Showing posts with label surface water. Show all posts
Showing posts with label surface water. Show all posts

The colors of the Northwest

Monday, February 20, 2023

Photo by Jo Simmons

It was a misty morning, but our colors tend to be muted anyway. The subtleties of half a dozen shades of green. The warm browns. And the blue gray white slate color of the water shading without horizon into the sky.

This is a view of Twin Ponds. If you look in the background, the second pond is just visible over the berm.

--Diane Hettrick



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Thornton Creek Alliance meeting Thursday January 26, 2023 on Zoom

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

 
Thornton Creek Alliance general meeting via Zoom Thursday January 26, 2023 from 7-9pm. To register email thorntoncreekalliance@gmail.com


Thornton Creek Alliance (TCA) is an all-volunteer grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and restoring an ecological balance throughout the Thornton Creek watershed.



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Shoreline Soak It Up Rain Garden and Native Landscaping Rebate Program

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Up to $2000 rebates offered for rain gardens in Shoreline
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Have a New Year's resolution to get your garden in order? The Soak It Up Rain Garden and Native Landscaping Rebate Program is accepting applications! Winter is the perfect time to plan out your new garden. Eligible properties can receive up to $2,000. 

The Surface Water Utility offers rebates up to $2,000 for Shoreline home or business owners to install a rain garden or native vegetation landscaping on their property. These features are part of a natural approach to managing rainwater flows and help recreate a forest-like environment in our city by allowing rainwater to soak into the soils and return to groundwater resources and waterways, naturally.  

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Echo Lake close to overflow on Tuesday

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Echo Lake photo by Johanna Pollit

The tiny beach at Echo Lake is submerged and the water level is close to the top of the Interurban Trail.

The outfall for Echo Lake is a very small culvert that runs under the highway and flows into Lake Ballinger. As seen in yesterday's photo of the McAleer Creek outflow, Lake Ballinger is also full. A large section of McAleer Creek is above ground there so the water can overflow to the open spaces.

Echo Lake creek has only a very short section above ground and the rest is in the culvert. As a result the water backs up in the lake and occasionally approaches ground floor condos around the lake.

--Diane Hettrick



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McAleer Creek jumping its banks by Lake Ballinger

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

McAleer Creek over its banks in Mountlake Terrace
Photo courtesy City of Mountlake Terrace

The City of Mountlake Terrace shared this photo of McAleer Creek - the outfall of Lake Ballinger - jumping its banks.

McAleer Creek has multiple tributaries in Shoreline which all join up and head through Lake Forest Park to drain into Lake Washington.

Echo Lake drains to Lake Ballinger through a culvert under the highway (SR 104 / Lake Ballinger Way / NE 205th / SW 244th)



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Key Habitat Restoration Project included in National Defense Bill, including feasibility study for Ballinger Creek

Friday, December 9, 2022

Most of Ballinger Creek is in pipes
Photo by Londa Jacques
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 350-80 to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation – which now heads to the Senate – includes the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and would authorize critical projects for salmon recovery and Washington state’s maritime economy.

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, fought to secure WRDA language that would authorize key Army Corps of Engineers projects across the State of Washington.

Among other projects, the bill would authorize construction of the Howard A. Hanson Dam Downstream Fish Passage, which will allow salmon to reach 60 miles of ideal spawning habitat in the Upper Green River.

"Behind the Howard A. Hanson Dam is 60 miles of pristine habitat that's perfect for salmon," said Senator Cantwell. 
"With authorization of the downstream fish passage facility and the $220 million investment secured from the Army Corps earlier this year, we are going to open up this habitat which will help increase salmon survival. This is a major milestone for Puget Sound salmon recovery efforts that has been decades in the making.”

Building the fish passage will open up the Green River cool water habitat deep in the Pierce County foothills, away from road runoff and other human pollutants, where salmon can spawn before returning to the Sound.

In March 2022, Senator Cantwell secured $220 million in funding for the fish passage as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With authorization in the NDAA, the Army Corps will be able to use that funding to begin and complete the design of the facility and the first phase of construction. The project is a top priority of local conservation groups and has strong bipartisan support.

The fish passage project is among several Army Corps projects in the House-passed NDAA that aim to fix short-term problems and provide long-term solutions in waterways around Washington state. Among the project is a feasibility study for the Ballinger Creek Ecosystem Restoration (Shoreline/Lake Forest Park)

The bill would fund a $100,000 feasibility study for a planned project to restore and improve approximately 1,500 feet of Ballinger Creek that is now run through pipes or other man-made structures.

Sen. Maria Cantwell is one of Washington state's two senators. The other is newly re-elected Sen. Patty Murray.



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Shoreline monitoring algae scum at south Echo Lake

Friday, November 18, 2022

Algae bloom at Echo Lake

An algae bloom was recently observed at the southwest corner of Echo Lake over the weekend and early this week. 

A sample was collected on Monday, November 14, 2022 and the results are in. With a recorded concentrations of 0.31 µg/L Microcystin and below the detection limit for Anatoxin-a, the results are below the recreation guidelines thresholds of 8 µg/L for Microcystin and 1 µg/L for Anatoxin-a.

Stefan Grozev, Senior Surface Water Program Specialist with the city of Shoreline, says,

Please be aware that there may still be algae scum around that area, and we will continue to monitor the situation. We want to encourage people to use caution around the lake when algae blooms are present in the water and avoid contact for yourselves and your pets.

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‘Salmon SEEson’ returns: Where to spot fish as they come home to spawn in King County rivers and streams

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Salmon are coming home to spawn in King County’s rivers and streams – find details on self-guided and interpretive viewing opportunities on the Salmon SEEson website.


Pacific salmon – including sockeye, Chinook, coho, pink, and chum – have begun the journey from the open ocean to their birthplaces to spawn in streams and rivers that feed into Puget Sound. Lake Sammamish kokanee, which are landlocked sockeye salmon that spend their entire lives in freshwater, will soon move into streams along the lake to spawn.

The Salmon SEEson program helps people witness the amazing migration salmon make each fall at locations around King County.

Find viewing locations as well as virtual viewing opportunities on the Salmon SEEson website. These salmon-viewing locations offer the best chances of seeing salmon. Some sites are self-guided while other locations have opportunities to interact with volunteer naturalists on specific dates to help visitors spot fish and learn about the salmon’s life cycle and efforts to protect and restore salmon habitat.

Each year, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife count the number of salmon returning through the Ballard Locks fish ladder from mid-June to early October. Sockeye typically migrate through the Ballard Locks from May to August, followed by Chinook from July to September, and coho from late August to November.

In recent years, sockeye numbers have declined substantially in the watershed. Chinook returns remain well below population recovery goals. Lake Sammamish’s native kokanee population has been in decline for the last few decades, and King County and partners continue to take actions to avoid possible extinction.

Salmon are sensitive to the changing climate, including warming water temperatures which stresses salmon and can increase salmon susceptibility to disease and increase predator metabolism and consumption of juveniles as they migrate out to saltwater in Puget Sound and the ocean.

Salmon are a Pacific Northwest icon and a vital cultural, economic, and environmental resource for our region. Local governments and community groups around King County and Puget Sound are working to recover salmon populations by protecting and restoring habitat, managing stormwater runoff from streets and other hard surfaces, and educating the public about what they can do to help.

Working to recover salmon is about more than salmon – it is fundamentally about caring for our home and making our communities sustainable for the long-term. Protecting and restoring salmon habitat also improves water quality, reduces flood hazards, protects open space, helps manage stormwater, sustains and improves our quality of life, and promotes a proud legacy of stewardship for future generations.

Practicing water conservation and pollution prevention year-round helps salmon thrive, which means more fish can survive and continue their journey to the ocean and back to local streams and rivers.

Salmon SEEson is sponsored by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council as part of its effort to recover salmon in the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish (WRIA 8) Watershed. Additional sponsors include the Saving Water Partnership, Duwamish Alive Coalition, the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed, the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum, and King County.

The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council is a partnership between 29 local governments, community groups, and state and federal agencies in the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish (WRIA 8) Watershed, working to recover salmon populations by protecting and restoring habitat, applying best available science, and educating the public about what they can do to help.



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SR 520 bridge - a view you rarely see

Thursday, October 27, 2022

520 bridge photo courtesy WSDOT
SEATTLE – Due to a concrete truck rollover on westbound State Route 520 on the floating bridge in Seattle all lanes were blocked in both directions from I-5 to 92nd Ave NE.

Cement truck is on the right. No cause was given for the rollover. 
Photo courtesy WSDOT
Emergency crews were on scene. Travelers were advised to prepare for long delays and consider alternate routes such as I-405 and SR 99. All on-ramps from I-5 to SR 520 were also closed.

Bike - pedestrian lanes closed. Photo courtesy WSDOT
WSDOT closed the pedestrian / bike lanes to make room to get the truck upright and clear the scene.

The lanes were reopened after two hours.

UPDATE 2:51 p.m.: According to the State Patrol, they are still working to determine the cause. There is eight yards of concrete in the drum that did not spill. There was a small fuel spill that is being addressed. Driver has minor injuries. 

added update



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King county flood management planning

Monday, October 24, 2022

Kick-off meeting recap

We held two online meetings on October 4 and 6, 2022. With the help of guest speakers we shared information about flooding in King County and about the development of the next flood plan. 

More than 80 people participated across the two meetings. Meeting attendees shared how flooding affects them and ideas to help prepare for flooding or reduce flood risks. We gathered a lot of valuable feedback to shape the focus of the flood plan. Our staff is following up with folks who shared specific questions or comments in the meeting chat. 

Here is some of the collective feedback we heard:
  • Interest in planning for climate change.
  • Interest in Integrated Floodplain Management (IFM). Carol Macilroy, Carol Macilroy Consulting, and Brandon Parsons, American Rivers, introduced IFM in their presentations. IFM is a collaborative model designed to deliver more funding, more partners, more support, better results, and be a more efficient way to reduce flood risks.
  • Need for solutions to stormwater, small stream, lakeshore, and coastal flooding.
  • Interest in having flood risk reduction projects do more! Such as protecting and restoring habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local agriculture, and improving water quality in streams, lakes, and Puget Sound.
Recordings from both meetings are available on the King County Flood Management Plan webpage. We invite you to watch and if you have feedback, please share it with Jason Wilkinson at Jason.Wilkinson@kingcounty.gov.

Couldn't make it to the kick-off meetings? King County is interested in coming to you. We welcome your suggestions for community events that we can attend to hear from you about flooding. Please contact Chrys Bertolotto at 206-263-2677 or cbertolotto@kingcounty.gov to discuss options.

Partner Planning Committee

We shared a broad invitation in September and October for people to join the Partner Planning Committee. This Committee is one important avenue for gathering public input on the flood plan, and will help inform the recommendations in the plan. We’re grateful for our partners’ time and interest in participating on it.

King County will hold the first Committee meeting this week on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022, from 11am to 1pm. Committee meetings are open to the public. If you are interested in attending, please contact Spencer Easton at seaston@esassoc.com for the virtual meeting information. The agenda is posted on the Partner Planning Committee webpage. Future Committee meeting dates will be posted when they are scheduled.


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Streamfest at Log Boom Park September 17 from 1-3pm

Friday, September 9, 2022

September is the heart of Salmon "See-son" when we celebrate the return of salmon to our local streams. 

There are many events, including the well-known Issaquah Salmon Days (Oct 1 - 2). 

Closer to home, you can visit Kenmore's newly renovated Log Boom Park on September 17, 2022 from 1-3pm for Streamfest with recreation, information, and the infamous fish prints!


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View over Lake Washington

Thursday, September 8, 2022

 
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Lake Washington from the dock at Kenmore at the head of the lake.




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Follow up from yesterday's water rescue at Echo Lake

Friday, July 29, 2022

Rescue diver and other aid workers next to the condos
at the head of Echo Lake. Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire.
From Shoreline Fire

Yesterday at around 1pm, we responded to a water rescue call at Echo Lake.

Bystanders heard the male patient yelling for help, called 911 and attempted to help. 

Our rescue swimmers and King County Sheriff Marine Rescue Diver went into the water looking for the patient. He was found unconscious in 12 feet of water by the diver. 

Our crews rendered care and medics transported him to a local hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.

Please wear a life vest and make sure to not go in the water alone!



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4,000 new native plants at Ballinger Park

Thursday, July 7, 2022

New lakeside plantings at Ballinger Park
Photo courtesy City of Mountlake Terrace

These are the new lakeside plantings and erosion control areas at Ballinger Park. These three areas contain 4,000+ native plants, including 10 Western Red Cedars, and fencing to protect those plants.

Please stay out of these areas so they can thrive!

The newly refurbished Ballinger Park is located at 23000 Lakeview Drive in Mountlake Terrace, just north of Shoreline.

--City of Mountlake Terrace



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Streamside Restoration Webinar June 22 on Zoom

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Register now for a streamside restoration Zoom webinar on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 from 6 - 7pm sponsored by the King Conservation District.

Learn from restoration experts about managing your yard to support both the environment and your own needs.




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Virtual meeting Tuesday regarding WSDOT plans to replace culvert out of Lake Ballinger

Monday, May 16, 2022

Lake Ballinger is just north of SR 104 between
Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace.
Photo courtesy City of Mountlake Terrace
The Ballinger Watershed Forum will meet virtually from 2pm to 3:30pm Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

A discussion is scheduled on the @wsdot culvert that restricts flow from Lake Ballinger during heavy rain.

@wsdot is proposing to replace the culvert, which could reduce flooding.

Link to attend meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85351576195?pwd=aU9qMzJ5U0lmYnh3UlNxbmtTWHllQT09

Meeting ID: 853 5157 6195
Passcode: 683992

Phone: (253) 215-8782

The cities of Edmonds, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, and Snohomish County coordinate efforts under an interlocal agreement to address problems relating to water quality, habitat enhancement and flooding in the Lake Ballinger/McAleer Creek Watershed.



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Lifejacket and luck: teen kayaker rescued from the icy waters of Lake Washington

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Photo by Rhys Moult on Unsplash

By Diane Hettrick

A middle school student was kayaking with a club on Lake Washington April 11, 2022 when his racing kayak got caught in fishing nets close to shore and flipped over, tipping him into the water. 

His life jacket kept him afloat but he was unable to get back on his overturned boat, still tangled in nets.

After 90 seconds in the cold waters of Lake Washington he was unable to focus or swim without extreme difficulty. 

Fortunately for him, the lakeside property owner saw he was in difficulty and ran down to the dock where he talked the boy in close enough to reach him. He fished the teen out of the water within two minutes but already the boy could not use his hands or think clearly.

The Lake Forest Park resident who saved the teen from the water was Deputy Mayor Tom French.

I suppose there is a certain irony to the fact that he was rescued by the policy maker who sponsored the life jacket ordinance in LFP, but I for one am deeply grateful that he was wearing his life jacket and that I was nearby.

There are many "what ifs" in this story but for French, the biggest one is: what if the young man had not been wearing a life jacket?

I have no doubt that in another minute he would have succumbed to hypothermia and fallen unconscious. 

French says "The waters in our community are in the mid to low 40s and are very, very cold. Wearing a life jacket is just one way to keep yourself and ones that you love safer. The dangers of hypothermia upon immersion are very real."

As of May of 2021, the LFP Municipal Code Ordinance 1222 that French helped create requires wearing of a Coast Guard approved life jacket (personal floatation device or PFD).

While state law requires that a Coast Guard approved PFD be on board a paddleboard or kayak, LFP Municipal Code requires the actual wearing of a Coast Guard approved life jacket (personal floatation device or PFD). It cannot simply be on board the human-powered craft or paddleboard- it must be worn properly.

Tom's message to residents: Wear your lifejacket while enjoying our waters.

When I sponsored this Ordinance last year, it was with these first time or more casual users of human-powered watercraft that I had primarily in mind. I hope it will help contribute to their awareness of the dangers of the water, particularly in the spring and early summer when the water is so cold.

Importantly, this is not like a helmet law- if someone chooses not to wear a helmet (they should wear one as required by our law), they are not placing a first responder in danger. Failing to wear a PDF can place a first responder's life in jeopardy out on the water.

National Safe Boating Week is May 21-27, 2022 and is a perfect time to begin the process of ensuring everyone who wants to access the water this season is safe and educated.


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Don't ruin summer fun - skip the spring fertilizer and keep Echo Lake clean

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Echo Lake covered with green scum last summer
Photo by Gidget Terpstra
Did you know spring lawn fertilizers can ruin summer fun at Echo Lake? 

Spring rains wash fertilizer off lawns and into storm drains, which ultimately flow into nearby streams or even straight into Echo Lake.

Toxic algae on Echo Lake 
Photo by Ann Michel
Fertilizers feed lake weeds and, combined with warm summer temperatures, can spawn toxic algae blooms. 

Last year, the lake was closed for several weeks due to toxic algae blooms.

How to have a healthy lawn AND protect summer fun on the water? Skip the spring fertilizer completely!

Instead, spread a thin layer of compost and leave grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings will break down and naturally fertilize your lawn.

Warning sign. Photo by Marla Tullio
If you need to fertilize, choose a slow-release organic fertilizer and apply it in the fall. 

Not only do these protect water quality in our streams and lakes, but they help build the healthy soil that your lawn needs to grow!

Water from rain, lawn watering, and wash water that flows off our properties and into streets picks up any pollution it touches, like fertilizers, car leaks, and pet waste. 

Most of this water flows into storm drains and ditches, where it is then piped to the nearest natural waterway. This water is not cleaned, meaning pollution the water has picked up flows straight into our streams, lakes, and Puget Sound. 

Water runoff from rain, garden watering, and wash water can harm natural waterways across the City, even if you do not live right next to a stream, lake, or Puget Sound.

Christie Lovelace
Surface Water Program Specialist
City of Shoreline


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Panel discussion at Thornton Creek Alliance Spring Meeting

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Thornton Creek photo by Janet Way


Thornton Creek Alliance SPRING MEETING

April 28, 2022 - Thursday 7pm on Zoom

The Zoom link for the meeting will be sent to you.


ADVOCACY, AGREEMENT, ACTION: HOW TO MOVE THE NEEDLE

When housing and transportation goals conflict with environmental protection, how can volunteer non-profits make a difference?

Hear from our Panel of experts

Representative Gerry Pollet has represented the 46th District, including the Seattle portion of Thornton Creek, since 2012. 

Well known for his work on cleaning the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, he has been a leader in many of our region's major environmental efforts. 

Gerry champions legislation that would increase density near transit and require steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while preserving open space, mature trees, and watersheds. 

Gerry chairs the House Local Government Committee and is a co-author of the Growth Management Act.

Katherine Lynch is an Aquatic Ecologist with Seattle Public Utilities, specializing in urban creek restoration for over 20 years. She works on floodplain reconnections as a component of Seattle’s green infrastructure, participating in all stages from planning, through design, construction, and performance monitoring, the latter in collaboration with regional researchers.

David Moehring, architect, is a Capital Planner at the University of Washington Bothell. He is a member of the Seattle Urban Forestry Commission, serving in the Development/Architect position. 

He chairs the Land Use Committee for the Magnolia Community Council and is an advocate for Seattle’s Green Canopy goals. He is committed to assisting the community in preserving the balance of urban form and nature that are unique to Seattle.

The meeting will conclude with election results and the introduction of the new TCA Board.



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Training neighbors to restore their watersheds

Friday, April 22, 2022

Ballinger Creek photo by Londa Jacques
Applications are now being accepted for a program that empowers community members with a passion for their local streams, clean water, and local wildlife. 

Community Action Training School (CATS) provides a free series of lectures – presented in a hybrid in-person and virtual format this year – and field trips. In exchange, participants volunteer on a local watershed improvement project of their choosing.

“We are thrilled to once again work with enthusiastic community members who are dedicated to being changemakers,” says Sarah Heerhartz, Executive Director of Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group. 
“Protecting and restoring our rivers and natural areas requires many partners – from national governments to local ones, from nonprofit organizations to responsible businesses – and including people from all walks of life. 
"I have seen how passionate individuals play a critical role in watershed health and salmon recovery – from restoring their local parks to holding elected officials accountable. 
"Community Action Training School helps people focus their passions and interests and knits them into closer connection with likeminded people in their communities, creating projects that make a lasting difference and watershed advocates that have the support to sustain long-term work in their local communities.”

Tracy Banaszynski, Project Manager for Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group. agrees.

“Participants have created a positive impact on their watersheds through a huge variety of project types. Projects from past sessions of Community Action Training School cohorts include the creation of Students Saving Salmon at Edmonds Woodway High School, community-led restoration events, and translation of interpretive signs in one participant’s local park to the languages most often spoken in her neighborhood. 
"In our last cohort, one participant worked with her local Trout Unlimited chapter to create a trapping program to eradicate an invasive frog species that threatens Kokanee restoration efforts. Another adopted a natural area in his childhood neighborhood that had become overrun with invasive Himalayan blackberry and engaged his community in restoring the site. 
"People come up with the most amazing projects when they feel empowered to use their voices and energies to help heal our watershed.”

Applications for this free program are due May 4, 2022. You can find out more at the websites of Sound Salmon Solutions and Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group, the two organizations jointly organizing Community Action Training School in WRIAs 7 and 8.

“I’ve always cared about salmon. But by participating in the CATS program, I better understood where I could best fit my talents into the road to salmon restoration,” says Dana Kemmerling, past CATS participant. 
“The speakers they brought in covered a range of the issues that are important to my community. Then, I was able to use my enthusiasm—and my marketing experience—to help co-workers and friends become inspired to help rip out blackberries and plant native plants along the Sammamish River.”

This program is funded by the King County Flood Control District, directed by the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum and the Cedar / Sammamish / Lake Washington watersheds.




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