Credit: The Olympian
Dam removal part of plan to clean Olympia’s Capitol Lake
Experts say allowing for natural tidal flows in the area where the Deschutes River meets Puget Sound will result in less sediment collection and cleaner water.
From KING-5 TV News, Seattle:
What was supposed to be a reflecting pond on the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia has turned into an ecological mess.
The artificial lake was closed to the public in 2009 after invasive species were discovered in the water that failed to meet state water quality standards.
After decades of research looking for a plan to restore and clean up the 260-acre waterway, the state has chosen to return the area to its more natural state: an estuary.
“Consistent with our history, but it will be managed in a way that is consistent also with today’s modern environment,” said Project Manager Tessa Gardner-Brown.
Gardner-Brown said the option selected by the state includes plans to remove enough sediment to fill an estimated 750 Olympic swimming pools and tearing down the dam built in 1949 to create the artificial lake.
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