Arbor Lake is one, small, unhealthy lake.

Within the next few weeks, the City of Burien will annex this lake into the city. The lake’s health problems, in large part, come from its public access. A couple times per month, citizen scientists visit Arbor Lake to perform visual assessments of the environmental and physical conditions around the lake. The reports from those visits are not good. Currently, King County has a clean-up crew at Arbor Lake seven days per week. The crew reports that there is litter (bottles, cans, paper, plastics, paint cans, used condoms, needles, etc.), biological wastes (poop, vomit), damage to the park equipment and gang tagging daily to clean up. They worry that Burien will not have the financial resources to provide this seven day a week routine just to maintain the lake and surrounding area at its current level. The worst damage happens to the lake on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is a time at which Burien typically does not contract for park clean up.

Photo courtesy Arbor Lake area resident Colleen West.

A number of the neighbors around Arbor Lake say that they would never consider swimming in the lake because the water quality is so poor. Several drainage pipes empty into the lake and there is a lot of non-point pollution entering the lake. Arbor Lake is obviously infested with fecal coliform bacteria (E.coli) because of the amount of poop that is around the lake at times. Remember E.coli is that stuff that sickened and killed people who ate infected food. The major cause of this E.coli is not from birds. It is from humans and dogs pooping in and around the lake. During the summer, the lake has major infestations of invasive weeds that choke out the oxygen in the lake and make the water impossible to sustain any fish. At that time, the water is not healthy for the birds to use either.

Photo courtesy Arbor Lake area resident Colleen West.

The Native Plant society has attempted to help the lake by planting some native plants but clearly a great deal more needs to be done to help this small lake get back on the road to recovery. Most of the homes on the east side of the lake are heavily gated to protect the owners from public intrusion into their homes and property. No Trespassing signs are everywhere. The road running along the west side of the lake has had to be blockaded due to car racing and crimes. The King County Sheriff frequently has to visit the lake. Like Lake Hicks, Arbor Lake has fared poorly with public access. The City of Burien will be picking up a big financial bill, if it plans to care for and restore Arbor Lake.

Photo courtesy Arbor Lake area resident Colleen West.

What Burien really needs to provide for citizens is a swimming pool where they can learn to swim and enjoy the pleasure of water exercise. Most small lakes do not do well (water health wise) having heavy public access. Arbor Lake and Hicks Lake have not been able to meet the demands that the greater public has on them and perhaps that is not their real ecological purpose. These fragile bodies of freshwater are not sketchy line drawings on paper, art work, public swimming pools or public garbage cans. They are living, functioning natural systems that deserve respect, understanding, protection and care. Do not plan on having your kids swim in Arbor Lake soon for both your kids’ and the lake’s health.

– Chestine Edgar

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We’re pretty sure that the last time a tsunami hit the northwest coast of the U.S. was in 1964, shortly after a major earthquake struck Alaska; far as we know, it damaged some places on the Oregon coast, including Cannon Beach.

Saturday morning (Feb. 27th), imagine our surprise when we saw an “Advisory” posted in our Weather Widget in the right sidebar. Clicking on it revealed that yes, a “Tsunami Advisory” had been issued for the northern and central Washington coast after a huge, 8.8 quake hit Chile´.

We don’t think this is cause for panic in the Puget Sound region, but we wanted to share this info because, well, who knows – maybe a tsunami-based wave will hit the shorelines near Burien? Maybe not?

The advisory warns that, if indeed a tsunami wave makes it up the coast, takes a right turn through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, makes another right and heads down through the upper islands of Puget Sound…when (and if) it hits Pier 48 in Seattle it’s predicted to be .13 feet high, which, according to our rudimentary math skills, equals a measly 1.56 inches high.

According to this NOAA website, the predicted time for this wave to strike Seattle is 1641 PST – for us non-military types, that’s 4:41pm Saturday afternoon.

If you happen to have a video camera and a lot of free time this afternoon, why not hang out near one of Burien’s beaches around 4:30-5pm and see if you can videotape a 1.56 inch wave barreling in from the north? We’d love to post it – please email us if you do!

And if you know anyone who lives on the coast, or in Hawaii, please make sure they’re aware of this advisory, as it could be very serious in those areas.

According to the National Weather Service:

Persons in tsunami advisory areas should move out of the water… off the beach and out of harbors and marinas.

Tsunami advisories mean that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near water is imminent or expected. Significant widespread inundation is not expected for areas in an advisory. Tsunamis are a series of waves potentially dangerous several hours after initial arrival time. Estimated times of initial wave arrival for selected sites in the advisory are provided below.

Here’s the “Tsunami Advisory” language as posted at 9:18am:

Tsunami Advisory

Statement as of 9:18 AM PST on February 27, 2010

… A tsunami advisory remains in effect for the northern and central Washington coast…

A tsunami advisory remains in effect for the northern and central Washington coast.

There is no Tsunami Watch or warning in effect for the Washington coast. Repeat… there is no Tsunami Watch or warning in effect.

A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake occurred at 1034 PM PDT Friday near the central coast of chile. It has generated a tsunami wave… which is now spreading out across the Pacific Ocean.

The first tsunami waves are expected to reach the Washington coast between 250 PM and 310 PM PST this afternoon. The following are the
estimated arrival times of the first waves.

• Seaside or… … ..246 PM PST
• Westport WA… … .257 PM PST
• Neah Bay WA… … .307 PM PST

The largest tsunami waves are expected two hours after the first arrival.

The waves are not expected to be large enough to cause coastal flooding along the Washington coast. However… some coastal areas could experience dangerous currents and surges in harbors and bays. Forecast tsunami wave amplitudes follow.

• Long Beach WA… ..0.46 ft
• Westport… … … .0.78 ft
• Moclips… … … ..1.27 ft
• Neah Bay… … … .0.65 ft
• Port Angeles… … 0.33 ft
• Bellingham… … ..0.46 ft
• Everett… … … ..0.13 ft
• Seattle-pier 48… 0.13 ft

The minimum wave height for a tsunami advisory on the Washington coast is 6 inches or 15 centimeters.

The initial wave will not be the largest. Coastal residents are advised to stay out of the water… off the beach… and away from harbors and marinas. Wave heights and currents are amplified by irregular shoreline and are difficult to predict. The tsunami may not be visible among the common ocean surf… yet tide gages will likely report some fluctuations.

Mariners in water deeper than 600 feet should not be affected by a tsunami.

Repeat… no Tsunami Watch or warning is in effect for the northern and central Washington coast.

And just ‘cuz we found it and we love science, here’s a pretty cool simulation video of what might happen if a tsunami hit Elliott Bay:

UPDATE: 1:45pm PST: So far, no tsunami yet in Hawaii, but this type of rare event is considered and “inexact science.” Here’s a link to a website that’s broadcasting a live TV signal from Hawaii.

Also, here’s the live webcam feed from Burien’s Seahurst Park Beach, just in case; refresh this page to see the latest:

by Ralph Nichols

Burien’s “highest priority” in updating its Shoreline Master Program should be assessing “reaches of shoreline where there is no public access,” City Councilman Brian Bennett told The B-Town Blog in a recent interview.

But Bennett, who served on the Shoreline Advisory Committee before his election to the City Council last fall, stressed that this view is based solely on his work as a member of that committee.

He vowed as a councilman to listen fairly to the concerns of all shoreline property owners when the council reviews proposed revisions to the plan later this year. He added that private property rights should be protected in the final document.

“There are certain areas of shoreline in Burien without any public access,” Bennett noted. Yet “public policy at the state and federal levels [calls for] access to public waters.”

Burien has two reaches of shoreline along “public waters” as defined by state and federal laws – Puget Sound and Lake Burien. Seahurst Park affords access to Puget Sound, and there are also limited access points at Three Tree Point.

But there is no public access to Lake Burien, and “the lake is public property,” Bennett said. “It is owned by the city and the state.”

The question to him then becomes how to create public access to Lake Burien without impacting property owners around the lake.

“I would like the community to consider limited secure access, gated with secure buffers” to the lake, he continued. This access would not allow boats and would have only “limited parking to promote people walking.”

His preferred point of access would be on lakeside parcels adjacent to the Ruth Dykeman Center that center directors hope to sell. Bennett hopes the city will consider buying one or more of these last remaining lots on the lake.

“If they are built on, there will be no opportunity again in our lifetime to gain access to the lake. It’s important for us to consider this…”

“There are kids just a couple blocks away wondering, ‘Why don’t we get to play on the lake?’” Bennett said. “It concerns me that this is a debate about us against them. It’s important that as a community we all be together helping each other out.”

He recalled that Lake Burien is considered the birthplace of Burien, and is just a block from SW 152nd Street – the city’s “main street” – making it a natural link to the downtown business district.

Bennett also said he has “heard from a lot of people” about this issue and understands their concerns. Any access to Lake Burien would have to protect the shoreline environment as well as the privacy and property of lakeside residents, he declared.

(Photo of Brian Bennett by Joe Mabel)

by Ralph Nichols

Concerned citizens who live along Burien’s two residential waterfront reaches – Three Tree Point and Lake Burien – will have yet another opportunity at 7pm this evening (Tuesday, Feb. 23) to comment on the draft update of the city’s Shoreline Master Program.

Public interest in this issue is so great – as is the level of concern among local shoreline residents who fear their property rights could be impacted by a revised plan – that the Burien Planning Commission, which will continue its review of the plan, will meet in the City Council chambers on the first floor of City Hall.

Almost 200 people, troubled primarily about the impact revised regulations – and public access to shorelines – will have on their property, crowded a smaller room for the Planning Commission two weeks ago.

But in the wake of that meeting, said several persons involved in the planning process, many of those commenting on the draft document were not well informed or were basing their concerns on “disinformation.”

Burien City Manager Mike Martin and Senior City Planner David Johanson recently sat down with The B-Town Blog to address what they said is misleading information circulating about provisions in the draft update of the Shoreline Master Program. Here are there responses to some common misperceptions:

Non-conforming structures on shoreline property cannot be rebuilt if damaged.

Martin: “That absolutely is not the case.”

New public access to these shoreline reaches is proposed.

Martin: “It does not do that. Period.”

Rights-of-way at the water’s edge can be taken over by the city.

Martin: “Contrary to what anyone may have heard, there is nothing in the document that gives the city new authority to take over any right-of-way.”

The Planning Commission will make the final decision to approve the shoreline plan.

Martin: “That absolutely is not true. The City Council will make the final decision.”

The Planning Commission is expected to deliberate on the public comment it has received, complete its review of the document, and forward a recommendation to the City Council by the end of March.

At least one public hearing will be held by the council while it considers the plan before taking final action. Once the city has adopted its updated Shoreline Management Program, it still must be reviewed and approved by the state Department of Ecology.

Because of widespread misconceptions about provisions in the draft plan, some Planning Commission members are encouraging concerned shoreline residents to read it first, and then ask questions and address specific concerns, rather than simply reacting to rumors about what purported new regulations would do to their property.

The draft shoreline plan is available on the city’s website http://burienwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=851.

Johanson noted that updating the city’s Shoreline Master Program is not a local option. “The state requires us to do this … over 200 jurisdictions [in Washington] are doing this.”

The state requires all cities and counties to periodically update their Shoreline Management Programs, which implement the Shoreline Management Act at the local level.

According to Ecology, local plans are based on state law and regulations, but “are tailored to the unique geographic, economic and environmental needs of each community.”

This is to improve and protect the health of Puget Sound and other waterways, improve water quality and salmon recovery, and enhance the state’s economy and tourism, Johanson added.

Information about the Shoreline Management Act and guidelines for local Shoreline Master Programs is available on Ecology’s website at http://www.ecy.wa.gov.

Burien was awarded a $117,000 state grant from Ecology for this project, which began with a comprehensive review of the current document by the Shoreline Advisory Committee. The committee then made recommendations and submitted that draft to the Planning Commission.

Martin stressed that the draft revisions give the city “no new rights or authority under its shoreline document.” This includes Lake Burien, which has no public access to its shoreline.

“The city does not have any more authority in this document to provide public access [to the lake] than at any time in the past,” he said.

Johanson said setbacks allowed in the proposed revised plan, in the event of reconstruction due to property damage, are “similar to those of other urban jurisdictions” in an attempt “to strike a balance between state objectives and the urban setting” where shorelines already are developed.

The draft plan would require a 65-foot setback from the average high water level, compared to a current setback of 20 feet along the Puget Sound shoreline. If adopted, those homes would be classified as non-conforming structures – but could be rebuilt on their existing footprint if damaged.

Johanson indicated that after the Planning Commission has finished taking public testimony, staff will compile a list of frequently asked questions together with clarifications and answers, and post this on the city’s website.

The next Shoreline Master Program Planning Commission meeting will take place tonight (Tues., Feb. 23rd) at 7pm in the main City Council Chambers meeting room on the first floor of the new city hall, located at 400 SW 152nd Street. Also, according to the city’s website, this meeting will be televised live on TBC 21 (The Burien Channel), live streamed on the City’s website here, and available via archived video on the website.

Burien’s Shoreline Master Program will not accomplish its goals without the active involvement of Burien residents.

The largest owner of shoreline property is the City of Burien, and city managers have chosen a hands-off approach to managing over 170 acres of shoreline parks.

One remedy for this would be a Park Ranger system—something that will never happen unless Burien citizens ask for it.

The first four goals of the Shoreline Master Program are:

1. The Shoreline Master Program shall result in no net loss of shoreline ecological functions and processes.
2. Regulation and management of Burien’s shorelines should be guided by ongoing and comprehensive science.
3. The City should be proactive in managing activities within the shoreline jurisdiction.
4. Implement an adaptive management approach to respond to changes and to ensure continued effectiveness.

The requirement of “no net loss of shoreline ecological functions and processes” is the same requirement we have always had since the Shoreline Management Act was passed 38 years ago. During those years, I have walked along the beach at least several thousand times, and I have witnessed gradual and continuing degradation. While I have not seen new bulkheads, and few if any new houses have been built near the shore in the last few decades, I have seen an increase in off-leash dogs, graffiti, vandalism, and trash. These types of shoreline degradation come from public parks with no enforcement of laws or park rules. The City has not been “proactive in managing activities within the shoreline jurisdiction.” They have been entirely inactive.

Every day, I witness people walking their dogs to the park, usually on a leash, and when they get to the sign that says “Obey Leash and Scoop Laws,” that’s when they let their dogs off leash. They usually don’t grab any blue bags from the dispenser. At Seattle beaches, it is a $500 fine to have your dog at the beach at all, so people drive to Burien to let their dogs run free, where they know the rules will never be enforced. I have three dogs, I live next to a Burien park, and I drive to Grandview or Westcrest to let my dogs run free, legally and safely. Since Burien’s incorporation in 1993, I’ll bet that not one single citation or arrest has ever been made for off-leash dogs, vandalism, graffiti, littering, or fires in Burien’s shoreline parks. If anyone from the City can provide documentation that proves me wrong, I would like to see it. I know that on my several thousand visits to the beach I have witnessed tens of thousands of violations of the rules, and never once have I seen any sort of enforcement officer asking anyone to change their ways. It is a small minority of park visitors that disregard the rules, but these same people come back day after day, inflicting damage on shorelines owned by all of us.

What would it cost for Burien to have a Park Ranger system? It might cost about $300,000 a year, or it might cost as little as $40,000 a year if the City hired a volunteer coordinator and implemented a volunteer Park Ranger system like the City of Kirkland has. With either a volunteer system or paid professionals, the emphasis could be on education and encouragement rather than strict enforcement and punishment. If the regular park abusers knew that someone was watching, and that enforcement was even a possibility, most of them would change their ways. Whatever the cost of a Park Ranger system, it has to be measured against the cost of having no enforcement at all. This daily abuse of our public spaces by a handful of miscreants costs all of us real money. The environmental degradation they cause is not some abstract concept. I can’t give you an exact dollar amount of the damage because government has not amassed the “ongoing and comprehensive science” the Shoreline Management Act requires. I do know that Burien citizens have suffered millions of dollars of lost property value. Many studies have shown that property values decrease up to 15% in areas with graffiti and vandalism, such as is currently allowed in our parks. Burien homes and businesses are worth billions of dollars, collectively, and even a 1% loss of property value would total millions of dollars. Not having a Park Ranger costs all of us real money. If the citizens of Burien require their government to comply with the Shoreline Management Act and “be proactive in managing activities within the shoreline jurisdiction,” then the environment and the citizens will benefit.

As a member of the ad hoc Shoreline Advisory Committee, I have attended about a dozen meetings over the last two years. It is my impression that the process of developing the Shoreline Master Program is merely a formality, a process the City is required to go through. No one in government or on the Shoreline Advisory Committee believes that the final document will actually result in “No net loss” as required by law. All this document will do is to create a new set of rules that gather dust on a shelf somewhere, ignored like the old rules have been for decades. Only when the citizens of Burien take this seriously and demand environmental protection will real change happen on our beaches. Please attend one of the upcoming meetings and ask that the City begin to enforce environmental regulation, for the benefit of us all.

- Jim Branson

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review, we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]

If you live near the water in Burien (or want better access to it), be it Puget Sound or a lake, you may want to consider attending some upcoming meetings both this Monday and Tuesday night at 7pm at City Hall, when the city will discuss its proposed Shoreline Master Program.

Many residents are concerned that the city is considering turning some of what is now private waterfront areas into public spaces, resulting in Burien’s own “Alki Beach” or “Green Lake,” while others are happy that the city may be trying to open waterfront spaces for public use.

Here are the details:

WHAT: City of Burien meetings on its proposed Shoreline Master Program

WHEN: Monday, Jan. 25th – regular City Council meeting at 7pm & Tuesday, Jan. 26th at 7pm – Planning Commission Meeting

WHERE: Burien City Hall, located at 400 SW 152nd Street.

INFO: Links to the City of Burien’s documents on this issue are available here. More info on the Shoreline Master Program available here.

Some info from the Three Tree Point Yahoo Group:

The Shoreline Master Program Plan, in its’ present form, places its’ “highest priority” on increasing “actual and visual” access to all shorelines within Burien, i.e. Lake Burien, Three Tree Point, etc. Our greatest concern is should an attempt be made to create a “Greenlake”, “Angle Lake”, “Alki” or “Redondo” atmosphere, the increased noise, litter, and congestion could not only cause havoc and significant irreparable damage to the long standing ecosystems of both Lake Burien’s waters and our Puget Sound’s shorelines, but could also lead to a spiked increase in crime, leading to tremendous environmental impact.

We hope that you’ll take the time to briefly familiarize yourself with “The Plan”, and share your thoughts and concerns with members of both the City Council and the Planning Committee, either by e-mail, phone, or if possible in person.

The most effective way to make our concerns and desires as citizens known is to stand side by side, in great numbers, so that collectively our voices may be heard.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Shoreline Master Program, you may access all information and discussion regarding the proposed plan at the following link:

www.burienwa.gov/Search.aspx?SearchString=Shoreline+Master+Prpgram

Once you are on the website page, scroll down until you see the Shoreline Advisory Committee link. Click on each individual meeting date here for meeting minutes, proposals and “consensus.”

If you wish to speak at any of the meetings, it is our understanding that you must “sign up” to be heard, prior to the start of any scheduled meeting. The cut-off time for signing up is unclear, and therefore we invite you to contact the Burien City Clerk, Monica Lusk at (206) 248-5517.

REVIEW PROCESS
The Burien Planning Commission will review the proposed advisory committee recommendation for the revised Shoreline Master Program and make a recommendation to the Burien City Council, which has the final decision on the revised Shoreline Master Program. The following meetings have been planned:

• January 25, 7:00 pm: – regular City Council Meeting
• January 26, 7:00 pm: – Planning Commission Meeting: Discussion and possible recommendation to City Council on proposed Shoreline Master Program (not a public hearing).
• February 9, 7:00 pm – 
Planning Commission Meeting: Discussion and recommendation to City Council on proposed Shoreline Master Program (not a public hearing).
• February and March: 
City Council Public Hearing, discussion and decision on proposed shoreline master program. Dates to be determined following Planning Commission recommendation.
• April through July: Washington State Department of Ecology Review and Public Process. Timeline is subject to change Please check the City web site for the most up to date information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information on the proposed Shoreline Master Program, please contact: City of Burien Dept. of Community Development (206) 248-5510

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this message, and we hope to see anyone who is able to attend the next City Council meeting on Monday, January 25th, City Hall, 7pm and the next Planning Commission meeting, Tuesday, January 26th, City Hall, 7pm.

And here’s some info from Burien’s website:

Under the state Shoreline Management Act, each city and county with “shorelines of the state” must adopt a Shoreline Master Program (SMP) that is based on state laws and rules while tailored to the specific geographic, economic and environmental needs of the community.

The City was awarded a $117,000 grant by the state Department of Ecology for this work. The City is nearing completion of an update of the SMP.

Among the tasks completed to date are a Shoreline Open House hosted by the City in May 2008, and a draft Burien Shoreline Inventory, Shoreline Analysis and Characterization, Restoration Plan and a Cumulative Impact Analysis. On Nov. 20th, more than 70 community members attended a second open house, circulating between stations that offered information about a variety of shoreline-related topics and asking individualized questions of staff and the consultant team. The open house was an excellent opportunity for the community to become familiar with what is proposed in the Shoreline Advisory Committee’s draft Shoreline Management Program.

The Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee met nine times throughout the process and has completed its primary task of recommending an updated shoreline master program to the Planning Commission. In turn, the Planning Commission will evaluate the document, conduct a public process and provide a recommendation to the City Council.

RELATED STORIES:

• City Of Burien Holding Open House On Shoreline Master Program Nov. 30th
• Burien Receives $117,600 Grant For Shoreline Master Program
• Deadline to Help Burien’s Shoreline Plan is Jan. 11th
• Should Lake Burien Get A Public Park? City Says “No”

The City of Burien is holding an Open House on its Shoreline Master Program update on Monday, Nov. 30th from 6pm to 8pm at the Burien City Hall council chambers.

The city has been awarded a grant fro the state to update its master program, and the city’s program has not been amended since incorporation in 1993. The Shoreline Master Program is a set of goals, policies and regulations managing shorelines within the city of Burien, and this forum is intended to give residents a chance to share their thoughts, concerns and ideas.

The master program specifically addresses land use and ecological functions adjacent to Lake Burien and Puget Sound.

The Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee has been considering input received at the first open house in May 2008 and has assisted in creating a new draft Shoreline Master Program. The Nov. 30th open house is an opportunity for residents to talk with members of the committee, city staff and the consultant team and learn more about the new draft program. In the near future, the new draft Shoreline Master Program will be presented to the Planning Commission for its consideration and possible recommendation to the City Council.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Community Open House Regarding Burien’s Update to its Shoreline Master Program

WHEN: Monday evening, November 30, 2009 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Burien City Hall, Council Chambers, located at 400 SW 152nd Street, Burien, WA 98166

INFO: For more information, please contact David Johanson, City of Burien Senior Planner at (206) 248-5522

Community Open House Format:

Participants are invited to drop in anytime between 6 and 8 p.m. to talk with city staff, members of the Shoreline Advisory Committee and the consultant team. Information will be available on a number of topics, including:

• Shoreline vegetation management
• Buoys/docks/bulkheads
• Single-family construction and additions
• Shoreline restorations
• Shoreline Master Program adoption process.

The draft Shoreline Master Program will be available soon on the City website — www.burienwa.gov – and at City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, Suite 300. Comments on the draft should be submitted prior to the Planning Commission public hearing on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

Sad news today from King County Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward Dennis Clark – remember the two beavers who made their home (and subsequent dam) in a pond near Des Moines Memorial Drive in Burien?

They were euthanized last week.

Previously, we asked Readers what the city should do in regards to the creatures, and the results were:

• 65% voted “Leave them alone, and just deal with the consequences”
• 33% said “Re-locate them safely in the wild somewhere else“
• 2% said “Just kill the dam things before they flood downtown!”

So much for our new campaign to hire a “Beaver Whisperer” to psychically tell them to leave. Oh well.

Here’s an email we received from Dennis on Wednesday (Oct. 21st):

Scott,

I’m sorry to report that last week the beavers were euthanized.

We relied on the expertise of the wildlife biologists at the US Department of Agriculture-Wildlife Services Branch to make a determination about whether to relocate or euthanize the animals.  Their staff were very concerned about the transmission of disease (both from our animals to other animals and vice versa) and I suspect that was what led to euthanizing the beavers.  Their trained staff carried out the removal on behalf of the City.

One of Burien's two beavers that was euthanized last week.

As I mentioned to you before, the key problem was that keeping the beavers would raise the average water level in the wetland as they built up their dams and/or blocked the culverts under Des Moines Memorial Drive.  Beaver behavior (not unlike that of the other dam-builders, we humans) is to expand their territory.  If they were allowed to do this, there would be little room for the wetland to hold more water before it began to flood the septic drain field and driveways of one or more neighbors.  An even higher water level would threaten both homes and the integrity of Des Moines Memorial Drive itself.

This last Saturday, October 17, provided a dramatic example of how the wetland responds to rain.  From 8 a.m. to Noon — a mere four hour period — I observed the wetland water level increase by over one foot! Because the beavers had been removed and the water level lowered the previous day, the wetland was able to handle this rise in the water level, which still came just to the level of the nearest neighbor’s driveway.

Fluctuation of the level of the wetland IS a good thing because that is a sign that the wetland is storing water during storms.  If the wetland didn’t exist (and the City should be recognized for conserving it through purchase back in 2005) or if there were larger culverts under Des Moines Memorial Drive, the water would otherwise rush downstream, potentially flooding private and public property in Burien and Normandy Park and damaging stream ecology with higher flows (scouring spawning gravel, causing erosion, blowing fish and leaf debris downstream).

I was excited when the beavers showed up this spring because the healthiest streams do include beaver in their ecosystems.  I researched whether there were techniques we could apply that would allow us to keep the beavers as neighbors without flooding the human neighbors or undermining Des Moines Memorial Drive.  I observed their interaction with the wetland and talked with the neighbors to learn from them.

And I had hours to think on all of this while chest-deep in water each time I cleared out the culverts the beavers had blocked!  By the end of the summer, both I and City staff reluctantly concluded that there was not room for beavers in this urbanized stream.

It was a sad outcome for me personally because I came to respect the energy and dam-building skill of these remarkable rodents in addition to appreciating their ecological value.  However, I was also reminded each time I had to unplug the culverts or adjust the height of their dams that there’s a reasons we term beavers WILDLIFE.  They have their own needs and aren’t amenable to being “managed.”  Unfortunately, we could not accommodate their needs in this situation.

- Dennis

So…what do YOU think of the fact that these two dams beavers are now sleepin’ wit’ da fishes?

Please take our poll below, and/or leave a Comment…

The City of Burien has been awarded a $117,600 grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology for its Shoreline Master Program.

This grant is part of a $6.3 million award to 70 Puget Sound communities, and is meant to modernize local shoreline regulations.

The neighboring city of Des Moines was awarded $133,000.

“From the San Juans to the Sound’s southern tip, 120 of the 130 local governments in the Puget Sound region are still using largely the same shoreline master programs they adopted in the 1970s,” said Ecology’s Gordon White, who oversees statewide shorelands activities. “Yet in the past 30 years, the area’s population has ballooned by nearly 60 percent. If we hope to restore, protect and preserve the Sound, we’ve got to start by managing our shoreline areas wisely.”

According to the city’s website:

Under the state Shoreline Management Act, each city and county with “shorelines of the state” must adopt a Shoreline Master Program (SMP) that is based on state laws and rules while tailored to the specific geographic, economic and environmental needs of the community.

Burien must update its current SMP by December 1, 2009, and this grant will be used for this purpose. The City and its consultants are well into updating the master program with the aid of the City’s Shoreline Advisory Committee.

For more information on Burien’s Shoreline Master Program, click here.

To view a draft of the Shoreline Jurisdiction map, click here (PDF).

To view the full list of Department of Ecology grants, click here (PDF).

On the last full day of Summer 2009, with the sun in their eyes and a nice wind on their kites, two adventurous and athletic (and anonymous for now – they couldn’t hear us yelling “Hey, what’s your name?!!”) Kitesurfers enjoyed the afternoon off Burien’s Three Tree Point, and Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer was there to take these pics:

Click to View Scott Schaefer’s Photo Slideshow

Our friends at Burien Parks did some testing of the new Town Square Park Plaza interactive water fountains on Tuesday, Sept. 15th and shot the video below.

Here’s what Parks Director Michael Lafreniere tells us:

“We tested the fountain on Sept 15th.

Soon the Town Square Park Plaza Fountain (or is it a Fountain Plaza?) will be fully operational.

From what I’m told, the fountains should be operational sometime during the first or second week of October.

Still some tweaking and a County Health Dept inspection to go.

Yes, it needs a “Pool Permit”.

(Apologies for the cell phone quality video.)”

Here’s a map of the new Town Square Park:

We’ve covered this before, but since then our friend Dennis Clark sent us these photos so we just had to do an update – Burien has its own, functioning, dam (building) beaver family living in Walker Creek near Des Moines Memorial Drive; the city may have to relocate these animals soon:

A recent posting in our forums from Sue (one of the beaver’s neighbors) is worth a note as well, expressing her concern for the safety of the animals if they’re relocated:

“We have recently had a couple of beavers decide to move into our pond area off of Desmoines Memorial Drive.

But, because they’re affecting the culverts under the roadway, the city may relocate them to avoid having to pay to keep them in their protected habitat.

We’ve had a guy from King County out a couple of times, and they’ve lowered the levels of the dams and cleared out the culverts.

They have warned us that if the beavers keep being beavers, that they will have to be relocated.

I’m not sure if anyone knows this but the mortality rate of a beaver, once relocated, is very slim. Please help us keep our wild life!!“

According to King County’s Miller/Walker Creek Basin Steward Dennis Clark:

As for the beavers, they are still there doing their dam beaver thing. I now TRULY understand the term “busy as a beaver.”

I’m the “King County guy” that Sue refers to, of course. Her characterization of the issue isn’t entirely accurate, unfortunately.

Right now, the City of Burien is reviewing how to manage the beavers. While it’s exciting to have the beavers and they provide ecological benefits, they also in their dam way cause some big drainage problems. The key challenge is keeping the culverts under Des Moines Memorial Drive free-flowing so water doesn’t back up and flood over the road and the neighbors to the north.

What makes the decision for the City particularly hard is that the costs of different options vary considerably and the outcomes of the more costly options are uncertain. WILDlife is unpredictable in its response to our efforts to “manage” it.

At this point, I don’t know when the City will make its decision.

previously, Clark has also written on his blog:

Per yesterday’s entry, further work was needed to clear the Walker Creek culverts under Des Moines Memorial Drive in Burien. Overnight, the beavers were as busy as — well, beavers — and they had partly replugged one culvert and rebuilt a dam.

My clearing efforts did raise the water level flowing downstream by 2 p.m. Friday. As occurred yesterday, shortly after I concluded my work, the water flowing downstream became clear. Any longer-lasting turbidity downstream likely is due to sediment in the stream being mobilized by the temporarily higher flows. Reports from people in Normandy Park confirm that turbidity decreases once the flows do.

This clearing of the culverts and the attendant flow fluctuations downstream hopefully should occur no longer than for a few days next week. This manipulation of the stream is not desirable and is only occurring as a byproduct of efforts to protect public property (a major road) and private property (a septic drain field).

So…what do YOU think the city should do with these beavers? Please take our poll, or leave a Comment below…

The Burien Parks Department wants kids of all ages to cool down by running through their sprinklers at Lake Burien School Park, where they’re turning on the irrigation systems for two one-hour periods over the next few days.

If you’re wondering what this new “spray ground” looks like, here’s a video courtesy Michael Lafreniere, Director of Burien Parks:

Here are the details:

WHAT: Lake Burien School Park’s main grassy area will become a “spray ground” as the Department turns on the irrigation systems for two 1-hour periods over the next few days.

WHEN: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (7/28/09-7/30/09), from 3pm-4pm and again from 7pm-8pm

WHERE: Lake Burien School Park (located at SW 149th & 16th Ave SW)

COST: None. It’s FREE!

INFO: The Parks folks also add:

“In addition to this fun and wet opportunity to cool off, some cool breezes can be found along the shore at Seahurst Park, in the cool forests of Eagle Landing Park and Dottie Harper Park, and along the really cool trails in Shorewood Park.

More information about these cool parks is at http://www.burienwa.gov/index.aspx?NID=687.”

Monday April 27th saw one of the lowest tides so far this year, a -2.7 at 1:11pm, and Photographer Michael Brunk was on the scene at Burien’s Seahurst Park, where lots of normally-unseen Burien residents were exposed:

Click to View Slideshow

If you’re interested in meeting more of your normally-unseen neighbors during another minus tide, mark your calendars for:

• A -2.7 tomorrow (Tuesday, April 28th) at 1:58pm
• A -3.65 on Sunday, May 26th at 12:53pm
• The lowest tide of the year will be a -3.91 on Tuesday, June 23rd at 11:52am

At 3:24pm Monday Jan. 5th, the National Weather Service issued the following Flood Watch Advisory:

… Flood Watch in effect from Tuesday evening through Friday afternoon…

Rain will fall over western Washington beginning Tuesday afternoon and continuing into Thursday. Rain will be heavy at times in the mountains… along the coast… and over the southwest interior and lower Chehalis valley. The Cascades and Olympics will get 5-10 inches with some southwest facing slopes 15-20 inches. Perhaps 6 inches will fall on the coast and SW interior. The Seattle area could see 4 inches over the two days and northern lowland areas will get an inch or two.

This sums to a real flood potential… both for river flooding and urban and small stream flooding. This flooding will be driven by heavy rain that has been consistently present in numerical models. Some flooding seems certain… and major flooding is possible on some rivers.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

Monitor weather forecasts in case conditions change. If you live near a river… prepare for flooding now.

There are plenty of creeks and streams in the Burien area, so be sure to check for clear drains and clogs if you live or work near one.

Sure, there aren’t any major rivers running through the Burien area, but we do have some significant creeks (ie: Miller & Walker Creeks), so everyone should make sure to clear any storm drains near your home, and if you’re near any of the above-mentioned creeks, please check on them and make sure they’re flowing well.

Here’s the official Flood Watch warning:

… Flood Watch remains in effect through Sunday morning…

* a Pacific storm will bring warmer air and raise the snow level significantly. The combination of increasing southerly winds… milder temperatures… and rain on snow will result in rapid snow melt across The Lowlands tonight and Saturday. There is also the potential for minor flooding of the Skokomish River Saturday as the snow level climbs to near 5000 feet on the olympic range.

* The combination of rain and melting snow across The Lowlands could result in urban and small stream flooding… especially in those areas where a foot or more of snow was still on the ground. Snow and ice may result in clogging of storm drains that could result in flooding of streets and… possibly…homes and businesses.

* The Chehalis river and its tributaries could also approach or exceed flood stage. Up to two feet of snow covers the Chehalis watershed and it will all likely melt by Sunday. That water… along with the rain… will cause the rivers of southwest Washington to rise significantly.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Flood Watch means conditions are favorable for flooding but flooding is not imminent or occurring. Monitor the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service and be ready to act quickly if flooding is observed or a warning is issued.

And remember – if you have any interesting weather-related photos to share, please either email us or add ‘em to our Flickr Group so we can share them!

Courtesy BTB Contributing Photographer Gregory Rehmke comes this nighttime photo of Lake Burien, which appears to have thawed out, as well as grown some seasonal sparkling lights and an airport tower in the upper right corner…

Have any cool photos to share?

Please either email us or add ‘em to our Flickr Group so we can share them!

Courtesy our new Sales & Promotion Diva Janet Grella comes this interesting photo taken of the beach at Three Tree Point, with a distinctive red hue to the water.

Could this be red tide?

According to Wikipedia…

“Red tide” is a common name for a phenomenon known as an algal bloom, an event in which estuarine, marine, or fresh water algae accumulate rapidly in the water column, or “bloom”. These algae, more specifically phytoplankton, are microscopic, single-celled protists, plant-like organisms that can form dense, visible patches near the water’s surface. Certain species of phytoplanktonalgal bloom. contain photosynthetic pigments that vary in colour from green to brown to red, and when the algae are present in high concentrations, the water appears to be discoloured or murky, varying in colour from purple to almost pink, normally being red or green. Not all algal blooms are dense enough to cause water discolouration, and not all discoloured waters associated with algal blooms are red. Additionally, red tides are not typically associated with tidal movement of water, hence the preference among scientists to use the term

Some red tides are associated with the production of natural toxins, depletion of dissolved oxygen or other harmful impacts, and are generally described as harmful algal blooms. The most conspicuous effects of red tides are the associated wildlife mortalities among marine and coastal species of fish, birds, marine mammals and other organisms.

If there are any marine biologists out there who know more, please email us ASAP!

In the meantime, we suggest using common sense and not harvesting or eating any local shellfish until we know for sure.

7pm UPDATE: According to the loco meteorologists, apparently the record high of 84 degrees was actually tied today at SeaTac Airport!

WAY TO GO YOU VISUALIZING B-TOWN BLOG READERS!

PREVIOUSLY: According to the patented B-Town Blog Weather Rock®, today’s high temps should be in the 80s.

To break the all-time record, today’s high would have to reach 85, and tomorrow 86.

We know that we can do it!

But the weather gods may need a little help, and that’s why we’re asking all B-Town Blog readers to take a minute, close your eyes, take three slow deep breaths, then, as you exhale the last breath, at the nadir moment where you’re neither inhaling or exhaling, turn your eyes upward and visualize the following:

• Large bold newspaper headlines that shout: “High Temps Break All-Time Record!”
• Wacky “on the scene” TV Reporters in colorful shirts and shorts doing over-excited live broadcasts from area beaches
• The number 85 for today (repeatedly chant “85…85…85…”) and 86 for tomorrow (lather, rinse, repeat)

On another note, please use common sense this weekend, as when that bright orb comes out it’s easy to forget a few obvious “D’oh!” things, like:

• Although you may get the urge to jump into area lakes, rivers or Puget Sound waters to cool off, it would not be a wise idea. Water temperatures are still quite cold, often in the 30s and 40s. Cold water tends to do bad things to the human body rather quickly…like this little thing called hypothermia, which causes muscles to cramp up from the cold.
• Also, rivers are running high and swift due to Spring snow melt. Avoid jumping into swift moving, cold water.
• Drink plenty of water and avoid overexertion.
• Limit time spent in direct sunlight. Wear a hat. Slather the SPF on children (and yourself).
• Check up on elderly relatives or neighbors.
• Protect pets from the dangers of hot weather. Never leave them in a parked car on a hot day!
• For those planning on taking advantage of the weather by hiking in the mountains, please be aware that there is an avalanche warning in effect for the Olympics and Cascades through Saturday.
• For more details, visit the northwest weather and avalanche center web site at www.Nwac.US.

Now, get ready to do your visualization exercises and let’s see what we can do!

Fishing for hatchery chinook salmon, better known as blackmouth, reopens this Sat., Feb. 16th in south Puget Sound’s Marine Area 11, which includes areas between Vashon/Burien and Tacoma.

For the next few weeks, fishing should be good for salmon anglers, especially off Three Tree Point in Burien.
“These winter blackmouth are probably the feistiest fish in Puget Sound,” said Jerry Skeen, who has run Capt. Jerry’s Charters for 25 years.

Bill Dever, who runs Puget Sound Salmon Charters, has fished the area for 17 years. He said the best fishing will be in the coming weeks.

“Earlier in the day and earlier in the season, the better chances you are going to have. The closer we get to spring, the fish seem to dissipate,” he said.

According to local experts, Three Tree Point is consistently good for salmon fishing, as the eddies created by both incoming and outgoing tides “congregates” the bait (insert your own witty fish Sunday School joke here).

So…expect to see some boats hanging out off the point over the next few weeks folks…
SOURCE:

• Tacoma News Tribune