The Suburban Times

A community bulletin board for Western Pierce County.

  • Home
  • To Know
  • To Do
  • To Ponder
  • Obituaries
  • Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • More
    • Share your story
    • Submit an Event
    • Contact

Letter: Water quality an issue with our lakes

November 1, 2009 By Ben Sclair

Following is a letter to Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed Council (CCWC) members from Don Russell, longtime American Lake resident and volunteer lake water quality monitor for American and Waughop Lakes:

Waughop Google Map

CCWC Members,

Currently there are thirty lakes in three counties (Pierce, King, Snohomish) that are being monitored for blue-green algal microcystin (a liver toxin) and anatoxin (a neurotoxin) concentrations under the CDC funded REHAB program. Two (one being Waughop) of the thirty lakes are being monitored for saxitoxin (a neurotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning) as well. Of the thirty lakes being monitored Waughop Lake stands out as being the most adversely cyanotoxin impacted lake of all those being monitored.

I have attached a map (below) of the location of septic systems located in the City of Lakewood. You will note that there are septic systems located on the highlands just southwest of Waughop Lake (just as there are located southeast of American Lake). The hydrogeology of the area southwest of Waughop Lake is such that septic system effluent discharged to groundwater flows into Waughop Lake. This influx of nutrient rich groundwater results in prolific aquatic plant growth along the southwest shoreline of Waughop Lake as evident on the attached Google map. It is also one of the sources (along with internal loading) of the phosphorus that results in Waughop Lake’s cyanobacteria impaired condition.

You will also note on the Google map (above) that Pierce College is located just northwest of Waughop Lake. It’s vast impervious parking lots all drain to the northwest quadrant of Waughop Lake. There you will notice the prolific growth of aquatic plants as the accumulated dry and eventually wet atmospheric deposition of nitrates and phosphates is conveyed by surface water runoff to that area of the lake.

These two factors, septic system effluent conveyed by groundwater and surface water runoff, plus internal phosphorus loading from sediments are the proximate cause of Waughop Lake’s cyanobacteria impaired condition. Governmental agency response to Waughop Lake’s impair condition is to post Warning Toxic Algae signs, which are routinely ignored by the public.

It has been 20 years now since the first of recurring toxic algae blooms in western Washington lakes was recorded in American Lake. At that time 11 pets were poisoned, five died. Since that time more pets deaths have occurred in American Lake and Lake Steilacoom and the health of lakefront property owners and lake recreational users is being impaired. It seems to me that a more robust governmental response to correct this condition is in order in regard to Waughop Lake (and other Pierce County cyanobacteria infested lakes).

Don Russell
Lakewood

00000054.1

Photograph of a hazardous algal bloom at Waughop Lake.

Photograph of a hazardous algal bloom at Waughop Lake.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Related

Top Stories

  • Forbidden City opens in old Lieu’s Chinese restaurant space in Parkland
    Forbidden City opens in old Lieu’s Chinese restaurant space in Parkland
  • Special Operations units conduct training at JBLM and two locations in Idaho Jan. 25-Feb. 4
    Special Operations units conduct training at JBLM and two locations in Idaho Jan. 25-Feb. 4
  • Letter: Do the citizens of Tacoma have to leave Tacoma to be safe?
    Letter: Do the citizens of Tacoma have to leave Tacoma to be safe?
  • Letter: The CPSD, Emails and Groupthink?
    Letter: The CPSD, Emails and Groupthink?
  • Biden Repeals Executive Orders, Heeds Kilmer’s Call to Restore Collective Bargaining Power and Worker Protections
    Biden Repeals Executive Orders, Heeds Kilmer’s Call to Restore Collective Bargaining Power and Worker Protections

Become a better informed citizen.

Join over 30,000 readers each month and get real-local news and information direct to your inbox, Monday-Saturday.


Recent Comments

  • Brian Borgelt on Letter: The CPSD, Emails and Groupthink?
  • KM Hills on Letter: Do the citizens of Tacoma have to leave Tacoma to be safe?
  • David Anderson on Letter: A Lesson From An Unknown Lake
  • Scooter on Biden Repeals Executive Orders, Heeds Kilmer’s Call to Restore Collective Bargaining Power and Worker Protections
  • Ben Sclair on Vaccine Phase Finder Tool

Contact Us

The Suburban Times
P.O. Box 39099
Lakewood, WA 98496

Ben Sclair, Publisher
253-312-1804

Stephen Neufeld, Marketing Executive
stephen@thesubtimes.com

Copyright © 2021 The Suburban Times • Log in • Privacy Policy

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.