Swinomish Department of Environmental Protection

Swinomish Department of Environmental Protection We protect and restore the natural environment, and the health and welfare of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community for present and future generations.

Views on this page are those of members of our staff and not the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community. At the end of 2013, the Swinomish Senate and Committees decided to reorganize the former Planning office and establish the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP comprises all the environmental functions from the Planning Department including the Water Resources Program and the Enviro

nmental Compliance & Management Team that developed and matured within Planning. We continue our close collaboration with the Planning Department and new Lands Management Department in the same location. Our functions fall into three major categories with associated projects:
-Environmental research and monitoring: monitoring water levels and quality in freshwater streams, marine waters, wetlands and groundwater; beaches; habitat restoration; environmental human health; and environmental education;
-Environmental policy and ordinance development: Updates of ordinances to address climate change; and, drafts of Water quality standards and Aquifer protection ordinance;
-Environmental management: environmental permitting and compliance; environmental clean-up and spill response planning; air quality and indoor air assessments; and, noxious weed control.

🟢All 6 monitored beaches are SAFE for water contact! Happy swimming, paddling, and recreating. 🏊Next sampling is schedu...
06/05/2026

🟢All 6 monitored beaches are SAFE for water contact! Happy swimming, paddling, and recreating. 🏊
Next sampling is scheduled for 6/8/26

05/22/2026

Fieldwork Friday Highlight 🌊🦀🪨

Our Nearshore team has been hard at work gearing up for our summer field season! Take a look at how we approach beach monitoring at Lone Tree Point, a site that is culturally & historically significant to the Swinomish people.

🌸 Happy May from the PIC Program! It’s time for your PIC Tip of the Month: Don’t Poison Your Tank. As spring cleaning co...
05/20/2026

🌸 Happy May from the PIC Program! It’s time for your PIC Tip of the Month: Don’t Poison Your Tank. As spring cleaning continues, many households reach for strong cleaning products to clear drains and disinfect surfaces. What’s easy to forget is that everything that goes down the drain ends up in your septic system.

🚫 Avoid harsh cleaners. Chemical and bleach‑heavy cleaning products can disrupt the natural treatment process inside your septic tank. These products can interfere with the system’s ability to break down waste properly, increasing the risk of backups, failures, and untreated wastewater reaching the environment.

🧴 Use gentle cleaning alternatives. For routine cleaning and maintenance, choose low‑toxicity or enzyme‑based products instead of chemical quick fixes. These options are easier on your septic system and help keep it functioning as designed.

✅ Check the label before you buy. Products labeled “septic safe,” “biodegradable,” or “safe for septic systems” are formulated to work with your system rather than against it. Making these small choices helps protect your septic system and reduces the chance of bacterial contamination reaching nearby streams and marine waters.

🟢All 6 monitored beaches are SAFE for water contact! Happy swimming, paddling, and recreating. 🏊Next sampling is schedu...
05/14/2026

🟢All 6 monitored beaches are SAFE for water contact! Happy swimming, paddling, and recreating. 🏊
Next sampling is scheduled for 6/4/26.

🪏🥾Happy ! This week our staff spent a lot of time outdoors with the Swinomish Between Two Worlds class celebrating Ea...
04/25/2026

🪏🥾Happy ! This week our staff spent a lot of time outdoors with the Swinomish Between Two Worlds class celebrating Earth Day. Over 60 traditional plants🌱 were added to the Swinomish Ethnobotanical Garden located at the La Conner school district. Then students spent time with the Audubon Society🐦 at Kukutali to learn about Swinomish avian habitats and what we can do to help protect, preserve, and restore for a happy, healthy planet.🌎

🟢All 6 monitored beaches are SAFE for water contact! Happy swimming, paddling, and recreating. 🏊Next sampling is schedul...
04/20/2026

🟢All 6 monitored beaches are SAFE for water contact! Happy swimming, paddling, and recreating. 🏊
Next sampling is scheduled for 5/11/26.

🌷 Happy April from the PIC Program! It’s time for your PIC Tip of the Month! As spring cleanup begins, many property own...
04/16/2026

🌷 Happy April from the PIC Program! It’s time for your PIC Tip of the Month! As spring cleanup begins, many property owners start washing animal pens, kennels, and outdoor pet areas. While this may seem like a routine task, wash water can carry bacteria from animal waste into nearby ditches or storm drains that flow directly to local streams and marine waters. By thinking ahead and managing where wash water goes, you can take simple steps to help reduce bacterial pollution and protect our waterways.

🚿 Keep wash water out of storm drains and ditches. Washing animal pens, kennels, or outdoor pet areas can send bacteria‑laden water directly to streams and shellfish‑growing waters without treatment.

🧹 Dry‑clean before you wash. Scraping or shoveling manure and waste first removes a large portion of bacteria and reduces what can be washed away.

✅ Direct wash water to a safe disposal area. Make sure wash water soaks into vegetated ground or goes to a sanitary system where bacteria can be treated, rather than flowing off your property.

Have you ever considered the benefits of dune grass on your shoreline? 🌊🏖️ This hardworking grass does way more than jus...
03/27/2026

Have you ever considered the benefits of dune grass on your shoreline? 🌊🏖️ This hardworking grass does way more than just look pretty. It prevents erosion by absorbing wave energy and helps to builds beaches by trapping sediment in place. It also provides crucial habitat for migrating juvenile chinook salmon as they forage for food at high tide and need some safe cover while swimming around! 🐟 This amazing grass can grow roots several feet deep to access pockets of fresh water. Get in touch today to discuss whether your beach is a suitable place to install dune grass!

Plant of the Month: Serviceberry! ✨ This powerhouse does it all: stabilizes slopes with its fibrous roots, tolerates bot...
03/27/2026

Plant of the Month: Serviceberry! ✨ This powerhouse does it all: stabilizes slopes with its fibrous roots, tolerates both sun & shade, has vibrant leaves, supports pollinators, and is edible for animals & humans! 🌿🍽️ What more could you want? Get in touch to learn more about landscaping with native plant species and get a free shoreline assessment!

Address

11430 Moorage Way
La Conner, WA
98257

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+13604667280

Website

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