Pipe Lake and Lake Lucerne are two lakes joined by a natural canal in King County, Washington, United States. The larger Pipe Lake is located on the border of Covington and Maple Valley, while the smaller Lake Lucerne is located entirely within Maple Valley. Both lakes are completely surrounded by private property.
| Pipe Lake and Lake Lucerne | |
|---|---|
 Pipe Lake (larger, lower left) and Lake Lucerne (smaller, upper right) connected by a natural canal | |
  Pipe Lake and Lake Lucerne  Pipe Lake and Lake Lucerne | |
| Location | Covington, Washington and Maple Valley, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°21′58″N 122°03′12″W / 47.36611°N 122.05333°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | Pipe Lake: 52 acres (21 ha) Lake Lucerne: 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
| Max. depth | Pipe Lake: 65 ft (20 m) Lake Lucerne: 37 ft (11 m) |
Description
editThe canal between the two lakes was once spanned by a log bridge, which was used when logging was the predominant industry in the area.[1] The bridge has since been destroyed, but it is unclear why.[1] Pipe Lake drains into Lake Lucerne, which has an overall watershed area of 409 acres (166 ha). Both lakes enjoy high water quality. Measurements have been taken consistently since 1996, and indicate that they are oligotrophic.[2][3] Neither lake has any public access, as they are completely surrounded by private property.[4]
Incidents
editIn 2012, between 100 and 200 US gallons (380 and 760 L) of raw sewage spilled into Pipe Lake due to a sewage blockage. Seattle Public Utilities determined that the lake was still safe for swimming. The blockage was cleared by flushing the sewer lines, and the resulting odor was expected to end within two days.[5]
The two lakes are the only body of water where Hydrilla (waterthyme), an invasive aquatic weed, has been found in the state of Washington.[6] It is hypothesized that the waterthyme originated from an aquarium dumped in the lake or alongside an exotic water lily. The lake has been intensely monitored to eradicate the weed and stop it from spreading elsewhere. The two lakes are among several in South King County that have suffered from rapid development, causing ecosystem degradation.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b Kombol, Bill (20 August 2019). "When coal was king: 1934 log bridge between Pipe Lake & Lake Lucerne". Voice of the Valley. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "Pipe Lake". King County. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "Lake Lucerne". King County. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ Lacitis, Erik (17 February 2013). "Lake Burien: the public lake you can't use". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "Maple Valley's Pipe Lake water safe for swimming despite spill". Covington Reporter. 16 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Johnson, Karen (14 October 2007). "Getting to the bottom of lakes". Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.