Previous Projects or Initiatives

NASA Solutions Network: 

The NOP RC&D Council received a $1.6 million grant in 2006 to evolve a Solutions Network of local, regional and national organizations to provide watershed management teams with decision support through NASA-funded earth-sun research results. The NOP RC&D Council built a team of eight other major partners for this project, including the NASA-funded Pacific NorthWest Regional Collaboratory (PNWRC); USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (including the National Water and Climate Center); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Sequim and Richland, WA; Idaho National Laboratory (INL); Olympic National Park (ONP); Clallam County; the National Association of RC&D Councils (NARC&DC) in Washington, DC; and Peninsula College (PC).

During the second and third year of the project, the North Olympic Peninsula Solutions Network (NOPSN) team surveyed RC&D Councils around the United States to assess their priority natural resource issues related to NASA focus areas. Based on the results of the surveys and follow-up interviews conducted with several Councils, four RC&Ds were selected for on-going participation in the project.  The NOPSN team conducted workshops with each of the four RC&Ds throughout the summer. During the workshops, NOPSN team members assisted Council members and other stakeholders in identifying viable resource management projects that could be enhanced through a Solutions Network approach and the utilization of NASA tools.  Two of the four teams have gone on to submit project proposals to various funding agencies:

• The Solomon Valley RC&D has created a proposal to explore the utilization of remote sensing tools to determine the amount and condition of no-till cropland in the RC&D area. The Solutions Network team worked with Solomon Valley to provide an initial guidance document for identifying no-till areas using NASA tools that helped them further their development of a project proposal submitted for funding.

• The NCW RC&D formed a project team that includes cross-border collaboration with Canadian Okanogan Basin Water Board. The group has developed a pilot project that proposes to combine existing watershed-level solutions, local government tools, and NASA technology to improve water resource forecasting within the Okanogan region. NOPSN provided the team with a guidance document that details available remote-sensing technologies and methodologies that helped them further their development of a project proposal submitted for funding.

The project has been extended through Spring of 2011.  The primary focus of the remaining time will be to address the user needs that were identified in the Elwha watershed feasibility study. One of the major needs identified in the Elwha watershed was the need for accurate sediment mapping of the 18 million yards of sediment that will be released in the Elwha dam removals.

Over the next few months, a project team, lead by Dr. Dwight Barry at Peninsula College, will determine the relationships between field-based measures of sedimentation and sediment-transport-based change with remote sensing data gathered from NASA’s ASTER and LANDSAT data.  Comparing this baseline data to remote-sensing tools will provide a means to improve any future modeling of sediment transport after dam removal actions.

USDA RBEG Grain Mill Feasibility Study:        

In September 2010, the NOP RC&D was awarded a $93,000 USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant to develop a feasibility study and a business plan for potential construction of a new grain mill to serve local farmers – and local bakeries – on the north Olympic Peninsula.  Project partners include: Enterprise Cascadia, ISE Consultants, Clallam County Economic Development Council, WSU Extension in Clallam and Jefferson Counties, Northwest Cooperative Business Center, and numerous farmers and local businesses.

Climate Protection Campaign:

In 2007, The NOP RC&D Council agreed to grant up to 50% of the cost of membership for cities and counties in the RC&D area to join ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) and purchase software required to do a professional baseline inventory of energy use and projections of greenhouse gas emissions in this area. To date, the Council has paid $1,500.00 in membership support, which has allowed the City of Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Clallam County, and the City of Sequim to become ICLEI members and receive the inventory software. 

Using the software, Jefferson County completed its baseline assessment. The Jefferson Climate Action Committee has developed an action plan to reduce carbon emissions across many sectors, including county operations, transportation, and green building. Clallam County has also conducted a baseline assessment and has formulated an action plan to reduce the carbon footprint of County operations. Members involved in the ICLEI baseline activities, along with other community representatives, transit organizations and the RC&D have formed a two-county group to discuss strategies for implementing action items identified in the carbon reduction plans.

Connecting Markets to Underserved Communities:

In the spring of 2010, the NOP RC&D worked with several partner organizations to develop a project to increase the access and availability of locally grown produce to underserved audiences including low-income families, tribal members and seniors. Community partners included local farmers markets, First Step Family Support Center, Olympic Community Action Program, and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. A grant application was submitted to USDA-FMPP, and partial funding was awarded for the project in October 2010.

Service Learning for Students at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge:

This project, funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in October 2010, will provide high-school students with field science education, initiate student led natural resource service learning projects at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, and expand existing natural resource programs into the Sequim School District.

NASA Solutions Network Projects (#018, #044, #045): 

The NOP RC&D Council received a $1.6 million grant in 2006 to evolve a Solutions Network of local, regional and national organizations to provide watershed management teams with decision support through NASA-funded earth-sun research results. The NOP RC&D Council built a team of eight other major partners for this project, including the NASA-funded Pacific NorthWest Regional Collaboratory (PNWRC); USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (including the National Water and Climate Center); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Sequim and Richland, WA; Idaho National Laboratory (INL); Olympic National Park (ONP); Clallam County; the National Association of RC&D Councils (NARC&DC) in Washington, DC; and Peninsula College (PC).

During the second and third year of the project, the North Olympic Peninsula Solutions Network (NOPSN) team surveyed RC&D Councils around the United States to assess their priority natural resource issues related to NASA focus areas. Based on the results of the surveys and follow-up interviews conducted with several Councils, four RC&Ds were selected for on-going participation in the project.  The NOPSN team conducted workshops with each of the four RC&Ds throughout the summer. During the workshops, NOPSN team members assisted Council members and other stakeholders in identifying viable resource management projects that could be enhanced through a Solutions Network approach and the utilization of NASA tools.  Two of the four teams have gone on to submit project proposals to various funding agencies:

• The Solomon Valley RC&D has created a proposal to explore the utilization of remote sensing tools to determine the amount and condition of no-till cropland in the RC&D area. The Solutions Network team worked with Solomon Valley to provide an initial guidance document for identifying no-till areas using NASA tools that helped them further their development of a project proposal submitted for funding.

• The NCW RC&D formed a project team that includes cross-border collaboration with Canadian Okanogan Basin Water Board. The group has developed a pilot project that proposes to combine existing watershed-level solutions, local government tools, and NASA technology to improve water resource forecasting within the Okanogan region. NOPSN provided the team with a guidance document that details available remote-sensing technologies and methodologies that helped them further their development of a project proposal submitted for funding.

The project has been extended through Spring of 2011.  The primary focus of the remaining time will be to address the user needs that were identified in the Elwha watershed feasibility study. One of the major needs identified in the Elwha watershed was the need for accurate sediment mapping of the 18 million yards of sediment that will be released in the Elwha dam removals.

Over the next few months, a project team, lead by Dr. Dwight Barry at Peninsula College, will determine the relationships between field-based measures of sedimentation and sediment-transport-based change with remote sensing data gathered from NASA’s ASTER and LANDSAT data.  Comparing this baseline data to remote-sensing tools will provide a means to improve any future modeling of sediment transport after dam removal actions.

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