Lake Burien
A small lake
Aerial view of Lake Burien, looking east
Lake Burien is located in Washington (state)
Lake Burien
Lake Burien
Lake Burien is located in the United States
Lake Burien
Lake Burien
LocationBurien, Washington
Coordinates47°27′53″N 122°21′14″W / 47.464698°N 122.353826°W / 47.464698; -122.353826 (Lake Burien)
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area44 acres (18 ha)
Max. depth29 ft (8.8 m)

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.

History

Lake 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

Lake 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.[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]

View from the west over the Puget Sound, showing the lake, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and downtown Burien

References

  1. ↑ "About Burien". Burien. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  2. 1 2 DeCoster, Dotty. "Burien — Thumbnail History". HistoryLink. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Lake Burien". King County. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Caution about Blue-Green Algae on Lake Burien" (PDF). King County. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Algal Toxin Found in Lake Burien Water Sample". Burien. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  6. ↑ Lacitis, Erik. "Lake Burien: the public lake you can't use". Seattle Times. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  7. ↑ Mayne, Jack. "Should Lake Burien Get A Public Park? City Says No'". B-Town Blog.
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