Lake Washington is a valuable resource to all residents of King
County. The lake is the prime rearing habitat for juvenile salmon
spawned in Cedar and Sammamish Rivers, provides multiple
recreational opportunities, acts as a beautiful open space, and
supports multiple resident fisheries. The hydrology, water
quality, and habitat in and around the lake has been and
continues to be severely impacted by intensive development in the
basin. In recent years, natural runs of Lake Washington sockeye,
coho, chinook salmon, and steelhead trout have declined
precipitously. The reasons for these declines are not fully
understood, but recent studies have focused on poor survival of
sockeye in Lake Washington and predation od steelhead by sea
lions. The water quality of the lake is largely dependent upon
the high quality of water from the Cedar River and upon the
control of pollutants that enter from direct drainages and
Sammamish River. At this time, there is no unified fisheries and
water quality management plan for Lake Washington. A number of
jurisdictions surrounding the lake have implemented or are in the
process of developing programs to reduce the amount of pollutants
in stormwater runoff that enters the lake.
Challenges for Lake Washington and its Tributaries:
What are the causes of the decreased Lake Washington salmon
runs?
What is our management strategy for the lake and watershed?
Who is ultimately responsible for the health of the lake, and
who has authority to effectively induce beneficial change?
How will we coordinate our management actions with Snohomish
County which drains into the north end of the lake?
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