Bellevue Watershed Management Plan

Thank you for your interest in Bellevue’s Watershed Management Plan. Although the City does not have the authority to manage wildlife, the mission for the City’s stormwater management is to provide a surface water system that controls damage from storms, protects surface water quality, supports fish & wildlife habitat, and protects the environment.

The City’s Utilities Department implements an Environmental Monitoring Program to collect information about stream health. The Environmental Monitoring Program uses the specific environmental indicators (macroinvertebrates, resident fish, salmon spawning, water quality, hydrology, and physical stream habitat) to inform management actions, identify stream health concerns, and assess restoration projects.

Because this is program is managed by Utilities, it does not include assessments for terrestrial wildlife species, but the program does monitor adult salmon returning to Coal Creek and physical stream attributes such as stream edge habitat and spawning habitat throughout the City. Macroinvertebrates and resident fish data also helps inform about the condition of our local food webs for wildlife and terrestrial ecosystems.

Bellevue Utilities also gathers general information about New Zealand mudsnails, an aquatic invasive species that threatens Bellevue’s streams. For more information on invasive aquatic species and preventing the spread of these species, please visit the City’s website here. Bellevue Parks manages noxious vegetation in the City's forests and parks. These are species that are non-native to an environment and will outcompete native species and reduce the amount of quality habitat available for birds and other wildlife. There are many volunteering opportunities at Bellevue focused on the environment, such as weekly restoration work parties and noxious weed removal.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is the agency with authority to manage wildlife. WDFW manages a database and map on Priority Habitats and Species (PHS), available to view online here. This information helps landowners and developers design projects that conserve habitat and species and helps local governments decide where to focus habitat conservation efforts. The City coordinates with WDFW on planning efforts and programs to improve fish and wildlife habitat.

For more information on habitat recovery and protection, please visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website here. Thank you again for your interest.  Please feel free to contact me should you have additional questions.

Leah Mikulsky, Environmental Project Planner 

Watershedplan@bellevuewa.gov

Thank you for your interest in Bellevue’s Watershed Management Plan. To help the City identify the unique conditions of each watershed, the Plan development has been divided into planning phases, or Planning Elements. The foundational data gathering Watershed Assessment Reports each include a subsection titled “Riparian Corridor” under the “Natural Systems” section documenting existing conditions. 

The City just completed the Watershed Improvement Plan, which summarizes the limiting factors of watersheds and subbasins in Bellevue, prioritization and management strategy, performance goals, and proposed policies and programs to meet the performance goals of each watershed. Some of the recommended policies and programs may be specific to a subbasin or applicable at a watershed or city-wide scale. 

Programs along riparian corridors and programs that focus on upland habitat (tree planting, riparian enhancement, invasive species management, and wetland restoration) have been proposed to help improve watershed health. There will be an upcoming opportunity for the community to take an online survey to help inform prioritization of recommended policies and investments. 

Thank you again for your interest.  Please feel free to contact me should you have additional questions.

Leah Mikulsky, Environmental Project Planner 

Watershedplan@bellevuewa.gov

Hi Phil,

Thank you for your interest in Bellevue’s Watershed Management Plan. You raise good points.

To help the City identify the unique conditions of each watershed, the project is divided into stages.  In the first stage, the project team will characterize and assess the City’s watersheds, producing four watershed assessment reports for each of the following: Small Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, Coal Creek, and Greater Kelsey Creek. 

You are correct: each of these larger watershed groupings is made up of multiple sub-watersheds. In the case of the Small Lake Washington Watershed there are five sub-watersheds: Yarrow Creek, Meydenbauer Creek, the Clyde Beach area, Beaux Arts area, and Lakehurst area. 

Within the Small Lake Washington Watershed Assessment Report (to be completed by the end of the year) we will be looking at each sub-watershed individually. The project team is also reaching out to the jurisdictions that are part of these sub-watersheds –Kirkland, Beaux Arts, and Clyde Hill – to work together on plans for improving steam health.

Again, thank you for your interest.  Please feel free to contact me should you have additional questions.

Jerry Shuster, Senior Engineer
watershedplan@bellevuewa.gov