We don’t want no stinking mudflats

Connie Lorenz, from the Olympia Downtown Association, has sent letters to several local firms and groups lining up their support against turning Capitol Lake into an estuary.

This is a portion of her letter.

I’d like to ask you to become involved in the Capitol Lake Management Plan, as the State GA draws to a final hearing after seven years of consultant studies ,with a plan that calls for blowing up the 5th Avenue dam and fish ladder and creating a 4-square mile stinking mudflat just upwind of downtown Olympia.

Twice everyday the stench from those newly exposed and freshly marina/port contaminated mudflats will waft across the retail district, most especially on the solstice extreme low tides at pre 4th of July and Christmas, days when shopping are ‘make or break’ for the downtown retailers entire year.

Working with DFW, I’ve prepared an alternative plan to preserve Capitol Lake and turn it into managed waterfowl habitat, which, if done pro-actively, would earn Olympia a national green award, even become a destination attraction.

We have already spoken with the Port and they say they will oppose the plan to blow the dam and waste $114 million of State taxpayers money on a mudflat.

Through our own contracts with Rocky Moutain Elk Foundation, we expect a large recreational user turnout in favor of managed habitat at those hearings.

And we hope for your support as well, in solidarity with the downtown merchants.