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Sammamish Watershed, King County, Washington

Sammamish Watershed

The Sammamish watershed is part of the greater Lake Washington - Cedar River drainage, encompassing the land area in which rainwater drains to Lake Sammamish, the Sammamish River and out into Lake Washington. The Sammamish watershed includes Swamp Creek, North Creek, Bear Creek and Little Bear Creek, Cottage Lake Creek, Evans Creek, Issaquah Creek, Tibbetts Creek and a number of smaller creeks draining to the east and west shores of Lake Sammamish.

Community Service Center
Information about King County satellite offices including one in Sammamish at the address, 801 - 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, WA 98075, phone number, 425-295-0750. To the north in Bear Creek, visit the Cottage Lake Community Center near Redmond.

Basin Steward Program
Look up watershed experts to get answers to questions and help solve watershed related problems. For more information about the Sammamish Watershed, or to get involved in basin activities contact one of the Basin Stewards in the Sammamish Watershed:

    Issaquah Creek and Bear Creek
    Tom Beavers, 206-205-5620

Surface Water and Groundwater

Introduction to Watersheds

Lake Sammamish Story
Learn about past and current pollution problems on Lake Sammamish, and what King County is doing to protect the lake.

Lake Sammamish Water Quality Data
This page offers an overview of Lake Sammamish water quality issues and provides graphs of water quality data from several sampling locations on the lake, spanning years. Graphs display temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorophyll, bacteria, tranparency, and other data.

Swimming Beach Surveys
Find information about levels of bacterial pollution and relative health risks at swimming beaches on Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish and other King County lakes.

Streams Monitoring Program
Keeping watch for pollution in greater Lake Washington streams including those in the Sammamish Watershed. Water quality data are available online for:

Endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment
Learn about these natural and synthetic chemicals flushed daily into our waters, and discover what King County is doing to protect public health and the environment as the science and our understanding of endocrine disruptors develops.

Redmond-Bear Creek Valley Groundwater Management Area
Issaquah Valley Groundwater Management Area
Learn about plans to protect the aquifer in areas spanning the Sammamish watershed including Woodinville, Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah and areas in between.

Sediment Quality Evaluation in Lake Sammamish, Lake Union, and Lake Washington
Report of chemical and biological substances, their distribution and toxicity, and benthic communities at various sample sites.

Bear Creek and Cottage Lake Creek Mussel Survey
Freshwater mussels are a strong indicator of water quality. This report provides information about freshwater Mussels found in Bear and Cottage Lake Creeks during Habitat Assessments in 2001.

Sammamish Watershed MapSammamish Watershed Map
Drainage map displaying streams, lakes, drainage divides, major roads, in King County and Snohomish County portions of the Sammamish River Watershed. The map is in Acrobat format. File size is 426 Kb.

Issaquah Creek Map

Issaquah Basin Plan summary

East Lake Sammamish report summary (1994)

Bear Creek Program report summary (1994)

Building a Beaver Deceiver
Example of a technique to keep beavers from damming stormwater facilities, located at Peterson Pond in the Sammamish watershed.

Salmon & Trout Recovery

WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery
Lake Washington, Cedar River, Sammamish
This site provides information about the recovery of threatened salmon species in the Sammamish, Lake Washington, and Cedar River drainage area including an overview of the planning process, scientific information, and meeting records. We welcome your participation.

Willowmoor Reach Restoration
Read an overview of this project to restore habitat on the upper Sammamish River in Marymoor Park, review its timeline and find contact information. The project will reconfigure 1,400 feet of the Sammamish River to improve and expand the habitat available for fish and wildlife -- while maintaining current flood protection on the river and along the Lake Sammamish shoreline.

Go to the Lake Washington/Sammamish Kokanee ReportCurrent Status of Kokanee in the Lake Washington Basin

Habitat Inventory and Assessment of Three Sammamish River Tributaries: North, Swamp, and Little Bear Creeks (Acrobat format)

Flooding and Hydrology

Issaquah Creek Flood Information
View real-time gage data and map for Issaquah Creek and learn about expected conditions at various flood phases.

Hydrologic Gage Data Map
Look up detailed gaging station data for creeks in the region.

Wastewater Treatment

Go to Brightwater Treatment FacilitiesThe Wastewater Treatment Division is planning major improvements to the sewage treatment system serving King and Snohomish Counties. The planned Brightwater project encompasses a new treatment plant, its associated conveyance pipes, and an outfall to Puget Sound. The treatment plant may be located in the Cedar River- Lake Washington watershed.

Recreation and Appreciation

Lake Shorelines, Life on the Edge Video Series Includes Video (Windows Media format)New
Watch a video that describes lakes in King County and how residents value them, with ideas that shoreline landowners may like to apply to help preserve the quality of lakes and lake ecosystems.

King County Natural Areas:

Look up individual properties protected in King County's open space system for their ecological and working resource values. The natural lands site provides addresses, pictures, location maps and rules for public use:

East Lake Sammamish Trail
This scenic and safe regional trail hugs Lake Sammamish and runs from the city of Issaquah to Redmond, connecting Lake Sammamish State Park at the south end with King County's Marymoor Park at the north end of Lake Sammamish.

Burke-Gilman Trail
Sammamish River Trail
King County's beloved regional trail hugs Lake Washington and the Sammamish River to provide a link between the Cities of Seattle, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Redmond and the crown jewel of our parks system, Marymoor Park.

BNSF Eastside Rail Corridor
Describes a King County effort to save a 47 mile rail corridor to turn into a trail for the public.

Marymoor Park
The largest and most diverse destination park in King County's portfolio of Parks. Provides hundreds of acres of nature and offers a wide variety of recreation options including birdwatching, rock climbing, fishing, off-leash dog walking, bike racing, team sports, outdoor concerts and movies and just being.

KayakerBoating on the Sammamish River: review our flooding & habitat project locations, and hyperlink to the boaters page for safety tips, boaters' signals, and other useful info.

Lands

Aerial Photograph of Cottage LakePuget Sound Fresh
Look up Sammamish Valley u-pick farms, community-supported farms, nurseries and produce markets.

Forestry Topics
Comprehensive information related to forestry across King County including parts of the Sammamish Watershed.

Agriculture Topics
Comprehensive information related to agriculture in King County including parts of the Sammamish Watershed.

Redmond Ridge and Blakely Ridge Urban Planned Developments
News and information about these two planned developments which together cover 2126 acres of the Bear Creek basin in the northern Sammamish watershed.

Historic and Recent Aerial Photographs
Aerial photos from the 1930's, 1970's, and 1990's illustrating growth around Cottage Lake, among other areas in King County.

Related Information

Related Agencies

News and Announcements

It's Salmon SEEson - see spawning salmon
See Salmon this Season

Aug. 12, 2008
Big chinook salmon return highlights need to continue watershed recovery efforts

Aug. 6, 2008
Brightwater project crew investigating reports of turbidity in Bothell’s Horse Creek

May 6, 2008
Lake Sammamish salmon recovery to get boost
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans investigation of kokanee stock’s crash

March 31, 2008
External article, Seattle Times
How Brightwater soared to $1.8 billion - and why you're paying more

Jan. 22, 2008
Proposed statewide medicine take-back bill would protect people and environment
Successful pilot take-back project helps frame state legislation

Jan. 22, 2008
External article, Seattle Times
Finally, a safe, environmental way to get rid of old medicine

Jan. 16, 2008
King County’s Native Plant Salvage Program seeks volunteers for habitat restoration

Jan. 16, 2008
Partnership will lead to mountain bike course at King County’s Duthie Hill Park

Dec. 21, 2007
King County added to federal flood relief
Residents and businesses now eligible for aid

Dec. 21, 2007
News release, Seattle P-I
Issaquah gets grant to protect salmon

Dec. 20, 2007
King County watersheds share $8.3 million in state funds for salmon habitat protection, restoration

Dec. 5, 2007
King County responds to wastewater overflow in Bothell

Dec. 4, 2007
King County responds to wastewater overflows caused by Monday’s rainstorm

Dec. 3, 2007
External article, Everett Herald
Maltby targeted for new parks from Brightwater money

Nov. 29, 2007
External article, Seattle Times
New trail gives Issaquah access

Nov. 20, 2007
Sammamish unveils LEED-certified City Hall
'Silver'-rated project is first of several for new 'green' Sammamish Commons

Oct. 24, 2007
External article, Seattle Times
Kokanee fail to garner protection

Oct. 22, 2007
Education comes through volunteering at Brightwater habitat restoration event

Oct. 17, 2007
Lend a hand digging local plants with King County’s Native Plant Salvage Program

July 19, 2007
Household hazardous waste recycling easy; Wastemobile in Issaquah Aug. 3-5

July 17, 2007
International interest in Brightwater Plant innovations
Habitat design team invited to teach in South Korea

Jun. 20, 2007
Brightwater Environmental Education/Community Center receives state grant

Apr. 24, 2007
Guided tours, volunteer work party at Soaring Eagle Regional Park
Hiking, biking and running tours, plus park clean-up party, set for April 28

Apr. 23, 2007
Sign up for Brightwater habitat restoration tours, April 28

Apr. 13, 2007
Sims honors Rep. Norm Dicks, 13 others with Green Globe Awards

Leader in Water Quality Protection:
Terry Lavender, Bear Creek

» Archived News and announcements