San Juan Islands
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The San Juan Islands are the American extension of the Gulf Islands in Canada and are located near the center of the Salish Sea. There is an abundance of rocky Headlands and fewer Beaches compared to more southern Regions. San Jan Islands are wholly within San Juan County which has jurisdiction over most of the land base and is responsible for planning, and storm water. While the archipelago has hundreds of islets, San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island have most of the population and infrastructure (although Shaw Island also has ferry service). [Eastern Island like Guemes and Sinclair are within Skagit County. The islands are politically tied to Bellingham and Mt. Vernon/Burlington through a state legislative district.
Notes
- San Juan County commissioners have designated a San Juan County Marine Stewardship Area
- Washington State University has an WSU Extension Office in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island
- https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/nature/groundwater.htm - groundwater extraction may affect ecological integrity of saline coastal lagoons by reducing seasonal groundwater inputs.
- San Juan Islands has a national wildlife refuge including 83 uninhabited islands with restricted access for humans.
Salmonids and Fisheries
- File:Whitman et al 2012 san juan salmon recovery planning.pdf summarizes many years of coastal salmonid habitat assessment to propose priority landscapes for protection and restoration.
- File:Rot et al 2019 san juan islands salmonid limiting factors.pdf describes resident salmonid habitats in eight basins on San Juan and Orcas islands, with a focus on 8 streams and their basis most likely to support cold water fisheries.
- File:Whitman & Hawkins 2014 armoring impacts of forage fish.pdf summarizes the development status of shorelines relative to the presence or potential for beach spawning forage fish.
Water
- A series of USGS reports between 2000 and 2002 document groundwater resources - https://www.usgs.gov/centers/wa-water/science/san-juan-county?qt-science_center_objects=3#qt-science_center_objects
Non-Governmental Workgroups
- San Juan Community Home Trust is focused on affordable housing.
- San Juan County Land Bank The land bank is a commission created by county government based on a 1% REET established in 1990.
- San Juan Preservation Trust is the longstanding land trust and protects 300 properties, 50 miles of shoreline and 25 miles of trails over 19,000 acres on 21 islands!
- Friends of the San Juans is a longstanding advocacy group that has taken the lead in salmon recovery planning.
- San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild is a volunteer organization
