There were many smiling faces at the Community Celebration to celebrate the recent Green Lake alum treatment. Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent Ken Bounds officially reopened the now clean, clear, blue lake.

Green Lake was closed to recreation including wading, swimming and "wet-water boating" activities like sailboarding since August 2003. Mayor Greg Nickels expressed gratitude to Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle citizens, and Friends of Green Lake for their efforts to improve this beautiful asset.

Friends of Green Lake presented Mayor Nickels with a "Lake Green BeGone" coffee mug, a bottle of the clear water from Green Lake and our deepest appreciation for supporting the alum treatment funding.

Visitors to the FOGL information table congratulated us for our success. Hot dogs and soft drinks, provided by the Green Lake Recreation Center Advisory Council, were much appreciated.

The alum treatment, which began March 18 and continued into early April, will provide up to ten years of protection from toxic algae blooms.

Carp control at Green Lake
Learn about our monitoring program

Treatment began March 18, and was completed, on or near, April 7.

Treatment chemicals, prepared in British Columbia, were transported twice a day to Green Lake. Alum (aluminum sulfate) and buffer (sodium aluminate) were pumped into tanks on the treatment barge and sprayed into the water through PVC pipes from the rear of the barge. The barge operator guided the barge to designated treatment areas using a GPS (global positioning system).

During treatment, to prevent acidic conditions that could result in fish kills, environmental consultants monitored water pH and alkalinity and additional water quality parameters.

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©2008 Friends of Green Lake
PO Box 30544, Seattle, WA 98113

Webmaster - Ellen Hewitt
Updated May 12, 2008