On 7/21/2021, the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department issued a toxic algae advisory for Spanaway Lake. This is the link to the toxic algae advisories. What is a toxic algae bloom? Algae bloom occur in fresh water with the right amount of sunlight, temperature and nutrients. These conditions cause rapid growth of algae, which can…
Category: Ecology
Tacoma Garden Club Community Grants Program
Our Community Grants Program is now live and accepting applications. The Tacoma Garden Club’s Community Projects Committee is looking forward to another year of helping community organizations with funding for projects that align with the mission of the program. Please consider this opportunity, or share with others that may be interested! Especially in these challenging times…
Spanaway Lakefront owners petition County for special assessment district
By Marianne Lincoln, 5-3-2021 The Friends of Spanaway Lake (FOSL) , a 501(c)(3) non-profit association of lakefront property owners, has drawn up a petition to the County Council to create a special Lake Management District (LMD). This Special taxing area would charge each lake lot owner between $4 to $8 per lakefront foot to help…
Pierce County fails at ecology according to community members
By Marianne LincolnI f you have lived in the suburbs of Pierce County more than 30 years, you have seen a great deal of change. What were once gravel roads with large ditches, became oil and gravel composites. Those composites are now arterials carrying significant traffic numbers within the urban growth boundaries. Waterways that used…
Herbicide spraying begins March 22
Annual county roadside herbicide applications start March 22 Pierce County roadsides will get an annual makeover this spring and summer. An initial application of herbicides to combat weeds along road shoulders will start March 22 and continue through June. Targeted noxious weed and brush control applications will occur through the end of November as needed….
Creek, creek go away!
As we look harder at the damage that has been done to water flowing over Pierce county, going back to old plat maps, you see some mysteries about where empty channels run. The thing to notice is the path that Clover Creek takes through Parkland and into and out of Steilacoom Lake. Enjoy exploring. You…
Inconvenient water
Editorial: Marianne Lincoln Is water an inconvenience? Apparently, if you are an official developing Pierce County, it is. First, I must say, this is nothing new. Developments in Pierce County have been moving water out of the way for a very long time. Here is a litany of examples: 1853 a dam was constructed at…
Deadline for Clover Creek stormwater presentations
8/31 deadline for Presentation Proposals on the topic of Stormwater in the Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed Final Notice: The Chambers Clover Creek Watershed Council invites individuals with knowledge or expertise on the topic of Stormwater to submit a short topic abstract to be considered for the annual Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed Issues Forum, scheduled for the late…
83-9 Pierce County Critical Water Supply
In 1983, the Pierce County Council designated the water supply as critical. This is the document from county files in PDF form. In the face of the Council Planning Committee Meeting on August 19, 2020 regarding building a dense urban area over a sole source aquifer, this may be relevant to know. Here are the…
OK Hwy Closure at 252nd Street E
Orting-Kapowsin Highway East will be closed south of 252nd Street East July 31 to mid-August Orting-Kapowsin Highway East will be closed about 400 feet south of 252nd Street East from July 31 to mid-August while a box culvert is replaced. The work is part of a larger project that will run from July 27 to…
July 2 – Spanaway Lake closes because of toxic algae
TACOMA – PIERCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT – On July 2, the Health Department closed Spanaway Lake because of high toxic algae levels. Test results show the algae contain toxins at levels that are harmful to people and pets. You should stay out of the water and not use it for recreation— don’t swim, wade, waterski, or…
New sewer pump station to be built at intersection of 28th Avenue East and 182nd Street East
PIERCE COUNTY — A project to extend sewer service to a 370-acre area in central Pierce County near Spanaway and Frederickson will begin June 29. The work is expected to be complete by June 2021. A new sewer pump station will be built near the intersection of 28th Avenue East and 182nd Street East. A…
