Save Lake Sammamish Programs
Educational Outreach
Through our website, listserve and publication of a newsletter sent to approximately 3,000 households within and near the Lake Sammamish watershed. We guest teach in schools, conduct field trips and speak to community groups. SLS members organize and participate in Sammamish Stewardship Saturdays to remove invasive plants, replant native vegetation and restore habitat.
Monitor and Influence Regulatory Decisions
SLS representatives serve on citizen advisory committees; speak at local jurisdictional and agency meetings and hearings. We comment upon proposed regulations (e.g. the current round of Shoreline Master Program Updates), zoning, ordinances and development proposals, specifically the likely impacts of such on water quality and environment.
Legal Intervention
SLS is a co-petitioner of USFWS for protection of the wild, native, late-run Lake Sammamish Kokanee (O. nerka) under the Endangered Species Act. The early run Lake Sammamish Kokanee was declared extinct in 2003. We have appealed some other land use and water quality decisions to Administrative Courts.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Lake Sammamish water quality has been stable for the last few years even in the face of extensive land use changes. Kokanee tagging program and fry-counts (in conjunction with agencies & NPOs) to better understand the in-Lake behavior and needs of these wild, native salmonids. SLS has received the North American Lake Management Society Technical Excellence Award, King County Green Globe Award and other recognitions of our work.
Funding is needed to continue Kokanee life-cycle research and habitat improvement projects. As an indicator species, Kokanee show us what is happening to Lake Sammamish! Equipment to monitor Lake water quality parameters because of budget cuts in King County's Large Lakes Program