Water sustains us all, but for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, it is also an intrinsic part of identity and survival. Lori DeLorm, a water quality specialist and proud Jamestown tribal citizen, has spent decades protecting and restoring the waters that her people have relied on for generations.
Women At Work: Lori DeLorm's Video Transcript
Growing up here and being a Jamestown native, shellfish is super important to us. So is fish. There’s an old saying that the blood of salmon runs through our veins. And I honestly believe that. It’s super important to me and to my family. We've grown up fishing and hunting in this area, so protection of all natural resources is close to in here.
My name is Lori DeLorm, and I'm a water quality specialist for the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe.
One of our main goals has been the protection of water quality in Dungeness Bay, the impacts to the Dungeness River and salmon, and the restoration of the Dungeness River. One of the big things we work on is measuring flow on the Dungeness to make sure there's enough to support salmon. We also work closely with the irrigators of Sequim to ensure enough water is diverted to support crops and farming while leaving enough for salmon.
With shellfish monitoring, we want to make sure they aren’t full of bacteria that could harm us, as well as bio-toxins that could be present in the bay. Keeping everybody safe is one of our common goals with other agencies in the area.
It’s wonderful that we can build partnerships between the Jamestown Tribe and outside agencies like Clallam County Environmental Health, the Clallam County Conservation District, the Department of Ecology, and the EPA.
When I first started working for the Jamestown Tribe, I was a maintenance person—the only woman on a full men’s team. I did that for about a year and got really familiar with the Natural Resources staff. I saw the type of work they were doing, started taking classes at our local community college, and eventually ended up working full-time for the Jamestown Tribe after receiving my degree.
I was hired full-time in 1999. At that time, there was a big shellfish closure due to fecal coliform pollution in Dungeness Bay. Yesterday, where we were digging clams, is directly connected to the work I do. As a water quality specialist, I focus on finding areas of pollution that impact the bay and, ultimately, the shellfish we consume.
For the tribe, this was huge. Not only did we lose a business, but we also lost an important part of our diet—fresh seafood and shellfish. That closure lasted until years of work helped make the bay safe again.
Reopening a bay takes time. It requires extensive water sampling and partnerships.
That’s one of the most rewarding things about working on this project—getting to know the public and other agencies, and working together to make it happen.
I’m a Jamestown tribal citizen, but my dad comes from three different tribes—Jamestown S’Klallam, Makah from Neah Bay, and Quileute from La Push. My mom is not Native, so I come from a mixed family. It’s great to visit different tribes and find out who I’m related to—it turns into a huge family, and I’m very proud of my culture.
My favorite part of my job came as a surprise. In the beginning, it wasn’t my favorite at all, but it just goes to show growth. Meeting and working with the public has become a big part of water quality work. Some of the work we do requires accessing private property, and that comes with trust. I’ve really enjoyed earning that trust and working with the public.
It’s very important to the Jamestown Tribe to be out there helping folks, letting them know there are resources available for different issues on their land, and that we’re here to help and guide them.
When I first started hunting and fishing—outside of work—it was tough to find clothes that fit and performed well in the field. You’d end up buying boys' size 14 pants just to make do. Pockets are essential, zippers are essential, but for a long time, women’s outdoor gear just wasn’t designed for functionality.
Now, I’ve found a women’s line that suits all my needs for both work and play. I even found a zip pocket on the back, which I didn’t notice at first, but it makes a big difference. Sometimes we’re literally crawling on the ground, and things can fall out of your pockets. A zipper pocket is a game-changer.
Learn more about the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe's Natural Resources staff here.
