Spanaway residents, business owners and lake users are invited to a Nov. 9 open house to learn about recommendations being considered to improve water quality in Spanaway Lake.
The public will have a chance to review recommendations that are being developed for the draft Spanaway Lake Management Plan. A team made up of Pierce County, the Spanaway Lake Citizens’ Advisory Group, and Brown & Caldwell, the consultant hired to develop the plan on Pierce County’s behalf, developed the recommendations to improve water quality in the lake after reviewing scientific data collected about Spanaway Lake and sources of water pollution causing algae blooms.
The open house is from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9 at Spanaway Elementary, 412 165th St. E. in Spanaway. An online open house is available at
www.piercecountywa.org/SpanawayLakePlan. The online open house allows users to view meeting materials and submit comments and questions.
The goals of the plan are to reduce the number of health advisories due to high bacteria or toxic algae blooms, reduce the amount of problem weeds in the lake, and lower sources of nitrogen and phosphorus in the lake.
The draft plan will be available for public review in early 2017.
Health officials have had to issue warnings to residents and lake users over the years due to toxic algae blooms and high bacteria levels in the lake.
The county hosted a kick-off meeting in 2013 to provide information to the community about data collection and development of the plan. The Citizens’ Advisory Group was formed in 2016 to provide feedback about plan recommendations. Ultimately, it will be up to residents of the area to secure funding to implement plan recommendations.
Washington State Representative David Sawyer secured funding in the state budget for the research and development of the plan.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Tiffany O’Dell, Public Works education and outreach specialist
(253)798-2468
[email protected]
Windy Kruse, Public Works water quality specialist
(253) 798-3092
[email protected]