Courtesy of Katherine Gooding at www.katherinegooding.com

Heavy equipment and survey stakes mark the location of a fence line signaling the kickoff of phase two of the county’s water quality improvement project at the White Center Pond Natural Area. The pond is the southernmost of three wetland cells located between 12th & 13th Ave SW and opposite Steve Cox Park.

Also called the White Center Greenway, the land is designated as a county park and functions primarily as a stormwater retention and infiltration area.

A King County Parks Department employee says that the county Stormwater Services Section (SWSS) is the owner of the project with construction management provided by the Roads department. The $434K contract for the initial work which includes clearing and grubbing, excavating new wet pools, constructing pond embankments, installing storm sewer, catch basin with oil pollution control device, constructing chain link fence along 102nd Ave SW and 12th Ave SW, installing habitat logs, paving, seeding and mulching, will be done by Reed Trucking & Excavating, Inc. of Puyallup and should be completed by early October.

After the excavation & fencing contract is complete the SWSS plans call for planting the area with over 7000 plants & trees, and installing split rail fencing along the west side of the pond. The plantings are scheduled to be done by March 2013.

In 2010 the site was overgrown with blackberries and invasive foliage. Homeless people slept in the brambles and trash accumulated until the pond was cleared and graded last year. In the year since phase one was completed the pond has become popular with wildlife including migrating waterfowl, resident ducks & geese, many other species of birds, and the people that watch them.

Katherine Gooding is a White Center based photographer. Contact her via her website at www.katherinegooding.com