San Juan County Public Works

(Public Works Dept release) San Juan County Public Works Department will host an Informational field walk from 1 pm to 5 pm Thursday, May 3, 2012 on the Land Bank’s Stonebridge Preserve which will be affected by the Mount Baker Road and Trail Improvement projects.

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San Juan County Public Works

Last week, Friends of the San Juans enhanced habitat for beach spawning forage fish along Barlow Bay at the south end of Lopez Island. Over the years, substantial rock from road protection efforts has fallen onto the middle and upper portions of the beach, degrading habitat at one of only nine known Pacific sand lance spawning sites in San Juan County.

Sand lance are a key food item for many fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, including salmon and bottomfish. Sand lance lay their eggs on sandy upper beaches. Land use practices, especially armoring, can easily damage this valuable and limited shoreline zone.

Local contractor Michael Budnick, hired by FOSJ, restacked rock along Barlow Bay's public and private roads, improving the spawning beaches and repairing the failing road protection.

"The Friends of the San Juans' habitat restoration project was a win win for everyone" states San Olson, FOSJ board member and neighborhood resident, "while the primary objective was to enhance critical spawning habitat and support marine food webs, we were also able to use the rocks removed from the beach to fill gaps and improve protection along the road". Thanks to San Juan County Public Works, Barlow Bay shoreline property owners and the Salmon Point Community for their support of the project. Also thanks to the Washington State Salmon Recovery Board provided for funding this small but important restoration project.

For more information on priority shoreline habitats and species, or the work FRIENDS is doing throughout the county to protect and restore them, visit www.sanjuans.org.

San Juan County Public Works

The new 43-foot Buck Bay Bridge on Orcas Island, which replaced a roadway fill where Cascade Creek flowed through two culverts, opened at 4:35 p.m. September 28. An official bridge opening and celebration is set for noon Thursday, October 20 with state and county officials and the public.

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San Juan County Public Works

A one-ton San Juan County Public Works Department truck rolled forward into the water at Roche Harbor at approximately 10 a.m. this morning and was completely submerged for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours until it was hauled out by a contract tow operator. Workers from Public Works and Roche Harbor stood by in case fuel or oil leaked from the truck, but acting Public Works Director Russ Harvey said that there was no leakage.

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San Juan County Public Works

After 20 years in the U.S. Navy, Frank Mulcahy starts a new assignment October 17, 2011 as Public Works Director of San Juan County. He replaces Jon Shannon who stepped down in April after eight years in the position. Russ Harvey served as interim director while the county searched for Shannon's replacement.

Mulcahy, of Groton, Connecticut, holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia Military Institute and a Masters in Construction Management from the University of Washington.

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