Welcome to People for Lake Padden!
People for Lake Padden, or P4LP, was formed by a citizen's group whose love for this beautiful lake inspires us to protect and improve its water quality. This lovely gem of a lake - located in Bellingham, Washington - is used for swimming, boating, fishing, birdwatching, picnicking, hiking, jogging, walking, racing, and biking. It is habitat for deer, raccoons, Pileated Woodpeckers, a great variety of water fowl and song birds, Barred Owls, coyotes, and more.
** NEW! P4LP volunteers are committed to doing our part toward ensuring the lake's waters are protected. We established a program to study the water quality of the Lake Padden and land use in its watershed. Our lake water quality study had a couple major components. The first was a general water quality and productivity analysis of the lake with focus on conditions leading to anoxia (low dissolved oxygen). The second was an analysis of fecal coliform bacteria. These two activities were started in July of 2011 and were completed in the fall of 2012. Check out the preliminary report on fecal coliform data findings from lake and stream samples presented to the City of Bellingham Parks Department in a letter dated August 6, 2012. The final report capturing the analysis of the collected dated has been released (December 2012) and is available by clicking the following link. Lake Padden Monitoring Project, 2012 Final Report. David Roberts, the P4LP science advisor, recently released (January 7, 2013) an additional report on the Fecal Coliform Sampling.
This past spring and early summer (2012) we ran computer simulation models that tell us more about the affects of current and future land use in the watershed. Click on our Phase 2 Land Use Analysis Study to see the completed report. Finally, click on "Our Studies" to find the additional project information.
** NEW! Betsy Gross and David Roberts recently met with our partners at the City and County last week to discuss our findings and recommendations summarized in a letter provided to them earlier. Click here to access the letter. The meetings were very productive. What remains now is for People for Lake Padden to offer briefings to other government and elected officials and ensure our studies are made part of the public record. Lake Padden is no longer is a mystery lake about which any claim can be made, unchallenged. Our studies have shown a light on the lake and its watershed, and now we know more. Any entity cannot be effectively protected if it is not understood. Lake Padden is not an officially dirty lake - yet. It is coming close though, and while we heave a sigh of relief it is not a "pea soup" lake so typical of lakes near cities, it is a clarion call to us citizens to our elected representatives who are our lakes' guardians to pay attention - to not allow it to go the way of so many other city lakes. To view our final Findings and Recommendations click here.
Thanks to the speakers, partners and supporters of People for Lake Padden, and City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation for the 40th birthday celebration of Lake Padden Park on September 8th. Click here for an array of celebration photos taken by Phil Humphries (note that clicking the link will take you away from the P4LP site).
TAKE THE PLEDGE TO KEEP LAKE PADDEN HEALTHY. Add your name to the list of people who love and promise to take care of Lake Padden. Click PLEDGE.
HERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PLEDGED TO TAKE CARE OF LAKE PADDEN. Click NAMES.
Our project sponsor, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, is providing organizational support for our efforts. Our partners for the project are Western Washington University, the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Here is the County Council decision regarding Yew St Reserve Urban Growth Area**
Check out our new Facebook page to keep up with events and news from Lake Padden.
Follow us on Twitter too.
To see a summary presentation on our latest study results click here.
** NEW! P4LP volunteers are committed to doing our part toward ensuring the lake's waters are protected. We established a program to study the water quality of the Lake Padden and land use in its watershed. Our lake water quality study had a couple major components. The first was a general water quality and productivity analysis of the lake with focus on conditions leading to anoxia (low dissolved oxygen). The second was an analysis of fecal coliform bacteria. These two activities were started in July of 2011 and were completed in the fall of 2012. Check out the preliminary report on fecal coliform data findings from lake and stream samples presented to the City of Bellingham Parks Department in a letter dated August 6, 2012. The final report capturing the analysis of the collected dated has been released (December 2012) and is available by clicking the following link. Lake Padden Monitoring Project, 2012 Final Report. David Roberts, the P4LP science advisor, recently released (January 7, 2013) an additional report on the Fecal Coliform Sampling.
This past spring and early summer (2012) we ran computer simulation models that tell us more about the affects of current and future land use in the watershed. Click on our Phase 2 Land Use Analysis Study to see the completed report. Finally, click on "Our Studies" to find the additional project information.
** NEW! Betsy Gross and David Roberts recently met with our partners at the City and County last week to discuss our findings and recommendations summarized in a letter provided to them earlier. Click here to access the letter. The meetings were very productive. What remains now is for People for Lake Padden to offer briefings to other government and elected officials and ensure our studies are made part of the public record. Lake Padden is no longer is a mystery lake about which any claim can be made, unchallenged. Our studies have shown a light on the lake and its watershed, and now we know more. Any entity cannot be effectively protected if it is not understood. Lake Padden is not an officially dirty lake - yet. It is coming close though, and while we heave a sigh of relief it is not a "pea soup" lake so typical of lakes near cities, it is a clarion call to us citizens to our elected representatives who are our lakes' guardians to pay attention - to not allow it to go the way of so many other city lakes. To view our final Findings and Recommendations click here.
Thanks to the speakers, partners and supporters of People for Lake Padden, and City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation for the 40th birthday celebration of Lake Padden Park on September 8th. Click here for an array of celebration photos taken by Phil Humphries (note that clicking the link will take you away from the P4LP site).
TAKE THE PLEDGE TO KEEP LAKE PADDEN HEALTHY. Add your name to the list of people who love and promise to take care of Lake Padden. Click PLEDGE.
HERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PLEDGED TO TAKE CARE OF LAKE PADDEN. Click NAMES.
Our project sponsor, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, is providing organizational support for our efforts. Our partners for the project are Western Washington University, the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Here is the County Council decision regarding Yew St Reserve Urban Growth Area**
Check out our new Facebook page to keep up with events and news from Lake Padden.
Follow us on Twitter too.
To see a summary presentation on our latest study results click here.