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Welcome to KingStat 2011

August 15, 2011

Christie True

Christie True
Director for DNRP

Welcome to the 2011 performance report of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP). Our department has been using performance information for many years to improve service delivery, get feedback on customer priorities, and improve accountability with the elected leadership, our stakeholders, and the public.

We produce this report annually for several purposes, including:

  • For Elected Officials in King County, the report helps us remain accountable by highlighting achievements and identifying areas to improve;
  • For DNRP Leadership, this report reveals what strategies are succeeding and where to adjust methods and/or resources to improve outcomes;
  • For our many public, private, and community-based stakeholders, this report provides a snapshot of our current priorities, progress, and provides a basis for offering feedback; and
  • For the 1600 DNRP employees, this report articulates goals, objectives, targets, and guidance on implementation

The King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks is committed to providing King County residents with outstanding services to make this a great place to live, work, and enjoy .

Here are some of the highlights from 2010

• The Maury Island Open Space Acquisition agreement secures the largest undeveloped stretch of shoreline in Puget Sound, and is a critical step toward recovering salmon .

• The final phase of construction was approved for Bow Lake Transfer Station, and this facility is on track to open in 2012 . Bow Lake is the Solid Waste Division's busiest facility, and this work will not only improve efficiency, but accommodate future growth .

• We not only marked 50 years of flood warning services, but helped secure federal funds for Howard Hanson Dam repairs and led a nationally- recognized Green River Valley public awareness campaign . These efforts greatly reduce the flood risk for thousands of residents and businesses .

• The Parks and Recreation Division's Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center was selected to host the USA Diving Trials for the 2012 Olympics, while the nationally-acclaimed Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park was opened through a community partnership grant .

• DNRP helped develop King County's new energy plan that sets goals for achieving energy efficiencies while cutting greenhouse gas emissions .

• Brightwater treatment plant construction is now 90 percent complete and on track to begin wastewater treatment in 2011 . Eleven of the 13 miles of conveyance tunnels have been completed and work is well under way to complete the remaining tunnel

DNRP staff supported efforts to restore weak runs of Lake Sammamish kokanee by capturing adult fish to spawn in a hatchery, then releasing the offspring in their home streams .

• We supported completion of the North Wind's Weir estuary restoration project in Tukwila, one of the largest restoration projects ever completed on the Duwamish River .

• DNRP helped secure passage of a mercury-containing fluorescent lamp product stewardship law in the Washington Legislature . This has been a top priority of the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County .

• The Wastewater Treatment Division concluded a 10 year Productivity Initiative that saved ratepayers more than $72 million . These are just some of the highlights from the past year . The work we do is done with a commitment to sound financial practices with an eye toward careful stewardship of the public's resources .

I want to thank Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council for their dedication and leadership

Christie True
Director for DNRP



Chart showing 2010 King County environmental conditions and DNRP preformance results by goals areas
Updated: December 9, 2011