Joe E. Monahan Findley Lake Reserve
- Description
- The Findley Lake Reserve is located in the upper reaches of
the Cedar River watershed, a natural, high-elevation, forested
stream basin. The site was set aside by the Seattle Water
Department in 1972 as an ecological preserve and has been used
by the UW for research since then. A wide variety of
productivity, mineral cycling, tree physiology, and forest
meteorology studies have been conducted there.
- Location
- Upper Cedar River Watershed (southeastern King
County).
- Contact
- Bob Edmonds, Associate Dean, College of Forest
Resources, 206-685-0953,
bobe@u.washington.edu
- Acreage
- Findley Lake is located in a 640-acre watershed.
- Buildings
- 12'x16' A-frame cabin (16 yrs) for housing, storage, work
area; 8'x 8' electrical generator shed (5 yrs); 8'x 8' shed (5
yrs) for storage.
- Equipment
- Pelton wheel generator, lysimetry equipment, Onan propane
generator.
- Housing
- Short term by permission of watershed management.
- Owner
- City of Seattle. Current use is governed by an agreement
with the City entered into in 1968.
- Support
- Research grants and contracts.
- Recent Usage
- Research: The facilities support only research,
however, no research is being done currently.
Instruction: Occasional classes (day trips).
Non-UW: Outreach programs would be difficult or
impossible to get approved by the city.
- Usage Fee
- None.
- Condition
- Good.
- Communication
- Radio, cellular phone.
- Access
- Access is controlled by the City of Seattle and is allowed
by permit only. Access is difficult, seasonal, and limited to a
one-mile foot trail or helicopter.
- Unique Environment
- The terrain is alpine and talus, ranging from flat lands to
cliffs. The area is primarily forested, with a mixed stand of
old growth mountain hemlock and silver fir. The lake's
elevation is approximately 1100m and the upper part of the
watershed has a maximum elevation of 1500 m.
- Faculty/Staff
- Various faculty members, College of Forest Resources.
