Clean Water
Keeping our water plentiful and pure
Preserving land helps replenish our aquifers, reduce demand on our water supply, and protect our lakes, streams, groundwater, and shorelines from pollution.
Critical area setbacks alone can't safeguard our water. Septic systems fail, fuel tanks leak, and livestock grazing contaminates wetlands. Our county lacks resources for enforcement.
To help ensure clean water for our community and wildlife, our Conservation Land Bank protects and restores land around lakes, streams, shorelines and wetlands.
Photo: Turtleback Mountain Preserve on Orcas Island
“The Conservation Land Bank has been the lead County entity spearheading land conservation, environmental restoration, watershed protection, public access, historic and agricultural preservation, upland and wetland management and replanting, water quality improvement, and increasing vegetative cover and resilience.”
— Scott J. Rozenbaum
Rozewood Environmental Services, Inc.
Professional Soil Scientist, Senior Professional Wetland Scientist
Why I Support the Land Bank
Explore Land Bank Clean Water Projects
Clean Water Starts with Streams
The water cycle starts at the top of mountains and hills where the highest rain falls, flowing to streams that fill our lakes, wetlands and groundwater. Protecting the headwaters of these streams is therefore crucial. The Land Bank protects headwaters at Turtleback, Entrance and Cady Mountains, Mount Grant, and Diamond and Lopez Hills.
Photo: Stream at Cady Mountain Preserve, San Juan Island
Beaverton Marsh Preserve
Just outside Friday Harbor, this preserve tells the story of 20+ years of work to protect, through a series of acquisitions, the county’s largest freshwater wetland. At 266-acres, Beaverton Marsh purifies and recharges vast amounts of drinking water as well as sustains wildlife. The Land Bank manages farming activities to protect water quality and is replacing invasive reed canary grass with native plants.
Photo: The Land Bank protects water at Beaverton by managing the extent and timing of farming activity
Trout Lake Watershed
Trout Lake supplies drinking water to the Town of Friday Harbor and most land surrounding the 60-acre lake is owned by the town. The Land Bank has purchased nearly 130 acres, protecting 20% of the watershed and eliminating 11 potential homesites to further protect the lake’s water quality. No public access is permitted.
Photo credit: Chris Teren, Trout Lake
The Land Bank removed 101 buried tires and many loads of trash and planted more than 10,000 native tree and shrub seedlings that will grow to provide wildlife habitat and eliminate the need for mowing. Planned wetland restoration and eliminating the potential for 11 shoreline septic systems add to the many wins for clean water at this new 58-acre preserve on Orcas Island, purchased in partnership with the San Juan Preservation Trust.
Photo: Acquired in 2022, the new North Shore Preserve on Orcas is undergoing a massive cleanup
North Shore Preserve
This new 24-acre Land Bank preserve acquired in 2021 is part of an 80-acre coastal wetland that collects and filters freshwater from the largest watershed on Lopez. Together with prior conservation easements, 85% of the marsh is now permanently protected. Step one was to install fencing around a shared well to protect it from livestock. Soon the community will enjoy a forested upland overlook to watch the many winter birds.
Photo: The largest watershed on Lopez drains to Richardson marsh
Richardson Marsh Preserve
By purchasing a forever wild conservation easement in 2020 the Land Bank helped area homeowners protect a vital wetland in their neighborhood. Harboring a stretch of False Bay Creek and abutting lands that protect the Town of Friday Harbor’s drinking water, these 33-acres are now owned by San Juan Preservation Trust and allow public access.
Photo: Ihiya is a great example of citizen-driven conservation
Ihiya Biological Reserve
Crow Valley is one of Orcas Island’s prime areas for groundwater recharge. The Land Bank planted thousands of trees along the creek at this 189-acre farm. Fencing excludes livestock from sensitive areas, preventing soil compaction and polluted runoff. The Land Bank has also helped with manure management projects and soil amendments to improve the soil’s ability to hold and filter water.
Photo: Planting native trees at Coffelt Farm Preserve, Orcas
Coffelt Farm Preserve
This 26-acre property next to the Lopez ferry landing was ready for development for 13 homes. The Land Bank purchased the property to protect its scenic shoreline and then sold the water system and associated water rights, along with another well the Land Bank had acquired, to a nearby neighborhood that was chronically short on water supply.
Photo: At Upright Head, the Land Bank shifted water supply to a nearby neighborhood that needed it
Upright Head Preserve
False Bay Creek Preserve
The Land Bank is working to boost the health of the largest watercourse on San Juan by restricting grazing and partnering to plant more than 6,000 willows and other native species on these 39 acres. The trees will filter contaminants and eventually shade the creek to lower temperatures and help support salmon and other species. The project is part of a large-scale restoration effort to improve water quality in the creek and False Bay.
Photo: Planting native trees along False Bay Creek
Turtleback Mountain Preserve
Saving this 1578-acre property in 2006 prevented the potential building of 79 new homes on the dry west side of Orcas. More recently, the Land Bank supplanted an eroded section of old logging road with native oaks and replaced 2o culverts, restoring flow to seasonal streams that had been diverted for decades. The streams now naturally nourish the valley wetlands below.
Photo: One of 20 new culverts at Turtleback, restoring flow to historic streams
Freshwater mingles with the Salish Sea at this 24-acre preserve in the heart of Lopez Village. One spring day in 2021, Land Bank volunteers hauled 437 lbs. of creosote logs, plywood, and trash including microplastics, plus tagged larger creosote for removal by the Department of Natural Resources. The wetland is home to resident and migrating birds, and a nesting platform attracts a pair of ospreys.
Photo: Cleanup at Weeks Wetland Preserve
Weeks Wetland Preserve
Water from 52-acre Zylstra Lake and a 9-acre “lower lake” on San Juan flows into False Bay Creek and False Bay, a priority salmon recovery area. With help from partners, the Land Bank bought the 313-acre property in 2015 and is working to improve the lake’s water quality and upgrade its dams to meet safety standards. Notably, the Land Bank acquired senior water rights with the ability to increase flows to support fish in False Bay Creek.
Photo: Monitoring water quaity at Zylstra lake
Zylstra Lake Preserve
The Land Bank acquired this 60-acre property with its significant wetlands just outside of Eastsound. When a county road-widening project required mitigation, Public Works installed constructed wetlands near the road to filter stormwater runoff. The Land Bank has since planted more seedlings and native plants to enhance wetland function and wildlife habitat.
Photo: Rozewood Environmental constructed wetlands to filter road runoff