Haller Lake to the Ocean

Once upon a time, the waters of Haller Lake flowed west, then south through the swamps of Licton Springs to Green Lake, whereupon they flowed down Ravenna Creek to Union Bay of Lake Washington. Eventually they flowed down the Black River to the Duwamish River and ultimately to Elliott Bay, Puget Sound, and the Pacific Ocean.

Nowadays, though, there have been a few changes. When Seattle lowered Green Lake in 1911 by seven feet, they had to start piping the water out. Ravenna Creek has since been built over for much of its length (except within Ravenna and Cohen Parks) and gets piped into the man-made Union Slough which drains to Union Bay. The water flows through a wasterwater treatment plant between Green Lake and Lake Washington.

When Lake Washington was dropped nine feet in 1916, it left the Black River high and dry. The water instead flowed out the Montlake Cut to Lake Union and thus to Shilshole Bay, Puget Sound, and the Pacific Ocean.

Soon, Haller Lake water will avoid Green Lake and Lake Washington altogether. King County will be routing Licton Springs water to a treatment plant that pipes it directly to Lake Union.