Environment | Key Peninsula News

New Longbranch Pumpout Station Delayed Indefinitely

Plans to build a pumpout station at the Longbranch Marina, designed to give boaters a way to empty their sewage tanks, was halted by an unexpected permitting roadblock because of a shared well that … more

Chris Rurik, KP News | 6/1/22

Climate Change Comes Home

On a hot day last August, the Whitmarsh family took a trip to Seattle to visit the Space Needle. Standing in the viewing area, we were shocked to see a large plume of smoke rising to the west. We … more

Natalie Pierson/Olivia Whitmarsh | 6/1/22

DNR Plans Timber Harvest in Key Central Forest

At the Key Pen Parks commissioner meeting held via Zoom April 11, forest managers from the Department of Natural Resources presented its plan to harvest 110 acres of timber from the Key Central … more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 4/27/22

Erden Eruç hoists the Philippine pennant on arrival, delivered by the local kayak club

KP Man Completes First Solo Row from U.S. to Asia

Solo circumnavigator Erden Eruç of Wauna, 60, made landfall at Legazpi City in the Philippines March 24, becoming the first person to row from North America to Asia after launching from … more

Ted Olinger, KP News | 4/26/22

Costly removal of a sinking derelict vessel from Lakebay Marina Jan. 28.

Legislature Funds Increased Derelict Boat Removal on Puget Sound

Removing derelict or abandoned boats from the waters of Puget Sound is a high priority for the Department of Natural Resources. The department’s underfunded Derelict Vessel Removal Program got … more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 3/31/22

Amplified King Tide Causes Dramatic Flooding

One of the highest tides of 2022 was predicted for just after sunrise Friday, Jan 7. Daylight revealed a tide two feet higher than the prediction. Seawater filled the parking lot of Purdy’s … more

Chris Rurik, KP News | 1/27/22

Lakebay Marina Sold; New Owners to Restore and Partner with State

After two years of negotiation and fundraising, the purchase of Lakebay Marina from owner Mark Scott closed Dec. 28 for $1.6 million in a joint effort by the Recreational Boating Association of … more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 1/1/22

McDermott Point is KP’s Latest Conservation Project

The Pierce County Council voted to adopt the recommendations of the Citizens Advisory Board to the Conservation Futures Program to begin negotiating the purchase of conservation properties. more

Chris Rurik, KP News | 9/29/21

Mussels on a raft in Carr Inlet couldn’t survive the heat.

High Temperatures and Low Tide Take a Toll

Record high temperatures and minus tides spelled disaster for shellfish and other intertidal sea life in Puget Sound in June. more

8/28/21

Algal toxins were responsible for summer shellfish catastrophe.

Cause of 2019 Rocky Bay Clam Die-Off Identified

The cause of the Rocky Bay clam die-off in July 2019 has been identified. Beaches across Puget Sound were affected by similar events in both 2018 and 2019. Yessotoxins, produced by the algae species … more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 8/28/21

State Funds Next Steps in Restoration of Whiteman Cove

Washington State Legislators appropriated $900,000 in the 2022-23 state capital budget for the Department of Natural Resources to advance plans for removal of barriers to fish passage at Whiteman Cove. more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 6/30/21

The pump out station at Penrose Point has been out of service since April 2019.

County to Boaters: ‘Pump Your Poop’

Pierce County, in partnership with Washington State Parks, The Recreational Boaters Association of Washington and Minterbrook Oyster Farm, will provide a free mobile pump-out service vessel for boaters in the South Sound this summer. more

Kamryn Minch, KP News | 6/30/21

Appeals Court Upends State Shellfish Farming

For environmentalists, the decision represented a victory. For shellfish farmers, it spelled potential disaster. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 4/28/21

Whiteman Cove Restoration Opposed by YMCA

After eight years of research, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources informed stakeholders and neighbors in February of its final plan to return Whiteman Cove to a functioning estuary. more

Lisa Bryan, KP News | 3/31/21

On Foot, Deep in Rocky Creek Preserve

As I haul on my boots, it’s hard to know what to expect. From the muddy pullout where we’ve parked, an overgrown road leads into low, tangled woods. It’s December. Even the … more

Chris Rurik, KP News | 1/27/21

Looking SW toward Rocky Bay and Case Inlet.

Rocky Creek Preserve Expands by 150 Acres

The Great Peninsula Conservancy has acquired 150 acres of land in the Rocky Creek area for long-term protection and conservation, one of the largest acquisitions in its history. more

Matthew Dean, KP News | 12/2/20

Algae Bloom Cause of Summer Stench on Burley Lagoon

Residents of Burley Lagoon reported a stench in mid to late August that reminded some of the clam die-off on Rocky Bay last summer. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 10/1/20

Crabbing South of Narrows Bridge Closed for Third Year

Although Gov. Jay Inslee has lifted fishing restrictions in the state due to COVID-19 concerns, crabbing in South Puget Sound will likely remain closed to all crab harvesting for the third year in a row. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 6/26/20

When a Giant Pacific Octopus Washes Ashore

Walk the peninsula’s beaches this time of year and you won’t find much of a high tide line. Gone are the mounds of seaweed, the … more

Chris Rurik, Special to the KP News | 4/30/20

Coronavirus Devastates Geoduck Industry

A drop in demand due to closure of the Chinese market adds to the downturn for Washington shellfish growers due to trade war tariffs. more

Sara Thompson, KP News | 3/27/20