square block area! The importance of avoiding all this electrical energy speaks for itself. Believe it or not, part of the invisible process of lightning (the bolts that hit the ground) actually starts from both the base of the cloud AND the ground. The return stroke of a lightning bolt (the part we actually see) is where the discharge of voltage (or equalization in positive and negative charges) takes place. Just knowing this one little fact can save you from falling victim to a strike, but more on that in just a bit. First, a quick story – When I was a wee lad, we did not have the safety information that is so prevalent today. As such, it was not uncommon for us to take shelter under a tree when a thunderstorm arrived. On one such event back in the 70s, several of us took an unscheduled nap thanks to a bolt that indirectly hit us through a tree we were hiding under. In the mid-80s (when I should have known better) I was watching a thunderstorm through a window when a jolt sent both my wife and I backwards into the room. She soon learned that being married to an avid weather enthusiast had its disadvantages! And if that wasn’t enough, in 1994 I took another (minor) jolt from a nearby strike when we lived on a hillside near Spokane. Of course, none of these were direct hits because if they were, I would not be here to bore you with all these stories. Save to say that during thunderstorms, you better not be hanging around me nor would it be a good time to climb up onto your roof to adjust the satellite dish. While a majority of strikes occur within the storm cloud itself, there are still a number of bolts that reach the ground and these are the ones that can ruin CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
4 Lake Life | June 2012
Watershed restoration funding available BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER
OLYMPIA – The Pend Oreille Conservation District got word Friday, July 13 that it has received funding for riparian restoration projects. The Washington Department of Ecology awarded a $213,747 Centennial Grant to the Little Spokane River watershed project in south Pend Oreille County, but the conservation district has asked that 25 percent of that funding – more
than $50,000 – be available to other restoration projects throughout the county. Terry Holloway, who has served as the POCD administrator since October, said the money will be used for things such as fencing out livestock and providing offsite watering facilities, and restoring the creek banks by planting trees and shrubs. The goal is to address water quality concerns regarding areas of high fecal coliform bacteria, temperature, pH, and sediment
identified in Ecology’s TMDL study for the river. She said there are six landowners currently lined up to use the funding for work on their land. Some preparation work may be done this season. In all, the state awarded $82 million for 57 clean water projects. The Centennial Clean Water Program is funded through state bonds. The Pend Oreille Conservation
OF THE MINER
DIAMOND LAKE – The no wake zone remained in effect on Diamond Lake until at least mid-July, meaning boaters must keep speeds under 5 mph. County commissioners were to meet Saturday, July 14 in a special meeting at the Diamond Lake fire hall to discuss it, but there was no quorum. Many residents gathered at the commissioners’ meeting Monday, July 16, but as of noon, the no wake zone was still in effect. The wake restriction made for another quiet Fourth of July day when most traffic consisted of slow moving barges and some kayaks. Residents have reported some wake zone violators to the sheriff’s office. They also say that boaters slow down when the sheriff’s boat appears and speed up again when they go. Some are taking their boating to neighboring lakes such as Sacheen. When the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office gets those calls, they’ll usually launch the marine patrol boat to enforce the no wake, said Sergeant Questin Youk. No tickets have been issued yet. The violation comes with a $66 fine. “Usually we just try to educate people,” Youk said. The Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office did issue five boating infractions during the holiday week, four of them on Diamond Lake and one on the Pend Oreille River. Youk said they were mostly for violations such as having an expired vessel registration or not having life jackets on board.
The Diamond Lake Improvement Association (DLIA) has asked county commissioners to keep the wake restriction in effect until the lake reaches
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Law enforcement calls drop in June NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office responded to 191 calls for service in the Diamond and Sacheen lake area in the month of June, down from 218 in May. There were three reported burglaries. Tools were stolen in one, but nothing was taken in the second incident. A Husky chainsaw was stolen in the third. All cases are still active. Two thefts were also reported. Two car batteries were stolen as well as a large wooden dolphin sculpture. The sheriff’s office did 14 sex offender compliance checks, responded to eight animal problems and completed eight boat inspections. Seven traffic accidents were reported with damage, and 13 suspicious circumstances were reported. Thirty-six traffic stops were completed.
I N VA S I V E S P E C I E S Diamond Lake boat inspection program seeks more volunteers
BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER
DIAMOND LAKE – The Clean Boats Clean Waters program continues to seek volunteers to help run its boat inspection station at the public boat launch on Diamond Lake. The program is the first of its kind in Washington. Its aim is to stop invasive species like zebra and quagga mussels from entering the lake’s waters and to prevent the spread of milfoil.
launch are asked to be careful about the boats that are allowed to launch from your site. A pressure washer is available at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife boat launch off of South Shore Road. That’s
where the Clean Boats Clean Waters program operates. The state of Idaho has stopped 47 mussel-fouled boats from entering its waters. The state
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COURTESY PHOTO| IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Quagga mussels in local lakes could mean great detriment to the natural food chain and native species. Diamond Lake has the first boat inspection program of its kind in the state.
So far boaters have been very cooperative with the voluntary inspections, said Geri Guinn, president of the Diamond Lake Improvement Association, which organizes the program. Although they haven’t always had someone at the launch to do voluntary inspections. Clean Boats Clean Water has gotten off to a slower start than expected, but with the no wake zone in effect up to mid-July, there hasn’t been as much boat traffic as in normal summer seasons. “It doesn’t get the full coverage that we’re hoping to do,” Guinn said. DLIA is interviewing for a lake host to live on site at the boat ramp in an RV. The host the association had lined up earlier this year was unable to take the position after taking a job elsewhere. With 53 people attending the monthly DLIA meeting July 11, the association was able to recruit some more volunteers. Others who are interested can contact Ralph Christiansen at 509-998-4264. Those with a private boat June 2012 | Lake Life 7
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Fast growing stand up paddleboarding hits lakes The fast growing sport of stand up paddleboarding (SUP) is a fun, easy way to go play on the water. With a minimum of equipment, you can paddle anything from ocean surf to lakes and rivers – no waves required. Paddleboarding offers an amazing full body workout and is becoming a favorite cross-training activity for skiers, snowboarders and other athletes. And since you’re standing at your full height, you’ll enjoy excellent views of everything from sea creatures to what’s on the horizon. It’s almost like walking on water. You need just a few key pieces of equipment to enjoy this sport: Stand up paddleboard – This is by far your most significant gear investment. Sizes are based on the paddler’s weight and experience. More experienced and lighter paddlers can choose narrower boards. Novice paddlers should choose wider, flatter boards, which offer more stability. Paddle – Stand up paddles have an angle or “elbow” in the shaft for maximum efficiency. Choose a paddle that’s roughly 6 inches to 8 inches taller than you are (though some manufac-
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COURTESY PHOTO|BRENDA YAHNE
Kathy Atkins prepares to go stand up paddleboading on Diamond Lake. The sport is quickly growing popularity all over the country.
turers recommend an 8-inch to 10-inc differential). PFD (Personal Flotation Device) – The U.S. Coast Guard classifies stand up paddleboards as vessels, so always wear a PFD whenever you’re paddling navigable water. Proper clothing – For cold conditions where hypothermia is a concern, wear a wetsuit or dry suit. In milder conditions, wear shorts and a T-shirt or bathing suit –something that moves with you and can get wet. Sun protection – Wear sunscreen and sunglasses.
Carrying Your Board to the Water If your stand up paddleboard has been designed with a builtin handle, carrying it is a breeze. Just lean the board on its rail (edge), reach for the handle and tuck the board under one arm. Carry your paddle with the other hand. For longer distances, or if your board has no handle, you can more easily carry your paddleboard on your head. Here’s how: Stand the board on its tail (end) with the deck (top of the board) facing you. Lay your paddle on the ground within easy reach. Grasp the rails (the edges of the board) with both hands. Walk yourself under the board so that your head is about midway between the nose (front) and the tail. Stand upright with the board overhead, still holding it by its rails. Now bend down and pick up your paddle and carry it alongside the board. When you’re learning the sport, it’s best to start out in ideal conditions: flat, calm water that’s free of obstacles like boats and buoys. When you’re a beginner, it’s easier to kneel on the board rather than to stand directly upright. Here are a few pointers to get you started: Standing alongside the board, place your paddle across the deck of the board and use it as CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
8 Lake Life | June 2012
Boy Scout encampment will bring thousands of scouts to Diamond Lake BY JANELLE ATYEO
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OF THE MINER
DIAMOND LAKE – Nearly 4,000 Boy Scouts from around the Northwest will spend a week at Camp Cowles at Diamond Lake for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints Aaronic Priesthood Encampment. From July 30 through Aug. 4 Camp Cowles will be busy with activity. The last large encampment in the area was in 1984 at Farragut State Park. Then, 11,000 Scouts participated COURTESY MAP|GOOGLE in the largest encampment in the hisThe shaded area shows the 990-acre Camp Cowles Scout Reservatory of the church. tion at Diamond Lake. Nearly 4,000 LDS scouts will come to camp Scouts had some work to do at Camp here for a week July 30 through Aug. 4. The newly developed Camp Cowles to prepare for the event. A year Sunrise is located roughly at the tent icon off of North Shore Road. ago in May more than 2,000 Scouts pitched in to clear a 66-acre site known as Camp Sunrise. The site – on the challenge courses, triathlon and archery. They’ll western edge of the 990-acre Camp Cowles, off of have the opportunity to work on more than 40 North Shore Road – was previously undeveloped, types of merit badges. used mostly for hiking. The whole group will gather for two camp-wide They turned it into an area where 18 differfiresides, one Monday evening and one Friday. ent scouting groups, known as stakes, will set up camp for the week. It also includes four hillside gathering areas and an --35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE -amphitheatre. The LDS church • Flood Dryout Services donated the work and the new • Mold Inspection & Remediation infrastructure, which includes power to the site and a new • Remodeling & Repairs road. INSURANCE CLAIMS WELCOME In the “Catch the Vision” Brooks Swanson, General Contractor RCT-13983 encampment scouts will focus (CMI)(CMRC)(ART)(WRT)(llCRC) on tapping into their potential. (208) 448-2950 They’ll participate in more than 50 types of activities, both team and individual events, such as
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an outrigger. The paddle grip is on the rail (edge) of the board; the blade rests on the water. Hold the board by the rails. One hand will also be holding the paddle grip. Pop yourself onto the board into a kneeling position, just behind the center point of the board. From that kneeling position, get a feel for the balance point of the board. The nose shouldn’t pop up out of the water and the tail shouldn’t dig in. Keep your hands on either side of the board to stabilize it. Once you’re ready, stand up on the board one foot at a time. Place your feet where your knees were. You might also bring a friend to wade out about knee-deep with your board. Have your friend stabilize the board as you get the hang of standing on it. June 2012 | Lake Life 9
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Eurasian watermilfoil will be topping the water surface and beginning its bloom period shortly – a grim sight for any water based recreationalist. Milfoil infestations reduce habitat for many aquatic organisms, fish and native plants. They also interfere with any recreational activities. Fortunately for residents on Diamond and Sacheen lakes, infestations of milfoil have been kept to a minimum through aggressive actions on the part of the Diamond Lake Improvement Association and Sacheen Water and Sewer District. If infestations had been allowed to continue without addressing them, these infestations would have continued to increase until filling all available sites (the surface area over depths up to 16 feet). Such an infestation level would make boating, paddling, swimming and fishing unsafe to impossible. Milfoil is a perennial plant, meaning it sprouts from the
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both mechanical, such as by a boat prop cutting through it, and naturally on its own as it dies back in the fall. It is easily transported on boats and trailers to new locations, making re-infestation of a lake that has been cleared of milfoil a likely occurrence. It’s important to understand that not all aquatic vegetation is milfoil, most is an array of native plants that are important to the fish and wildlife of a lake system. Most native aquatic vegetation does not grow in dense mats that top the lake’s surface. The problem with milfoil is that it does grow in dense mats that top the lake’s surface, creating problems for boating and swimming. It also creates water quality problems for fish as it goes through its daily photosynthesis cycle. At night, dissolved oxygen decreases and pH levels rise, creating difficulties for survival and fish kills can result.
Inn at the Lake owners ask for extension BY DON GRONNING OF THE MINER
DIAMOND LAKE – The owners of Inn at the Lake have asked for more time to appeal Pend Oreille County’s notice of violation for the vacation rental at 581 South Shore Road. Pend Oreille County Community Development Director Mike Lithgow declined to extend the deadline. He said the timelines set by the county were reasonable. In a July 13 letter to the Inn’s attorney, he proposed the owners file an appeal with the Pend Oreille County Planning Commission by July 20. Pend Oreille County would then set a hearing with the Planning Commission, probably in late August. Lithgow suggested that an inspection of the building be arranged between now and the date of the hearing, if any. Lithgow had sent the owners a letter dated June 18 that notified them that it appeared the inn is in violation of county code. Specifically, Lithgow said the owners didn’t get the necessary building permits to add three additional bedrooms and two bathrooms to the inn, that it needs a conditional use permit to operate a special event center in the current location and the inn is an unauthorized vacation rental. The owners were given until July 6 to correct the alleged violations. Stacy Bjordahl is an attorney representing the inn owners. The inn is owned by Gayle Cagianut through the Cagianut Family Trust. Bjordahl wrote July 5 to request an extension until Sept. 15. “It is my understanding that the County has previously granted extensions under a similar set of circumstances (e.g. Sheckler),” she wrote. She said an extension is needed to accommodate her workload, existing deadlines mandated by the Court of Appeals as well as a scheduled family vacation out of the county. Previously, she had asserted the inn is licensed by the state as transient lodging and state rules regarding transient lodging are stricter than the county rules, Bjordahl wrote. Since the inn was operating before the county established vacation rental and building codes, its rights to continue to operate, including operating an event center, was considered an acceptable non conforming use, she wrote. In her letter of July 5, Bjordahl wrote, “With respect to your request to inspect the property,
we will accommodate an inspection the week of September 10, when I am available to travel to Newport. Since there have been no structural alterations to the Inn since 2006, by the property owners, there does not appear to be any immediate need to inspect the property.” The county has hired Stanley Schwartz, an outside attorney, to represent the county, as county prosecutor Tom Metzger lives next door. Schwartz is being paid
through the professional services part of the prosecutor budget. It’s Lithgow’s call, Schwartz said. He said he provided some legal advice but it is up to Lithgow. Schwartz was not concerned with how long the process was taking. “That’s due process,” he said. The Pend Oreille County Planning Board Commissioners are the final authority for the county on the matter. The next step would be Superior Court.
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June 2012 | Lake Life 11
Weeds treated at Moon Creek COURTESY PHOTO|SHARON SORBY
Because the channel was too thick with vegetation, this air boat was used to treat weeds in the channel that runs into Moon Creek. Applicators sprayed Touchdown to kill the invasive reed canary grass in hopes that it will get water flowing out of Diamond Lake.
12 Lake Life | June 2012
Herbicide treatment causes some stir with neighboring landowners BY JANELLE ATYEO OF THE MINER
DIAMOND LAKE – The noxious weed canary grass that’s prevalent in the channel that runs into Moon Creek should begin withering away within a week or so. On July 6, the weeds were sprayed with Touchdown, a liquid herbicide using glyphosate like Roundup, by a licensed applicator – Lakeland
Restoration and Inland Water Pest Control and Consulting, who was hired by the Diamond Lake Improvement Association. They focused on the segment of the stream between North Shore Road to the start of the beaver pond and about 50 feet on either side of the channel. Plans were to travel the creek in a canoe, using a backpack sprayer to apply the herbicide. The weeds were too thick though, and an air boat had to be used to apply the herbicide instead. Some residents along the stream were unhappy with the weed treatment. Some have told The Miner they wanted to be involved in the decision making process since the treatment area is literally in their back yards. One resident put out a sign in protest. Another area landowner called the sheriff’s office and filed a complaint with the Washington State Department of Agriculture. WSDA’s Pesticide Management Division in Spokane received the complaint, and the investigator has started his inspection of the facts surrounding the application. Because the situation is under review, WSDA’s spokesman could not provide further details. Whether the treatment will have a lasting effect remains to be seen. Reed canary grass has an extensive root system, said Sharon Sorby, weed control coordinator for Pend Oreille County. While the Touchdown product is supposed to kill the roots, some usually remain and the weed will likely come back. Sorby said they are working on a revegetation program that would replant with shrubs and trees. Reed canary grass is a Class C weed, meaning that it’s already widespread in Washington and the county can enforce control of it if it’s beneficial. It was listed with the state Noxious Weed Control Board in 1995. The non-native type of canary grass has been in Pend Oreille County since the 1940s, Sorby said. That’s when it was introduced as a pasture and hay forage for wet areas. It now infests every water body, she said. For wildlife, primarily waterfowl, it is a less desirable habitat structure. “Just the other day, we watched as three otters gobbled down three wood ducklings because they didn’t have adequate cover to hide in, as all there was for hiding in was the reed canary grass,” Sorby said. DLIA is considering a three-year treatment program to care for the canary grass, as well as milfoil and yellow flag iris.
New permit fee will raise cost of installing docks OLYMPIA – Starting July 10, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is charging $150 to process the state permit required for construction projects in and around state waters. That includes installing docks, bulkheads and culverts. The permit, called a hydraulic project approval (HPA), has been issued to the public at no direct cost since 1943, when it was
Boat launch work to begin at Diamond Lake
created by the state Legislature to ensure that in-water construction projects meet state standards for fish protection. This year, after a series of state budget cuts, the Legislature authorized WDFW to begin charging applicants to help meet the administrative costs of assessing proposed projects. Pend Oreille County already charges permit fees when these sorts of projects come through its community development
D S
department. On dock construction, depending on the size of the structure, the builder would need a shoreline exemption, which comes with a $220 fee. The $150 from the state would be on top of that. Bigger projects, such as a dock costing more than $10,000 or a shoreline stabilization project, require a substantial shoreline development permit from the county. That costs $450 on top of the state’s new fee.
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SPOKANE – Work will soon begin on the Diamond Lake boat 301 S. WASHINGTON AVE. - SUITE A launch, operated by the WashNEWPORT • (509) 447-3242 ington Department of Fish and Wildlife. All permits were finalized June 28. Materials are stacking up at Quality Used Boat Sales the launch. The double ramp is and Expert Professional Service scheduled to be replaced, and an for your boats & watercraft associated boarding dock will Vince Zimmer – owner be installed, according to the on Diamond Lake since 1957 Diamond Lake Improvement Association. The two new ramps will be 12 feet wide and 52 feet long. The dock will be six-feet, threeinches wide by 60 feet long and located between the two ramps. A concrete abutment and addiS p o k a n e ’s P r e m i e r Wa t e r s p o r t s D e a l e r S i n c e 1 9 7 6 tional ADA parking stalls will be E. 12710 Indiana (509) 927-2505 installed. www.alpinehausmarina.com Spokane WA (I90 & Pines) There will be a ditch clean up and re-grading as well as asphalt repair and paving. An eight-foot by 12-foot dissipater constructed of light, loose riprap will be installed at the west edge of the parking lot. WDFW plans to provide adCommunications equate public notice of closure periods during construction. The boat launch at Sacheen Lake will also get an upgrade after the state approved $500,000 in Broadband capital funding money from the Internet is now state jobs bill in the 2012-2013 fiscal year. available in the The Washington Department Diamond Lake of Fish and Wildlife will lead the area! project, hiring a local contractor to do the design and development. Work will involve upgrading the boat launch and replacing the toilets. The hope is to complete the project this year, but it depends on conditions and the water levels. More detailed plans should be available later this summer. The public access is on the northeast shore of the lake off of Highway 211.
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THURSDAY, JULY 19 South Pend Oreille Fire and Rescue
For two nights at the Circle Moon Theater, Heidi Gnos Kuban will be performing her unique song styling in a show she has titled “Another Song.” Friday and Saturday, July 20 and 21, her voice will carry the audience through opera, musical theater, the big band era, the folk movement, gospel and even a few original songs. Enjoy a dinner then delight in the classical elegance provided by Heidi and company, a show where intimacy and family are equally embraced. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. with the show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 or for the show only, $12 or $10 for seniors and children. For tickets and information call 208-448-1294. The Circle Moon is located at 3642 North State Route 211 near Sacheen Lake.
The fire district that covers much of south Pend Oreille County, including Diamond and Sacheen lakes, holds its monthly commissioners meeting on the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Diamond Lake Station, 325272 Highway 2.
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The water sewer board will have its second meeting of the month at 10 a.m. in the District Office, 172 South Shore Road.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 Sacheen Ladies of the Lake
The philanthropic and social group meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at noon at various locations. Call president Maria Bullock at 509-998-4221 to find out where. The group raises money for various causes. Visit sosacheen.tripod.com/ sacheenladiesofthelake. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 1 Diamond Lake Water and Sewer
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The water and sewer board will have its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at the Sacheen Fire Station, Highway 211. The commissioners meet on the first Wednesday of every month. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8 Home and Community Educators
The Diamond Lake club of the Home and Community Educators meets monthly on the second Wednesday at noon. Call Billie Goodno at 509-447-3781 or Chris King at 208-437-0971 for a location. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8 Watershed Planning Group Meeting
The planning group for the Middle and Little Spokane Rivers (the Department of Ecology’s Watershed Resources Inventory Areas 55 and 57) will meet from 9 a.m. to noon at the Spokane County Conservation District office, 210 N. Havana. WRIA 55 includes Diamond and Sacheen lakes as well as Eloika Lake, Dry Creek, Deer Creek, Deadman Creek, Dragoon Creek and the Little Spokane River. Visit www.spokanecounty. org/wqmp/projects. SATURDAY, AUG. 11 Sacheen Lake Association Annual Picnic
The association will have its annual get together at the MyersHarter Sanctuary at 11 a.m.
The Victorian style Foxwood Tea House near Diamond Lake hosts an antique show with vendors and music. Admission is $4. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Visit www. foxwoodteahouse.com. WEDNESDAY, AUG. 15 Diamond Lake Water and Sewer
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The water sewer board will have its second meeting of the month at 10 a.m. in the District Office, 172 South Shore Road.
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The fire district that covers much of sout h Pend Oreille County, including Diamond and Sacheen lakes, holds its monthly commissioners meeting on the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Diamond Lake Station, 325272 Highway 2.
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14 Lake Life | June 2012
The monthly meeting of the DLIA is held at 6:30 p.m. at the fire station on Highway 2. Visit www. diamondlakewa.org.
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your day. Like I said earlier, in these ground strikes, part of the lightning process actually begins at ground level and here’s how it works: During a thunderstorm, paths of electrically charged air are constantly moving within the storm clouds. Positive charges are higher up (like your typical house cat) while negative charges tend to stay closer to the cloud base like a ground squirrel. Lightning occurs within the cloud when these two charges meet. Cloud to ground lightning actually occurs when some of those negative charges from the cloud base “leak” toward the ground in what’s technically called a Step Leader. At the same time, positive charges on the ground are responding to the call of the Step Leader in the form of ionized air paths called Streamers. Typically, there are multiple Streamers moving skyward from the highest objects under the storm. When the Step Leader meets the Streamer, it’s game-on and that’s one game you don’t want to be a part of! A telltale warning sign that YOU might be hosting one of those Streamers is that your hair stands straight up. You might just think that you’re having a bad hair day, but now that you have read this, you’ll know better. There are a lot of things you can do to avoid these unpleasant electrical nuisances in the first place. The most important thing is to seek shelter in a strong building or vehicle before the thunderstorm hits. If you find yourself trapped outdoors, make sure that you stay away from the highest objects within your general vicinity. Now, if you find yourself outdoors and also happen to be unlucky enough to be hosting one of those annoying Streamers, (remember the bad hair thing) then you’ll need to act quickly. There are probably several other Streamers in the same area competing for that “electrifying” Step Leader, so in order to make yourself “less attractive” simply squat down as low as you can get, but remain on your feet. If you can, squat down on only one foot. (I tried that once and immediately fell down.) Go ahead and laugh, but if you are indeed talented enough to
squat down on only one foot in the pouring rain, strong wind, and possibly a little hail hitting your skull, then you would benefit from not having any ground electricity from nearby strikes passing through your heart. In addition, DO NOT LIE DOWN ON THE GROUND as this could also leave you vulnerable to deadly electrical charges from nearby lightning strikes. And, if you find yourself singing during a thunderstorm to pass the time away, you probably should avoid that old Barbara Streisand song “You Light Up My Life”! Seriously, by following some of these simple tips, you’ll be able to avoid being a lightning statistic, and that’s a good thing! In retrospect, perhaps I should take my own advice, but being the avid storm chaser that I am, it’s hard to do sometimes. So in this case, it’s do as I say, not do as I do. And on the
subject of “I do,” my wife has had to put up with my weather shenanigans for 30 years now (as of last month) and she’s still here. She should get a medal, but if she ever does, she better not wear it around me during a thunderstorm! By the way, you can read more weather safety tips by logging onto my website www. climatehawk.org and clicking on the “Storm Safety” button. While you’re there, be sure to check out the Discovery Channel’s Lightning Video link, which illustrates how lightning forms, and also has some awesome rare footage of actual Streamers moving up from tree’s and poles! Next time we meet here in Lake Life, I’ll give you my take on what’s causing all the record heat throughout the nation this year. Is it climate change, global warming, or just a cyclical pattern? Stay tuned!
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operates roadside boat inspection stations, including one on Highway 2 at Oldtown. The Oldtown station has not turned up any vessels carrying invasive species so far. Zebra and quagga mussels have not been found in the waters of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Wyoming
to date. But they are in other components of boats. Once in western states: California, Nethe water, they also attach to vada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado plants, sediment, and surand New Mexico. They were faces such as piers, piling sand first found in the West in 2007 and water intakes. They can after having been brought to disrupt the natural food chain the Great Lakes from Russia and crowd out native species. in the 1980s. The mussels are native to the Black and Caspian seas. The mussels colonize on CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 hulls, engines and steering
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CULVERT I
sions have been made yet. They are accepting donations toward the project. They also are raffling an inflatable kayak and other items. The drawing will be Aug. 25 at the DLIA general meeting. “We have a lot of support,” Guinn said. “If we can do it and take care of the problem so we don’t have to deal with this again next year.” Guinn said they have all the required permits to do the dredging. No timeframe for doing the work has been decided yet.
PATROL I CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
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July 5, 2011. A no wake zone also remains on Bead Lake. Because much of the land there is owned by the U.S. Forest Service, commissioners are deferring to them, asking them to decide when they feel the water has resided enough that wakes won’t cause excessive property damage. The no wake zone was lifted at Sacheen Lake May 22. The wake restriction was on the Pend Oreille River from June 19-29.
WATERSHED I CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
District also has some funding available for riparian plantings along the Pend Oreille River. The Pend Oreille Public Utility District has granted up to $5,000 this year for tree and shrub plantings. The limit for each project is $500. Holloway would like to do 10 projects this year with the hopes to receive a larger chunk of funding next year. Interested landowners can contact Holloway at the POCD office in the post office building in Newport at 509-447-5370 or pocd@conservewa.net.