Embrace adventure with Refuge Outdoor Festival: Fifth-annual Refuge Outdoor Festival, Aug. 12-14, expands BIPOC community access to outdoor recreation at King County’s Tolt-MacDonald Park
The fifth-annual Refuge Outdoor Festival returns to King County’s Tolt-MacDonald Park Aug. 12-14, offering a camping experience focused on expanding participation and access to the great outdoors by and for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and allies through outdoor recreation workshops, music performances, art exhibitions, and community building.

King County to develop its first-ever Extreme Heat Mitigation Strategy to prepare the region for more intense, prolonged heat waves caused by climate change
Multiple King County departments are working with communities to develop the county’s first-ever Extreme Heat Mitigation Strategy to prepare the region for prolonged heat events that are occurring more frequently as the result of climate change. The record-setting heat wave in 2021 killed over 30 people in King County, the deadliest climate-related event in the region’s history.

Largest Snoqualmie River habitat restoration project begins near Fall City to benefit salmon, improve area flood protection
After almost a decade of project development, design, and fundraising, construction begins this summer on the Fall City Floodplain Restoration Project that will reconnect 145 acres of historic Snoqualmie River floodplain and reestablish vital habitat to benefit depleted Puget Sound salmon populations.

King County urges caution near local rivers, lakes, Puget Sound this summer as water is cold, fast from above-normal snowpack
With a cooler spring and lingering heavy snowpack creating swift-flowing rivers and colder open water temperatures, the King County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Natural Resources and Parks, and Public Health – Seattle & King County urge people to be more vigilant this summer around local lakes, rivers, and beaches.

King County Solid Waste launches NextCycle Washington to expand region’s circular economy with financial, technical support
The King County Solid Waste Division is launching the NextCycle Washington program to provide technical and financial support to businesses to expand efforts around waste prevention, product repair, reuse and recycling, and composting. Applications are accepted through July 15.

CHOMP!, King County’s local food celebration, returns Aug. 20 to Marymoor Park with free live music, sustainable workshops, family activities
Drive-By Truckers will be the headliners for this year’s CHOMP!, King County’s daylong celebration of local food, live music, and green living workshops and other free activities when the event returns Aug. 20 to Marymoor Park.

King County Flood Warning Center closes as river levels recede, and will monitor flows with more heavy rain expected
The King County Flood Warning Center closed at 2 p.m. on Friday, June 10, as river levels receded from their peak flows following a strong late spring rainstorm that led to isolated minor flooding on the Snoqualmie River.

King County Flood Warning Center opens as strong late spring storm leads to minor flooding along Snoqualmie River
The King County Flood Warning Center opened at 12:45 a.m. on Friday, June 10, to monitor minor flooding along the Snoqualmie River as heavy rainfall from a powerful spring storm sent river levels higher across the region.

Tickets go on sale Friday for the next series of BECU Drive-in Movies at Marymoor Park, starting with 'Mean Girls' and 'Top Gun'
Organizers expect each screening for the next series of BECU Drive-in Movies at Marymoor Park to sell out quickly. Tickets go on sale Friday at MoviesatMarymoor.com.

Reminder: Following safety improvements, customer vehicles 25 feet or longer at King County’s Algona, Houghton Renton transfer stations
King County solid waste transfer station customers with vehicles that are 25 feet in length or longer should use the Bow Lake, Enumclaw, Factoria or Shoreline transfer stations, following completion of important safety upgrades completed at the Algona, Houghton and Renton facilities to protect customers from fall hazards.

Three city forest preservation projects in King County contribute to the largest urban forest credit purchase in U.S. history
Forestry projects with King County, City of Issaquah, and Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust -- along with several other partners throughout the country -- earned more than $1 million combined in the first bundled sale of carbon credits generated exclusively by urban forests.

Biologists see promising signs of health for native kokanee salmon four years after Executive Constantine announced actions to help ensure their survival
Biologists observed a sharp increase in the number of adult kokanee salmon returning to spawn four years after Executive Dow Constantine announced that King County would enact recommendations from the Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group.