Clean Lake Union is focused on the treatment of Seattle’s storm water runoff by diverting it into new bioretention swales that naturally clean pollutants from the storm water before it makes its way into our city’s waterways.  CLU is working to identify all existing catch basins along the shores of Seattle’s public waterways.

There are hundreds of catch basins and outfalls surrounding Lake Union and the adjoining waterways. Catch basins currently collect all stormwater runoff from bridges and roadways around Seattle and send it directly into the lake untreated.  Clean Lake Union is working to create sustainable solutions to clean stormwater before it enters our lakes and streams.  By working with partner organizations, landowners and city officials,  our goal is to install bioretention swales at catch basin locations that will naturally remove pollutants from the storm water.  The result is cleaner water that benefits all that depend on it, especially the endangered Sockeye, Chinook, and Coho salmon species that migrate through Lake Union on their way to their spawning streams.