VIDEO UPDATE: Bear Creek and the Stewards Who Saved a Salmon Stream

"Bear Creek and the Stewards Who Saved A Salmon Stream, 1980 - 2020,"

Redmond Historical Society.

Redmond Historical Society: "Bear Creek a small stream east of Seattle – some Redmond residents don’t even know it runs through town ending at the Sammamish River between Marymoor Park and Redmond Town Center -- but Bear Creek is notable for its historically strong runs of wild salmon. In the past half-century those runs have declined, especially that of the threatened Puget Sound Chinook. That trend is sadly common in Northwest waterways, but in this case the decline has been slowed by local efforts to support the fish."

GARY SMITH, a standout Redmond volunteer, Parks Commission Chair, Water Tender Board member and WRIA 8 appointee compiled a research project and supporting materials interviewing the following stewards of Bear Creek, most of them Water Tenders:

Interview with Shirley Doolittle-Egerdahl  -- Water Tender President & Board member with long family history of life at  Paradise Lake, the headwaters of Bear Creek.  

Interview with Terry Lavender, *Founder of Water Tenders and Board Chair. Terry describes her long experience on Bear Creek working with citizen groups and county officials to preserve and rehabilitate property on and around the creek.

Interview with Mayor John Marchione.

Interview with Dick Schaetzel, past President of Water Tenders (1991.)  Very active. Dick's home is 30 feet from Bear Creek. 

Interview with Tom Murdock, Executive Director of "Adopt A Stream."  

Ray Heller, King County Basin Steward for Bear Creek, 91-93

Written Q&A with Roger Dane C.O.R. Public Works.

Many thanks to the Redmond Historical Society for initiating and publishing "Bear Creek and the Stewards Who Saved a Salmon Stream," 1980 - 2020  (7/13/2021)

-- Bob Yoder, 1/7/2022

Council approves final funding phase of Downtown Stormwater trunk line - Second $20 Million Overlake trunk line planned

Redmond City Council unanimously approved two City Department of Natural Resource (DNS) funding projects in their September 19th Consent Agenda.  DNS is a division of Public Works with focus on controlling and treating stormwater run-off.

•  $4,434,639 was approved for the final phase of the Downtown/Redmond Way Stormwater Trunk Line. 
• $68,800 was approved to hire a crew of six Washington State Conservation Corps workers to restore and maintain 45 acres of stream habitat associated with city capital improvement projects.

Work on the Downtown/Redmond Way Stormwater trunk line started July, 2011.  Total costs are over $20,000,000 to completion, including a treatment facility at McRedmond Park.  The pipe follows the Burlington Northern Railroad Corridor including spurs from 166th Ave to 83rd Street and 170th Ave to Avondale Way.  A total of 7000 feet of trunk line is laid upon completion including removal of 6300 railroad track and street restoration including 30 ADA approved sidewalk ramps. 

The Marchione Administration has a second $20,000,000 stormwater trunk line project planned for the Overlake Urban Center.  It includes an underground vault the size of three city halls on the eastern parking lot of Sears.  Redmond stormwater rates pay for this infrastructure and are some of the highest (if not the highest) in the region.  Just look at your city water  utility bill. 

Developers have been slow to move into Overlake at this report and Council President Pat Vache' is looking for stakeholders to step up and lead.   Marchione held an August Council study session which included talk of competing with Bellevue by changing zoning once again.  Are enormous stormwater projects clogging redevelopment?   BY 

BELLEVUEREPORTER.COM Guest Editorial - "Caught between salmon and common sense"

Caught between salmon and common sense

By Martin Nizlek
Guest Editorial, BELLEVUEREPORTER.COM

Updated:  June 22, 2012
Boaters, endangered salmon and out-flowing water from Lake Sammamish share “The Slough” to the Sammamish River at Marymoor Park.

Over the last decade, this 1960s Corps of Engineers flood control project has been altered. Though King County agreed to “operate” the project, infrequent maintenance, an illegal rock dam and sediment build-up now block flow.

The Corps of Engineers designed the outlet channel at Marymoor to handle a “once-in-a-decade” storm. Key to passing this flow downstream was a channel clear of obstructions. When constructed, King County agreed to maintain it to this standard each year. But fast growing willows were planted in the channel and maintenance was reduced to once every four years. Unfortunately, the willows created superb habitat for bass. (Bass love to eat young salmon.) And cuttings from periodic vegetation maintenance were left behind resulting in sediment build-up.

The Corps of Engineers recognized impending problems in 2008 and notified the county that the Sammamish flood control project was being decertified, making it ineligible for federal support. Even earlier than 2008, public records show the corps advised the county it should inform lake residents their properties and improvements would be impacted.

Unfortunately, their prediction came true, as many who’ve lost docks, bulkheads, and landscaping would attest — losses that easily have reached millions of dollars.  Read More >>

City of Redmond asks community to celebrate Arbor Day....Can we?

Redmond inadvertently mutilates these five Trees near the 91st Bridge

City asks community to celebrate Arbor Day on April 11...can we?

'Celebrate Arbor Day and the importance of Redmond’s trees and forest ecosystems' on Wednesday, April 11 at Farrel-McWhirter Park with a restoration work-party 3:30 pm to 6pm.

“Taking care of our community forests demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment to the preservation, protection and enrichment of our environment,” notes Teresa Kluver, Park Operations Supervisor. “Preserving our trees and forests is vital to maintaining our quality of life and working to build a better future. I hope residents will want to take part in this effort.”

How is the Redmond community supposed to celebrate Arbor Day when the City breaks their own tree preservation law and allows a 100% clear-cut of trees on their 28 acre Group Health Overlake project? 

To compensate for 100% clear-cutting of 1000 trees, Group Health commits to planting 3,345 trees and 31,220 shrubs, but where?  Read More >>

Topped Cottonwood Trees on 90th Street NE almost make you gag

Topped Cottonwoods - "roadside attraction" on NE 90th Street

OPINION:  Last year, the city Council designated Cottonwoods as urban "garbage trees" because they crack open sidewalks, drop debris and the white cotton puffs blow around.  In 2011, the City ripped out all the Cottonwoods along southern NE 90th and replaced them with "street trees" and new sidewalk.  It looks pretty good.

The problem is they girdled and  topped these Cottonwoods growing in a stormwater facility further down the road.  Wildlife habitat is abundant here.  I just about gag everytime I have to pass them.  Anyone driving to Comcast, the Eastside Gym, Vertical Club, or any number of office buildings has to look at it. 

The City is setting a painful example to citizenry and students of what NOT to do with  trees.  Comments? 

By Bob Yoder
Photo by Yoder

LETTER: Area businesses fighting city stormwater regulations designed to protect drinking water

By chance, last Sunday, from 12 midnight to nearly 1 am on Ch 75, I watched the Nov 22 meeting of the City Council on the topic of "Stormwater Infiltration Assessments" - a topic I knew nothing about and had never heard of before.

It seems that city staff have become concerned about surface water leakage from our stormwater runoff system, into the groundwater aquifer layer where we get our drinking water. So they want to have mostly SE Redmond industrial businesses spend big bucks (through a new permitting process) to treat their stormwater runoff before it gets carried away into the runoff system.  According to business leaders, the overall cost could amount to $4-8 million

The affected businesses (known as "TAG") are fighting this and hired an outside expert to put forth a case arguing against a serious runoff pollution problem.

I found it quite interesting, and most of the councilmembers wanted to know more about potential dangers. They mostly struck me as smart, reasonable persons.

Today I learned of the existence of the Washington Stormwater Center (http://www.wastormwatercenter.org/  Evidently it was mandated last year by the state legislature.. A press release said that the Boeing Corp. very recently donated $85K to the Center, to help it aid small businesses in complying with new state stormwater permitting requirements.

I guess this stormwater runoff issue is a whole lot more serious and complicated than I thought!
 
By John Reinke
Education Hill, Redmond.

UPDATED: Rose Hill Middle School project application is recommended by hearing examiner with conditions

Rose Hill Middle School Site Plan - a stand of trees buffers the southern residential community



UPDATED OPINION:  The public is invited to comment on this project on October 4, 7:30 PM at Redmond City Hall.  There should be ample time for the public to comment - 10 minutes is provided.

The new Rose Hill Middle School and Stella Schola Choice School project application was recommended with conditions August 22nd by the Hearing Examiner.  The 143,000 sq. ft. school, with 90 new parking stalls, will be located on the same 23 acre parcel as the old Junior High.  Estimated construction cost is $49,158,000. The new school is slated for construction in 2012 while the Junior High is in session.   Address:  13505 NE 75th Street, Redmond.

The project City Council Public Meeting  Notice of 9/10 is especially confusing.: http://www.redmond.gov/government/publichearingnotices.  This link doesn't explain in any way how the public process works and who decides who can speak against whom.  I've contacted the city Ombudsman and project planner, sfischer@redmond.gov for clarification and will update this page with their responses.

The record shows intense public participation.  For the most part, tree removal, a fuel pipeline, and parking incited the turnout.  Three neighborhood meetings were held between April 15 and May 19, 2011.  A total  of 40 residents turned out.  In addition, 56 comments were taken from 9 people during the application process prior to the public Hearing.

THE CONDITIONS:

TRAFFIC & PARKING: The new school will increase capacity from 654 students to 900 total students, including Stella and portables.  The project will generate 642 net new daily trips serviced by three driveways. An expanded parent pick-up/drop-off drive will reduce congestion. A separate bus lane with room for eleven buses will increase traffic efficiency.  Parking demand for the events (5-10/year) currently exceeds demand and will continue to do so, even with 60 additional off-street parking spaces and 42 new spaces along entree drives.  The project includes 50 student bike racks, most of them covered.

STREET LIGHTING:  Streetlights may be required to illuminate the property frontage. Contact:  Paul Cho, Transportation Operations (425) 556-2751 with questions.

TREES:   Nearly half the trees will be saved; the City of Redmond requires retaining a minimum of 35% significant trees.   228 significant, healthy trees will be removed, including 12 Landmark Trees (greater than 30 inches in diameter).  218 significant trees and six Landmarks will be saved.   A stand of trees and 12 inch snag used by foraging Pileated Woodpeckers will be retained along the southern site boundary.  A Tree Preservation Map is available for viewing at Redmond City Hall.

THE OLYMPIC PIPELINE:  A 400-mile long petroleum pipeline from Ferndale to Portland runs N-S on the eastern boundary along the PSE electric transmission easement.  Read More >>

"Public-Private Partnerships" are Popular in Redmond



"Economy Fence Center" in partnership with City of Redmond Development? 

Public-Private partnerships are a popular method of funding these days in the city.  In this case, "Economy Fencing Center" appears to be partnering with the City to build this stormwater wetland pond  (ha! ha!)  Looks like the city is pretty proud of their fencing partner! 

This new stormwater treatment facility is located on the corner of 111th Street NE and 172nd Ave NE.  It treats stormwater from the roads and new Emerald Heights project that's planned to go in soon.  Horse-back riders frequently travel on the gravel trail along the PSE Power Line.  Oh, is that why the white vinyl fencing was installed - to give the feel of equestrian farm land?   

Seriously, a few of the partnerships the City has with private organizations are: 

• The Saturday Market -- $5,000 funding by the city per year, R-Trip, Evergeen Hospital ($1,000)
• **Realize Redmond -- $50,000 (one time seed $), consultants
• Redmond Economic Development Association -- $200,000 (one time seed $), consultants
• Lodging Tax Advisory Committee to promote tourism - $377,000 tax revenues in 2010.
• Bullseye Creative -- content and branding for city website and economic partners
• R-Trip
• Anderson Park Shelter - Rotary Club of  Redmond donated labor and money.
• Redmond Historical Society - fund staff, in-kind meeting space at ORS Community Center
• Derby Days
• Redmond Pool managed by Wave Aquatics
• Green-Redmond - administered by Cascade ConservancyRedmond
• Parks & Planning - Berger Consutlants - conceptual planning/administration for parks projects.
• "Red Light Safety Camera Program" - American Traffic Solutions

Okay, it's a weekend and I'm all fenced in.  This story will be updated early next week, so come back!  Please comment below if you can help me fill in the blanks. 

** Realize Redmond promotes the Downtown Park fundraising effort.  Sept. 10 presentation at Red. Hist. Soc. Meeting 10:30 - Noon, Old Redmond School House

Opinion by Bob Yoder

i-Phone photo by Yoder

Maintenance To Avondale Bio-swale Improves Stormwater Treatment at Bear Creek.

2009 - Bio-Swale After Maintenance (Avondale on right)



2007 - Bio-Swale Before Maintenance (from NE 104th St )















 This bio-swale is particularly important because it treats stormwater flowing into salmon-bearing, Bear Cr.



2010 - After 12/13 storm - (looking south to NE 104th St.)

The left photo shows the swale after a winter downpour in 2007.  The soil is filled with debris and chemical contaminants. The inlet pipes are clogged and one is buried.  Dirty stormwater from Avondale Road and NE 104th Street isn't treated according to design.  This bio-swale is in serious need of maintenance and was reported by RNB to city stormwater
engineers. During heavy storms, water was cascading over the swale.   

The above right photo was taken in December, 2009.   According to a city stormwater engineer, the bio-swale is back to it's original "wetland pond" shape.  The soils contaminated with heavy metals and chemicals are removed.  The inlet pipe at the "elbow" of the swale is unplugged, visible and servicing Avondale run-off according to plan.

Have you seen this stormwater facility?

Reported by Bob Yoder

Photos by Yoder

Snoqualmie Indian Tribe restoring critical drainage area on Sammamish River

Just take a bike ride down the Sammamish River Trail and you'll see a lot of environmental restoration work on the river banks - even in this economy.   Here's a picture of Neal Jander, restoration ecologist, evaluating a drainage area adjacent to the Woodinville Village project site.   He works for the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. 

Neal, his volunteers, and paid crews have already planted willow trees in the mouth of the drainage to shade out the invasive reed canary grass.  The project is funded by an undisclosed grant to the Tribe.  Today Neal is deciding how to remove the yellow Tansy  plants - by shovel or herbicide.  Tansy are noxious weeds that take over valuable native plants.  Right now, Neal is looking for volunteers to manually remove the weeds; or it he may have to use the herbicide. 

Woodinville Village site

Neal said  "come back in two years and this place will look totally different."  He's planting 100 willow trees to shade out invasive canary grass overtaking the river bank.  The willows will also provide, flood control, stormwater treatment for the Village run-off, and cooler water which spawning salmon love. 

I asked Neal about the high prevalence of weeds growing in the river.  He said the wide variety of aquatic plants are attributable to river boating.  The sod farms are heavily fertilized, indirectly "feeding" the aquatic plants.  The Sammamish River is considered  the major stormwater "pipe" for Redmond's stormwater and contributes additional nutrients and chemicals.  Can you see the plants?

Reported by Bob Yoder

IPhone photos by Yoder
Edited by Reinke

Residential Neighborhoods Are Subsidizing Stormwater Costs of Private Developments

UPDATED:  The Redmond Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is many things to many people.  DNR is division of Public Works, the largest department in the city.  Our utility bill pays for DNR's stormwater management costs and if you didn't notice, our rates have increased dramatically over the past few years.

Council recently held a study session on our Utility rates.  Council was pleased with the value DNR brings to sustainability of our environment; however, Councilman Cole complained Redmond has the #1 stormwater rate in the area.  For example, Bellevue's stormwater rate is less than half our rate.

Much of our high rate is attributable to a grandiose plan to build spend  $90,000,000 on two regional stormwater facilities - in Overlake and Downtown.   Commercial and high rise development costs will be significantly less since they will not have to build their own facilities or use their land.   Council, obviously pro-business, decided several years ago that the residential rate-payer would front most of these facilities costs, including the very high cost of  land acquisition.

Brighton Place Pond

Brighton Place Pond

I stumbled upon this pond during a walk on Education Hill.  It's across from the power line trail adjacent to a long straight road with three 1's.  Does anyone know where this is?   

A cluster of frogs were jumping about, to the ramp's left, in clear water.  Ducks paddled about feeding on abundant pond weed; thick from the phosphates spilling from homes on the rim.

A small rowboat & bamboo poles on shore would have completed my memory.  But neither goldfish nor native fish are invited.  Brighton Place is a pond for dragon flies and wild crimson  roses. 

By Bob Yoder

Bio-swale near "Avondale Villas" (Avondale Crest) is improved.

A unique stormwater treatment facility is located at the NW corner of 104th Street and Avondale Road   It's called a "bio-swale".   It's behind a reddish, metal fence and hard to see, but I've been monitoring it since 2007.  Bio-swales treat stormwater by oxygenation and by filtering silt, chemicals and other contaminants. 

The left photo shows the swale after a downpour in 2007, prior to the Marchione Administration.   It is filled with debris and contaminants.  The inlet pipes are clogged and one is buried.  This bio-swale is in serious need of maintenance. 

The right photo was taken in December, 2009.  It is in immaculate condition.  The swale has been broadened and dug to improve treatment.  Old, contaminated soil is removed.  The inlet pipe at the "elbow" is visible and functional.  Concrete blocks now line the swale walls to prevent erosion.  Surrounding vegetation is clipped and cleared.  Doesn't it look good!?   The city really cares!

This bio-swale is particularly important because it treats stormwater flowing into salmon bearing, Bear Creek.  Stormwater flows through two inlet pipes from several upland developments and Avondale Road.   It exits the swale to Bear Creek through a culvert under Avondale Road.

It is my understanding:  Owners of Avondale Villas (L090117) will use the bio-swale after pre-treatment by "wet-vaults".  Based on an earlier 9-lot short plat review (Avondale Crest), the landowner will not have to pay for bio-swale maintenance, but will have to pay for the wet-vaults and their maintenance.  I'll confirm.
by Bob Yoder
photos & story

cc:  City Planner, Thara Johnson, tmjohnson@redmond.gov

The adventures of Bear Creek's young buck

While exploring the Bear Creek stormwater facility site, I found this young buck foraging for food along Bear Creek behind Safeway.  Grass and shrubs must have been scarce from the flooding. The buck crossed Avondale Way and headed downtown, but then came back.  It was touch and go crossing Avondale Way.  Both lanes of traffic stopped.   Do you see him on the shoulder of the road?  Can you believe it?  (click upper right photo to enlarge). You can see Bear Creek flooding onto the trail that goes under the Avondale Way bridge.  Normally the buck would probably take the safe way North under the bridge, but you can see it's blocked by the flood. When the new stormwater facility on Bear Creek is built, food and shelter will probably be in shorter supply; since  ~ 3,000 sf of riparian buffer will be lost.

by Bob Yoder

Photos taken today when walking the stormwater project site.

SW Leary Stormwater Wetland Facility

As you look South when you drive on Leary you will notice the wetland facility. It will not be finished until over 100 trees and shrubs are installed. Do you see the orange mesh fencing? The Sammamish River (and Trail) is behind it. Steve Hitch, the City Senior Stormwater engineer designed the project.

A Seattle consultant for the Redmond Parks Dept. renamed nearby "Slough House Park" to "Old Town Gateway Park". Many citizens, including Pres. Nancy McCormick prefered "Dudley Carter Park". The small park is near the purple tree next to Sammamish River Trail bridge. (4m)

OPINION: Much credit goes to Representative Ross Hunter for SR520 - Bear Creek relocation

Last December, the Pacific Northwest experienced a wind and rainstorm of major magnitude; Redmond didn't escape. 50-year plus floods hit our area. The flooding closed Interstate 5 for days. Freight transportation delays and highway repairs cost our State economy $50 Million. Redmond Stormwater Manager Steve Hitch, captured eleven dramatic pictures of the flooding around town . Gary Smith spearheaded the citizen effort with a 1-minute video clip of Bear Creek flooding to within 10 feet of SR 520. ( Click HERE ). Contributing to the problem was the *Washington State Dept. of Transportation (*WSDOT) plan to widen SR 520 by building 4 new lanes into the Bear Creek flood plain! Bear Creek flooding issues were so severe a contingent of city officials traveled to Olympia to ask Representative Ross Hunter, Finance Chair for relief. Councilman Richard Cole spearheaded talks with Representative Hunter. Councilwoman Allen assisted. CM McCormick thanked me copiously for my communications with Ross Hunter. She said CM Cole was shocked by how agreeable Hunter was.  Mayor John Marchione kept the conversations moving forward. Natural Resource Director Jon Spangler estimated $8 Million would be needed to relocate Bear Creek away from the highway. Representative Hunter (48th District) listened and responded!! Ross, a past Microsoft executive, connected with Microsoft to transfer funds from a culvert construction project to the restoration of Bear Creek! Representative Ross Hunter's action and the many who encouraged him, have secured our safety, welfare and quality of life for generations to come. Thank you, Ross! But, to most, much more than public safety & welfare has been preserved. One of the largest populations of Endangered wild Chinock salmon run Bear Creek. After Bear Creek is re-located and the riparian vegetation is restored salmon will have better habitat and protections from WSDOT's caustic highway stormwater run-off. In fact, with empetus from the WRIA-8 watershed council and administrator Jean White, the King Conservation District granted several hundred thousand additional dollars to salmon recovery for this project! Click this page title for the full watershed salmon conservation report. Thank you Representative Ross Hunter for making this all happen! Regardless of party affiliation, you have certainly earned my vote this election year! *I received a flyer in the mail today from the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announcing: "WSDOT is currently working on an agreement with the city of Redmond to contribute $8M towards the Bear Creek relocation project." Well, you now know where and how WSDOT got their funds! 8-16-08

Marchione Administration to ask for citizen input on environmental land use practices and possibilities!

It is rare the Redmond Blog gives public Notice of city meetings; after all, thorough public notice is the job of the city. But, in this case I wanted to pass on an email that was sent by planner Jeff Churchill (Redmond High School graduate). Jeff is announcing a city proposal and citizen "brain-storming opportunity" for improving land use environmental practices! Youth are encouraged, too.

Dear Redmond Neighbor,

We need your ideas and feedback! The City of Redmond is considering changes to residential development regulations to encourage sustainable development and natural stormwater management.

Imagine new home construction that:
Preserves Redmond’s drinking water
Reduces homeowner maintenance costs
Promotes energy efficiency
Is safer for local salmon

When: Monday, July 28th, 5pm-7pm
What: Community Open House
Where: Redmond City Hall Lobby, 15670 NE 85th Street
Why: Get your ideas and feedback!
RSVP suggessted: By July 23rd to Jeff Churchill at 425-556-2492 or jchurchill@redmond.gov

Visit www.redmond.gov/Green for more information & survey.

Sincerely,

Jeff Churchill, Associate Planner
City Hall
PO Box 97010
Redmond, WA 98073-9710
(425) 556-2492
jchurchill@redmond.gov

* minor edits, b.y.

Poor maintenace of underground stormwater vaults lowers stream water quality

OPINION: As you drive or walk by new construction sites you may notice large concrete boxes or "vaults" like the one pictured at the right. Vaults are used to manage pollutants and erosion from stormwater running off of roofs, driveways, and lawns. Many new vault installations can be found in North Redmond, especially around 116th Street NE. This particular one is quite large and was built by Camwest Development, Inc. adjacent the Perrigo Woods Trail between Lookout Ridge and Hartman Wetlands.

These concrete vaults "try" to function like the open "retention" ponds you see around the neighborhoods to filter stormwater and clean it but treatment is not as effective. Unfortunately, vaults are underground and higher maintenance than open ponds. Contaminated sediment builds up in these "underground ponds" and they must be periodically vacuumed out by large trucks.
The vaults are expensive for developers to install but without them some lands could never be fully developed. The main problem with these concrete vaults is they are below the surface, usually can't be seen and are often forgotten by homeowners and homeowner associations. After contaminated stormwater is collected in the underground "ponds" and partially treated it is discharged into a stream. When homeowners neglect to vacuum their vaults thick sediment contaminated with copper, phosphates, fecal bacteria, and other toxins can build up. After heavy rains, stormwater stirs up this dirty vault soil and discharges it into the streams.
Did you know Redmond currently has "marginal stream water quality"? Read the state report here. Regular maintenance of our stormwater facilities (vaults, detention ponds, storm drains) would help a lot to keep the streams, creeks and Sammamish River clean. Pictured here is a new stormwater retention pond on NE 116th Street.
Redmond has a serious shortage of stormwater inspectors. According to a city engineer in the Department of Natural Resources, Redmond has only ONE full time inspector to cover commercial and multi-family systems , "just barely". The city doesn't have one inspector for the proliferating, private, residential developments! Maintenance standards are in place but it's up to each owner or homeowner association to report problems or ask for inspections. Inspections are NOT proactive.
According to the same city engineer, Redmond is "not adding an inspector position to the proposed budget". Rather, "we are proposing to hire a field technician to help with inspections and monitor water quality." The question arises, how much contamination can our streams take from the growing numbers of hidden vaults and frequent flooding before we finally stop reacting to a problems helter-sketer? In the meantime, we entrust our neighborhood surface water quality to ONE, hopeful part-time technician!
We need proactive residential inspections and code enforcement before our streams deteriorate any further. Gigantic new regional stormwater facilities planned for our downtown will soon impact our stream water quality even further. The Redmond Department of Natural Resources and our councilmembers aren't at fault. Perhaps, Mayor Marchione can work his magic with a timely budget transfer or other maneuver to fund needed inspectors and code officers? As we all know, "a cleaner, greener environment" is a key budget priority for the city this year.
{See a short clip of open retention ponds in the Glenshire construction site "here". A wetland was once here. This large Glenshire development is in the North Redmond neighborhood adjacent what will be 172nd Avenue. Stormwater run-off is absorbed or eventually travels into nearby creeks. The "clean-out" is probably a sewer manhole}
CC: Mayor Marchione

OPINION: The importance of "regionalism" to mitigating SR520 environmental impacts

Watershed Resource Inventory Area 8 (WRIA-8)

At last night's Council "study session" Council President McCormick and Mayor Marchione talked about the importance and relevance of "regionalism" to our city. Redmond officials appear to be "speaking with one voice" on Regional issues.

Mayor Marchione is an active member on the Sound Transit Board. I've watched him on TV. He is sharp and stands out as a leader. Councilmembers Richard Cole and Nancy McCormick have been active on the growth management issues of Puget Sound Regional Council. I think councilmembers Allen, Myers and Vache have worked on the regional issues of Human Services

Management of our watershed is regional, as well. The above WRIA 8 map demonstrates the extent of Redmond's connection with other cities in our regional "watershed area". Our watershed area extends from Everett south to Greater Auburn! It's used in large part by the state Department of Ecology to monitor salmon populations, water quality and flooding in our region.

Marchione represents Redmond in policy on the WRIA-8 committee. Jon Spangler (Redmond Public Works Stormwater Manager) is the active participant in regular meetings. Mr. Spangler recently facilitated a joint meeting with three agencies about SR520 impacts.

Last night, Mayor Marchione talked about the importance of the WRIA-8 committee to mitigating the environmental and flooding impacts of the SR520 expansion from 4 to 8 lanes. Endangered salmon and safety from flooding are the key issues.

A Bellevue official (with the help of Jean White, WRIA-8 manager) wrote a letter to Governor Gregoire requesting mitigation. Woodinville (and Redmond) citizen activists contributed significant flood data used in the letter.

Thus, Bellevue, Woodinville, other WRIA-8 cities all cared about what was impacting Redmond from the SR520 expansion. Woodinville and Redmond citizen activists created a groundswell. They wrote letters and sent a short video clip here and photos of the 12/3 flood to Rep. Ross Hunter, Chairman of Finance (and other key representatives.) Indeed, the effort was regional!

Ross was very concerned from the inputs and is taking action to fund $7M to meander Bear Creek away from the highway expansion. Rep. Hunter recently announced a TOWN HALL MEETING at Redmond City Hall on May 20, 6pm. I urge neighbors to attend Rep. Hunter's meeting in force to encourage or support possible approval of funding!

OPINION: THE SR520 EXPANSION BETWEEN THE SAMMAMISH RIVER BRIDGE AND REDMOND WAY - From 4 lanes in 1992 to 8 lanes in 2008. But at what cost?

How many people remember what traffic was like on 520 in Redmond in 1992 when the freeway expansion and improvements were first approved? Back then, the eastbound lanes of 520 ended at the stoplight on Redmond Way and cars waited in line to cross onto Avondale Road or turn left or right onto Redmond Way. A trip from Overlake in Bellevue to UPS on Union Hill Road in the afternoon could take an hour or more. The addition of the flyover so that cars didn’t have to stop at the light on Redmond Way was such an improvement (although everyone was dismayed when it only had one lane in each direction.) In the past year, an additional flyover was built to allow traffic from westbound Redmond Way to flow directly onto 520 without stopping at the traffic lights on Redmond Way. This summer the Department of Transportation plans to start adding four additional lanes to 520 so that there will be four lanes in each direction. The new lanes are to be built on the north side of the freeway in the area now occupied by the Bear Creek floodway. click picture to enlarge


In 1992, the Redmond Town Center site was an empty field that had been a golf course and before that, a farm. The land was part of the Bear Creek 100-year flood plain so when a major storm occurred, storm water from Bear Creek could flood north towards the railroad tracks where the main parking garage, REI and Macy’s are now located. The whole area could flood to a depth of 2 to 3 feet for a day or two and then the floodwater would recede. When Redmond Town Center was constructed, most of the site was filled in with millions of cubic feet of trucked-in dirt and the elevation of the entire site was raised about 5 feet. Stores, offices, parking lots, roads and sidewalks have been built and the empty fields that once stored floodwater from Bear Creek now contribute to the run-off that flows into the creek. Even more of the flood plain was filled when the Bear Creek Parkway was built around the perimeter of the mall.

Upstream along Bear Creek and Evans Creek, new developments have dumped their overflow runoff into tributaries and storm channels that drain directly to the creeks. The creeks now overflow their banks when the valley gets more than 2 inches of rain in a day. The Keller Farm fields between Avondale and Union Hill Roads regularly flood with storm water from upstream. With the extra floodwater from upstream and the flood plain north of Bear Creek filled and built up, the floodwaters from Bear Creek fill the entire channel between the Bear Creek Parkway and SR520. During the December 3, 2007 storm, the floodwater was within 3 feet of the shoulder of the westbound lanes of 520!

There is way too much water flowing through a channel that has been narrowed by the Town Center development on the north side of the creek. And the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT)wants to reduce the channel and floodway on the south side of the creek even more by adding four more lanes to 520. The new lanes will extend 40 feet north of the westbound shoulder where floodwaters gush whenever we get a major storm. Untreated run-off from the new lanes will be washed directly into Bear Creek during major storm events. Salmon depend on this channel to get to their highly productive spawning beds upstream in Bear Creek, Evans Creek and Cottage Lake Creek. Narrowing the floodway with the new lanes could also cause severe flooding upstream especially near the Bear Creek Shopping Center and along Redmond Way.

The SR520 expansion plan was approved in 1992. Since then, a lot has changed in Redmond and the Department of Transportation’s plans for 520 and Bear Creek have become obsolete. Maybe it’s time for a new plan – for the sake of the salmon and the city.

[Historic Bear Creek flood plain boundary drawn from the 1992 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for SR520, Figure 3-8: FLOOD PLAIN AND FLOODWAY BOUNDARIES, p. 3-47 and from the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Parcel 390 of 1725, Map #53033C0390G, March 30, 1998.]

Bob Yoder
Susan Wilkins, co-author