Feb. 27, 2008 External opinion, Seattle Times Maury Island stewardship now falls to the Legislature Feb. 4, 2008 Brief closure at King County’s Dockton Park docks as state works to eradicate invasive marine species Sept.13, 2007 External article, Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Logging at Center Forest is attempt at balance Nov. 7, 2007 King County’s new Vashon treatment plant clears way for valuable shellfish harvests Environmental Indicators for Groundwater in King County, WA Oct.10, 2007 Vashon holds island wide emergency drill Community a model for disaster preparedness Sept.13, 2007 Vashon’s Island Center Forest grows by 86 acres July 2, 2007 External Article, Seattle P-I State committed to saving the Sound June 21, 2007 Public gets two extra weeks to review, comment on King County’s proposed shoreline management rules May 31, 2007 Your idea to protect Puget Sound could win $55,000 from King County May 30, 2007 Draft rules to protect King County shorelines available for review at public meetings, June 5, 6, 7 May 8, 2007 External Article, Seattle P-I Gregoire signs measure intended to help restore 'sick' Puget Sound May 8, 2007 External Article, Seattle Times Ruckelshaus named to lead Puget Sound cleanup May 7, 2007 Executive Sims' statement on steelhead listing May 2, 2007 Dedication ceremony to celebrate new Vashon Island wastewater treatment facility Jan. 29, 2007 King County hosts Vashon public workshop for shoreline management review, Feb. 15 Jan. 20, 2007 Sewer workers quickly stop overflow at Vashon Island Treatment Plant Jan. 16, 2007 Shoreline management review launched in King County Oct. 11, 2006 External Article, Seattle P-I Low-impact methods have high impact on ecosystems Rain barrels, green roofs play a key role in saving orcas Oct. 11, 2006 External Article, Seattle P-I Toxic stormwater is one of the Sound's biggest threats Knowledge goes only so far in controlling polluted runoff Oct 10, 2006 External Link, Seattle P-I A rising tide of chemicals and sewage Modern chemical is now found at the top of the food chain Oct. 9, 2006 Investing in the "infrastructure of our future" Sims proposes upgrades, repairs to roads, wastewater and solid waste systems Aug. 11, 2006 All of King County closed to shellfish harvesting Life-threatening marine biotoxins found in north and south county Aug. 7, 2006 King County stewardship grants help local groups protect, strengthen natural resources June 14, 2006 King County offers noxious weed workshop to Vashon property owners, June 27 National Clean Beaches Week (external link) June 29 - July 5, 2006 March. 15, 2006 External Link, Seattle P-I A big push to clean up Sound $80 million goal would start with new parks Vashon Island Center Forest Site Management Guidelines » Archived News and announcements » King County Watersheds Map

Vashon-Maury Island page provides environmental information and services from King County and its partners related specifically to the island. For more information about Vashon-Maury Island or to get involved in Water and Land activities, please call Lori Larkin, Vashon/Maury Island Watershed Steward, at 206-263-7316. Related information can be found for the Central Puget Sound Watershed, of which Vashon-Maury Island is a part.

Basin Steward Program
Find out what Water and Land Resources' Basin Steward Program does and how to contact Basin Stewards.

Community Service Center
Information about the King County satellite office on Vashon Island at the address, Courthouse Square, 19021 Vashon Hwy. S.W., Vashon, WA 98070. Phone 206-296-4510.

Maury Island Ecological Economic Evaluation
Report describing the island's ecological assets and estimating their economic value to help inform decisions related to resource conservation, land use planning and sustainable practices.

Environmental Indicators Related to Vashon-Maury Island
Learn about the condition of King County’s natural resources, key factors that affect them, King County actions, and how you can help.

• Marine Habitat
• Shorelines
• Groundwater

Wastewater Treatment

Vashon Wastewater Treatment Plant
Learn about this treatment plant including details about a project to upgrade it. This page provides notices of public meetings, news releases, contact information and a map showing where the plant is located.

Surface Water, Groundwater, and Drinking Water

Introduction to Watersheds

Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Model - Phase I (Acrobat pdf format)
The first model describing groundwater flow for Vashon Maury Island, published October, 2005.

Rural Drainage Program 2004 Accountability Report to the King County Council
Desribes accomplshments and expendituresof King County's Surface Water Management Program on Vashon-Maury Island, the Enumclaw Plateau, and Snoqualmie Valley. Other Accountability reports: 2003, 2002, 2001.

Vashon-Maury Island Rapid Rural Reconnaissance - Draft Report
Inventory of the island's surface water needs. This report lists priority drainage and water quality projects, acquisitions, studies and programs that would receive funding through surface water management fees.

King County's Surface Water Management Fee for Unincorporated King County & Vashon Island
Provides a history of King County's surface water management program, its services and fees, and contacts for more information.

Vashon-Maury Island Surface Water Fee Accountability Committee
Overview of a community-based committee tasked with prioritizing surface water related projects.

Vashon - Maury Island Water Resources Evaluation
Read about this long-term project to understand what affects the quality and quantity of the island's groundwater, and update it's drinking water budget based on new knowledge.

Groundwater Management
Read an overview of groundwater management planning in King County including maps of the Vashon / Maury Island Groundwater Management Area and an interactive map (new window, requires popups enabled) of groundwater sampling sites on the island.

Salmon Watching on Vashon Island
Maps of salmon viewing sites located on Vashon Island and contact information to volunteer as for King County's Salmon Watcher monitoring program.

Vashon Island Water Type Survey (external link)
An interactive web-site that reports Vashon Island stream habitat health and identifies fish barriers, among other things. This work will better protect streams, support informed land-use decisions, and guide restoration efforts where there is interest and funding. King County is proud to have supported this grassroots effort, co-funded by the Vashon-Maury Island Audubon, Trout and Salmon Foundation and Washington Trout. About the project.

Rain Barrel Information and Sources for the Pacific Northwest
How to design a rain barrel or cistern system and where to buy them.

Salmon Recovery

Salmon Habitat Planning and Action - WRIA 9 Watershed (including Vashon-Maury Island)
Currently, local salmon recovery efforts are taking place in King County in response to the Endangered Species Act listing. In 2003-2005, a group of local citizens, stakeholders, and scientists worked together to create a long-term recovery plan for the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed (Water Resource Inventory Area 9) in southern King County. Vashon-Maury Island was included in this effort and a representative from the Vashon community participated in the citizen-stakeholder Steering Committee for the watershed. In addition, island residents provided extensive comments on the draft watershed plan in the spring of 2005 and many of these comments led to changes in the final plan released. The resulting ten-year watershed Salmon Habitat Plan is part of the overall Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan (external link). Beginning in 2006, King County will work with island residents and property owners to begin carrying out the plan recommendations.

Beaches and Nearshore Environment

Shoreline Master Program
Learn about King County's program to protect shorelines, promote public access, and establish priorities for shoreline uses along Vashon Island and large lakes and rivers in the county.

Saltwater Shorelines, Life on the Edge Video Series
Watch a video that describes what affects Puget Sound beaches and their habitat, with ideas that beachgoers and shoreline property owners may like to apply to help preserve the quality of saltwater beaches and their ecosystems.

Coastal Areas breakout session results, King County Climate Change Conference
Review a summary report describing anticipated affects of global warming on coastal lands in Washington State with proposed adaptation strategies. Also, look up the coastal area session agenda, presentations, and speaker credentials and biographies.

Marine Shoreline Inventory Report
Inventory of selected shoreline habitat features that support juvenile salmonids, presented in part using high-resolution aerial photos with overlays that classify habitat types.

Juvenile Salmonid Composition, Timing, Distribution, and Diet in Marine Nearshore Waters of Central Puget Sound in 2001-2002
Scientific report essential for protecting Puget Sound salmon from extinction and to recover depleted salmon stocks.

Puget Sound Shoreline Stewardship Guidebook
Provides info and contacts for residents of beach and bluff shorelines to learn about natural shoreline protection, manage runoff, use native plants, control aggressive non-native plants, and maintain septic systems in an ecologically friendly way.

Puget Sound Marine Life
A photo collection of Puget Sound fish, invertebrates, and algae to aid the identification of marine species.

Marine Life Beach Assessments
Results of a volunteer marine life survey conducted in 1996 and 1997, providing descriptions for beaches at Burton Acres, Dockton, Maury Island Marine Park, Point Robinson Park, and Tramp Harbor on Vashon-Maury Island.

Jan. 21, 2004
Boaters now safer, drier at King County's Dockton Park

Puget Sound Nearshore Environment
The Puget Sound Nearshore Environment. An illustrated presentation.	Beyond the Beach: Learn about the Nearshore Environment and what you can do to help protect it from damage.	State of the Nearshore Report Summary and assessment of the state of our current knowledge of ecological processes and conditions, natural resources, and ecosystem health in nearshore portions of Central Puget Sound. Intended to provide a foundation for future environmental work and decision making.

Lands

Puget Sound Fresh
Look up Vashon area u-pick farms, community-supported farms, nurseries and produce markets.

Island Center Forest Natural Area Management Plan

Forestry Programs
The goal of the Rural Forest Program is to encourage the business of forestry and to maintain the forest land base in King County.

Agriculture Program
This program brings together the County's previous efforts to preserve prime agricultural soils with recent efforts to make agriculture more environmentally friendly and future programs to encourage the activity of agriculture.

Soil sampling: 1999-2000 Vashon-Maury Island Soil Study
This report page provides findings from Soil Sampling of Vashon-Maury Island and the Southern Mainland Coastline of King County including a report providing an examination of the levels of arsenic, lead, and other metals in the area downwind from the former Tacoma copper smelter.

For questions about the Water and Land Resources Web site, please contact Fred Bentler, webmaster.

Department of Natural Resources and Parks
Water and Land Resources Division

Updated: Feb. 27, 2008

Related Information:

Water and Land Resources Topics

Central Puget Sound Watershed