Construction to delay refill of popular Pierce County lake this year. Here’s what to know
The refill of Lake Tapps that usually happens in mid-February will be delayed this year, the Cascade Water Alliance said in a news release Friday.
The alliance and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are working on a project that will postpone the refill until about March 15, the release said.
“This project will replace a 100-year-old infrastructure with a new diversion structure that will improve water diversion reliability and water quality for the reservoir,” the release said. “It is part of a broader USACE project designed to improve the fish passage at Mud Mountain Dam. The delayed phase of the project will improve the flow of sediment in the White River and will provide a new diversion structure for Cascade.”
James Amspacher, the water resources manager for the Cascade Water Alliance, told The News Tribune that this phase of the project is to update the intake structure, where they bring water into Lake Tapps.
The updates include an automated gate that determines how much water can get through. It’s designed in a way that will prevent sediment and logs from building up and interfering with the opening and closing of the gate, he said.
Asked about the significance of the delay for residents and visitors, he said those who live on the lake use the lower water levels in the winter to work on their docks and bulkheads.
Recreation-wise, the water levels affect the timing of when residents can put their boats in the lake.
The water level on the lake is between 541.5 feet and 543 feet from April 15 to Sept. 30 for recreation, the release said.
“Cascade is hopeful it can reach a reservoir level of 541.5 feet by April 15,” the release said, but that depends on how construction goes and on the water level of the White River.
The lake is a popular destination for Pierce County residents in the summer, and crowds got big enough last summer that the county implemented new parking restrictions, The News Tribune reported.
“We understand the sensitivity surrounding timing of lake levels and are working diligently with the Cascade Water Alliance to complete this phase of the project, which will allow the White River to refill Lake Tapps,” Col. Kathryn Sanborn, commander of Seattle District, USACE, said in a statement. “This project will benefit both USACE and the Lake Tapps community.”
The Cascade Water Alliance purchased the Lake Tapps reservoir in 2009 from Puget Sound Energy, to use in the future as a municipal water supply. The members of the alliance are Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, Sammamish Plateau Water, Skyway Water & Sewer District, and Tukwila.
