Steel Lake is a lake located in the city of Federal Way in southern King County, Washington, United States. Steel Lake Park is located on its southern shore. Interstate 5 is located just to the east of the lake, and Lake Dolloff is located on the other side of I-5.
| Steel Lake | |
|---|---|
 Steel Lake Park | |
  Steel Lake  Steel Lake | |
| Location | Federal Way, Washington |
| Coordinates | 47°19′39″N 122°18′10″W / 47.327524°N 122.302893°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 46.30 acres (18.74 ha) |
| Max. depth | 24 ft (7.3 m) |
| Surface elevation | 436 ft (133 m) |
History
editThe first homesteaders moved to the Federal Way area in 1871. The lake was named for Arthur Steele, one of these early settlers.[1]
In 2022, the city of Federal Way planned to develop the Steel Lake Annex, an 11-acre (4.5 ha) plot south of the main Steel Lake Park. The city proposed a new operations and maintenance facility on this site, which would house trucks, tractors, and other heavy equipment. The plan encountered great local opposition, as the annex is a popular public space that includes ballfields and a skate park; the city abandoned the proposal in 2023.[2][3][4]
In May 2022, raw sewage leaked into the lake, which forced it to be closed temporarily from May 27 to June 6.[5]
Description
editSteel Lake has many recreational opportunities. The 52-acre Steel Lake Park includes a beach and play area, and is especially popular in the summer.[6][7] The lake also has many fishing opportunities. It is stocked with rainbow trout, and is also home to largemouth bass and yellow perch. It is one of only ten lakes in King County that has a seasonal fishing closure to protect fish populations.[8]
The lake is mesotrophic.[9]
References
edit- ^ Stein, Alan (July 8, 2003). "Federal Way — Thumbnail History". HistoryLink. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Beekman, Daniel (January 22, 2023). "Federal Way plans to bulldoze parkland near heart of growing downtown". The Seattle Times. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Bruell, Alex (February 23, 2023). "Federal Way likely to abandon plan to remove 9 acres of park land". Kent Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Swaby, Natalie (August 3, 2022). "Skateboarders want to save Federal Way park amid proposed city facility". KING 5 News. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ Sullivan, Olivia (June 21, 2022). "Steel Lake in Federal Way reopens after closure caused by raw sewage leak". Kent Reporter. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Community Parks". City of Federal Way. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Summer sounds at Steel Lake Park". Federal Way Mirror. June 30, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Lowland Lakes: Steel Lake". Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ "Steel Lake". King County Water and Land Resources. Retrieved December 14, 2023.