Update: April 8, 2013 - The City's consultants from Anchor QEA have completed a study on lake bottom sediment and water samples from 30 locations along Kenmore's shoreline that shows that most of the areas studied have dioxin levels well below State cleanup requirements.
Fortunately, sediment samples taken in areas where people and pets may have contact with the lake bottom, such as Kenmore's Log Boom Park, the Boat Launch area near the mouth of the Sammamish River, and Lake Forest Park's Lyon Creek Park, showed dioxin below Ecology screening levels. Dioxins in sediments at two private marinas exceeded those levels, and Ecology will pursue further investigation of those areas in cooperation with the property owners. Those sediments are in privately-owned areas not readily accessible to people and pets.
The City was also interested in the sediment conditions in the Kenmore Navigation Channel to help determine sediment disposal options for future US Army Corps of Engineers maintenance dredging of the Channel. The City has been working with the Congressional Delegation and the Corps of Engineers to support federal budget funding for the overdue maintenance dredging of the federal channel. The study results indicate that the least costly sediment disposal option may be appropriate.
The City of Kenmore paid for just under $100,000 of the $153,000 study. The State Department of Ecology, City of Lake Forest Park, and owners of Northlake Marina also participated in funding the study. Other property owners allowed access for the sampling, which took place in November 2012.
The Washington Department of Ecology will issue a final report this Spring which incorporates the data from the study, and the Washington Department of Health is preparing a Health Consultation Report, which is expected in late Spring.