Lake Sawyer

Lake Sawyer
An expanse of open water with a patch of lily pads in the foreground, with houses and a forest of evergreen trees on the opposite shoreline
View from Lake Sawyer Regional Park
Location of Lake Sawyer in Washington, USA.
Location of Lake Sawyer in Washington, USA.
Lake Sawyer
Location of Lake Sawyer in Washington, USA.
Location of Lake Sawyer in Washington, USA.
Lake Sawyer
LocationBlack Diamond, Washington, United States
Coordinates47°20′0″N 122°2′15″W / 47.33333°N 122.03750°W / 47.33333; -122.03750
Part ofGreen River watershed
Primary inflowsBeaver Creek, Rock Creek
Primary outflowsCovington Creek
Catchment area8,320 acres (33.7 km2)
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area310 acres (1.3 km2)
Average depth25 feet (7.6 m)
Max. depth58 feet (18 m)
Residence time19 weeks[1]
Surface elevation495 feet (151 m)
References[2]

Lake Sawyer is a freshwater lake in Black Diamond, Washington. Only three other natural lakes in King County have a larger surface area.[3]

Lake Sawyer is underlain by glacial outwash and till dating from the Vashon Glaciation, as well as older glaciations that occurred during the Pleistocene.[4] The bedrock underlying this mass of sediments is classified as the Hammer Bluff Formation, which was deposited during the Miocene epoch and consists of sedimentary rocks with some volcanic deposits.[5][6] Discharge from the lake via groundwater outflow is thought to occur mostly in the northeast and southwest corners.[7] Lake Sawyer is classified as mesotrophic, with algal growth limited by phosphorus availability.[8] A 1994 survey found 23 species of plants growing in the lake and along its shorelines, including the invasive Myriophyllum spicatum and Nymphaea odorata.[9]

A concrete dam was built at the outlet in 1952 to regulate the lake level.[10] Several species of fish, some of which are stocked, can be caught in the lake.[11]

References

  1. ^ Pelletier & Joy, p. 9.
  2. ^ McConnell, J. B.; Bortleson, G. C.; Innes, J. K. (1976). Data on Selected Lakes in Washington, Part 4 (PDF). Washington Water Supply Bulletin (Report). Vol. 42. Washington Department of Ecology. pp. 118–121. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  3. ^ "Lake Sawyer". King County, Washington. September 9, 2019. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  4. ^ Lake Sawyer Hydrogeologic Study, p. 22–23.
  5. ^ Lake Sawyer Hydrogeologic Study, p. 23.
  6. ^ Mullineaux, Donald R. (1970). Geology of the Renton, Auburn, and Black Diamond Quadrangles, King County, Washington (PDF) (Report). United States Geological Survey. pp. 24–26. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  7. ^ Lake Sawyer Hydrogeologic Survey, p. 25–34.
  8. ^ Lake Sawyer Management Plan, Executive Summary, pp. 2–4.
  9. ^ Lake Sawyer Management Plan, Chapter 4, pp. 19–21.
  10. ^ Pelletier & Joy, p. 1.
  11. ^ "Lake Sawyer". Washington Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 16, 2023.

Bibliography