Imagine Lake Washington. It stretches out before us a vast expanse of freshwater. It is the second largest natural lake in Washington State. Seattle borders it on the west. Bellevue and Kirkland are to the east. Renton is to the south and Kenmore to the north. Mercer Island sits nestled in its waters.
Lake Washington is known as x̌ačuʔ (lake) in Lushootseed. This is the language of the Duwamish and other Indigenous peoples. They have lived here for millennia. Early European settlers recorded it as At-sar-kal. The Chinook Jargon name Hyas Chuck meant great or large water. Other names included Lake Geneva and Lake Duwamish. In 1854, it was named Lake Washington after George Washington. The Washington Territory had been named the year before.
The lake’s geography is fascinating. It formed during the Vashon Glaciation. This was when the Cordilleran Ice Sheet retreated. Glacial erosion and subglacial meltwater carved out the basin. About 5,700 years ago, sedimentation cut it off from Puget Sound. Before 1916, the Black River drained Lake Washington.
The construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal changed everything. The canal connected Lake Washington to Lake Union and Puget Sound. The lake level dropped nearly nine feet. The Black River dried up. The Sammamish River was once the primary water source. The Cedar River was diverted to become the lake’s primary source.
Concrete floating bridges span Lake Washington. The depth and muddy bottom made traditional bridges impossible. These bridges float on hollow concrete pontoons. They are anchored with cables. Three floating bridges cross Lake Washington. These are the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, and the Third Lake Washington Bridge. The Evergreen Point and Lacey V. Murrow bridges are the longest and second longest floating bridges in the world.
Several cities and towns border Lake Washington. Seattle, Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and Kirkland are some. Mercer Island is a city located on the island of the same name.
Around 1900, Seattle began dumping sewage into Lake Washington. By the 1960s, the lake was heavily polluted. Algae blooms thrived and fish populations declined. Citizens became concerned. A system was created to divert the sewage to Puget Sound. The diversion was completed in 1968. The lake quickly recovered.
Today, Lake Washington offers many recreational opportunities. Boating and sport fishing are popular. Fish species include salmon, trout, bass, perch, and crappie. There are also two passenger seaplane bases on the lake.
Lake Washington stands as a reminder of both natural forces and human impact. Its waters have shaped history. They continue to provide recreation. The lake is a vital part of the Seattle area. It is a place of beauty and a testament to recovery.