Clark County Public Health is closing the Vancouver Lake swim beach due to elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. Some E. coli bacteria can cause serious gastrointestinal illness if water is accidentally swallowed.  

Public Health issued a warning for the swim beach on June 2 when one water sample collected during routine testing showed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. Public Health collected additional water samples from the swim beach on Monday and received results today. Four of six water samples showed elevated levels of E. coli… Read More

Clark County Public Health has issued a swim beach warning at Vancouver Lake after routine testing showed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. E. coli bacteria can cause serious gastrointestinal illness when water is accidentally swallowed.

Test results for one of five water samples collected at Vancouver Lake on Tuesday showed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. The other samples had bacteria levels within acceptable water quality standards.

Warning signs are being posted at the lake. While the warning is in place, Public Health advises against swimming and wading,… Read More

Clark County Public Health’s summer swim beach monitoring is set to begin Tuesday, May 31. Public Health will monitor water quality at Vancouver Lake, Klineline Pond and Battle Ground Lake, checking the waterbodies every two weeks for bacteria that could make swimmers sick. Public Health will also be monitoring the waterbodies for harmful algal blooms that can pose a health risk to people and can be fatal to pets.

Before heading to a local lake or swim beach this summer, check the Public Health website for current advisories. People can… Read More

The Clark County Council is seeking applicants for a volunteer position on the Solid Waste Advisory Commission. The position represents southwest Clark County.

Applicants must be Clark County residents who live south of 179th Street and west of State Highway 503, or the extension thereof. The three-year term begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2025.

Advisory commission meetings are held quarterly at 6 pm on the first Thursday of the months of February, May, August and November. Meetings will be held in a hybrid format, unless otherwise noted.

The commission advises the… Read More

This Earth Day, Clark County Public Health is celebrating community leaders in environmental sustainability being honored with 2022 Green Awards. The annual Green Awards highlight the accomplishments of community members and businesses and celebrate their commitment to reducing harmful environmental impacts, educating others, and giving back to the community.

Here are the 2022 Green Awards winners:

Alexandra Yost – Green Apple Award for school employee

Alexandra Yost is an advanced culinary teacher at Washougal High School. She recently helped… Read More

Clark County’s Master Composter Recycler program is hosting a free, family-friendly Earth Day event this weekend to highlight how composting can help protect the planet.

Join the Master Composter Recyclers 10 am to 1 pm Saturday, April 23 at the Natural Gardens at Pacific Community Park, 1515 NE 164th Ave., in Vancouver. People who attend the event will learn the basic principles of composting, including how to:

• Make hot compost
• Build a lasagna garden
• Set up and maintain a worm bin composting system

The event will include a Red Worm… Read More

The Clark County Board of Health is seeking applicants for a newly created position on the Public Health Advisory Council. The board is accepting applications from Clark County residents representing the Clark County Commission on Aging or the aging community.

The three-year term begins as soon as the position is filled and ends Sept. 30, 2025.

The advisory council meets 5:30-7:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of every even month via Zoom. When in-person meetings resume, they will be 6-8 pm in the main conference room on the second floor of the Center for Community Health, 1601… Read More

Clark County’s Master Composter Recycler program is offering a series of free webinars this spring. The six webinars will highlight personal changes that can help protect the planet.

Here are the webinars offered this spring:

• Backyard Composting: 7 to 8:30 pm Wednesday, April 20. Learn how to construct a compost pile and heat it up.
• Worm Bin Composting: 7 to 8:30 pm Wednesday, April 27. Learn how to construct and maintain a worm bin that will turn kitchen trimmings into nutrient-rich fertilizer. Participants will be… Read More

Clark County Public Health has launched a community survey to learn about the challenges and successes of raising young children in Clark County. The survey is part of a multi-phase project, Raising Clark County, that aims to help Public Health and community partners identify ways to build community supports for infants, young children, parents and caregivers.

The anonymous survey is open to people who are expecting a child or raising a child or children 5 years or younger. This may include parents, adoptive parents, kinship care providers, foster parents, guardians, grandparents… Read More

Clark County Green Business is hosting a three-part virtual workshop series this spring focused on waste reduction.

The workshop series includes:

• Washington State Sustainability Initiatives, 8:30 am Wednesday, March 16
• Nothing Goes “Away”: Sustainable Waste Management, 8:30 am Wednesday, April 20
• Handling Hazardous Materials, 8:30 am Wednesday, May 11

The first session, Washington State Sustainability Initiatives, will feature a presentation by representatives from the Washington State Department of Ecology on new statewide waste-… Read More