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

Floor alerts for rivers - check out Snoqualmie Falls

Saturday, October 30, 2021


Spectacular sight at Snoqualmie Falls Friday evening, October 29, 2021.

Snoqualmie River Phase 3 Flood Alert

If you live in a flood-prone area, sign up for flood alerts  bit.ly/kcflood



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LFP Streamkeepers team-up with LFP Stewardship Foundation to sample local streams

Monday, October 25, 2021

Volunteers use  the bottom sampler to collect stream macroinvertebrate
Photo by Mark Phillips

By Brian Saunders

On a cloudy morning in early October, a group of Lake Forest Park residents gathered at Animal Acres Park to finalize some instructions and split into two teams before heading out to sites on McAleer and Lyon Creek to conduct a biomonitoring analysis.

The group is a merger of sorts, consisting of the Lake Forest Park Streamkeepers and the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation (https://lfpsf.org/). 

Both groups consist of volunteers who are concerned about the health of the environment and the streams that meander through Lake Forest Park proper. The mood is light, spirits are good and the commitment undeterred.

This stone fly larva was actually captured with
the bottom sampler. Photo by Mark Phillips
Biomonitoring of creeks and streams is a key component to assessing stream health. 

In the process, “bugs” called macroinvertebrates are collected from the stream using a stream bottom sampler.

Identification of these bugs can give biologists and government officials good insights to the health of the stream since some species cannot tolerate high levels of pollution whereas other species can. 

By collecting and quantifying all the species found within a 1-foot square plot, a biological health index can be calculated and used to compare with other streams.

For the past 20 years, the biomonitoring collection of McAleer and Lyon creeks has been done by the Department of Ecology and volunteers such as the Streamkeepers, who have been supported by the City of LFP by providing equipment and supplies and paying for lab analysis of biomonitoring samples collected. 

Recently, Streamkeepers and the LFP Stewardship Foundation agreed to combine forces and efforts to monitor the watershed using biomonitoring and chemical / physical analysis using the SnoKing Watershed Council certification (https://snokingwatershedcouncil.org/water-watchers/). 

Volunteer efforts such as these are becoming increasingly important to connect citizens to what’s happening in their local environment and spread awareness of how to be a positive contributor for keeping urban areas healthy.

If you are interested in being involved in local environmental issues in and around Lake Forest Park, you are welcome to attend the LFP Stewardship Foundation Annual meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 from 7:00-8:30pm.

Guest speakers Ashley Chesser and Sharalyn Peterson from the NW Center for Alternatives to Pesticides will present “Healthy Habitat: The Benefits of Using Alternatives to Pesticides.” 

Register in advance for this meeting: https://bit.ly/LFPSFAnnualMtg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.



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Keep your local drains clear of leaves

Sunday, October 24, 2021

Keep drains clear of leaves. Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Fall weather is here, bringing lots of rain and gusty winds for the next week or so. 

While Shoreline City crews clean leaves and streets routinely, they need your help to keep storm drains and ditches in Shoreline free of debris! 

Please help by sweeping up leaves and disposing in your green bin and by alerting the City to any clogged or overflowing drains: 206-801-2700.



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LFP StreamKeepers: Tracking the health of our streams

Monday, September 27, 2021

Lawrence Brown, Dana Campbell, Amanda Royal, Tracy Furutani, and Kathryn Hoppe practice the B-IBI test. Photo courtesy StreamKeepers

On Saturday, September 25, 2021 the Lake Forest Park StreamKeepers held a special training session for volunteers. 

Long-time StreamKeeper Mark Phillips taught the volunteers how to do a Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) test. 

This test will allow them to measure yearly the macroinvertebrates that are living in both McAleer and Lyon Creeks and get more insight as to the health of the creeks and surrounding watershed.

Mark Phillips demonstrating how to perform the B-IBI test to volunteer StreamKeepers
Photo courtesy StreamKeepers

LFP StreamKeepers does monthly testing of McAleer Creek and Lyon Creek and is always looking for volunteers. 

Volunteers do not need to live in Lake Forest Park, but rather have a desire to learn and have an interest in the health of our streams. 

In addition, students can receive community service hours doing enjoyable and meaningful work. 

For more information, visit their website: https://www.lfpstreamkeepers.org or email one of their contacts: 



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Echo Lake closed - toxic algae bloom

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Toxic algae bloom at Echo Lake

Extremely high levels of toxic algae have been detected at Echo Lake beach at the north end of the lake, which is located between Aurora and the Interurban Trail in Shoreline. 

As a result, the City has closed Echo Lake.

Echo Lake closed
Toxic algae can cause serious illness and be fatal to both humans and pets. Do not swim, wade, fish, or enter the water.

Algae blooms occur when there are too many nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, in the water. 

The most likely sources of nutrients in the lake are lawn and landscape fertilizer, including weed and feed, as well as waste from waterfowl, pets, or humans. 

Warmer temperatures combined with an excess of nutrients cause naturally occurring algae to grow rapidly and causes algae blooms. 

Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) is a specific type of toxic algae commonly found in freshwater. At low levels, it is harmless. When toxic algae blooms occur, however, larger amounts of toxins are produced that can harm people, pets, and wildlife.



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StreamKeepers joins Stewardship Foundation

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Jim Halliday and volunteer perform BIBI testing. Photo courtesy LFPSF

From the Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation (LFPSF)

For decades, a dedicated group of volunteers has been monitoring water quality in our local streams. Maybe you've seen them with their testing kits and hip waders in area streams. This group has a lot of fun while doing important work.

Lake Forest Park StreamKeepers was founded by Bill Bennett and other members of the city’s (now-defunct) Environmental Quality Commission in the 1990’s.

An ambitious monthly stream monitoring schedule was established – testing water quality at 11 locations on McAleer and Lyon Creeks and their tributaries in the city. Parameters tested were dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity and temperature. This testing has been supported by the City of LFP.

The Stewardship Foundation and StreamKeepers have always been closely aligned, sharing key volunteers and resources.

Officially joining efforts will beneficial to the continued caretaking and citizen science providing vital information about the health of our watershed.

A succession of volunteer leaders, including former City Councilmember Don Fiene and Stewardship Advisory Board member Jim Halliday, have kept up the monitoring over the years. Mark Phillips who is leaving his Council position this year, has been StreamKeepers co-chair since 2000.

BIBI (biotic index of benthic integrity) was added to the StrreamKeepers monitoring in 2005, and continued through 2018, using the protocol established at the UW. Macroinvertebrate samples were collected from the streambed at four locations and delivered to an aquatic entomologist for analysis to give a general rating of stream health.

Several stream improvement projects were also undertaken, including large tree planting on Lyon Creek along SR 522, a re-channeling project on Lyon Creek and silt removal on Brookside Creek along the Brookside School parking lot.

Streamkeepers aligned in 2015 with the newly formed Sno-King WaterWatchers , a network of volunteers monitoring water quality primarily in streams flowing into north Lake Washington. Upgraded water testing protocols were also added at that time using procedures and testing equipment developed by Global Water Watch based at Auburn University. The new protocols added alkalinity, hardness and bacteria levels to the monthly testing, and improved the testing for dissolved oxygen, pH and turbidity.

Test results are shared with the city, posted on the StreamKeepers website, on the Puget Sound Stream Benthos website, and, since 2015, as part of the Global Water Watch database.

Over the years StreamKeepers has sponsored high school students volunteering for community service credits, an Eagle Scout project that removed invasive plants from 75 yards of upper McAleer Creek, and a high school senior project consisting of a study of dissolved oxygen levels along McAleer Creek. 

StreamKeepers at the LFP Town Center rain garden dedication.
Photo courtesy LFPSF

In 2017, Streamkeepers contracted with Snohomish Conservation District to construct a demonstration rain garden that infiltrates storm runoff from a portion of the Town Center parking lot near city hall. That project was funded by a grant from King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski. (See previous article)

Current Stewardship Foundation Board member Brian Saunders, a lifelong resident of LFP, will be stepping up to a leadership role for StreamKeepers. Brian's father was one of the early StreamKeepers in the 1990s, and childhood memories of seeing salmon in our streams have influenced Brian's career in science and teaching. 

Brian says, "It is my wish that the vision and actions started by the StreamKeepers continues, and that an understanding of the fragile health of our watershed will be accessible to a greater portion of our population. I hope to recruit more citizens and students to be involved monitoring our stream health."

Stream testing is a great activity for anyone interested in the health of our streams. You don’t have to live in Lake Forest Park or have any science background to join us. Students can receive community service hours doing enjoyable and meaningful work.

For more information or sign up to help, see the StreamKeepers website


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Thornton Creek Alliance virtual meeting July 29 is open to the public

Monday, July 19, 2021

 
Plans are progressing for a new natural area along Thornton Creek on N 125th in Lake City. This accessible natural area will include floodplain reconnection, benefit water quality, enhance in-stream and riparian habitat, and help reduce flooding, all while providing green space for area residents.

The Thornton Creek watershed begins in south Shoreline.

The meeting is on Thursday, July 29, 2021 from 7-9pm.


Questions? Contact Judy Olson at judyandgaryolson@gmail.com



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Governor authorizes emergency drought declaration for most of the state - but not central Puget Sound

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Gov. Jay Inslee authorized the state Department of Ecology to issue an emergency drought declaration for most of the state Wednesday.

A historically dry spring and summer, followed by a record-breaking heat wave, have affected water supplies across Washington. 

The only areas excluded from the emergency declaration are Seattle, Tacoma and Everett, which are expected to have sufficient water storage to meet residential and commercial needs through the summer, and to maintain adequate water levels in nearby rivers to protect fish.

A drought emergency means water supply is projected to be below 75% of average, and there is a risk of undue hardship to water users and uses. A formal drought declaration authorizes Ecology to take certain measures for the purpose of providing emergency drought relief:
  • Expedite processing for emergency drought permits
  • Process temporary transfers of water rights
  • Provide funding assistance for public entities
  • Hold public education workshops

The governor also amended the state's partial burn ban to now also suspend the statutory truck driver hour limitations, to address the interruption in fuel distribution to firefighters. 

It will also allow the National and State Guard to assist firefighters. The governor also declared an emergency in 18 counties due to heat damage to roads and infrastructure. This will trigger Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans and allow for local coordination to assist in addressing the damage in an expedited manner.

The impacts of the drought and extreme heat have been worsened by climate change, according to researchers.

"Our state and its 7.6 million residents are under attack from climate change; it touches every part of our lives right now. It is menacing our world and our way of life in ways that demand and compel our full attention right now," Inslee said. 
"It’s a wave that is breaking on us right now and that’s why you could easily call this the summer of climate change."

Update: added information about central Puget Sound.

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Wear your life jacket when paddleboarding in Lake Forest Park

Saturday, July 17, 2021

The 'paddleboarder' pictured here is a KCSO MRU deputy who agreed to 'take the plunge' during a recent multi-city water rescue training exercise on Lake Washington.

 By Tracy Furutani

Education, not enforcement, will be the emphasis of implementing the recent Lake Forest Park ordinance that mandates the wearing of personal flotation devices (PFD) while using human-powered watercraft, such as paddleboards.

The law was passed at the May 13, 2021 City Council meeting, and went into effect later that month.

“We’re not arresting anybody,” said Lake Forest Park Police Chief Mike Harden. 

He noted that his department was still considering options on the law’s enforcement, noting that the LFP Police Department does not have a boat or a Jet-Ski. 

State law currently requires that people using human-powered watercraft carry PFDs but does not require wearing them.

“We don’t have a mechanism to get out in the water,” said Lt. Rhonda Lehman of the LFPPD, thus the department’s officers will be using social media and city council meetings to get information about the law to the public. 

She referred to the Wear It Washington safety campaign as a source of good information on safety on the water.

The idea behind this ordinance was being discussed before the pandemic, according to Tom French, the LFP City Councilmember who sponsored the legislation. 

“In 2011, there was a heat wave that resulted in record [lake] fatalities that spring,” he said, which resulted in the King County Council passing a temporary requirement for wearing PFDs while on the water. 
“First responders were getting hurt [during water rescues],” said French. Additionally, as noted in the preamble to the ordinance, “there were 53 boating fatalities in Washington in 2020, 24 of which involved paddle craft.”

Lake Forest Park contracts with the King County Sheriff’s Office Marine Rescue Dive unit to patrol the Lake Washington waters along the city’s shore. 

“We’ve had a ton more [calls for service],” said Deputy Kyle Broderson. 

He noted that there were only four deputies assigned to the unit, with two assigned to Lake Washington and two to Lake Sammamish. He said that therefore response times to incidents could be upwards of an hour, so requiring the wearing of PFDs could increase water safety.

The Northshore Fire Department, which serves LFP, is supportive of the new measure. 

“Nothing is changing,” said Deputy Chief of Operations Doug McDonald. “All our firefighters maintain [and wear] PFDs operating around the water.”

The department is ordering an inflatable to assist in rescue operations. In addition, there are nine staff members who are certified rescue swimmers.

Other cities acknowledge that water safety is a concern but are using different strategies. 

“I support this [ordinance],” said Nigel Herbig, the deputy mayor and a city council member of Kenmore, but “a regional approach is better.” A rule crafted by the King County Public Health Department could make the rules about wearing PFDs more uniform across the county, he said.

The City of Bothell’s authorized kayak and paddleboard concessionaire, Bothell Kayak, requires its clients to wear PFDs when on the water in their equipment.

LFP Councilmember French agrees. “My fervent hope is that we see a regional response to this,” he said. “It’s a public health consideration.”



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Public Safety Announcement from LFP Police

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Public Service Announcement from LFP Police

Lake Forest Park City Council passed Ordinance No. 1222 on May 13th, 2021, which requires all users of human powered watercraft to wear personal flotation devices that are approved by the United States Coast Guard. 

This ordinance seeks to mitigate the possibility of tragic accidents to occur on the water and to promote boater safety.



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Irresponsible pet play time can lead to long-term environmental impacts

Tuesday, July 6, 2021


Many of us enjoy playing fetch with our four-legged best friend at the park. However, irresponsible pet play time can lead to long-term environmental impacts. 

Just as it’s important to pick up pet waste to prevent poop from entering our lakes and streams, it’s important to properly retrieve and dispose of pet toys — especially plastic and rubber pet toys. 

A concerned park visitor recently posted a video showing a significant amount of pollution in the Sammamish River, most of it being abandoned tennis balls and dog toys found downstream of the Marymoor off-leash dog park in Redmond.

The issue isn’t confined to the Sammamish River alone; it has been documented in several other states and water bodies as well. 

Over time, the felt on tennis balls, comprised mostly of acrylic and nylon fibers, breaks down and releases microplastic fibers into the environment (Cross and Lindsey, 2007; Praminik et al., 2020). 

The rubber ball and other plastic and rubber toys also break down into macro and microplastics over time, which can have a lasting legacy in sediments and negatively impact wildlife and aquatic organisms (Praminik et al., 2020). 

The best practice for playing fetch on the water is to use environmentally safe toys, such as sticks or toys made with natural, biodegradable materials.

--Story and photo from King County Streams Monitor, Spring 2021



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Department of Ecology responds: No problems at RB Saltwater Park

Monday, June 28, 2021

Photo by Lee Lageschulte



In response to my query, spokespeople from the state Department of Ecology reported that Richmond Beach Saltwater Park was listed as closed in error.

The beach was never closed or posted by Public Health -- there was no risk to public health and the water remains safe.

Good thing, because even with the low tide, the water was full of people today!


--Diane Hettrick




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Forest Abstractions at Paramount Open Space

Sometimes it's a wetland but today it's a pond

All photos by Janet Way

The trees lower the temperature substantially in local parks, like Paramount Open Space, 946 NE 147th St, Shoreline, WA 98155 in the Ridgecrest Neighborhood.

Water striders in abundance make shimmering rings in the water

This large natural wild space is deep green with splashes of color from berries with a tree-shaded path circling through the park.


The pond at Paramount Park is teeming with life!


Native elderberry showing off!



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UPDATE: Dept of Ecology reports Richmond Beach closed to swimming

Dept of Ecology Sunday night

UPDATE: Department of Ecology media contacts responded. The beach was posted in error. 

The beach was never closed or posted by Public Health -- there was no risk to public health and the water remains safe.

Original story:

The state Department of Ecology lists Richmond Beach Saltwater Park closed to swimming because of bacterial contamination from sewage spills from the Brightwater Treatment Plant that occurred Friday, June 25, 2021 and Saturday, June 26. Volume unknown.

There are no signs posted and the beach was full of people on Sunday. We will update this story when more information is available.

--Diane Hettrick



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A gaggle of geese at Bitter Lake

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Two gaggles of geese swim in the cool waters of Bitter Lake
Photo by Bruce Hill

 
Actually two gaggles that hang out together, swimming in the cool waters of Bitter Lake

Bruce says that a few days ago, the two gosling families were motoring their way across Bitter Lake for a snack.

There are four adults in this photo, and 14 goslings.
  • Group 1  two adults and 6 goslings
  • Group 2  two adults and 8 goslings


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KCSO: Warm air does not mean warm water

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Warm air, cold water and one wet deputy.

Deputies with the King County Sheriff's Office Marine Rescue Unit (MRU), with support from members of the Kirkland Fire Department and Explorers, hosted a training day on Lake Washington.

Look across any lake and you'll see proof that stand-up paddle board sales have skyrocketed. With that in mind, the focus of this training scenario was rescue and recovery when a new paddleboarder falls off their board and experiences cold water immersion.

Cold water immersion is caused by the initial shock of the cool water, which may result in panic that compromises your ability to swim and get back on the board. 

The 'paddleboarder' pictured here is a KCSO MRU deputy who agreed to 'take the plunge' in the name of training.

Remember that water temperatures across King County will not peak until late July. Warm air does not mean warm water. 

Use caution when enjoying our abundant lakes, rivers and shorelines. Most importantly always wear your life vest, even if you believe you are a strong swimmer.



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Local fire departments train for water rescues

Friday, June 25, 2021

Water rescue training on Lake Washington
Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire


Shoreline Fire trained for Surface Water Rescues this week as there have been many emergencies dealing with this recently.

Kirkland Fire hosted this training with Shoreline and Woodinville firefighters.

As temperatures climb, remember our waters are still cold. Always wear a life jacket while in the water. Stay safe!



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Horizon View reservoir construction progress

Monday, June 21, 2021

Seattle Public Utilities reservoir in Lake Forest Park
Photo by Brian Lee

The Lake Forest Park Reservoir is located in Horizon View Park in the City of Lake Forest Park and is part of Seattle Public Utilities' regional drinking water system.

The reservoir has a floating cover that was installed in 2001 and designed to last about 20 years.

Due to increased maintenance and repair work needed to keep the aging cover operational, SPU has decided to replace it with a new floating cover.

Construction to replace the floating cover will involve:
  • Draining the reservoir and preparing the site for construction
  • Removing and dispose of the existing floating cover
  • Installing a new liner and floating cover
  • Replacing pumps, pipes, hoses, and other equipment
  • Restoring the site after construction is complete

The Lake Forest Park Reservoir is located north of NE 195th St between 45th Ave NE and 47th Ave NE in the City of Lake Forest Park (project area map). The project will primarily be contained to SPU's property with minimal impacts to nearby residents.

SPU Contractor Crews began construction on the Lake Forest Park Reservoir Floating Cover Replacement Project on May 17, 2021 and it is expected to take about 5-7 months to complete.



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Hidden Lake closed due to high bacteria concentrations

Friday, June 18, 2021

Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Hidden Lake in Shoreline is closed due to high bacteria concentrations. 

The city recommends that people and pets do not swim or wade at this beach or engage in other water-contact activities. 

Please don't allow pets to drink lake water. 

Don't feed water birds in the area as their droppings are a likely source of the bacteria.



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Free webinar: Beautify and Care for your stream or lakeside property

Saturday, June 5, 2021

Photo courtesy KCD

Thursday, June 24, 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Beautify and Care for your stream or lakeside property

Presented by the King Conservation District

Curious about what it takes to return your stream, lake or wetland property to its more natural state? 

Want to learn ways you can support wildlife, enhance your property’s aesthetic, and reduce maintenance needs? 

Don’t miss this FREE 1-hour webinar for homeowners living along the water. Learn from restoration experts about managing your yard to support both the environment and your own needs.

Topics:
  • Minimizing pollution runoff on your property
  • Controlling invasive weeds
  • Utilizing native plants for wildlife habitat and erosion control
  • Adding value and beauty to your yard naturally

Questions? Contact nikki.wolf@kingcd.org or 425-773-1868.

Register Now



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