Letter to the EditorNovember 15, 2009 Editor, The Green Pages: Informed public favors Deschutes Estuary restoration as the best option for the future of Olympia and Washington State. With Capitol Lake, Washington State taxpayers foot the bill of up to 1.2 billion dollars to dredge the lake over 50 years. That taxpayer bill excludes lake maintenance or replacing the aging dam. There is no federal or state money to dredge Capital Lake. Capital Lake will be a severe economic drain on an already sluggish economy. With estuary restoration, it will be up to 500 million cheaper to dredge the Port, Olympia Yacht Club and Percival Landing compared to dredging Capital Lake. Federal and other money is available for estuary restoration. Deschutes Estuary restoration and the construction of a new, improved and safer 5th Avenue bridge will provide a significant economic stimulus to the City of Olympia and the local region. When the Port of Olympia, Olympia Yacht Club and the marinas at Percival Landing pay their share of dredging either lake or estuary, they would actually save money with Deschutes Estuary restoration. Budd Inlet has the very worst water quality of all the estuaries tested by Ecology. Capitol Lake harms the water quality of Budd Inlet. Deschutes Estuary will greatly improve the water quality of Budd Inlet, provide natural beauty and exceptional wildlife habitat compared to the sluggish, algae infested water of our dying Capital Lake reservoir. Now is the time to restore Deschutes Estuary. It is in everyone's best interest. Paul J. Allen
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