Wapato Lake at South 72nd and Sheridan was Posted by the Tacoma Health Dept as
NO FISHING and NO SWIMMING AGAIN in Late July of 2007
This page was last updated: June 2, 2009
Copyright 2007-2009, Wally Giffin
All Rights Reserved.
Additional copyrights or sources apply as indicated on individual pages.
Updates by Wally Giffin
Site established on Oct.15, 2007
This Site Brought to YOU by
Wally and Jennifer Giffin
and Black River Falls Band
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The primary reason for this web site is to help clean up the pollution in Wapato Lake, make it available permanently for swimming, fishing, boating and all the other wonderful things that can be enjoyed with the largest lake in the City of Tacoma.
Wapato Park has been designated as a signature park in the Master Plan, so lets try to help the responsible parties own up to past mistakes and do it right this time.
This lake and park have been neglected for far too long.
If you don't care to read the particulars, please, at least go to the 'What do you want' page and fill out the survey.
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Many of the items in this web site are not generally known by the taxpayers of Tacoma.
These pages are here for you to see what has transpired with our tax payer supported lake since 1942 and specifically this past twenty five years or so.
We ask your help in persuading officials and the parties responsible for the disgusting condition of the lake to fix things permanently this time. Wapato park has the potential of being the crown jewel of Tacoma.
Just east of I-5 on S 72nd, we could put a 50 meter pool right here that would be the envy of all. And you wouldn't even have to tear up another pool or dig a deep hole.
We would really like to have our lake and park back for everyone to use and the very first priority should be to clean up the lake. The renovated bath house should be open later this month (October 07). We could be renting boats, fishing, swimming and maybe even be able to lay a blanket on the ground by the lake for a picnic by next summer. But we do need your input. The Impossible Just Takes a Little Longer and can be accomplished.
Contact information for officials will be included on the reference page.
The results of this survey will be passed on to all representatives of:
The City of Tacoma
Metro Parks
The State of Washington
and
Anyone else who might care to do the right thing.
Thanks in advance for your help in this matter
Wally Giffin
www.wallygiffin253@msn.com
414.8 tons of human poop and toilet paper
320,625 gallons of urine and stool water
243 tons of goose poop
These figures are low estimates of the pollution put into Wapato Lake since 1998 from two (TNT-6-26-2007) sewer pipes at the Tacoma Mall that were connected to a city storm water pipe. This pipe discharged directly into the Wapato retention pond instead of a city sewer line.
The crossed over pipes were repaired and connected properly in July of this year. Some feel that this condition may had been this way since the mall opened in 1965. TNT--7-6-07
The goose poop problem is addressed on other pages as well
The problem of storm water runoff pollution from I-5 and city streets has not been addressed on this web site but also has had and will continue to have quite an impact on the quality of water in our beloved lake. See resources page for “Interim Project Status Report”.
Of all the people talked to, their most frequent comment is that they “would love to go to Wapato park, except for the all the poop. You can’t even find a place to sit down.”
Isn’t it about time that a formal study is conducted about the Tacoma Mall pollution of our lake?
Was the retention pond cleaned out as well as the main lake in 1981 when the lake was drained of water?
The opinions in this web site are the opinions of Wally Giffin only. He is solely responsible for the site and content.
We hope that you concur with these opinions and will help with the restoration of our park and lake.
Please take the survey on the "What Do You Want" page. There, is available a chance to express your opinions.
Lots to learn at the lake during June 13, 2009 `Wake Up for Wapato' event
Take a boat tour, mark a storm drain, learn about the issues affecting
Wapato Lake and find out how you can make a difference during Wake Up for
Wapato, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, June 13, at the Wapato Lake
boathouse. The event is free and open to the public.
Whether you're looking to learn the nitty gritty about what's going on
with toxic algae, fecal coliform bacteria or the fate of the fish in the
lake, or simply want to know what you can do at home or in your
neighborhood to help out, this event provides a little something for
everyone.
Activities at Wake Up for Wapato include an aquatic classroom where
attendees can peek at the tiny creatures swimming in water samples from
Wapato Lake, educational boat rides on the lake, marking storm drains
with an "Only Rain in the Drain" message specific to the Wapato Lake
watershed and opportunities to learn about recent water-monitoring
results, natural yard care and volunteering with Friends of Wapato Lake.
The schedule for June 13:
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Booths and activities presented by City of Tacoma
Environmental Services, University of Washington Tacoma, Pierce
Conservation District Stream Team, Metro Parks Tacoma and Tacoma-Pierce
County Health Department
Storm drain marking groups meet at 9:30 a.m., boat tours begin at 10 a.m.
12:30-1 p.m.: Friends of Wapato Lake volunteer recognition
1-2 p.m.: Storm drain marking "power hour"
Volunteers interested in marking storm drains should pre-register with
Pierce Conservation District Stream Team's Melissa Buckingham at (253)
845-2973 or melissab@piercecountycd.org.
Wake Up for Wapato is part of an ongoing effort by City of Tacoma Surface
Water Management and University of Washington Tacoma to involve the
community in monitoring and improving surface water quality within the
Wapato Lake watershed.
What goes down storm drains flows directly - untreated - into local
waterways, such as Wapato Lake. A lot of people taking small, simple
steps - such as using minimal chemicals in the yard and around the house,
washing cars on the lawn or at a car wash instead of in the street, or
making sure vehicles aren't leaking fluids - can make a big impact when
it comes to restoring and preserving our local surface water resources
for future generations.
For more information about the Wake Up for Wapato event or volunteer
opportunities with Friends of Wapato Lake, contact Kayomi Wada at
Kayomi@u.washington.edu or (253) 692-4551.
