MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is teaming up with the city of Mountlake Terrace to restore a former golf course property into a sustainable aquatic ecosystem.
The Lake Ballinger Restoration Project is a 16-acre property that has been mostly unmaintained since 2012. The city of Mountlake Terrace owns the property and has allowed the grounds to slowly return to a more natural state over the last ten years.
The space is open to the public and intersects with the Lake Ballinger-McAleer & Hall Creek Watershed. A new effort to turn the property into a critical habitat for fish and wildlife broke ground this week.
Work is underway to remove invasive plant species and clear waterways to create a more healthy riparian zone for a variety of species. Over the property's lifetime, the water channels have degraded and invasive plants have become overgrown, meaning the work is needed.
A 5,000-acre watershed drains into a 100-acre lake, so a large volume of water is flowing through the former lumber mull and golf course.
Laura Reed, City of Mountlake Terrace stormwater manager says citizens have some skin in the game with this restoration project.
“This project, which was partially funded through a grant from Washington state taxpayers, will create more places for birds, fish, turtles, salamanders, and aquatic mammals to live,” Reed said.
The Seattle Army Corps of Engineers Seattle District Commander Colonel Alexander Bullock joined several city and state officials for a groundbreaking ceremony.
“Half or more of our mission is really environmental stewardship and environmental restoration,” Bullock said.
The project aims to create habitat in an already urbanized area and provides protection for species of concern such as amphibians, and also provides significant habitat for migrating birds.
The riparian ecosystem restoration plan includes a created wetted creek and installing diverse plantings. The project includes enhancing a pond, replacing a vehicle crossing and adding a pedestrian boardwalk, to ensure access and limit plant damage. The project is a cost share, with the city paying 35% of the engineering and construction cost, and the Corps paying 65%.
Lake Ballinger Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2024.