The group of King County cities and water districts that owns Lake Tapps is gathering public input as it develops a plan to guide management of the popular East Pierce recreation spot heading into the summer and beyond.
And so far, people who live on the lake or use it for swimming and boating have plenty to say.
Their top concerns are water quality, having enough water for recreation, and safety, according to a survey commissioned by Cascade Water Alliance. It bought the century-old reservoir about a year ago to eventually use as a regional drinking water source.
Liz Johnson, a Realtor and Lake Tapps resident, said she wants to see property values maintained and improved.
Ralph Mason, another lakeside resident and a member of the Lake Tapps Community Council, is concerned about access.
“I think there’s a real need for improving the ability of the public to use the lake,” he said.
Mason and Johnson spoke Thursday night at the first public meeting to collect input for the management plan. About 60 people attended, plus officials from nearby cities and agencies – including Pierce County, Sumner, Bonney Lake and area police and fire departments – that are involved in lake management and will help craft the plan.
Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy told the crowd that the county and other local governments don’t have deep pockets to pay for sweeping solutions to all lake issues. But lake management is a partnership, she said, and “there is a role every one of us can play.”
One common theme seemed to emerge: People asked for a clear outline of different agency responsibilities at the lake. Their concerns included large boat wakes and how to balance enforcement with public enjoyment of the lake.
In the survey, nearly 82 percent of the 333 respondents said they see water quality as an important management issue. Roughly 78 percent listed lake levels for recreation, and 69 percent said safety.
Other issues included boat speed, public access, parking and excessive drinking. Some of those were echoed Thursday night, and new ones were brought up, such as lake users trespassing on private property.
Lloyd Warren, chairman of Cascade’s board, said his group hopes the plan will provide short-term guidance heading into the summer recreation season. For example, the group is trying to figure out what to do about some Cascade-owned dikes that are heavily used as public access points. The group also wants help with the long-term management vision, he said.
“We want to be a good neighbor in the community,” Warren said.
For decades, Puget Sound Energy used the man-made lake for its White River hydroelectric project. But the agency eventually ended the project and decided to sell the lake.
Cascade officially became Lake Tapps’ owner in December 2009.
Last year, the state Department of Ecology signed off on a water-rights package allowing Cascade to divert an average of 48 million gallons of water a day.
That project won’t start for decades, Cascade officials have said, and there still will be adequate water for recreation and healthy flows in the White River.
A draft of the management plan is scheduled to be brought to the public at a meeting in March.
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058 sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com
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