Water levels in Capitol Lake will be drawn down later this month as part of efforts to restore the Deschutes Estuary.
Starting on July 19, the water gate on the 5th Avenue Dam will be opened, allowing water to flow from the lake to Budd Inlet.
A similar drawdown occurred in July 2024.
The low water levels will allow the Deschutes Estuary Restoration project team to survey the shoreline and existing structures, according to the Washington state Department of Ecology.
Once the work is complete, the Washington Department of Enterprise Services, which controls the dam, will close the water gate, allowing the Deschutes River flows to refill Capitol Lake.
Water will again cover the lakebed within a few days, but the Department of Enterprise Services expects it could take until July 31 for the lake to fully refill, the Department of Ecology said in a news release.
The drawdown and survey are part of the ongoing efforts to restore the tidal estuary that connected the Deschutes River and Budd Inlet prior to the construction of the dam in the 1950s. The Washington state Department of Ecology is leading the project, working closely with the Squaxin Island Tribe, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Department of Enterprise Services throughout the estuary restoration design process.
During the drawdown, the pedestrian path around Deschutes Parkway and Capitol Lake will remain open.
However, visitors are asked not to go out onto the exposed sediment, because the lake remains closed.
The project team will decontaminate any gear that is used within the basin to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, particularly the New Zealand mudsnail.
To stay updated on the project and future public involvement opportunities, subscribe to the project newsletter or visit DeschutesEstuaryProject.org
