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| Green Heron spears a frog on the 90th Street Bridge stormwater pond |
The City of Redmond budgeted a little over a million dollars to remove sediment and restore the functionality of the 90th Street stormwater runoff pond. The pond is located at the intersection of the 90th Street Bridge and the Sammamish River. The project is scheduled to be completed by the beginning of October.
For over twelve years, I have been observing and photographing the abundant wildlife that often appears in this pond. Great blue herons frequently catch fish and frogs here. Above, is a rare Green Heron spearing a frog! Different species of waterfowl often appear during the spring and fall migratory seasons. I once photographed six adult male wood ducks together in the pond at the same time!
In addition to the varied birdlife, I have photographed: a beaver on two different occasions, a raccoon, river otters frolicking in the pond twice, and a coyote, which really surprised me.
I don't know what will become of this wildlife once the project is complete. A worker said they netted all of the fish at the east end of the enclosure, and relocated them to the west end, nearest to the river. This was to protect the fish. The worker said that when entering the pond the accumulated sediment was so deep where they were netting the fish, that it came up to their shoulders!
--Photos and Story by John Reinke, 8/7/2023
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| City removing rich, organic soil from the pond |
"The existing NE 90th St stormwater pond treats the runoff from the 90th St stormwater basin before it drains into the Sammamish River. It was constructed in 2000 and currently provides about two thirds of the water quality treatment required by today’s regulations. The pond works by allowing sediment to settle out of the stormwater before it enters the Sammamish River. Over the last 20 years, significant sediment has accumulated, filling up a portion of the pond. The City will be removing the accumulated sediment from the pond during the summer of 2023. "
(Source: NE 90th Street Stormwater Pond Retrofit | Redmond, WA )
I’m sure the pond will return to being a more healthy place for wildlife together. That much sediment most of it running off with fertilizers, weed killer, oil from roads, etc. is not a healthy environment. Plus, it became so stagnant that it was a mosquito breeding ground… Great for swallows, crappy for the rest of us. Hoping that it will be more visible from some areas so the rest of us can appreciate the wildlife gather there. I’m wondering what they’re going to do with the water as they dig out the sediment. Is all of that water going into the river? I wonder because my dog swims there, and I worry about what she might get exposed to.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I don't understand why you would let you dog swim in this pond with your worries about the fertilizers, weed killer and oil there! Also, I have no idea how you could manage to get through the fencing and embankment to swim your dog! If the city saw you do this, you'd probably be cited.
DeleteA lot more than swallows have "survived" this "contaminated" water as well. I personally have seen wood ducks, the Great Blue Heron, a nesting Canadian Goose, dragonflies, Mallards and other waterfowl there! :)
My question is not so much what the city will do with the water but with the sediment. It's certainly rich with organics and could possibly be recycled for landscaping!