Removal of Logs on Lake Washington

I was recently asked an interesting question: who is responsible for removing floating logs from Lake Washington? I did some digging with King County and the US Army Corps of Engineers, and this is what I found out:

The US Army Corps of Engineers is usually responsible for managing on-water safety issues, including occasional removal of floating danger logs from Lake Washington. This is part of their mission mainly because the lake is considered a navigable waterway with heavy marine traffic.

However, a "nuisance log" has many different interpretations and would not be addressed by most agencies, especially if the logs are onshore and not posing a hazard to marine traffic. What one person may not want may actually be good habitat for many creatures, and hence there would be a permitting conflict. There are actually Fish and Wildlife regulations against removing large wood from shorelines because the removal decreases refuge and food sources for fish. Officially, a hydraulic project approval would even need to be obtained from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife before such work could be done in the water. Smaller stuff is usually just handled by home owners on an individual basis.

Updated to answer reader question: I contacted the Army Corps of Engineers to get more information about what they do with the logs that they corral. They try to empty the holding pen monthly plus make a monthly round of Lake Washington as their schedule permits. The collected debris is off-loaded onto storage barges at the Ballard Locks. They dispose of usable debris to government agencies for restoration work or recycle it. The rest goes to the landfill.

Celebrate Earth Day Waterfront Events

Upcoming events from Puget Soundkeeper Alliance:

Sunday April 19th
What: Gary Manuel Aveda Institute Cut-a-Thon
Who: Schedule a hair and/or spa service for April 19th between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm and the proceeds go to Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
When: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Gary Manuel Aveda Institute, (206) 329-9933
Address: 1514 10th Ave, Seattle
http://www.gmaveda.com/
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance will receive 100% of the proceeds.

Wednesday, April 22nd
What: Gary Manuel Salon Belltown and Capital Hill Earth Day Cleanup Event
Who: Calling all volunteers
When: 9:00 am – 10:30 am
Where: Belltown and Capital Hill
Call Betsy Moyer at Puget Soundkeeper Alliance if you would like to volunteer (206) 297-7002

Saturday, April 25th
What: Everett Marina and Jetty Island Cleanup Event
Who: All Volunteers welcome – bring gloves, warm clothes and appropriate footware. No reservations needed.
When: 9:00 am – 12:00 (lunch served after). Transportation to and from Jetty Island provided.
Where: Popeye’s Marine & Kayak Center
Address: 814 13th St, No. Marina (access via 14th St)
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance has been involved for 15 years. Call Chris Wilke for info (206) 297- 7002.

Saturday, April 25th
What: Premiere Salon It’s the Water Event (live music, refreshments, raffle)
Who: All are welcome
When: 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Where: Premiere Salon and Spa (360) 753-3299
Address: 111 Market St #101, Olympia
Call or email Kelly Bakala at Kelly@premieresalonandspa.com. Tickets: $10
Proceeds support Puget Soundkeeper Alliance’s clean water work.

Sunday, April 26th
What: Aveda and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Walk for Water
Who: All are welcome. Please pledge $25 to participate
When: 9:00 am registration (10 am to 12:30 pm walk & trash pickup)
Where: Golden Gardens Park
Address: 8498 Seaview Ave N, Seattle
Call Betsy Moyer for info (206) 297-7002

Sunday, April 26th
What: 2nd Annual Community Oyster Roast
Who: Anyone who likes Oysters, sausage, beer, wine and live music
When: 2-seatings – 1) from 2:00 pm to 4:00pm and 2) from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Where: Golden Gardens Bathhouse
Address: 8498 Seaview Ave N. Seattle
http://www.pugetsoundkeeper.org/events/community-oyster-roast
Tickets available at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/54821
Annual fundraiser for Puget Soundkeeper Alliance’s work to protect and preserve Puget Sound

Saturday, May 2nd
What: Clean and Green Boating Fair, free event to kick off the boating season
Who: All are welcome – free boat tours included
When: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Delin Docks Marina on Thea Foss Waterway
Address: 1616 E “D” St, Tacoma
http://www.cleangreenboating.blogspot.com/

Saturday, May 9th
What: The Sweep – 7th Annual Lake Union and Portage Bay Cleanup
Who: All Volunteers welcome. Please sign up first (206) 297-7002
When: Volunteers check in at 8:30 am (for most)
Where: Lake Union Park (for most)
Address: 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle
http://www.pugetsoundkeeper.org/events/7th-annual-lake-union-and-portage-bay-sweep

Great Real Time Puget Sound Marine Traffic Info

If you are on Puget Sound, have you ever wondered about a large ship passing silently up the shipping channels? Perhaps wonder what country it is from, or where it is heading, or even some design specs on its size?

I have just added a new feature on WaterHavens.com that offers all of that and more: real time Puget Sound marine traffic maps and info. It shows the current location of major vessels throughout Puget Sound (and the rest of the world), tracking every ship's location, direction, and registry information. It even includes a photo of many boats, plus a graphical track of where it has just been on its recent course plotted over time.

Pretty neat stuff. You can literally look out your window and bring up this info on WaterHavens at any time to know a lot more about any boat that is right in front of you!

Lake Washington Dock Permits Can Be Important

A waterfront home owner who lives on the Renton shores of Lake Washington was recently found guilty of constructing a dock and boat lift without permits. Apparently a neighbor complained to the US Army Corps of Engineers (they are involved in the shoreline permitting process for docks), and even after the Corps cited the home owner to stop work he still kept going. As a result, he now faces up to a year in prison plus up to a $100,000 fine! He was charged with a misdemeanor violation of the federal Rivers and Harbors Act.


For information on who to contact to determine regulations on dock construction and refurbishing, check my list of Seattle area government waterfront regulatory agencies on WaterHavens.com.

So make sure you have those permits in hand, and then you can relax and fully enjoy a beauty like this Lake Washington waterfront home for sale:

Flood Insurance For Waterfront Properties

If you are concerned about the possibility of rising waters in your waterfront location near a river, lake, or even the Sound, you can obtain reasonably priced flood insurance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Most private insurers neither include this in their insurance policies nor have add-on options to do so. Almost all communities with the state of Washington are eligible under the FEMA program, however.

For more information, visit Floodsmart.gov.

Elliott Bay Water Taxi Sets New Record

The Elliott Bay Water Taxi, which travels from West Seattle across to downtown Seattle in 12 minutes, increased its ridership by 15% over the prior year. It's a great commute alternative for people who live in the waterfront community of West Seattle and either work in downtown Seattle or can connect to other public transportation from there.

The water taxi is successful enough that year around service is set to start in 2010, and several other demonstration routes are being planned for other local Puget Sound and Lake Washington communities.

King County Shoreline Management Program Final Public Input

The third and final round of public input periods to the King County Shoreline Management Program is happening now. If you live on or near the Sound, a lake, river, or even some wetlands, then this can apply to you and your property.

You can review the draft and also attend upcoming public open house meetings in Carnation (October 16th) and Covington (October 23rd). Public inputs will be accepted until Friday November 14th, via the meetings, email, or mail.

This will be the final opportunity for public input before the completed program is submitted to the King County Council in December.

FEMA Insurance For Waterfront Properties Potentially Discontinued

Interesting set of recent events from the National Marine Fisheries Service: Since development near bodies of water can adversely affect salmon population - and salmon populations are important for the web of life food chain to endangered orcas - they have determined that the federal flood insurance program currently available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is illegal. Both salmon and orcas are protected under the Endangered Species Act.



This affects future development for any properties determined to be within flood plains, and it can also affect current owners seeking this type of ongoing insurance. In many cases, getting flood insurance in flood plains is difficult and expensive without having the FEMA program to rely upon. New development may be cost prohibitive and current owners may be left without viable insurance options.

For more information, see this article in the Seattle PI. The reporter covers the usual areas that people think of as a "flood plain": areas near rivers that can crest and flood at times of heavy flow. However, the article does not talk about the many other areas that can be considered flood plains. Even Puget Sound waterfront can be considered flood plains due to tidal/storm surges, and lake shores can rise and flood as well. The frequency of both is very low in comparison to rivers, but nonetheless official classifications and flood plain maps do exist for these areas. Both future development and existing properties along many other bodies of water than rivers could definitely be affected.

Next steps will reside with FEMA to create development requirements that will be more compatible with salmon populations, and this may allow for the resumption of the FEMA flood insurance program around the Puget Sound area. However these kinds of programs and development compromises can take quite a long time to develop, so it will be interesting to track the effects from this on local waterfront properties.

If anything, it makes existing waterfront homes more valuable since development options for new waterfront properties are further restricted. Relatively few waterfront home owners (especially on the Sound and lakes) actually purchase the FEMA insurance, so the downsides of lacking the insurance will likely be negligible except for cases where such insurance may be a requirement of a buyer obtaining financing.

We'll see what happens...

Best Places to Watch Salmon Runs in King County Seattle Area

Fall is coming our way, and the salmon runs are on their way as well. Are you interested to see all the activity at our local riverfront communities? Here's the scoop from the King County Spawning Salmon Viewing Locations:

Salmon Viewing Locations in the Snoqualmie Valley

Raging River, Fall City: From downtown Fall City, head south on the Preston-Fall City Road. Turn left, heading east, on SE 44th Place about .1 mile.
Tolt-McDonald Park, Carnation. From Highway 203, head west on NE 40th Street in Carnation and follow signs to the park. View salmon from the footbridge over the river.

Tolt River foot bridge on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, Carnation: From Highway 203, just south of the Tolt River, head east on NE 32nd. Just before Remlinger Farms the trail crosses over the road, park and climb steps to the trail. Head north on the trail to the bridge.

Chinook Bend, Carnation: The turnoff is on the north side of NE Carnation Farm Road, just west of the bridge over the Snoqualmie River. Park and walk in until you come to the gravel bar.


Snoqualmie Valley Trail:
Salmon Signage & Artwork Locations

Learn about salmon through educational signage and salmon-inspired artwork while you walk, run or ride along the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.

McCormick Park, Duvall: Totem pole-like sculptures depict the many facets of the valley's working rural landscape and the challenges facing salmon. The sculptures were created by students from Cherry Valley Elementary School in Duvall.

Tolt River Bridge, Carnation: Ceramic tiles emblazoned with salmon-inspired artwork can be found encircling a park bench at this trail site. The tiles were created by students with the Tolt Middle School Art Club. The bench was donated by the school's recycling club.

Griffin Creek Bridge, (.5 mi. south of) Carnation: Interpretive signage only at this location.

Meadow brook Slough, Snoqualmie: "Water Echoes," a steel arch inspired by the shape of Snoqualmie river's oxbow at the slough. Students from Two Rivers Middle School in North Bend designed, welded and installed the arch.


There is also a printable brochure describing the best viewing locations and additional information on salmon habitat restoration.

Duwamish River Festival

The Duwamish River Festival will come back to the Duwamish River Park this Saturday August 23rd from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The festival offers live music and dance, kayak tours, homemade tamales, recycled art activity, photos with Bert the Salmon, fun, family-friendly activities, prizes, and information.



Event Schedule:
11:00 a.m. – Welcome by Masters of Ceremonies, Penny LeGate / DJ Vector
11:30 a.m. – Duwamish Tribe's Tilibshudub (Singing Feet) dance performance
12:15 p.m. – Pinata Party with Carmen Martinez
12:45 p.m. – Joyas Mestizas folk dance performance
1:30 p.m. – Stanley Alleyne Caribbean steel drums
2:30 p.m. – Recycled Art Parade
2:30 p.m. – Stanley Alleyne Caribbean steel drums

• Kayak Tours at 1:00 and 2:00 p.m.
• Raffle awards each hour – Mariners tickets, a sunset kayak cruise, & prizes
• Kids activities, bounce-house, and dunk tank all day

The following groups will perform:
• Master of Ceremonies: Penny LeGate
• Stanley Alleyne - Caribbean Steel Drum Music
• Mexican Folk Dance group Joyas Mestizas
• Duwamish Tribe T'ilibshudub “Singing Feet”