Ravenna Creek Daylighting within Cowen Park Pro Parks Project Information
5849 15 AVE NE
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PROJECT STATUS
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EVENTS:
Project dedication ceremony: Saturday, October 16, 2004. Held
at the Shelterhouse, 5849 15th Ave NE.
See
press release.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Colleen Browne
800 Maynard Ave. S, 3rd Floor
Seattle, WA 98134-1336
(206) 684-4155
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Parks has completed the initial phase of work to recreate and revegetate
a portion of the former Ravenna stream corridor in Cowen Park.
The sinewy streambed has been defined and the first layer of gravel has
been laid. At the end of the new creek channel, just before it turns into
something more like a running creek, there is a pond, built by Conservation
Corps. Work has also been completed on the pedestrian path and to stabilize
the new stream bed banks. The project is now buttoned up for the winter
to await spring planting.
| LOCATION |
5849 15 AVE NE
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| BUDGET |
Total Budget: $267,000
Allocation by Year:
2001 – 2002 : $30,000
2002: $ 237,000
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| SCHEDULE |
Planning:2001- 2002
Design:2002
Construction:2003
Completion:2004
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| PROJECT DESCRIPTION |
Project Description:
The Ravenna Daylighting project includes work on two segments of the creek
(one in Ravenna Park, and one in
Cowen Park). See separate fact sheet for daylight project in Ravenna Park.
Within Cowen Park the project will recreate a streambed feature in the filled
ravine. While the source waters of Greenlake are no longer connected to
the watershed, there is a possibly to pick up subsurface seepage. The feature
would also provide an outlet for both existing and future drainage from
the Cowen Park meadows. The project will be coordinated with other improvements
in Cowen Park.
Project History/Background:
At the turn of the century, Ravenna Creek flowed from source at Green Lake,
along what is now Ravenna Boulevard, and into Cowen Park. It carved a deep
ravine through what is now Cowen and Ravenna Parks. It dropped from an approximate
elevation of 175 to 130’ within Cowen Park as it flowed eastward into Ravenna
Park on it’s way to Union Bay. As the watershed was developed, the stream
and associated wetlands were gradually reduced, diverted and filled. Green
Lake was lowered by seven feet in 1911. The remaining stream above Cowen
Park was directed into a sewer pipe, leaving only the springs within the
parks as source water. Springs within Cowen and Ravenna Park continued to
feed the stream. When I-5 was constructed in the early 1960’s much of the
Cowen ravine was filled with dirt and debris from roadway cuts through the
city. The fill was leveled, and play fields and meadows were created.
Today Ravenna Creek starts out as a wetland in Cowen Park just below the
park entrance at 62nd and Brooklyn. The surface water is minimal in Cowen
Park. The creek is spring fed throughout Ravenna Park. Near the lower end
of Ravenna Park, the creek is diverted into King County’s trunk sewer system.
The total length is approximately 3500 feet from Cowen wetlands to the King
County sewer intake structure.
In 1990 Metro proposed a new pipe conveyance project to separate Ravenna
Creek from the sewer system. The Ravenna Creek Alliance (RCA) formed in
1991, with the alternate proposal of daylighting the creek from Ravenna
Park to Lake Washington. While the primary focus of the Metro Project and
the Ravenna Creek Alliance was on the creek from Ravenna Park to the outlet,
community interest was expressed in daylighting or recreating the creek
within Cowen Park as well. In 1997 the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association
obtained a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to develop plans for park improvement.
The resulting Cowen Park Site Improvement Plan includes a restored stream
natural area was included in the Cowen Park Site Plan. The site was incorporated
in the 1999 Roosevelt Neighborhood Plan.
Anticipated Impacts:
Creek restoration construction may impact trail access in late 2002 or 2003.
Creek development may improve drainage in the meadows and improve habitat
for birds, amphibians and invertebrates.
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Plan 1 - Work Area
Plan 2 - Planting Plan
Ferns & Native Plantings Along Path
Section Through Creekbed, Low Wall & Path
Footbridge and Emergent Plants
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| COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION |
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At the Open House held July 23rd, people who have planted
native vegetation now buried under invasives requested a chance to tag
their plants to be removed and replaced. If you have plants you would
like saved, please notify the Project Manager (contact information above).
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| IMPORTANT LINKS |
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< A-Z Projects List <
Acquisition < Development
< Project Map |
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| Updated 10/17/2004 15:01
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