Friends of Green Lake Meeting, Tuesday January 26, 2021, virtual Zoom meeting
Convened at 7:00 PM
Attendees included:
Rob ZisetteAndrea Borningand partnerAlice and partnerKaren ShurrEllen HewittGina HarmonLynne PeckJoan DavisAdamRon WaldmanFrank GDebbie McDonaldRobert BeckmannMarieJon DowdJeff HowardLindsey YapClaudia DelbertTina and partnerand two others
Introductions
Zoom comment from Ron Waldman: Here’s the YouTube link to the Oct. 2020 flyover of Green Lake.
Homeless Encampments (Rob Zisette)
Parks staff described their actions at GLCC meeting last week.
Rob proposed a water quality study of public health impacts but it was rejected due to lack of funding and interest.
You can report problems (including needles or garbage) via Seattle’s Find It, Fix It app. Here is the Find it fix it app for Android. And here is the iPhone app.
Zoom comment from Adam:Here is the link to the petition.
Brazilian Elodea Invasion (Rob Zisette)
Rob reported the first observation from milfoil cleanup, and King County Noxious Weeds confirmed its presence. The plant is severely impacting recreation in Portage Bay and parts of Lake Washington. It should do well in Green Lake and not be affected by the alum. Rowers are impacted by it because of its stiff stems. Similar to milfoil, it grows about a foot a week. Rob hopes to map it and evaluate control strategies this summer for Parks.
Floating Wetland Project (Rob Zisette)
Project is moving forward. Rob is writing the project manual. Have a team of 12 people who met in December. Next steps: get the necessary permits to re-apply for a neighborhood matching grant in September for a planned April 2022 installation. Team includes permitting experts, and Rob plans to have a pre-planning meeting in February. Floating island with many benefits but being designed primarily for bird habitat near Duck Island, and with educational focus to include an informational sign on the beach with a telescope trained on the floating island. Rob will present on the project at March meeting. He would like to start generating volunteer interest.
Lake Water Quality Monitoring (Jeff Howard)
Water clarity is two meters; temperature is 12°C.
Jeff added: five years of high clarity since the 2016 alum treatment.
(Expected duration is five to ten years.)
Treasurer’s Report (Karen Schurr)
Two new donations ($50 from the Westhusings and $1000 from an anonymous donor)
Next Meeting Topics
Homeless, Floating Wetlands, and meet the new environmental director of Parks.
Next FOGL Meeting: set for 4th Tuesday of March on March 23
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Prepared by Lynne Peck with additions by Rob Zisette