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Summary
A study by King County scientists – recently published in a national scientific journal – found surprising improvements in Lake Washington’s water quality this century, even as the watershed’s population increased by 350,000 people.
News
A landmark study by King County scientists found that Lake Washington has become clearer this century even as the surrounding population rapidly increased, demonstrating that cities can grow without harming urban lakes.
The study results – recently published in a national scientific journal – found surprising improvements in Lake Washington’s water quality from 1998 through 2022, even as the watershed’s population grew by more than 350,000 people. During those 25 years, spring algae blooms decreased by 50% while summer underwater visibility increased by 3 feet.
Experts believe that multiple environmental protections likely contributed to the meaningful progress, including stormwater upgrades, erosion controls, transitioning homes from septic systems to the regional sewer system, and many everyday personal actions in the Lake Washington watershed where nearly 20% of the state’s population lives.
"Thank you to the cities, community groups, residents and staff for their leadership and work protecting the water quality of one of the nation’s premier urban lakes," said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. "Through sustained investments and improvements to our built environment, King County has achieved a scientific milestone. I look forward to building on this progress and protecting Lake Washington’s water quality so that everyone who lives, plays, or depends on it can enjoy it for generations to come."
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