2009 Annual Report Environmental King County Stewardship Department of Natural in King County Resources and Parks ii King County, Washington 1 Brightwater DNRP Goals SNOHOMISH COUNTY D BOTHELL E SHORELINE WOODINVILLE KING COUNTY S S a k m yk N KENMORE m o n Shoreline a DUVALL m m is 2 Environment i h s h R Carkeek 522 405 i R 99 R ve Minimize waste and emissions, maximize v i r Plant v e KIRKLAND r SKYKOMISH r P n e resource re-use and recovery, and protect and i o v t Houghton i Tolt River Y g R T 5 n REDMOND N i lt Reservoir U restore habitats, ecological functions and sh o O Marymoor C a 203 T r W West Point Park Carnation N 202 A aquatic conditions. 520 L Plant E S 2 H o 520 n e h CARNATION C s k o r i e a v Elliott m q i L BELLEVUE a SEATTLE u R 0 m n a Bay e m l i a SAMMAMISH S m m 90 l e People and k i a a e u 0 L m R q Alki MERCER i o v n 5 ISLAND e Communities Plant r S 9 Factoria e k NEWCASTLE r Protect and improve human health, safety, 900 o er 90 F iv 99 Cougar Mtn. th R ISSAQUAH SNOQUALMIE or ie and wellness – minimize hazards (including n Regional N lm NORTH a WildlandPark u BEND q M o toxic exposures and flood risk), maximize A i n Y t 405 RENTON 18 d T 509 d S S rk N Vashon le Fo U TUKWILA o O opportunities for community building and Plant u C n South Cedar Hills t a h AS BURIEN Regional Landfill F IT Plant Renton 169 o TT fitness, build internal capacity for excellence SEATAC C rk KI e Sno n d qu l a alm Vashon Bow Lake r ie in service delivery. Ri Island ver u DES 167 515 R Vashon MOINES iv MAPLE er KENT COVINGTON Cedar a VALLEY Reservoir S nd Fiscal Responsibility ou l t S 516 t uge P 5 and Economic 18 509 e 99 FEDERAL BLACK Vitality WAY AUBURN DIAMOND R Gr w 164 een Weyerhaeuser R Support King County’s economic development Algona iv e King County er a Aquatic Center Howard goals and ensure ratepayer value through K I Hanson p P N r I G effective, efficient and equitable E 169 Reservoir R C C O o Wastewater Treatment Plants E U program implementation. d C N O T ENUMCLAW U Y Solid Waste Transfer Stations N T r Y Enumclaw s Cedar Hills Regional Landfill White Ri t ver h Major Regional Parks Facilities 410 Wastewater Treatment Plants Under Construction i King County Parks and Protected Natural Lands p Contents Features Facilities i Letter from the Executive ............................................................................................ 2 n 2,131 square miles 500 flood facilities and revetments totaling more than 119 miles of riverbank Letter from the Director .............................................................................................. 3 1,884,200 population K Strategic Initiatives in the Director’s Office ....................................................... 4 14th most populated county in the U.S. 25,000 acres of parks and natural lands i 2009 DNRP Performance Measures ..................................................................... 5 n 175 miles of regional trails 760 lakes and reservoirs g 2009 Awards ....................................................................................................................... 8 975 wetlands 353 miles of underground wastewater pipes and tunnels Parks and Recreation Division ................................................................................... 10 C 38.15 inches average annual precipitation 8 transfer stations and 2 rural drop boxes Solid Waste Division ........................................................................................................ 12 o 6 major river systems 920 acre Cedar Hills Regional Landfill u Wastewater Treatment Division ............................................................................... 14 n 3,000 miles of streams 2 major regional wastewater treatment plants with Water and Land Resources Division ..................................................................... 16 t 1 under construction, 2 smaller treatment plants miles of marine coastline y 100 King County GIS Center ............................................................................................... 18 4 combined sewer overflow treatment plants 850,000 acres of forestlands DNRP Financials ................................................................................................................ 20 2,369 commercial/residential stormwater control facilities How to Contact Us ......................................................................................................... 25 700 low impact development sites 2 From the From the 3 D The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks is dedicated E N to providing the very best to King County residents as we protect human n Executive health and preserve the environment. Director R v P King County residents enjoy a tremendous quality of life – and the Here are some of the highlights from 2009: i programs of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks The Parks and Recreation Division continues providing valuable public r help ensure that we protect the environment and natural resources for the amenities during difficult budget times. Work was completed on a 1.3-mile- 2 o enjoyment of all. long trail through Marymoor Park that links the East Lake Sammamish Trail 0 with Burke Gilman and Sammamish River trails. Programs such as the Youth n As a King County Councilmember I had a front row seat to admire your 0 Sports Facilities Grant and Community Partnerships and Grants help bring m work and help shape the environmental stewardship of DNRP. 9 tremendous new features for citizens to enjoy at minimal cost, including a DNRP e The Parks and Recreation Division manages a nationally acclaimed parks new barrier-free playground in Auburn. system plus highly regarded regional and backcountry trail networks; n Work continued on the Brightwater Treatment Plant, including completion A the Water and Land Resources Division helps protect people and their t of the east and west segments of the 13-mile conveyance tunnel. n property from flooding, and preserves some of King County’s best open Mission a The treatment plant is scheduled to come online in 2011 and is the spaces. n centerpiece of the Wastewater Treatment Division’s ongoing commitments Be the steward of the environment l u The Wastewater Treatment Division upholds our commitment to clean to protecting public health and the environment. water and creating resources from waste; and the Solid Waste Division a The county’s landfill gas-to-energy facility at the Cedar Hills Regional and strengthen sustainable S provides safe and efficient waste management, while actively pursuing l Landfill entered the start-up and testing phase. The plant captures t recycling and reuse opportunities. communities by protecting our and processes gas created by decomposing garbage, removes harmful e DNRP helps lead King County’s efforts to strengthen weak salmon emissions, then pipes clean natural gas to Puget Sound Energy’s power R w populations and restore Puget Sound, while helping shape the county’s plant, where it can supply energy to thousands of homes. This project water, land and natural habitats, safely e efforts to reduce its climate change impacts. greatly reduces landfill gas emissions and is expected to generate about $1 a disposing of and reusing wastewater p million in annual revenue for the division. r Though its work is being carried out in some difficult economic times, o DNRP is committed to continuing its world-class environmental leadership. The King County Flood Control District began work on 25 capital and solid waste, and providing natural d r improvement projects on aging levees. Emergency repairs of recent flood- s This report highlights some of the many accomplishments of DNRP staff in damaged levees were also made, including a half-dozen projects along t 2009, as they continued their longstanding commitment to preserving and areas, parks and recreation programs. h the Green River, which is under a heightened threat of serious flooding enhancing our environment. i because of the compromised Howard Hanson Dam. I want to thank DNRP staff for their tremendous work over the past p DNRP employees continually strive to improve communications and year, and as County Executive I look forward to working to protect the provide services on important projects such as King County’s rural services environment and quality of life of all who call King County “home.” initiative and the equity and social justice initiative. And we remain at the i forefront of King County’s ongoing response to climate change. n Sincerely, Customer service and satisfaction are top goals for all DNRP staff, and we actively gage our success through a rigorous performance measurement K system that includes a strong customer feedback component. We are i working with a number of stakeholders to develop a standardized n approach toward ensuring our customers get the high-quality service that they expect and deserve. g Dow Constantine This work – and much more – is carried out with a commitment toward King County Executive prudent financial policies and wise stewardship of the public’s money. C o I want to thank Executive Dow Constantine and the Metropolitan King County Council for their leadership and unwavering dedication to u efficient government. n t y Bob Burns Interim Director 4 5 Strategic 2009 DNRP Performance D E For several years, the King County N n Initiatives Department of Natural Resources and Information R Parks (DNRP) has been using an extensive v P in the performance management system to improve i service delivery,