By The Herald Editorial Board
The reopening of Everett’s Howarth Park beach, following improvements along the shoreline and repair of its pedestrian bridge, can’t come soon enough for beach and sun lovers. Or for fish.
Access to the beach, one of only two public saltwater beaches in Everett, has been limited to most since the closure of the bridge that allows pedestrians to cross above the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks. The bridge was closed last May when rust and corrosion were found on the bridge’s steel beams. Everett Parks and Recreation officials had hoped to have the bridge repaired and the access restored by Memorial Day, but repair work is waiting for approval of a contract and insurance by BNSF, as The Herald’s Chris Winters reported Monday.
But the park’s closure is allowing a Snohomish County project to proceed that will improved the beach for humans and for fish. A wall of rock riprap is being removed and dredged sand from the Snohomish River is being used to fortify the beach and shoreline at Howarth and other areas between Everett and Mukilteo to improve habitat for the forage fish, such as herring, sandlance and surf smelt that are an important part of the Salish Sea’s food web.
The small fish, crucial to sustaining populations of salmon, sea birds and other species, have been in decline in Washington state waters. Where some 15,000 tons of herring were caught in the waters off Bellingham in 1973, only 1,000 tons were caught in 2012.
There are a range of factors involved in the decline of forage fish, including point and nonpoint pollution, oil spills, parasites, predation, fishing and disease, but a loss of habitat from development also is a significant factor.
The work to “nourish” the beach at Howarth with sand from dredging will enhance the habitat, creating better spawning areas for forage fish and also allow more shallow areas for young salmon to avoid predators.
But the work also means more sand and a more attractive beach for humans at Howarth Park.
Still, there’s a wait now for the work on the beach and the bridge, and just as our summer weather appears to be warming.
Until Howarth reopens, those hoping to spread a blanket, soak up some sun and even wade in the water have a few of options:
There’s Everett’s Forest Park Swim Center, offering a daily schedule to swim sessions and lessons and Forest Park’s Water Playground to help keep the kids cool.
Thorton A. Sullivan Park has its beach at Silver Lake.
And the return of Jetty Island Days satisfies the need for sun, sand and saltwater. Foot ferries to Jetty Island, itself an artificial island created from dredged sand along the Everett waterfront, will run again this summer from July 5 to Sept. 5.
The ferries, offered by the Port of Everett and Everett Parks and Recreation, run seven days a week, beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing into the evening, departing from the Jetty Landing boat launch at 10th Street and W. Marine View Drive. A suggested donation of $2 for adults and $1 for each child helps keep the ferries running. There’s also a $3 parking fee.
But if you’re eager for the reopening of Howarth Park’s beach, imagine how the fish feel.
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