SPANAWAY, WA — Tonight, December 4, Pierce County held a kickoff meeting for the Spanaway Lake Management Plan. Executive Pat McCarthy arrived just after her State of the County speech at the council meeting in Parkland, encouraging residents of the county’s committment to the project.
Diane Smolko and Windy Kruse are the key county organizers of the plan. Representative David Sawyer of the 29th Legislative District was also present. He was the one who found funding for the project. The lake is now part of a “Lake Improvement District.” The project required the residents on the shoreline and within the drainage area into the lake self assess what is needed and help make the improvements.
At the meeting a four page document was handed out listing three steps.
1) Develop a watershed characterization for the lake.
2) Work with the Spanaway Lake community to identify solutions
3) Identify solutions to water quality problems in Spanaway Lake
The lake has some water quality issues and has been rated by the state with a C+, but according to several of the long-time residents, the health of the lake is actually better than it was 25 years ago.
Student at Spanaway Elementary have been involved by working with environmental educators in lessons about taking care of the lake. In September, the Health Department hosted a family fun night at the school to help families learn about the science of water quality problems in the lake.
In the near future classes will be offered to local residents on ways to help with the health of the lake. The link above should soon contain even more information as the project progresses.
Pierce Prairie Post 