The problems of bringing five agencies together to agree on one plan - a plan that could be costly to property owners in a largely Republican district, to forge an agreement that could curtail growth in one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, to solve a pollution problem that is still largely invisible - well, the odds are enormous.
To keep Sammamish clean, cutting-edge stormwater cleanup technologies are needed. Things like special systems to capture dirty stormwater and make it clean by using a chemical called alum. And there's not much money. In the meantime, there are other things that can be done. Hubbard says the group hopes to start educational programs, hire more enforcement staff to monitor construction sites on the lake, and hire a lake keeper to watch over the lake. Every year in August, kokanee salmon swim from Lake Sammamish to spawning grounds in the streams that feed the lake.
This little salmon, only 12 to 17 inches long at maturity, looks exactly like a miniature sockeye; in fact, the fish are a race of sockeye. But unlike their ocean-going cousins, kokanee never migrate to the salt water, spending their entire lives instead in fresh water.
Kokanee are fairly common in several Northwest lakes. But the Sammamish kokanee are the only kind that spawn in August, and genetic testing done in the s revealed they may be a unique race of fish.
A century ago, biologists say, there were probably tens of thousands of kokanee in Lake Sammamish. Indians knew the kokanee as little redfish, and they were "a main staple food of our people for years and years and years," said Art Freese, vice-chairman of the Snoqualmie Tribe. Furstenberg said the kokanee's precipitous decline may have started at the turn of the century, when the lake shore was clearcut. And there is little question that the Issaquah Fish Hatchery, built in the s, hastened the demise of the kokanee because the hatchery's water-control structures blocked Issaquah Creek's upper reaches to spawning fish until , said Bob Pfeifer, district fisheries biologist for the Department of Wildlife.
The population boom around the lake shore has undoubtedly led to the fish's decline as well. As early as , the Department of Wildlife stocked Lake Sammamish with kokanee from Lake Whatcom; why they would have done so, when native kokanee already thrived in the lake, is a mystery.
But even though they stocked the lake with as many as 2 million Lake Whatcom kokanee fry each year, for decades, nearly all the the Lake Whatcom fish have died out, Pfeifer says.
The county's surface water management division wants to find out if Lake Sammamish kokanee are a different race of fish and if this native run merits special protection under the Endangered Species Act, said Furstenberg. Once the studies are done, somebody or some group would have to petition a federal agency - probably the U. Fish and Wildlife Service - to study the population. If it were declared an endangered species, "you can imagine the howls," Furstenberg said.
It would remove management to federal jurisdiction. Because they spawn in August, when no other fish does, Pfeifer says. Because they've been around for many generations. Because "we could dump 1. It's nice to know a stock has maintained itself in this system for millennia. Just as loggers decry protection for the spotted owl because of the economic impact on their lives, protection of the kokanee is likely to bring out a bevy of property-rights advocates, developers and builders who think the county has gone too far already with its sensitive areas ordinance.
But for Save Lake Sammamish, the little kokanee might become the most powerful tool that organization has to force residents to keep Lake Sammamish clean. Every year, the fish kill made headlines. But experts suspected a dirty smorgasbord of toxics, from oil to ammonia-laced mop water, was washing off downtown Issaquah streets.
Department of Ecology water quality expert Ron Devitt went door-to-door, explaining to downtown business owners that everything dumped outside made its way down street drains, into the creek, and ultimately into the lake. The city sent a letter to downtown businesses to try to explain the problem. Maybe it a fluke in the weather, a lucky rainfall that diluted the pollutants or a lack of rain that didn't send them streamward.
But maybe, instead, the little consciousness-raising effort by the city and the Department of Ecology made Issaquah residents more aware of how to get rid of fish-killing chemicals.
Take that awareness. Multiply it times, and spread it through a dozen communities. Then, maybe, Lake Sammamish has a chance. Katherine Long is a Seattle Times reporter working out of the Eastside bureau. Harley Soltes is Pacific's staff photographer. Bo Hok Cline is a Times news artist. In the square-mile watershed, everything that goes on the ground or in the street eventually makes it into the lake.
Some of the most offensive substances include antifreeze, oil, pesticides, dirty mop water and paint. Before you reach for a pesticide, call the Washington Toxics Coalition They can tell you other ways to get rid of garden pests and fleas.
Experts say most consumers put far too much fertilizer on their yards and grass. Let them loose in the brand-new, state-of-the-art playground, while you watch from the sidelines and rest. In addition to free-form fun, Lake Sammamish plays host to community events year round. They include nature, birding and dog walks; stewardship projects; paddling and cycling events; kids' obstacle courses; summer concerts; holiday boat parades; and the annual summer Parkadilly Fair.
Whether you live in the Emerald City or have come to the area for a visit, Lake Sammamish is the place to picnic, play and make memories. Lake Sammamish State Park is a acre, day-use park with 6, feet of waterfront on Lake Sammamish. The area around the lake carries cultural significance as a gathering place for at least four Native American tribes.
Although recreation is bound to keep the whole family busy, a salmon-bearing creek and a great-blue-heron rookery also provide birding and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Automated pay station: This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass. Please note: Lake Sammamish State Park staff remind visitors that dogs are welcome in state parks if they are on leash and under physical control at all times.
Dogs are not permitted on designated swim beaches. Staff want to provide safety, comfort and enjoyment for all visitors and ensure the protection of wildlife and natural resources in the park. Please keep your dog on leash, and pick up after your pet.
The Kitchen Shelter is reservable and has a covered area with a center counter with electrical outlets. There is a large grassy area and a sandy volleyball court.
The shelter accommodates groups up to people. The Creek Shelter is reservable and has a small covered area with a counter with electrical outlets, 10 picnic tables inside, many tables outside and a sandy volleyball court.
The shelter accommodates groups of up to people. The Rotunda Shelter is reservable and is a unique hexagonal shaped building with a central fireplace, six picnic tables inside, 12 tables outside and a sandy volleyball court. The park also offers one sheltered and unsheltered picnic tables, plus 80 barbecue grills on stands.
Please note: Groups having special activities other than simple gatherings for example using a bouncy house or bringing in outside vendors MUST contact the park at regarding a special activity permit. Failure to do so can result in the cancellation of the event. Other people describe it as exciting and interesting. After a thousand years underwater, the trees are well preserved due to low oxygen levels. And submerged tree sap is eventually replaced with minerals that make the wood extremely hard and valuable.
Furniture made from logs salvaged from lakes sells for thousands of dollars. The trees belong to the state — under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources — so anyone who wants to salvage them would have to pay fair market value. That, coupled with the cost of hauling the trees to the surface and moving them elsewhere, makes salvaging less appealing to potential buyers. Press ESC to cancel. Useful tips. Esther Fleming December 8, Table of Contents.
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