Why Lake Chelan?
This lake is a unique state resource that was threatened with becoming polluted. The Lake Chelan TMDL is a good example of how the process can help prevent degradation of the high quality of water, and of how a locally-driven initiative can use federal law to attain a community goal of clean water. Lake Chelan is a pristine lake in north central Washington. It s more than 50 miles long with an average width of one mile and a maximum depth of 1,486 feet. Its volume is so great, it takes almost 11 years for all the water to be replaced. The watershed covers 924 square miles, mostly in national forest and park lands. It is an important destination for recreation and tourism, which is key to the economy. The southern shore is experiencing rapid growth of new year-round residents. In 1989, Ecology completed an intensive water quality assessment of the lake. The study had three main purposes: • To provide baseline water quality data; • To evaluate on-site septic disposal systems within the d
