Cascade Water Alliance has awarded a contract for milfoil treatment in Lake Tapps to Aquatechnex, who will provide aquatic management and milfoil eradication and control services. Treatment will begin on identified areas the week of August 30.

Eurasian Water milfoil is a non-native, invasive aquatic plant that spreads rapidly, crowds out native plants and forms dense surface mats in Lake Tapps, noted Jon Shimada, Cascade’s Capital Projects Director.

“If the milfoil is not contained or controlled, it will pose a serious threat to this lake. Lake Tapps is approximately 2,500 acres and the maximum treatment area at this time is approximately 400 acres,” Shimada said.

He added that this is an initial treatment effort. Although results will not be seen for about two months, it will be effective adds Terry McNabb, project manager at Aquatechnex.

“Residents may not see a difference right away. But this first treatment will make a difference as the warm weather begins next year. The infestation will be greatly reduced.”

The State Department of Ecology requires a 10-day notice period per treatment application. McNabb said that notice period will begin this week. In addition, homeowners in affected areas will be notified at their property that treatment will be done.

For specific information about treatment activities, visit www.tappsmilfoil.wordpress.com

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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.

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On January 29, 2010, Cascade Water Alliance published a Notice of Availability and Request for Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) prepared for the Lake Tapps Reservoir Water Rights and Supply Project (Project) in compliance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) under Chapter 43.21C RCW. Cascade Water Alliance (Cascade) is the project proponent and lead agency.

As a courtesy to you, we want you to know that the comment period on the Draft EIS which, on April 9, 2010 was extended to April 30, 2010, has been extended to May 21, 2010 in order to provide an overlap between the Draft EIS and the on-line publication by the Department of Ecology’s Draft Report of Examinations.

The Draft EIS remains available to the public online on our Lake Tapps Water Rights page. Copies are also available for review at the following libraries: King County Library System Branches – Redmond Regional, Bellevue Regional, Issaquah, Tukwila, Covington, and Auburn; Pierce County Library System branches – Bonney Lake and Sumner; and the University of Washington Suzzallo Library. Background materials can be viewed at Cascade’s office at the address listed below.

The Draft EIS is also available on compact disc (CD) for a cost of $5, or printed copy for $200, from the following address:

Cascade Water Alliance
11400 SE 8th Street, Suite 440
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: 425-453-0930

All interested parties are invited to comment on the Draft EIS. Written comments should be postmarked or e-mailed on or before May 21, 2010. Written comments should be addressed to:
Michael A. Gagliardo, Director of Planning

Cascade Water Alliance
11400 SE 8th Street, Suite 440
Bellevue, WA 98004
contact@cascadewater.org

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Cascade Water Alliance has been awarded a $30,000 grant by the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) to develop a plan for the eradication of Eurasian milfoil on Lake Tapps. The grant, announced on April 28, was one of 12 awarded by DOE for projects that control invasive, non-native, plants in Washington lakes.

Cascade has hired an environmental consultant, Tetra Tech, to research the current milfoil condition in the lake and to recommend strategies for milfoil eradication. On March 31 over 120 members of the Lake Tapps community came to a public meeting to hear about the pros and cons of treatment options, ask questions and offer comment. A second milfoil public meeting is set for May 11, and a third meeting will be held on June 10.

Cascade’s Lake Tapps milfoil eradication plan is nearly complete. Tetra Tech also conducted a survey of Lake Tapps to determine the location of milfoil infestations. On May 11 Cascade and Tetra Tech will share details of the milfoil eradication plan and the results of the infestation survey with the community.

“We are very pleased to receive support from the State to help eradicate milfoil from Lake Tapps,” says Jon Shimada, project manager. “The big turnout on March 31 is a good indication of the level of interest and concern about milfoil in Lake Tapps. It’s a real problem and Cascade wants to work with the community to eliminate it.”

Milfoil poses environmental and maintenance challenges for a healthy lake. According to DOE milfoil starts spring growth earlier than native aquatic plants and can out shade these beneficial plants. Because it is widely distributed and difficult to control, milfoil is considered by DOE the most problematic plant in Washington State.

Cascade purchased Lake Tapps from Puget Sound Energy in December, 2009. Puget had operated the lake for hydroelectric power generation for almost a century and stopped power production in 2004.

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.

For more information on Cascade Water Alliance and the upcoming Lake Tapps milfoil public meetings, visit our Community Meetings page

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Cascade was awarded a $30,000 State Department of Ecology grant to develop a plan to eradicate milfoil on Lake Tapps

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is awarding $412,000 to 12 projects across the state to control invasive, non-native plants in lakes.

Invasive, non-native aquatic plants impair fish and wildlife habitat, restrict recreational activities, and threaten the health of lakes, rivers, and streams throughout the state. The weeds can also lead to stagnant waters that create breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

The funding comes from the Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account, set up by the 1991 Legislature. It added $3 to annual license renewals on recreational boats. Boats are a significant source of the spread of non-native weeds.

Here are the weed-control projects by county:

King County

King County Department of Natural Resources Parks & Recreation gets $28,750 to control the noxious weed garden loosestrife in Marymoor Park wetlands along the northern shore of Lake Sammamish. The funding helps pay for a three-year monitoring effort and public education about non-native weeds.

King County Water and Land Resources receives nearly $20,000 to produce a weed plan for Eurasian watermilfoil in Bass Lake, a 24-acre lake north of Enumclaw.

Seattle Public Utilities receives $30,000 to develop an integrated vegetative management plan to manage Eurasian watermilfoil in Union Bay of Lake Washington.

The University of Washington Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit will use $60,000 to investigate the effects of aquatic herbicides on amphibians native to Washington state, in particular the Oregon Spotted Frog.

Lewis County

The Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation receive nearly $30,000 to control parrotfeather in the Chehalis River. Crews will hand pull the invasive, non-native species from the river between Lincoln Creek and the Chehalis Reservation. Workers will use burlap to cover heavily infested areas. They will plant willow saplings in all removal sites.

Pierce County

Cascade Water Alliance receives $30,000 to develop a plan to control and eradicate Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Tapps.

Clear Lake will get assistance through the Clear Lake Water District to eradicate variable leaf milfoil in that lake. The District will work with the Clear Lake Community Association to control infestations of both variable leaf milfoil and Eurasian watermilfoil.

Skagit County

Anacortes gets $15,000 to prepare a weed plan for Heart Lake. The lake suffers from milfoil. Part of the plan includes surveying the lake for other non-native invasive plants.

Snohomish County

The city of Lake Stevens receives $30,000 to develop an integrated vegetation management plan to address Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Stevens.

Spokane County

Spokane Conservation District receives $56,250 to control Eurasian watermilfoil in Lake Eloika and promote aquatic weed education and awareness. Newman Lake Flood Control District gets $30,000 to continue its Eurasian watermilfoil management plan.

Yakima County

The Washington Department of Agriculture gets $30,000 to create an integrated aquatic plant management plan for the Yakima River basin. Target species include parrotfeather, purple loosestrife, yellow flag iris, flowering rush, and non-native common reed.

Whatcom County

In addition to these 12 grants awarded through Ecology’s competitive grant program, Ecology is also funding a project to eradicate the noxious weed Flowering Rush from Silver Lake in Whatcom County. Ecology is contributing $55,000 toward the first year of this project.

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