What are we doing?
Clean Lake Union is focused on the collection of Seattle’s storm water runoff and divert it into new bioretention swales that naturally clean pollutants from the water before it makes its way into our city’s waterways. CLU is working to identify existing catch basins at several locations along the shores of Seattle’s public waterways.
There are numerous catch basins surrounding Lake Union and the adjoining waterways. These catch basins currently collect all stormwater runoff from bridges and roadways around Seattle and send it directly into the lake. Clean Lake Union is working to create sustainable solutions to cleaning stormwater before it makes in into our lakes and streams. By working with partner organizations, land owners, and city officials we are working to install bioretention swales at catch basin locations that will naturally remove pollutants from the water. The result is cleaner water that benefits all that depend on it, especially the Sockeye, Chinook, and Coho salmon that migrate thru Lake Union on their way to spawning streams.
Where are we doing it?
Current projects focus on catch basins and outfalls surrounding Lake Union and Lake Washington, including the Aurora Bridge, the Fremont Bridge, the Ballard Bridge, the University Bridge, and the Montlake Bridge. The storm water collected from these bridge decks currently flows untreated into the lake, which are ultimately connected to Puget Sound.
