Clark Lake Park is a 150-acre (61 ha) park in Kent, Washington, United States, with the eponymous Clark Lake, 8-acre (3.2 ha) in size, the main highlight of the park.
| Clark Lake | |
|---|---|
 Sunset at Clark Lake | |
  Clark Lake  Clark Lake | |
| Location | Kent, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 47°23′00″N 122°10′30″W / 47.38333°N 122.17500°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Max. depth | 45 ft (14 m) |
Description
editClark Lake is surrounded by a 150-acre (61 ha) park. The park's major feature is a loop trail, which partially encircles the lake. The trail will be completed once the Ruth property is integrated into the park. The park is rural and forested, which contrasts with the denser development surrounding it. Activities include fishing from a dock on the lake, wildlife viewing, BMX biking, and hiking/walking.[1][2] Clark Lake has a 338-acre (137 ha) watershed, which includes most of the park as well as areas northwest of the lake. Measurements of its water quality were only taken in 2003 and 2004, but both measurements indicated that the lake was borderline eutrophic. Overall, the water quality was classified as fair or good.[3]
The final 17 acres (6.9 ha) of land, known as the Ruth Property, were acquired by Kent City Council in 2022 for $7.2 million.[4] Acquiring this property was a long-term goal for the city, since at least 1971. King County provided over $2 million in funding to help acquire this land, as part of a $52 million open space preservation initiative. The Ruth property was the last private property surrounding the lake. Its purchase will allow the city to complete the loop trail around the lake.[4] City and county officials hope that completing the loop trail will help increase the popularity of the park.[5] In addition, the city wished to control the entire shoreline of the lake to better protect water quality and wildlife habitat. If the property remained privately owned, development of the parcel could threaten the lake and the integrity of the park.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Clark Lake Park". Visit Kent. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ "Clark Lake Park". Washington Trails Association. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "Clark Lake". King County. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ a b Hunter, Steve (15 August 2022). "Kent City Council approves $7.2M purchase of land near Clark Lake Park". Kent Reporter. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ Hunter, Steve (26 January 2023). "Kent receives $2M King County grant to buy land by Clark Lake Park %7C Photos". Kent Reporter. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "CONSERVATION FUTURES (CFT) 2018 ANNUAL COLLECTIONS APPLICATION FOR FUNDS". King County. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.