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Advisory board assigns canal inspection units and limited cyanobacteria test kits to volunteers
Summary
The Freshwater Advisory Board divided canal inspection areas among members and outlined a protocol for cyanobacteria testing: visual checks, a stick test, and use of limited lab kits (four available) to be shipped Monday-Wednesday via Public Works contact Tim.
At the July 7 meeting the Freshwater Advisory Board assigned inspection units across members' canal territories and laid out procedures for volunteer monitoring and cyanobacteria (toxic algal) testing.
Board members selected manageable stretches of canals and agreed volunteers should "look at your areas, and you'll start to get a feel for how often" to inspect during warm weather, Becky told the group. The board agreed volunteers should perform a simple on-site "stick test" recommended by Herrera: "if you take it and you stick it down in the middle of it and you pull it up and it comes out clean, it doesn't have toxic bacteria in it," Becky explained.
For laboratory confirmation, the city has four test kits available from a lab (kits require freezing the sample overnight and must be shipped Monday through Wednesday to remain valid). Tim in Public Works will manage kit distribution and shipping; Becky provided his contact and phone number to volunteers: (360) 940-7487. Becky said she requested 10 kits but the lab could only supply four at this time and that private testing services are available if more lab testing is needed.
Why it matters: cyanobacteria blooms can present health hazards to people and animals and require rapid signage and public notification. Becky explained that a positive lab result would trigger signage changes and sustained warnings for the season.
Practical instructions recorded at the meeting: use visual inspection and the stick test to triage; if a sample appears suspicious, collect with a kit, freeze it the night before shipping, complete required forms (including latitude/longitude), and return the kit to Tim for shipping Monday-Wednesday. Tim will coordinate contact with Ecology.
The board did not vote on policy changes; this agenda item formalized volunteer area assignments, monitoring expectations and a chain-of-custody procedure for limited lab tests.
