When you think of the term “watershed,” you may imagine a river or creek winding through a remote wilderness. In fact, you don’t need hiking boots to visit a watershed – you’ve got one in your own backyard.
As a city like Seattle expands, more and more residential and business areas become a part of a local watershed — an area of land that channels surface water downhill into a larger waterbody, such as a river, lake or ocean. Residents of the Finn Hill/Kenmore/Holmes Point neighborhoods live in the Denny Creek watershed.
And just like in other urban watersheds, our actions have had a profound effect on the groundwater and natural habitat areas right outside our doors.
A Unique Urban Watershed
The Denny Creek watershed encompasses 860-acres of residential, commercial and natural areas between Kenmore and Kirkland. Rainwater channels into a series of tributaries that merge into O.O. Denny Creek, which flows into Lake Washington at O.O. Denny Park. The stream and its tributaries cross through a series of parklands: the 47-acre O.O. Denny Park, an adjacent 7.5. acre parcel called the Susan MacDonald Memorial Forest, and the adjoining 218-acre Big Finn Hill Park.
These parklands, revered by local residents and recreationists, support native plants and trees, such as Douglas fir, big leaf maple, and salmonberry; and an array of wildlife, including eagle, heron, owls, pileated woodpecker, coyote and a host of other species.
The Effects of Human Activity
As water flows over the ground in an urban watershed, it can pick up nutrients, sediment and pollutants, such as fertilizer and pesticides. Like many urban watersheds, human activity has had a profound effect on Denny Creek and adjoining natural areas. Development has increasingly encroached on Denny Creek as neighboring steep slopes are cleared and drainage patterns altered.
A study conducted by King County in 1987 revealed a growing threat to property from erosion and the damage to fish habitat due to barriers to fish migration and degradation of water quality. One of the visible effects of erosion was a build-up of silt at the mouth of Denny Creek, which blocked migrating fish from entering the stream. In the years to follow, additional research noted an absence of adult Coho Salmon and resident cutthroat trout in the upper part of the stream, further raising concern for the health of the stream and its watershed.
“…to Preserve, Protect, and Restore…”
Despite the alarming results from impact studies, the county had no over-arching plan to protect the stream and its adjoining habitat. Neighborhood discussions turned to calls for action. In 1994, the Denny Creek Neighborhood Alliance (DCNA) was born. DCNA’s charter program set an ambitious goal to restore the natural habitat of Denny Creek and its watershed–including protecting the neighboring Juanita Woodlands from residential development.
Over the years, DCNA has made significant progress towards our initial goals; however, our work is never complete. That’s why we continue to appreciate the efforts of volunteers, local residents, and supportive businesses and government agencies. Together, we are helping to maintain a healthy environment for everyone who lives, works, and plays within the Denny Creek watershed.
Progress Report
Survey and Assessment of the Denny Creek Watershed
In 2008, members of DCNA completed an exhaustive survey of the watershed topography and an analysis of the natural areas’ capability to sustain a healthy habitat for native species, including salmon and trout in Denny Creek. The 2007 Denny Creek Watershed Survey provided the community and government agencies with an invaluable assessment of the impact of development and drainage engineering on Denny Creek and its 860-acre watershed.
Denny Creek Salmon Restoration Project
From its inception, DCNA has resolved to restore the health of Denny Creek to support native fish species. In 2006, we completed a fish ladder, making the entire 1.3 miles of creek in these two parks accessible to salmon. The efforts of dozens engineers, biologists and volunteers like you have had a profoundly positive effect: salmon fry have returned to the creek, either from incubated Coho salmon eggs or from other active salmon runs.
You Can Help!
Through generous donations and on-site efforts by local residents and professionals, we continue to reach critical milestones in our effort to restore and preserve the Denny Creek watershed, and mitigate the effects of urban development. Please consider sharing your time or a tax-deductible gift–learn how you can help!