Green - Duwamish River Watershed
The Green River Watershed is the land area where rainwater drains to the Green-Duwamish River. The watershed includes Black River, Springbrook Creek, Mill Creek, Soos Creek, Jenkins and Covington Creeks, Newaukum Creek, Crisp Creek, and other tributaries. This page provides information specific to the Green-Duwamish Watershed while information spanning multiple watersheds may be found on our King County watersheds information page.
For information about the area that is a source for City of Tacoma's drinking water, please see Tacoma Water's Green River Watershed page (external) or our related organizations page.
Introduction to watersheds
Notice of boating hazards
Known hazards on King County rivers
Reports of confirmed logjams and obstructions that pose a hazard to recreational river users, but does not include hazards that are not known.
Projects in the Green River Watershed
Water and land improvement projects, Green River Watershed
Look up flooding, wastewater treatment and stormwater projects in King County, Washington.
Flooding and hydrology
 Green River flooding information
Look up real time gage data, flood phase/ river crest descriptions and learn what high water means to you along the Green-Duwamish River.
Flood photo viewer
Use a map to to look up photographs of past floods on the Green River and other rivers in King County.
Hydrologic gage data map
Look up detailed gaging station data from area creeks and rivers.
Precipitation near Howard Hanson Dam, Green River (external link)
Precipitation monitoring station data, map, and graphs courtesy of the Office of the Washington State Climatologist.
Duwamish Waterway cleanup
Find pollution-related information below under Surface water and groundwater.
Our Duwamish
Overview of the Duwamish River cleanup work that is progressing now, including FAQs and considerations for community health and environmental justice. The site describes the Duwamish community, area jobs and businesses, and how to get involved.
Duwamish Waterway superfund cleanup programs
Accomplishments to restore the Duwamish Waterway, timeline, major milestones, approaches and participants, and how to prevent future pollution.
Pollution source control reports, Lower Duwamish Waterway
Progress reports describing the status of source control activities completed by King County Industrial Waste Program and Seattle Public Utilities as part of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund cleanup.
Sediment remediation projects
Cleanup of contaminated sites in the Duwamish Waterway and Elliott Bay to enhance and restore habitat for aquatic life.
Salmon recovery
WRIA 9 salmon recovery:
Green/Duwamish River
This page provides information about the recovery of threatened salmon species in the Green/Duwamish drainage area including an overview of the planning process, scientific information, and meeting records. We welcome your participation.
Salmon recovery by subwatershed
Surface water and groundwater
Report problems: drainage and water quality
Stormwater runoff pollution and how to reduce it
Tips on how to reduce water pollution from home, yard, car, pets and so forth.
How can I help the Duwamish?
Green River Stormwater Retrofit Planning Project
Project to develop best practices for stormwater management, to improve local drainage techniques to meet future in-stream flow conditions and water quality goals in the Green-Duwamish River Watershed.
Green-Duwamish River watershed map
Drainage map displaying streams, lakes, drainage divides, and major roads in the area that drains to the Duwamish waterway and into Elliott Bay. The map is in Acrobat format. File size is 941 Kb.
South King County groundwater management area
Learn about plans to protect the aquifer in the south county area including the Green-Duwamish watershed localities of Renton, Kent, Auburn, Covington, Black Diamond, Maple Valley, Tukwila, and areas in between.
Watch Video:
Preventing flood disasters
King County is at work this summer repairing levees
RealPlayer needed to watch this video.
Video length 22 minutes, 22 seconds.
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Study of the Greater Lake Washington and Green-Duwamish River Watersheds Reports
This report summarizes benthic macroinvertebrate data collected from a total of 130 sites in 20 sub-basins in the Green Duwamish River and Greater Lake Washington watersheds during August and September 2003 and 2003.
Green-Duwamish River Watershed quality assessment
Comprehensive study of the Green-Duwamish River water quality and the land area draining to it, to help guide policy, prioritize cleanup and restoration efforts, and protect salmon stocks from depletion.
Green-Duwamish Microbial Source Tracking Report
This report describes the results of a microbial source tracking project on the Green River.
Stormwater runoff pollution and how to reduce it
Rainstorms rinse the watershed faster when covered by hard surfaces like roofs and roads. Learn how stormwater brings pollution, wastes and sediments into streams, rivers and lakes and how you can keep stormwater clean.
Lake information
Lake weedwatcher project
Pollution monitoring
Ongoing water quality sampling in the Duwamish Waterway, Green River and tributary creeks. Current water quality data are available for:
Endocrine disrupting chemicals in the environment
Learn about these natural and synthetic chemicals flushed daily into our waters, and discover what King County is doing to protect public health and the environment as the science and our understanding of endocrine disruptors develops.
Wastewater treatment
South Treatment plant An overview of King County's wastewater treatment plant on the Duwamish River at 1200 Monster Road SW Renton , WA 98057. Directions
Lower Duwamish sediment cleanup
Current news, announcements and documents about a superfund project to clean up the Duwamish River.
Black Diamond wastewater storage facility
The county is continuing design on an underground wastewater storage facility in the City of Black Diamond that will extend the life of existing equipment and defer the need to build additional new conveyance pipes and pumping facilities for several years.
Pacific pump station replacement project
Overview of a plan to replace a worn-out pump station in the City of Pacifc and add capacity.
Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program
During heavy rainstorms, our combined sewers may exceed their capacity and the mixture of untreated sewage and stormwater is allowed to overflow into the Duwamish River and other water bodies to keep it from backing up into homes and businesses. Learn how King County is working to improve our system to control overflows.
Combined sewer overflow water quality assessment
Analysis of water and sediment quality in the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay to use as a basis for cleanup and restoration projects.
Recreation and appreciation
King County natural areas:
Look up individual properties protected in King County's open space system for their ecological and working resource values. The natural lands site provides addresses, pictures, location maps and rules for public use:
Interurban trail
Green River trail
The Interurban and Green River Trails will comprise a system of 46 miles. The Interurban Trail currently covers 14 miles from I-405 in Tukwila to 3rd Ave SW, just south of Pacific. The Green River Trail will span 30 miles from Seattle's Alki Point to King County's Auburn Narrows Park. Its completed sections traverse the industrial heart of the valley from south Seattle through Kent, connecting to a number of neighborhoods and community trails.
Soos Creek trail
The Soos Creek Trail features a gentle grade in a natural setting suitable for leisurely strolls, bicycle rides and horse rides. To find out more about this unique resource, the King County Park System offers a variety of interpretive programs and volunteer opportunities for interested trail users.
Fishing regulations and seasons (external link)
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife fishing rules for Washington State including Green/Duwamish River, its tributaries and lakes within the watershed.
Known hazards on King County rivers
Reports of confirmed logjams and obstructions that pose a hazard to recreational river users, but does not include hazards that are not known.
Lands
 Historic and recent aerial photographs
Aerial photos from the 1930's, 1970's and 1990's illustrating growth around Lake Meridian in the Soos Creek drainage, among other areas in King County.
Agriculture services and information
Comprehensive information related to agriculture in King County including parts of the Green River Watershed.
Forestry
Comprehensive information related to forestry across King County including parts of the Green River Watershed.
Green-Duwamish Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) Knotweed Project annual reports
Noxious weed infestation map
Interactive map showing location of regulated noxious weed infestations.
Community supported agriculture farms (Acrobat format)
Green River Watershed facts:
- Watershed Size: 492 square miles
- River Length: 65 miles from Elliott Bay to Howard Hanson Dam
- Population: Approx. 400,000
- Salmon Species Present: Chinook, chum, coho, winter steelhead
- Other Interesting Wildlife: Elk, black bear, cougar, bald eagle, osprey, blue heron
- Number of Dams - two:
- Howard Hanson Dam, Built 1962 and
- Tacoma Water Supply Diversion Dam, Built 1911
For help with services in the Green River Watershed or to report a problem, please contact Josh Kahan, Green River Basin Steward, and for Newaukum Creek, please contact Tom Beavers.
.
|
Flood warning for mobile devices