From Dec-2011 to May-2012, residents of Finn Hill collected information about surface water concerns in our Kirkland, Washington neighborhood. Data collection methods included field reconnaissance, telephone interviews, e-mail correspondence, and a targeted Internet survey.
This web site provides information about Finn Hill surface water management project (SWAMP) activities coordinated by Lou Berner, a Finn Hill resident.
Results and recommendations for the Finn Hill neighborhood are similar to those published by the Puget Sound Action Team, Puget Sound Keepers, and the Puget Sound Partnership for watersheds across the Puget Sound basin. Initial results of our project are summarized in five categories of surface water issues: Juanita Drive and other impermeable surfaces, Denny Creek, infrastructure improvements, residential surface water concerns, and best practices for low impact development.
While we continue to gather information about surface water management, we have begun to work with Kirkland Public Works to implement solutions for known issues.
Have a suggestion?
Have a surface water issue to report?
Use the links below to find out more, communicate with the surface water team, or to get involved.
This is a marvelous document! Thanks so much for all your work in pulling this together. It will be a big help as I continue to learn about the Finn Hill Neighborhood. – Kirkland Public Works
VERY impressive report! Very professional. I hope that it can prompt some action. A great model for other communities, if they are lucky enough to have such an active community group and cooperative city staff. I will be interested to hear to what extent you are able to make progress on the issues identified – please keep me posted. - Area resident
This is a great example of a community group identifying surface water concerns and working in conjunction with their local government to address them! - Eric Adman, President of the Sno-King Watershed Council
Putting the information together in a professional package, like Finn Hill has done, can really add to the impact when presenting the material to local governments or others. - Area resident
Thanks so much for you care and passion for our neighborhood. I’m so impressed with your energy and efforts. I’m thankful because maybe someone will listen about the water problems on my property and my neighbors. I’ve spent so much money but there is only so much I can do. Maybe this will help! - Finn Hill resident
Please plan on attending the members’ meeting next Wednesday, May 29th in the Cafeteria of the Finn Hill Middle School on 8040 NE 132nd Street. We will cover a host of developments affecting our neighborhood including the Juanita Drive Corridor Study, the Surface Water Master Plan and the Big Finn Hill Park Trail Plan. As you can see, Finn Hill faces a host of very important challenges in the coming weeks and months. Let’s make sure that we get involved as a community and create solutions that will enhance our quality of life. The...
read moreFinn Hill Neighbors and Friends: April-May 2013. Here’s a quick report on notable events and developments on Finn Hill. There is a lot going on: Saturday, April 27 – Fabulous Finn Hill Garage Sale Extravaganza: If you looking for deals this weekend, or just need an excuse to hopscotch around Finn Hill, check out all of Finn Hill’s garage sales this Saturday. You’re bound to find that lava lamp you’re looking for. A map and details on what’s being sold are available on our website. (Note: you’ll find 3 garage sales in...
read moreThe City of Kirkland has asked me to provide surface water management priorities for the Finn Hill neighborhood via a survey developed by Kirkland Public Works. The survey will be used to update the Kirkland Surface Water Master Plan to guide work that will be done across the City for the next five years. The survey is useful to Finn Hill residents because it helps us to clarify and communicate surface water priorities for our neighborhood. I have provided a draft of my survey responses in the space below. The statements I have...
read moreFall/Winter Update After submitting the Finn Hill Surface Water Management Project (SWAMP) report to Kirkland in June 2012, I was invited to meet with Kirkland Public Works to review our requests and to develop a list of projects and maintenance activities that would improve surface water management in our neighborhood. I met with Jenny Gaus and Seppo Tervo to discuss the variety of maintenance, repair, education, monitoring, and capital improvement projects reported by residents across Finn Hill. At the time of our meeting, many of...
read moreYes, it will start to rain again. But we can make the most of it with rain gardens. They are a great way to optimize our region’s bountiful rainfall for growing plants and vegetables, while controlling surface water runoff. Kirkland is creating rain gardens at various properties around town, and several will be installed on Finn Hill on October 13 (revised date) at 138th Street between 88th and 90th. Click here for details. You’re invited to stop by and learn how you can create your own rain garden. (And the city wouldn’t mind a bit if...
read moreFinn Hill Surface Water Management and Drainage Concerns From Dec-2011 to May-2012, residents of Finn Hill collected information about surface water concerns in our Kirkland, Washington neighborhood. Data collection methods included field reconnaissance, telephone interviews, e-mail correspondence, and a targeted Internet survey. Our results and recommendations for the Finn Hill neighborhood are similar to those published by the Puget Sound Action Team and the Puget Sound Partnership for watersheds across the Puget Sound basin. Initial results...
read moreIn 2007, a team of DCNA volunteers–George Ploudre, Kurt Seiffert, and Jim Sproull–completed a three-year study of Denny Creek and the 860-acre watershed surrounding it to assess the creek’s health and identify reasons why salmon and cutthroat trout were absent from it. Through extensive scientific testing and observation, the team concluded that housing developments above the creek were impeding the watershed’s ability to supply a controlled flow of water to Denny Creek, and also that King County drainage plans were moving water to...
read moreThough a time-honored tradition, we now know that washing your car in your driveway or on a neighborhood street pollutes waterways via storm drains. The rinse water from your car contains road grime, oil, grease, heavy metals, and soap. Even small amounts of these pollutants are toxic to fish and other aquatic animals. Letting your car wash water go into a storm drain not only pollutes your lakes and creeks, it’s also against the law (Kirkland Municipal Code Chapter 15.52). What can you do? Wash your car at a commercial car wash. They are...
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