
Pierce County is home to more than
100 lakes. From swimming to our daily
cup of coffee, lakes and reservoirs
play a central role in our lives. July
is great time to get out and celebrate
your local lake. Here are several
ways to celebrate our local lakes:
Lake Kapowsin Appreciation Day
Lake Kapowsin Appreciation Day will be celebrated on Saturday, July 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the WDFW Boat launch on Lake Kapowsin located at 29405 Orville Rd E, Graham, WA 98338. Lake Kapowsin is the first freshwater aquatic reserve in Washington and is a unique local treasure. Lot’s of fun activities for all ages are planned to highlight the history of the lake, water safety, fishing, and other critters in the lake.
National Secchi Dip-In
The National Secchi Dip-in is an annual
data-gathering event that takes place
during Lakes Appreciation Month demonstrating
the value of citizen gathered
data. In July, volunteers measure
transparency at their monitoring sites
using either a secchi disk (lakes) or a
turbidity test kit (streams), and the
data is submitted to the Secchi Dip-In
website. The data provides a comprehensive
snapshot of water transparency
and how it varies according to
regional geology and land use. Contact
Isabel at
isabelr@piercecd.org to learn
how to participate in the Dip-In.
Lake Monitoring
Pierce Conservation District staff
manages a volunteer lake monitoring
program on several lakes in
Lakewood (American, Gravelly, Louise,
Steilacoom, and Waughop); two lakes
in Bonney Lake (Bonney and Debra
Jane) in Bonney Lake; and Milton
(Surprise Lake). If you live on or
near one of these lakes and want to
participate in monitoring contact
Isabel at
isabelr@piercecd.org.
We have recently added the 2017
annual lake reports for our volunteer
monitored lakes. They are organized
by jurisdiction and can be found on
the PCD lake monitoring website. Here
is the link:
www.piercecd.org/249/Lake-Monitoring.
Toxic Algae Workshops
Tacoma Pierce County Health Department is offering four free toxic algae workshops – come learn:
- What toxic algae look like and how they are different from aquatic plants
- How to identify toxic algae and potential risks
- Steps you can take to protect your family and pets
- Things you can do to protect water quality
- How to become an Algae Watch Volunteer
Wednesday, June 6, 6-7:30pm
Sprinker Recreation Center, Alder Room
14824 C St S, Tacoma
Wednesday, June 13, 6-7:30pm
NW Trek
11610 Trek Dr E, Eatonville
Wednesday, June 20, 6-7:30pm
Bonney Lake Senior Center, Social Hall
19304 Bonney Lk Blvd, Bonney Lake
Questions or more information, contact Lindsay Tuttle at
ltuttle@tpchd.org or (253) 798-3530.