OLYMPIA, Wash. — The architects who designed the state Capitol campus in Olympia called for a reflecting pond. Capitol Lake served that purpose for decades, but now the manmade lake has invasive snails living in muddy, dirty water.
The lake, which was once open for swimming and boating, has been closed to public use for more than a decade.
The state is now looking for input on how to fix the problem.
Following a multi-year study, the state released a draft environmental impact report which lays out the problems and three potential solutions for the Capitol Lake Deschutes Estuary area.
The first option, known as the “Managed Lake” option, would preserve the current lake, controlled by a dam holding back waters from the Deschutes River.
The “Estuary” option would restore tidal flow to conditions similar to the original, existing estuary. That would require the removal of the dam to allow the Deschutes River to flow into Puget Sound. Olympia City Council endorsed that idea.
The report also looked at a third approach, the “Hybrid” option, which would allow for the restoration of tidal flow, the removal of the dam and the creation of a smaller, manmade lake.
"We’ve done a bunch of the science. We’re asking for folks to take a look at the report, identify the things we may have missed," said Bill Frare, with the Department of Enterprise Services, the state agency heading up the project.
The goal is to make the area cleaner, more environmentally friendly and something the community can use again.
"There’s water quality issues, invasive species, and we’ve got a problem with sediment management within the lake that needs to be addressed," explained Frare.
The department is taking public comment on the project through Aug. 29. To comment, click here.