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Beaver Lake Managment District

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     Mission statement
     Background
     Goals
     Projects
     Contact info
Board members and meetings
     Role of the advisory board
     Current Members
     Agency staff support
     Past Members
     Board meetings
Reports and Newsletters
     Reports
     Newsletters
Photo gallery
     Photo categories
     How to submit photos
Projects and milestones
Water quality data
     Charts
     Tabular data
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Mission (Draft):

To track environmental conditions at Beaver Lake and to promote actions and behaviors among area residents that will minimize negative impacts to the lake and its surrounding ecosystems.

Goals (Draft):

  • To conduct comprehensive water quality monitoring
  • To regularly update the Beaver Lake Management Plan and implement the plan’s recommendations
  • To provide Beaver Lake Management District residents with regular water quality reports, and
  • To regularly distribute educational information to residents of the BLMD

Earlier versions:
"Conduct comprehensive water quality monitoring upon which to base the development and implementation of a lake management plan that protects the health of Beaver Lake and provides Beaver Lake Watershed residents with information regarding the lakes’ condition and how to ensure its continued good health."

Provide Beaver Lake Watershed Residents with current Beaver Lake Environmental Conditions through Water Quality Monitoring, Data Analysis Reporting and Distribution of Educational Information.

Background

Lake management districts (LMDs) are special purpose districts which are formed to fund a variety of lake protection or restoration activities. Beaver Lake Management Districts No. 1 and 2 were formed by a public votes in 1995 and again in 2001 to support the implementation of key recommendations from the Beaver Lake Management Plan.

The Executive-appointed advisory board approves expenditures and oversees the performance of the LMD's work program. The District's advisory board is comprised of two lake-front property owners and one watershed property owner.

Current Projects

Staff from King County’s Lake Stewardship program and the city have been monitoring Big Beaver Lake and Little Beaver Lakes at regular intervals from May through October for the Management Plan update. Future monitoring of lake water quality will continue next summer through contracts with the City of Sammamish and King County.

The streams flowing into each lake will be monitored twice-monthly this fall and winter, and also during major storms.

Contact info

For questions related to escrow and LMD fee assessment, contact anita.salter@metrokc.gov or call 206-296-3913.

For all other questions about the BLMD, contact any of the board members or Sally Abella sally.abella@metrokc.gov with the King County Lake Stewardship Program at 206-296-8382.

Board members and meetings

Role of the advisory board

The advisory board of the BLMD determines which projects and programs consistent with the wording of the resolution will be most beneficial to the lake, based on current conditions and the overarching goals of the LMD. Once the work program is determined, the City of Sammamish, acting upon the advice of the LMD Board, contracts with public agencies or private contractors to complete the work. The city also manages the LMD budget.

Current Members

Sheldon Fisher

50 years ago the fledgling Beaver Lake community, by forming the Beaver Lake Community Club, recognized the tremendous value that the lake brings to the community. Beaver Lake is a natural beauty, an asset to our lives and essential to the wild life in our midst.

By its very nature, our presence in the Beaver Lake Watershed places pressure on the natural balance of the lake ecosystem. Because of the precarious balance between watershed development and the lake ecosystem, we should think of Beaver Lake as our “canary in the coal mine.” It is up to each of us to decide the part we will play in maintaining the lake in a healthy state for the local wildlife, as well as for our own benefit. Making the right decision in the growth and management of our community and the environment requires solid information. The Beaver Lake Management District has been providing this unbiased information on the state of Beaver Lake and the Watershed for years. I look forward to continue to serve the BLMD in order to ensure our community and civic leaders have the solid information they need to keep the Canary singing

Ray Petit

Age-Birth Date: 70; July 13, 1935, in Seattle, Washington.

Education: BS in Civil Engineering, 1970, University of Washington.

Experience: Member, Board of Directors, Beaver Lake Management District, 2001 – present; Member, past Treasurer and past member of the Board of Directors, Beaver Lake Community Club, The Boeing Company, 1953 – 1995.

Family: Wife, Joan; 6 children, 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

The Lake Management District provides a means for monitoring and reporting the quality of Beaver Lake. “Why we should care about Beaver Lake” is an important question. For me, a significant reason stems from the great memories I have of my childhood vacations here at Beaver Lake. When I was in grade school my Dad and Mother would pack up enough food and family items to last for two weeks and we would come to Beaver Lake for our vacation. It was during the Second World War and we didn’t have a car. A relative would bring us up to the lake, drop us off and return in two weeks to pick us up.

At Bartell’s Resort we always stayed in cabin number 10, a log cabin right on the shore line. The first thing my brother and I would do was to run down to the boat house and make sure we could have rowboat number 21. It was our lucky fishing boat. Everyday was an adventure at the lake. It was fishing in the morning at our secret fishing spot, swimming in the afternoon and a fire in the fireplace in the evening. The lake is a really a special place for me and the family. My brother and I still talk with our mother about the fun times we had at Beaver Lake.

My Dad was a great one for meaningful sayings, and I remember him telling me more than once that “if you want nice things, you have to take care of what you have.” The memories I have of my childhood times at Beaver Lake still bring on a smile, and I recognize that my Dad’s saying could very easily be applied to Beaver Lake and to the functions of the Lake Management District. The question of “why we should care” may be answered by providing another young child the opportunity to come to Beaver Lake and create memories that can last a lifetime.

D. Bruce Morgan

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Work experience in hydrology and related field.

"I have been a regular visitor to the Lake since late 1953, when my grandfather built a cabin. While that cabin is no longer there, my brother and I own property on the lake and live nearby. I have a 50-year perspective on what has gone on at Beaver Lake."

Dennis O`Neill


Shawna Blyth

April – December 2005 Served on the Sammamish Citizen Advisory Committee for the Critical Areas Ordinance Update


1999-2002 Volunteer Wetland Surveyor, King County


2000 – Present Beaver Lake Community Club Member


"The Pacific Northwest has been the home of my family for four generations and the place my husband and I have chosen to raise our children. Our efforts now to preserve the beauty of Sammamish will help to ensure a future with healthy lakes and streams, wildlife and trees. I am eager to put the work in now to create natural surroundings that are thriving and accessible to our citizens."

Agency staff support

Sammamish:  Evan Maxim
King County:   Sally Abella, Lake Stewardship Program Manager
               Beth Cullen, Lake Stewardship Program
               Michael Murphy, Lake Stewardship Program

Past Members

Sharon Freechtle
Vicky Giannelli
Tom Harman
Ruth Shearer
Cory Wolfe
Donna Carlson
Joe McConnell
Al Sauerbrey
Lisa Shank
Sharon Steinbis

Board meetings

All meetings of the BLMD board are open to the public. They occur approximately every 2 months and will be advertised to the public through an announcement on this website.

Date Meeting Type Agenda   Minutes    
10 Mar 2010 Regular Meeting Pdf   Pdf

Reports and Newsletters

Reports

In 1993 King County published the Beaver Lake Management Plan
There was an update to the plan in 2000, and another update will be completed in 2006.

There have also been several reports to the BLMD Board reporting data resulting from monitoring of the lake and streams. The most recent reports is available here. For copies of past reports Contact Sally Abella with the King County Lake Stewardship Program

Coming Soon:
2005 Beaver LMD Report (Link to .pdf)

Newsletters

Every four to six months, members of the BLMD advisory board work with King County and City of Sammamish staff to publish a newsletter which is mailed to all members of the district. These newsletters are primarily updates on the current status of LMD work, but also include useful information about how residents can take simple steps to help protect Beaver Lake.

Most recent issue:

Past issues:

Photo gallery

Beaver Lake Beach: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Beach: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Deer: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Deer: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Dog: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake Dog: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake Ice: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake Ice: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake Reflection: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake Reflection: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake Rock: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Rock: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Trees: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake Trees: Photo by Maren Van Nostrand - September, 2006
Beaver Lake West: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program
Beaver Lake West: Photo by King County Lake Stewardship Program

During regular monitoring trips, King County staff members take pictures of the lake and surrounding natural areas. Browse these photos to take a quick tour of the natural wonders that abound in the Beaver Lake watershed.

How to submit photos

If you have a photo related to Beaver Lake that you would like to submit, send a copy via email to the Web Master, (425) 295-0594 or mail a disk with electronic files to (City of Samm mail address)

Projects and milestones

In mid-April, 2006, the third Beaver Lake Management District was voted into existence by a vote of 82% YES to 18% NO, with a 44% voter response.

The next Beaver Lake Management District will run from 2007-2016.

Details of the 2007-2016 BLMD:

The Beaver Lake Management District will raise $465,980 from 2007 through 2016 to fund a series of lake management actions. This revenue will be raised through annual assessments of waterfront and non-waterfront property owners inside the proposed district boundary.

Waterfront property owners (Zone 1, 121 parcels) will pay $230 per year, while non-waterfront properties (Zone 2, currently 600 parcels) will be assessed $23 per year. The number of zone 2 parcels is expected to increase as development continues inside the LMD boundaries and the increase is included in the calculations. Parcels will begin to be charged the LMD fee as they receive individual addresses during the life of the LMD; however, owners of multiple parcels will be charged only one fee.

Through these assessments, the district will raise approximately $41,630 the first year, rising incrementally to an estimated $51,566 in Year 10, the final year of the District. If the number of parcels rises higher than estimated, the fee amount will be adjusted downwards to yield the required total sum.

This revenue will fund the following activities:

  • biweekly stream monitoring; regular stormwater quality sampling to assess development impacts; specific sampling as directed by the Board for unusual events or new concerns;
  • comprehensive lake monitoring in 2011 and 2016 to evaluate whole-lake water quality, with appropriate updates to the Lake Management Plan;
  • semi-annual newsletters and community outreach activities as directed by the Board;
  • administrative support, including facilitation of Board meetings and management of work program.

The following table contains a breakdown of the LMD budget by general task with annual estimated revenue.

Budget1

Budget2

Water quality data

King County has been working with the BLMD for more than 10 years to collect water quality data. The data collected help to determine current state of the lakes and identify long-term trends.

Charts and data will be added to this page in the near future, and then data will be updated periodically as new data become available. The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (and its predecessor agencies) have collected all water quality data, to date. Data requests can be sent to mailto:Sally.abella@metrokc.gov or by calling 206-296-8382.

Coming soon:

Charts

These charts will show water quality data compiled by King County. Not all data will be charted. Tabular data will include the entire dataset.

Tabular data

The tabular data will show available data for all parameters.