In 1970, my limnology instructor, W. Thomas Edmonson, published “Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Algae in Lake Washington after Diversion of Sewage.”
In this study Edmonson implicated phosphorus from sewage as being the element that “fertilized” algae in Lake Washington.
Unlike Lake Washington, Vancouver Lake is shallow and seasonally warms up. Seasonal algae blooms in the lake are a typical sign of nutrient overloading. The city of Vancouver, Clark County, and the Department of Ecology have to measure TMDLs (total maximum daily loads) for the tributaries flowing into the lake. This would include Burnt Bridge Creek, Lake River, the flushing channel and Salmon Creek watersheds. These watersheds are already listed as exceeding state and federal standards for phosphorus.
The degradation of lakes and creeks in the county is also caused by the use of stream buffer averaging by planners. Averaging is used for one thing and one thing only: To make development more profitable for developers at the cost to our environment and our quality of life, and salmon and steelhead.
So, the city of Vancouver, Clark County and the Port of Vancouver must work together with stakeholders in a lake management plan (and stream management plan) to benefit us all.
