PMB 2565, 1420 NW Gilman Blvd Ste 2, Issaquah, Washington 98027 USA
TEL: [425] 641-3008 FAX: [425] 641-4944
E-mail: info@savelakesamm.org
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Lake Sammamish State Park Update
An Ancient Underwater Forest in Lake Sammamish
TIDBITS
The face(s) behind the E-mails
2004 Issaquah Salmon Days
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By Janet Wall
Due to inadequate funding from the state, Washington State Parks has been seeking ways to make some of their parks self-sustaining, and others, especially those in urban-areas, revenue-generating to help fund those that are more remote. About a year ago, Washington State Parks held 2 public workshops and presented a “Facilities Development Plan Summary” which presented 3 different development scenarios (A,B, and C), for the buildable 25% of the park. Each of the scenarios contained a mix of revenue-generating large structures including a lakeshore village with boutiques, boardwalk, and amusement rides; an indoor water park with wave pool, giant slides, high-dive pool and concessions; an athletic complex with an indoor soccer arena, concessions, and outdoor fields for soccer, baseball, and volleyball; a marine activities center with boat storage, rental concessions and docks; and a boat launch service center with a fuel dock and marine parts/boat services facility. One of the scenarios even had an office park.
Originally the recommended plan was to be presented for final action at the Dec 4th, 2003 meeting of the State Parks’ 7-member policy board. Due to the large number of emails, letters, and public testimony (much of it negative), State Parks backed off on its scheduled timetable, recognized the need to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS), and appointed an advisory committee. The Lake Sammamish State Park Advisory Committee (the Committee) includes local and regional elected officials, a newspaper publisher, and individuals representing tribal, environmental, conservation and youth interests. The purpose of the committee is to study a wide variety of park facility proposals and recommend to the State Park’s policy board which facilities to include in the scope of the EIS.
The Committee, which has been having monthly public meetings, first conducted a public survey to help determine the reasons for the decline in park attendance over the years. A variety of responses were given with the parking fees being the most often cited, but also the poor condition of the park, goose poop, and better alternatives to go to.
It was felt by the State Park staff that the public might be more accepting of some of the suggested changes if it could better visualize what some of the proposed structures could look like, so an architectural design competition was devised. The committee selected 5 structures to depict in the design competition:
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1) a covered soccer arena with two indoor fields, bleachers, dressing rooms 2) a rustic retreat center at the Hans Jensen area of the park 3) a bathhouse at Sunset Beach with food concessions and raised boardwalk 4) a waterfront activities center including a rowing/kayak boathouse; and 5) a waterfront activities center/family center with a restaurant, pool, and children’s splash area.
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Three architectural firms presented their designs to Issaquah’s Development Commission (DC) and the public on October 20, 2004. A winning design/concept will be chosen using public input (20%); scoring on technical design by the DC (20%); and evaluation by the Committee on overall architecture, compliance with spatial/functional program, and feasibility (20% each). The winning architectural firm will get $15,000 and a potential architectural contract on the master plan for the next phase of planning. This does not mean that all of the winning design structures will necessarily be part of the EIS, or that the indoor water park, power boating center, and urban RV campground are no longer being considered. In fact, additional facilities suggested in the public survey (from skate park to an off-leash dog area) will also be evaluated. The only proposals that are not being considered further at this time are the fuel/marine supply dock, the office complex, the lakeshore village, and a golf driving range. The architectural designs will be on display at the Issaquah Library, and on the State Park’s website at www.parks.wa.gov/plans/lksamm.
Please send comments on what you want or do not want to see in your park by, November 24 to: Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning and Research Program, 7150 Cleanwater Lane, P.O. Box 42650, Olympia, WA 98504-2650, or by email to: Peter.Herzog@Parks.Wa.Gov. The structural elements to be included in the EIS will be decided at the December, 2, 2004 meeting; as well as the choosing of the winning architectural firm. It is very important to make your views known now.
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By Barbara Shelton
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Newly Installed Culvert under Issaquah-Hobart Road |
A year ago at Salmon Days we announced that Issaquah Environmental Council (IEC) had been awarded a grant of $49,820 from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to conduct the Kees Creek Salmon Habitat Enhancement Project on a 200-foot reach of Kees Creek, a tributary of Issaquah Creek at the south city limits. We are in the midst of that work now. Kees Creek, a tributary of Issaquah with salmonids, had been neglected for far too long, and yet the salmon still attempted to negotiate it. This project will restore native habitat to an important salmon stream in the Issaquah area. With matching funds from this grant, the City of Issaquah Public Works Engineering replaced the culvert under Issaquah-Hobart Road in August, 2004. King County replaced its culvert under 238th Way SE, abutting the east side of our project, in July, 2004. Beginning on October 23 we will plant native vegetation in the stream buffer and culvert areas. This project will complete the habitat link between the two culverts.
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Issaquah Environmental Council is partnering with King County, the City of Issaquah, Save Lake Sam-mamish, Mountains to Sound Greenway and other environmental groups and local landowners to complete this pro-ject. Volunteers from IEC and other organizations are currently needed to help remove invasive species such as blackberry and Himalayan knotweed and replant with native vegetation. Kees Creek is located partially in King County’s rural area and partially in City of Issaquah parkland (Squak Valley Park North). The upper watershed of the creek originates on the Tradition Lake Plateau/City of Issaquah Resource Conservation Area, which is adjacent to Tiger Mountain State Forest and Recreation Area, it then drops through forested and residential private property to the project location. The riparian restoration portion of the project lies in King County up to Issaquah-Hobart Road, at which point the creek enters City of Issaquah boundaries and connects with the main stem of Issaquah Creek within Squak Valley Park North. Salmonids which were impeded by this stretch of creek will be able to continuing upstream to spawning and rearing ponds.The Army Corps of Engineers was scheduled to restore salmon habitat on Issaquah Creek in Squak Valley North and from the mouth of Kees Creek to Issaquah-Hobart Road, downstream of the project, in Summer 2004. However, their funding fell through and their restoration is now scheduled for future years. When it is completed, these projects taken together will multiply the value of the restoration efforts, offering healthy salmon rearing reaches on the main stem of Issaquah Creek. |
Janet Wall who contributed the Lake Sammamish State Park article (above) also helped IEC remove non-native plants near the Kees Creek project |
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Cars today are a far cry from the leaking, smoke belching, gas hogs of yesteryear. Still, our reliance on cars means that grease, oil and rubber are present in the environment in vast amounts. The watershed’s main pollutants from home care come from car washing and oil changes done at home. With increased awareness and some simple tricks, weekend wrench monkeys and car lovers can make a significant contribution to the continued health of the Sammamish basin.
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Car Washing Home Oil Changes A few adjustments in home car care routines can have immediate, positive impacts on Lake Sammamish and the watershed it drains. |
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Fix all oil leaks
Oil that stains the driveway or drips on the street will wash
into the storm drain in the next big rain. Use kitty litter to soak up oil
spills or drips. The motor oil soaked material, if contained in sealed bags,
can be disposed of as ordinary trash.
Recycle oil from DIY oil changes. Drain the old oil into “drain-tainer” (available at auto stores) and take it to a shop that accepts oil for recycling. Bag and seal any oil soaked rags and tightly recap empty oil containers before discarding.
Beware of coolant leaks
The most common brands of coolant (anti-freeze) are highly toxic
and have a sweet taste that attracts animals. Don’t ignore coolant drips and
spills; absorb them with kitty litter and sweep up for disposal. When the
car’s cooling system is repaired or serviced, insist on the less hazardous
propylene glycol (PG) antifreeze instead of the common ethylene glycol (EG)
antifreeze.
Unless you have a professional quality shop with grease and water traps, never steam clean or degrease an engine at home. Keep grease laden parts, old engines etc. under cover and off the ground.
Use professionals for oil changes and car washes. Reputable shops will capture and recycle every drop of oil and wash water.
Reclaim all pollutants
Capture all used solvents, parts cleaners, hydraulic fluid etc; no matter
how small the amount and deliver to a hazardous waste disposal service. For
detailed information call The Household Hazards Line: 206-296-4692 or visit
the King County Hazardous Waste Management Program website at: http://
www.govlink.org/hazwaste/house/disposal
SLS thanks Pomegrante Center for the use of this material
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Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)
This species was common in freshwater and estuarian habitats throughout the state at low and moderate elevations. They nest in three- to six-foot deep burrows in high sandy banks and are not normally found in high-elevation lakes due to low prey availability.
Good habitat areas include all wetlands below the Subalpine Fir and Mountain Hemlock zones. The major limiting factors in Belted Kingfisher distribution are prey and nest-site availability. Belted Kingfishers live around Lake Sammamish and in its’ watershed, but desperately need the trees along the shoreline and sandy banks along the streams in order to continue their residence here.
The Belted Kingfisher (BEKI) is 13” long with a wingspan of 20”. It is the only kingfisher found north of Texas or Arizona. Like other kingfishers it is very large-headed with a long, heavy bill, short tail and very short legs. The head, back and wings are blue-gray and it has a white collar. Both sexes have a slate blue breast band. The female has a rust belly band and flanks. Juvenile resembles adult but has rust spotting in breast band. The BEKI is common along rivers and brooks, ponds and lakes, and estuaries. The bird is often first noticed by its wild rattling call while in flight. It is usually found perched on a high snag or hovering on rapidly beating wings, then plunging head first into the water to grab a fish. After seizing a fish, it rises and returns to its perch, where it beats the fish on a limb, then tosses it into the air and swallows it headfirst. It also eats amphibians, reptiles and insects. Bones, scales and other indigestible parts of prey are coughed up later as pellets. During courtship the male brings a fish and feeds it to the female. The nest is in a steep or vertical dirt bank, usually with a high content of sand. Both sexes take part in digging a long horizontal tunnel with a nest chamber at the end. The tunnel is about 3-4” in diameter, unlined, usually 3-7 ft. long. It may take from 3 days to 3 weeks to dig depending on the type of soil. The excavation is done with the bill. The nest chamber at the end is about 6 by 10”. The 5-7 white eggs are laid in April-July. Incubation takes 22-26 days and the young leave the nest 22-26 days after hatching.
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Belted kingfisher Identification Tips:
Length: 12 inches
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Similar species:
In the United States, only the Ringed Kingfisher of south Texas is similar.
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The most effective cleaner for your dock is a hard bristle brush with a long handle, a bucket of water, and an afternoon of elbow grease. These will often clean as well or better than any commercial products. Plus, you have peace of mind if the bucket tips over, only water pours into the water, rather than harmful chemicals. A power washer would be a good choice as well.
How do I care for the wood on my dock?
If you decide that your dock needs additional maintenance, there are many products available to help you maintain the structural integrity and look of your dock. These products protect new lumber from sun and rain, clean graying and dirty docks, revive the original look of the wood dock, and protect it from the elements.
Here are some tips that will help you properly apply wood-care products:
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Remember If you wouldn’t want your pets to drink it or your kids to swim in it don’t put it in the water.
Maintain Structures Using Clean Marina Practices.
Scrape, sand, and paint in-water and landside structures according to the same management principles as for vessels
If feasible, move floating structures to shore for scraping, painting, and major repairs.
Q: What if I have an existing dock and want to do some repairs to it?
A: Normal maintenance or repair of existing structures requires a Shoreline Exemption Permit. “Normal maintenance” includes those usual acts established to prevent a decline, lapse or cessation from a lawfully established condition. “Normal repair” means to restore a development to a state comparable to its original condition within a reasonable period after decay or partial destruction except where repair involves total replacement which is not common practice or causes substantial adverse effects to the shoreline resource or environment.
Q: How do I know if other permits may be required?
A: The Department of Ecology maintains a Permit Assistance Center to provide statewide environmental permit information. By calling (360)407-7037, you can find out which environmental permits are required for your proposed activity.
Requirements for an Exemption from a Shoreline Management Permit
To qualify for an exemption, the applicant must provide King County with written and graphic evidence of the following:
1. The project has a total cost or fair market value, whichever is greater, not exceeding $5,000; or
2. The project involves normal maintenance or repair of an existing, legal structure; or
3. The project involves emergency construction necessary to protect an existing legal residence, commercial or industrial facility or public amenity from damage by the elements. An “emergency” is an unanticipated and imminent threat to public health and safety which requires immediate action within a time too short to allow compliance with Shoreline Substantial Development Permit application requirements.
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An Ancient Underwater Forest in Lake Sammamish
Greenwood Point, the broad, flat promontory into Lake Sammamish was called ahb-shoost-SEHK (‘tree sticking up”) from a story about some Yakama warriors who came across the mountains and were changed into trees which stood in the water and appeared to be decorated with red war paint.
Legend of unknown association. Possibly Snoqualmie or Duwamish
An Ancient Underwater Forest in Lake Sammamish
by Robert L. Logan and Timothy J. Walsh, Reproduced from Washington Geology, Vol. 23, No.4 - December 1995 and Vol. 26, No.2/3 - September 1998, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Earth Resources
| Local residents and boaters on Lake Sammamish east of Seattle have long
been aware of the many large snags that protrude from the lake near Geenwood
Point. In 1897, in his discussion of geologic features of the Puget Sound
area, J. P., Kimball reported the location of the snags as a landslide. The
snags are indeed the remnants of a prehistoric forest that may have been
drowned when the southwest shore of Lake Sammamish collapsed into the lake.
This may have happened during a large earthquake focused along what is
commonly referred to as the Seattle fault.
Greenwood Point is located at the southern end of Lake Sammamish less than a mile south from the projected trace of the Seattle fault. Two embayments along the north shoreline of the point, clusters of tilted tree snags off shore, and depth finder sonar profiles of the lake bottom provided evidence that the shoreline collapsed and slid into the lake, carrying an ancient forest with it. If a great earthquake occurred about 1,100 years ago, as suggested by other studies, then it is reasonable to speculate that the shoreline could have collapsed as part of a seismically induced landslide. |
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Evidence for a large seismic event or events occurring about 1,000 years ago is widespread throughout the Puget Sound region Radiocarbon dates on snags from the lake support this possibility. The Lake Sammamish sunken forest could extend the area affected by seismic activity eastward along the projection of the Seattle fault.
Mapping reveals that the sunken forest is composed of two clusters of snags. This distribution indicates that either two separate landslides moved the trees into the lake or some snags have been removed in the gap between the clusters. Some trees have been reported to be at least 6 ft. in diameter at depth in Lake Sammamish. The snags probably represent the narrowing tips of large trees.
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Invasive Plant - English Ivy - Hedera Helix
English ivy (Hedera helix) and Irish ivy (H. hibernica or H. helix hibernica) are very similar plants and both are referred to as English ivy here.
What Is English Ivy?
This woody, evergreen perennial grows as a vine (climbing or creeping) or as a shrub. English ivy can photosynthesize year-round, and is capable of growth for 9 to 10 months of the year. Older vines can grow over 90 feet long with stems reaching one foot in diameter. English ivy is long-lived with reports of one plant over 400 years old. Adventitious roots are formed at the leaf nodes of immature plants, and they help ivy climb by adhering or anchoring to surfaces – they do not penetrate the surface.
Ivy tolerates a wide range of light conditions but growth is stimulated by light. The entire plant contains slightly toxic compounds. Berries and leaves are toxic to people or livestock if eaten in a large quantity. The sap can cause dermatitis and blistering.
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Leaves of juvenile English Ivy
Leaves of mature English Ivy |
The Impacts: When English ivy escapes from landscaped plantings it often establishes and spreads in shaded forested lands or natural areas. • English ivy changes the natural succession patterns of forests. • Ivy limits understory regeneration by blocking sunlight and shading out plants. • The fast-growing ivy competes for water and nutrients. • Provides hiding areas for rats and other vermin. • English ivy is invasive when growing in areas where it was not planted or when thick mats or vines inadvertently cover plants, trees or structures. • English ivy reaches the tree canopy and shades out deciduous foliage during summer months, suppressing the host tree.• Dense ivy cover deprives the bark of normal contact with air and microorganisms. • Mature trees covered with ivy are top-heavy and more likely to blow down. • Thick ivy mats can accelerate rot and deteriorate structures.
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Manual Control
Even though it is labor intensive, the most effective control method is manual removal.
• First remove the vertical growing plants to stop flower production and further spread by seed.
• Remove flowers or seed heads you can reach.
• Hand pull or dig out accessible plants.
• Mowing is effective in areas that are mowed regularly. Clippings need to be removed.
• When working in steep areas, the site needs to be considered for slope and any surface erosion. Cut the vines or pry them off of trees with the aid of a tool at a comfortable height. This will kill the upper vines, but the lower, rooted plant needs to be removed.
NOTE: Remove all cut stems from soil contact. Wear gloves and protective clothing. The sap can cause a reaction in some people.
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Chemical Control Controlling English ivy with herbicide is not very successful because of the waxy leaves. There is a risk to non-target plants from run-off of the waxy leaves. English ivy is considered tolerant of commonly used pre-emergent herbicides. • Glyphosate (Round-Up) is effective on young plants in early spring. • Use a string trimmer to remove leaves and immediately treat the plant with triclopyr (Garlon 4) + surfactant. Disposal Remove and dispose as yard waste. Backyard composting is only recommended when the rootlets and the cut stems are dead. Otherwise the ivy stems will root in the other material as it decomposes. English ivy clippings will break down to 1/5 of its size when left to dry out and die. |
Caption: Ivy Climbing a Mature Tree |
For more information please contact:
King County Noxious Weed Control Program
Department of Natural Resources
Water and Land Resources Division
201 S. Jackson St., Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 296-0290
email: noxious.weeds@metrokc.gov,
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/weeds
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The face behind the emails - Frank Lill, SLS Vice
President
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Nicole Killebrew (center), an SLS Board Member, who staffed the booth for most of Sunday, and SLS president Joanna Buehler (right) talk with SLS members Jack and Rose Hart, at the SLS booth
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Hard copy edited by Dan Reider
Contributors:
Joanna Buehler
Barbara Shelton
Janet Wall
SLS invites submissions, comments or suggestions for this Newsletter. Credit will be given for articles and/or photos used. The Editor of the SLS Newsletter has complete discretion as to material to be published.
We thank our many volunteers, contributors, and friends for your continued support. The future depends on you. Thanks also to the Seattle Community Network (SCN) for hosting the SLS web site and Listserve.
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PMB 2565
1420 NW Gilman Blvd Ste 2
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FALL 2004