Shoreline survey next week in Capitol Lake basin
Water levels in the lake will drop starting Sunday, July 19. Surveyors will examine the shoreline and existing structures.
As part of efforts to restore the Deschutes Estuary, DES will lower water levels in Capitol Lake starting Sunday, July 19.
On that day, DES will lower the gate on the Fifth Avenue Dam, allowing water to flow from the lake to Budd Inlet. This will allow a team to survey the shoreline and existing structures.
Once their work is complete, DES will raise the dam's gate, and water will again cover the lakebed within a few days. The lake will return to normal levels by the end of the month.
The survey is part of the ongoing efforts to restore the tidal estuary that connected the Deschutes and Budd Bay prior to the construction of the dam in the 1950s. The Washington Department of Ecology is leading the project, working closely with the Squaxin Island Tribe, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and DES throughout the estuary restoration design process.
During the drawdown, the lake remains closed for safety and in order to contain the spread of aquatic invasive species. Visitors should not go out onto the exposed sediment. The project team will decontaminate any gear that is used within the basin to prevent the spread of the New Zealand mudsnail and other invasives.
What
Survey of lake sediment and structures
When
Monday, July 20 – Friday, July 24
Where
Shoreline and lakebed of Capitol Lake
Impacts
The lake remains closed, and visitors should not go out onto the exposed sediment. Pedestrian paths will remain open.
More information
Learn more about the restoration of the Deschutes River estuary.
Contact Us
DES Communications
media@des.wa.gov
360-407-9300