TagDes Moines Creek(169)

This King County map document shows the planned alignment for Segment C of the Lake to Sound Trail, a recreational trail corridor connecting Burien and SeaTac. The 100% alignment, dated March 2021, traces the trail route along Des Moines Memorial Drive and through residential areas near Des Moines Creek, terminating near Des Moines Creek Park at S 200th Street. The map was produced by King County's Department of Natural Resources and Parks, Parks and Recreation Division.

The City of SeaTac applied for $1,105,000 in King County Conservation Futures Tax Levy funds in 2022 to purchase the final three acres of surplus Washington State Department of Transportation land adjacent to Des Moines Creek Park, bringing the total acquired acreage to eight acres. The project aims to preserve forested upland habitat along a salmon-bearing stream, improve public park access from the west side via 18th Avenue South, and support trail connectivity including the Lake to Sound Trail. This was the third phase of a multi-year acquisition effort, following prior CFT awards of $1.1 million in 2019 and $500,000 in 2020.

The City of SeaTac has been working since 2018 to acquire approximately 8 acres of surplus forested land from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) adjacent to Des Moines Creek Park. The acquisition aims to expand open space, improve trail access, and preserve a conservation area along one of the city's salmon-bearing streams. As of October 2020, the city had secured $2.29 million in grant funding for the purchase, with an additional $1 million under consideration in the 2021-2022 budget process.

This document contains public scoping comments from a September 10, 2018 hearing, including testimony from Jill Aldrich, a property owner of over 50 years, who raised concerns about a building site on 24th Avenue South near Des Moines Creek. She described observing bulldozed dirt and construction activity in close proximity to a stream located in a King County-designated Critical Area, visible from the Des Moines Creek Trail. Her comments reflect community concerns about environmental protection of nearby waterways during nearby development.

This 2018 interlocal agreement between the City of Des Moines and the Port of Seattle outlines a cost-sharing arrangement for street improvements along South 216th Street, adjacent to the Des Moines Creek West (DMC-W) property near Sea-Tac Airport. The Port agreed to pay $1.5 million toward road upgrades accommodating pedestrians, cyclists, transit, and freight, with that payment credited against any future transportation impact fees tied to DMC-W development. The agreement also sets the stage for long-term ground leasing and commercial development of the approximately 20-acre DMC-W site to generate jobs and revenue for both parties.

Des Moines Creek Parks, located near Sea-Tac Airport in the cities of SeaTac and Des Moines, Washington, offers a multi-use trail system with a 15 MPH speed limit, helmet requirements for cyclists, and a dawn-to-dusk schedule. The park prohibits alcohol, firearms, camping, fires, and motorized vehicles, while requiring pets to remain on leash. A regional partnership between the Cities of SeaTac and Des Moines, Port of Seattle, King County, and the Washington State Department of Transportation has led to ecological restoration efforts along Des Moines Creek, including stormwater detention facilities, high-flow bypass pipes, fish passage improvements, and native plant restoration to support salmon and other wildlife.

This February 2013 report documents the as-built conditions of a wetland mitigation project at Tyee Valley Golf Course, carried out as part of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's 1997 Master Plan Update. Prepared by ESA for the Port of Seattle under a US Army Corps of Engineers permit, it details construction outcomes, planting plans, and habitat restoration work completed to offset environmental impacts from airport improvements. The report also outlines ongoing vegetation and hydrologic monitoring standards to ensure the mitigation site meets long-term performance goals.

A University of Washington case study examines whether the Des Moines Creek Regional Detention Facility (RDF), a 30+ acre stormwater management site near Sea-Tac Airport, can serve as a model for understanding how projected Pacific Northwest climate changes—wetter winters, drier summers, and stronger storms—may affect local wetland ecosystems. Researchers found potential hydrologic similarities between the RDF's altered water patterns and regional climate change projections, though no clear vegetation shifts were observed. The study recommends further hydrologic modeling and a comprehensive plant monitoring program to better assess long-term wetland impacts.

This 2009 technical report, prepared by ESA Adolfson for the City of Des Moines, Washington, documents wetland and stream conditions along Des Moines Creek as part of a flood mitigation project at Des Moines Beach Park. The park, a National Register Historic District since 2006, contains historic buildings built over or adjacent to the creek that are vulnerable to flood damage. The report outlines wetland delineations, stream boundary determinations, and a conceptual plan to reduce flood risk while addressing environmental mitigation and restoration requirements.