Project Description
The Cedar Creek rainwater management project will address water quality, creek health, and flooding concerns in the Cedar Creek basin.
City of Kirkland is in the initial study phase of the project. This phase will identify locations and develop preliminary designs for three rainwater management facilities that, when constructed, will help reduce rainwater runoff and address water quality and flooding concerns.
Location
The Cedar Creek basin is in northern Kirkland and is part of the larger Juanita Creek watershed.
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What's Happening Now?
The potential sites for rainwater management facilities in the Cedar Creek basin has been narrowed down to 3 locations. This process included collecting information about Cedar Creek basin conditions, along with input from potential facility site neighbors.
We are developing preliminary designs for the 3 locations. Project construction is planned for a future phase, dependent on future funding.
Community Benefits
- Greener, more attractive neighborhoods
- Lower risk of street and property flooding
- Improved water quality for ecosystems and recreation
- Healthier Cedar Creek and Juanita Creek
Community Engagement
We want to be sure that while meeting our water quality needs, we also meet the needs of the community. Throughout this first study phase of the project, we will engage with the community and seek public input.
We will ask for public input on preliminary designs for the 3 locations when they are completed in early spring 2022.
Learn about the Cedar Creek Rainwater Management Project
Why Cedar Creek basin?
Much of the area surrounding Cedar Creek was developed before we knew of the need for rainwater management. This has resulted in damage to Cedar Creek from high water flows and pollution. In addition, Cedar Creek flows to Juanita Creek, which has bacteria levels and temperatures that are too high, and oxygen levels and creek life indicators that are too low.
One strategy the City of Kirkland is using to solve this problem is to build rainwater management facilities, which reduce polluted runoff and flooding and improve water quality in areas that do not currently have rainwater management facilities.
What is rainwater runoff?
Rainwater runoff is rainwater or melting snow that doesn’t evaporate or soak into the ground. Rainwater runoff carries pollutants like pesticides, fertilizers, soaps, and vehicle fluids to the nearest creek or lake, and can cause flooding and erosion downstream.
Rainwater in Kirkland is a story map discussing rainwater runoff, its impacts on water quality and our community, and how City of Kirkland and others are working to prevent and solve runoff-related problems.
What does a rainwater management facility look like?
In this first phase of the project, City of Kirkland is investigating what types of rainwater management facilities to build and where within the Cedar Creek basin they should be installed.
The project is considering a wide range of options including rain gardens and underground vaults as types of facilities that may be installed.
Rain gardens slow the flow of rainwater runoff and let it filter into the ground naturally.
Underground vaults and wells slow the flow of rainwater runoff and allow pollutants to settle to the bottom to be cleaned out later.
This project is funded in part by a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology