Lake Kapowsin in east Pierce County was designated as the state’s first freshwater aquatic reserve by the Peter Goldmark, commissioner of public lands.
Kapowsin is one of the last undeveloped lakes in Puget Sound’s lowlands, according to a press release from the state’s Department of Natural Resources.
The aquatic reserve program promotes preservation, restoration and environmental enhancement for bodies of water with education, scientific or environmental interest. The lake is the eighth such reserve.
Lake Kapowsin was formed when the Electron Mudflow surged down from Mount Rainier and dammed the Kapowsin Creek some 500 years ago, the release said.
The dammed lake submerged a cedar forest that provides habitat for warmwater fish, amphibians and migratory water birds. It covers 512 acres and much of its shoreline is natural with shallow waters.
The Department of Natural Resources worked with the community and government organizations over the past two years to develop a management plan for the lake.
For more information, visit http://file.dnr.wa.gov/publications/aqr_resv_lake_kapowsin_draft_mgmtplan_0716.pdf.
