Lake Tapps Water Protection Effort -- Join us for a discussion of water quality and what you can do to help

Earlier this summer, several residents asked us how they can help keep Lake Tapps clean and healthy. A group has volunteered to help us address this and we’d like to extend the invitation to any others who would like to help us decide the best way to help the neighbors do just that.

Protecting water quality of the lake may mean changing some behaviors that have to do with the lake.  These include things like how lawns and gardens are cared for and many other simple, routine things.  To help people protect the water, we would like to work with local residents to develop a multi-year plan information and outreach effort that is based on lake-friendly behaviors.

One thing we know for sure is that just providing information to people isn't enough to make them change their habits.  To make changes effective, we need to help determine the benefit for the lake.  Working with the community, we will design a plan to communicate about the behaviors that would help the lake quality, and if desired, prepare workshops, special programs and work with local merchants to promote  appropriate products. 

We at Cascade Water Alliance look forward to working with the community and the neighbors, and partnering with local hardware stores, for example, to help motivate people to keep their lake clean and  healthy.  But we want to make sure we have a good plan that works for and with the community. We have set a brief  meeting to discuss these issues and we hope you can join us:

DATE:  Monday August 9, 2010

TIME:   5 – 6:30 p.m.

LOCATION: Lake Tapps Clubhouse

Please RSVP, and if you have other interested parties please bring them along!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Elaine J. Kraft
Intergovernmental and Communications Director
t: 425.283.0364
f: 425.453.0953
cascadewater.org

Lake Tapps Levels to Rise in August While Inspection Work Underway; Lake Will Remain Full All Summer

Lake Tapps WA - Cascade Water Alliance is continuing to assess the condition of the   White River Project in its first full year of operating Lake Tapps.  To do that, Cascade will be dewatering (clearing all the water out of) the entire flow line from the headworks to the twin pipe inlet structure east of Printz Basin late this summer and into the early fall.  Cascade purchased Lake Tapps in December 2009 and dewatering will allow staff to examine the structures and facilities and determine what must be fixed.  In addition, Cascade will be modifying its fish screen facility to comply with regulatory criteria while operating lower flows than previously done.  This has not been done in about seven years.

To accomplish the outage and still assure the lake will be at full pool throughout the summer, Cascade will, at the same time, be filling the lake to the upper range of the full pool as outlined in the agreement with the Lake Tapps homeowners.  The lake will be filled to about 543 feet in early August, ensuring a full lake all summer.  This means adding approximately another four inches of water to the lake.  The lake level will then slowly lower over the following 10 weeks, staying within the agreed upon full recreational pool level, (i.e. above 541.5 feet).

The project will last for about eight to 10 weeks, beginning August 23 and running into October so Cascade can address issues it finds in its assessment of the flow line.

Cascade Water Alliance is a non-profit corporation, comprised of the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, Tukwila, the Covington Water District and the Sammamish Plateau and Skyway Water and Sewer Districts to provide safe, clean and reliable water to its 370,000 residents and 22,000 businesses. 

If you have questions regarding this contact Joe Mickelson at 1.877.299.0930 or write contact@cascadewater.org.