Lake Burien is a small lake in Burien, Washington, just west of downtown. The lake is publicly owned, but is completely surrounded by private property, rendering it inaccessible to the public.
| Lake Burien | |
|---|---|
 Aerial view of Lake Burien, looking east | |
  Lake Burien  Lake Burien | |
| Location | Burien, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°27′53″N 122°21′14″W / 47.464698°N 122.353826°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 44 acres (18 ha) |
| Max. depth | 29 ft (8.8 m) |
History
editLake Burien played a key role in Burien's early history. The city was originally founded by homesteaders, who settled along the Puget Sound and the shores of the lake.[1] The Lake was named for Gottlieb and Emma Worm Burian, early settlers in the area (it is unclear how "Burian" became "Burien"). In the early 20th century, Lake Burien became a popular summer vacation destination for those living in nearby Seattle. The Highland Park and Lake Burien Railway, constructed in 1912, spurred further development of the area.[2]
Description
editLake Burien has 660 acres (270 ha) of watershed, extending mostly to the north and south of the lake. It is a kettle lake, formed by the retreat of the Cordilleran ice sheet. Nearby Angle Lake and Bow Lake were also formed in this process.[2] The last water quality report was taken in 2004, indicating a borderline mesotrophic/oligotrophic lake.[3] However, the lake has had several issues with algal blooms.[4][5]
Lake Burien is publicly owned, but is completely surrounded by private property. This has angered many local residents, who see it as a public resource that all citizens should be able to enjoy. Lakefront property owners have pushed back against these claims, arguing that public access will hurt water quality.[6] In 2023, a group of residents petitioned the city to buy land from the Ruth Dykeman Children's Center to create a lakefront park. The city refused to consider this proposal.[7]
References
edit- ^ "About Burien". Burien. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ a b DeCoster, Dotty. "Burien — Thumbnail History". HistoryLink. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ "Lake Burien". King County. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ "Caution about Blue-Green Algae on Lake Burien" (PDF). King County. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ "Algal Toxin Found in Lake Burien Water Sample". Burien. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ Lacitis, Erik. "Lake Burien: the public lake you can't use". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
- ^ Mayne, Jack. "Should Lake Burien Get A Public Park? City Says No'". B-Town Blog.