Popular Pierce County lake’s water levels will rise, starting this month
The Cascade Water Alliance will refill the Lake Tapps reservoir later this month, getting it ready for the spring and summer seasons.
According to a news release from CWA, the spring refill will start on Feb. 15.
“Cascade Water Alliance draws the reservoir level down during the winter for dike stability and maintenance activities,” the release said. “Cascade maintains seasonal recreational water levels between elevation 541.5 feet and 543 feet from April 15 to September 30. Cascade does not anticipate any delay in reaching the agreed-upon reservoir level of 541.5 feet by April 15.”
In the release, CWA reminded residents that a license is required to “modify or add a new improvement on Cascade’s property, including all bulkheads, docks, boat lifts, boat ramps, and boat houses, prior to beginning any work.”
“Further, residents should keep in mind as they do work, especially on bulkheads, that Cascade has the authority to raise reservoir levels to elevation 543 feet under current water rights, so any new or modified bulkheads should be built with the consideration that the reservoir level will be up to 543 feet,” the release said. “Cascade raises the reservoir to 543 feet once a year so that residents know where that water level is located.”
Residents can track the reservoir’s water levels by visiting waterdata.ugs.gov.
