Sunset Beach Restoration at Lake Sammamish State Park

Statistics

• Client: Washington State Parks and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust
• Location: Lake Sammamish, WA
• Dates: 2008 - 2009
• Services: Restoration design, habitat enhancement, wetland and shoreline delineation, construction oversight

Description

The Watershed Company designed and oversaw construction of a 665-foot long restoration of Sunset Beach at Lake Sammamish State Park that enhanced salmon habitat and fish passage while preserving opportunities for recreation. Spillover crowding from an adjacent day-use beach area and heavy powerboat and personal watercraft traffic contributed to a loss of shoreline habitat and erosion.

North of the project area, the mouth of Issaquah Creek is characterized by a large delta deposit formed by sediment flows within Issaquah Creek. Work included placement of 34 pieces of large woody debris along the shoreline or near the ordinary high water mark to limit pedestrian access in the area and enhance nearshore habitat. The final design work, sponsored by the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, follows a comprehensive conceptual stream, wetland and shoreline restoration plan that The Watershed Company did for the entire park in 2006 as part of the park master plan process. That work won an Honor Award from the Washington Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects for its excellent environmental planning and design.