Capitol Lake

Infobox lake
lake_name = Capitol Lake
image_lake = capitol_lake_aug05.jpg
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Washington
coords = coord|47|1|59.81|N|122|54|31.58|W|type:waterbody_region:US-WA|display=inline,title
type = artificial lake, Formerly wetlands and estuary
inflow = Deschutes River
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries = United States
length = 3 km
width =
area = convert|260|acre|km2|1
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities = Tumwater, Olympia

Capitol Lake is a 3 kilometer long, convert|260|acre|km2|1|sing=on artificial lake at the lower end of Deschutes River in Tumwater/Olympia, Washington. The Olympia Brewery sits on Capitol Lake in Tumwater, just downstream from where the Tumwater Falls meet the lake. The Washington State Department of General Administration manages the lake, along with the rest of The Washington State Capitol Campus.

History

Before the lake was constructed the mud flats lining Budd Inlet in its place were home to Olympia's "Chinatown," which was succeeded by a Depression-era "Hooverville." Designed by John Olmsted to reflect the Washington State Capitol building, the lake was created in 1951 by a dam on the Deschutes where it empties into Budd Inlet on Puget Sound. The creation of the lake destroyed the former Deschutes/Budd Inlet estuary.

The February, 2001 Nisqually Earthquake did considerable damage to Deschutes Parkway on the west side of the lake. [ [http://maximus.ce.washington.edu/~nisqually/geo/capitol_lake.html Photos of earthquake damage from UW] ] Heritage Park, Capitol Lake Park and Marathon Park in Olympia and Tumwater are on the lake. Swimming, kayaking and canoeing, and sailboating are popular recreational activities on the water. Capital Lakefair, centered on the lake, is held annually in July. [ [http://www.lakefair.org Lake Fair] official website.] The trail around the lake is 1.5 miles long. [ [http://capitollake.com/ Capitol Lake] website.]

Controversy

Controversy surrounds Capitol Lake because it replaced a once productive estuary. Because of a high rate of siltation, the lake must be dredged to keep it from filling in and reverting to its estuary/swamp state, a classic case of eutrophication. Additionally, the lake is experiencing a milfoil infestation and poor water quality (it is frequently closed to swimmers due to excessive levels of E. Coli). The Department of General Administration, other state and local agencies, and the Squaxin Island Tribe have participated in a study entitled "The Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan" or "CLAMP" to determine the future of the lake. The decision was to maintain the freshwater lake until 2013. [ [http://www.trpc.org/programs/environment/water/capitol+lake+adaptive+management+plan.htm Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan at Thurston Regional Planning Council] .]

References

External links

* [http://www.squaxin.nsn.us/deschutes/flow.html Information from Squaxin Tribe]
* [http://www.ga.wa.gov/CLAMP/index.html Information from Dept. of General Administration]