Restore Deschutes Estuary in Washington State

Capitol Lake Adaptive Management Plan Steering Committee (CLAMP) studied the options of continuing the lake versus restoring Deschutes Estuary for over ten years at a cost of over one million dollars. CLAMP knows more about this issue than any other single entity in the world.

CLAMP determined that Deschutes Estuary restoration is the best option both economically and environmentally and recently recommended estuary restoration the Linda Villegas Bremer, Director and decision maker for the Washington State Department of General Administration.

Please continue to voice your support for Deschutes Estuary restoration on Puget Sound.

This restoration project will add 260 acres of highly valuable estuary and will help restore the failing health of Puget Sound.

Capitol Lake is a reservoir formed in 1951 by impounding the Deschutes River Estuary with an earthen dam on 5th Ave. in Olympia, WA. The lake has many problems and is significantly responsible for causing some of the worst water quality in Budd Inlet on the southern reaches of Puget Sound, WA as measured by Washington State Dept. of Ecology. The lake is filling with sediment and will become a marsh if not dredged.

It will cost greater than 100 million more taxpayer dollars to maintain the failing lake/reservoir than restore it will cost to permanently restore Deschutes estuary.

An engineering consultant calculated that it would potentially cost over 1 Billion dollars (that is billion with a B) to dredge Capitol Lake over 50 years.

Once the Deschutes Estuary is created, there will be no cost to dredge the estuary. The worst case cost to dredge the nearby marina's and port is less than 1/3rd the cost of maintaining and dredging Capitol Lake reservoir over 50 years.

The Science is in, there is nothing left to ponder. The estuary is best economic and ecologic option for Puget Sound and Budd Inlet.

All the scientific studies clearly show a major ecological advantage to wildlife, water quality and therefore the health of our ailing Puget Sound with Deschutes Estuary restoration.

All the scientific studies show that a restored Deschutes Estuary is better for the long term health of Budd Inlet and South Puget Sound.

It is much cheaper to restore Deschutes Estuary then it is to maintain Capitol Lake over the next 50 years.

The local marinas and the Port of Olympia will continue to operate as usual after Deschutes Estuary restoration.

Please sign this petition to show your support of Deschutes Estuary restoration.

Thank you,

Paul J Allen

Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team