The city of Kenmore has published a draft Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plan (IAVMP) on its website for residents to view as officials said they are committed to improving access to the waterfront for residents and visitors and managing those waters to enhance the enjoyment of this natural resource.

The plan can be viewed at www.kenmorewa.gov/IAVMP.

“We have heard clearly from our residents that public access to the water is one of their highest priorities, and managing aquatic weeds contributes to the highest level of enjoyment of this wonderful natural resource,” Kenmore City Manager Rob Karlinsey said.

In 2016, the City received a grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology for partial funding of the development of the IAVMP that addresses invasive freshwater plants which are negatively impacting the northern area of Lake Washington and the 1.5 miles of the Sammamish River within Kenmore city limits.

Designed to lay out a long-term plan for managing aquatic weeds within Kenmore’s portion of the Sammamish River and Lake Washington, the IAVMP also includes a plan for outreach to upstream jurisdictions in a more holistic approach to plant and stream management.

City officials put the plan together with input from a steering committee consisting of Kenmore business leaders and waterfront residents, agency representation from King County, the Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Ecology, and with assistance from Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc.

For more information or to give input on the draft IAVMP, contact Janet Quinn, Project Coordinator, at jquinn@kenmorewa.gov or 425-398-8900.