Clean Water for Salmon Toolkit

Produced by the Clean Water for Salmon Network

 

 

Take Action to decrease Pesticide Use in Your Community!

 

 

Virtually every stream, lake, and river in the Northwest that has been tested is contaminated with pesticides. Pesticide pollution of surface water in Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho exposes salmon and their habitat to harmful levels of contamination. The US Geological survey (USGS) detected at least 25 and as many as 50 pesticides in each of the six major watersheds studied in the Pacific states.

 

Pesticides can kill salmon directly or cause damage that significantly reduces their chances of survival. Factors in salmon decline include pesticide effects on salmon behavior, immune and hormone systems, food supply, and habitat.

 

The pesticides found in our surface water are a result of run-off from applications to homes, parks, roadsides, businesses, schools, and agricultural areas. Most cities and counties in the Northwest use pesticides in their parks, roadside vegetation management, municipal building and grounds, and other properties. Cities and counties are in a unique position to not only reduce their own use of harmful pesticides, but also serve as a model for their citizens and other municipalities.

 

In the Northwest we have quite a few examples of municipalities that have implemented salmon-friendly pest control methods. Both Seattle and San Francisco have eliminated the use of the most toxic herbicides and insecticides on their properties. Jefferson County, WA, hasn’t used herbicides in their roadside maintenance program for over 20 years, nor has San Juan County, WA.

 

You can make this happen in your community! A new action kit is available for communities working to pass city or county emphasizing pest prevention and restricting use of hazardous pesticides. This kit is produced by the by the Washington Toxics Coalition and the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides under the Clean Water for Salmon Campaign. This campaign works to protect salmon from pesticide contamination in streams and rivers.

 

With information, resources, and organizing assistance, this kit should be your first step in protecting salmon and our communities from the harmful effects of salmon! The kit is available online at www.watoxics.org on the publications page, and scroll down to the Pesticide Action Kits section.

 

For printed copies of the kit, or more information about the campaign, contact:

Angela Storey, Washington Toxics Coalition, 206-632-1545 ext. 11, astorey@watoxics.org, or Pollyanna Lind, Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, 541-344-5044 ext. 17, salmon@pesticide.org.