Kenmore Sound

Infrastructure · Occurred · Outcome pending · Jan 27, 2025

Kenmore's 2025 aquatic vegetation plan was scheduled for council discussion

The Jan. 27, 2025 City Council agenda listed the 2025 Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan for discussion, with survey and algae study attachments and a presentation on algae blooms near the Sammamish River mouth 1.

What the records say

In materials published ahead of the Jan. 27, 2025 City Council meeting, the agenda listed the 2025 Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan as an item for discussion, presented by Environmental Services Director Richard Sawyer and a consultant from Herrera Environmental 1. The item was listed for discussion, not for a vote, and the available records do not establish the meeting's outcome 1. The packet attached to the item included the Kenmore 2024 Post-Management Aquatic Plan Survey, the ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis Park Algae Management Suitability Study, and the Arrowhead Algae Survey, along with a presentation on 2025 aquatic plant management that was added to the record on Jan. 27 1. The presentation slides in the packet report that algae blooms have appeared near the mouth of the Sammamish River with relatively higher concentrations of chlorophyll-a and blue-green-algae pigment, that no 'smoking gun' or 'breeding ground' source was identified, and that it is unknown whether the hot spots are the origin of the blooms or a temporary location in a dynamic system 1. The slides also note that waterlilies at Inglewood Shores prevented surveying close to shore in September 2024 1.

  • The 2025 Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan was listed on the Jan. 27, 2025 City Council agenda as a discussion item, presented by Environmental Services Director Richard Sawyer and a Herrera Environmental consultant 1.
  • Attachments included the Kenmore 2024 Post-Management Aquatic Plan Survey, the ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis Park Algae Management Suitability Study, and the Arrowhead Algae Survey; a presentation on 2025 aquatic plant management was added to the packet on Jan. 27 1.
  • The presentation reports algae blooms near the Sammamish River mouth with higher chlorophyll-a and blue-green-algae pigment, and states no 'smoking gun' or 'breeding ground' source was identified 1.
  • The presentation recommends a 2025 follow-up study to analyze algae species composition and determine the bloom source, with six sampling locations, seven sampling events, and a budget estimate of $35K to $50K 1.
  • The item was listed for discussion rather than a vote, and the records do not establish the meeting's outcome 1.

Why it matters

The plan concerns how Kenmore manages aquatic vegetation in its waters, and the attached studies focus on algae at ƛ̕ax̌ʷadis Park and Arrowhead 1. Analysis: for residents who use Kenmore's lakefront parks and shoreline, this discussion is an early signal of how the city may approach plant and algae growth in the coming season, though the record does not yet show any decision or specific management steps 1.

What changed / what's next

  • The 2025 Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan appeared as a discussion item on the Jan. 27, 2025 City Council agenda 1.
  • A presentation on 2025 aquatic plant management, including algae-source findings and a proposed follow-up study, was added to the meeting packet on Jan. 27 1.
  • The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome; the item was listed for discussion, not for a vote 1.
  • The presentation's recommended 2025 follow-up algae study carries a budget estimate of $35K to $50K; the record does not show whether the council endorsed it 1.
  • The same agenda listed upcoming regular City Council meetings for Feb. 10 and Feb. 24, 2025 1.