Cascade Water Alliance has announced Lake Tapps is now fully open for all recreation, including motorized vessels. With this announcement, the Bonney Lake Police Department would like to remind everyone of the hazards that still exist on the lake and ask all lake goers to be extremely cautious when enjoying the water.
As of July 2nd, Cascade Water Alliance has added enough water to maintain a minimum recreational water level in the lake. Because the lake is not completely full, stumps and debris that would normally be under water are exposed and are an immediate threat to boats and personal watercraft. Please, if you plan to be on the water in a motorized vessel, take every precaution possible to avoid objects that are not fully submerged. This includes lowering speeds, staying further away from shore than normal, giving other vessels extra room to maneuver and asking passengers riding in your boat to keep a sharp eye out for debris and obstacles.
With the current level of the water, the City of Bonney Lake has chosen not to open the boat launch at Allan York Park. The city will continue to re-evaluate the boat launch and open it once there is an acceptable level of water. Until that announcement, no vessels will be permitted to launch from Allan Yorke Park. As soon as the water level reaches 541 feet (deemed safe for recreational boating), then the City will open the Allan Yorke Park boat launch, but no sooner than July 9th.
Remember, the water currently feeding the lake is coming directly from glacial mountain runoff and is extremely cold. We all need to remember this is not a typical Lake Tapps summer and swimmers should constantly be aware of the threats of hypothermia. Please limit your time in the water and take numerous swim breaks to allow your body time to warm up. And as always, please wear a life jacket whenever possible.
Because of the low water level, the Bonney Lake Police Boat is unable to be moored on the water as it normally would be. This will mean a delayed response time in the event of an actual emergency. If you witness a vessel in distress or an on-water emergency, please call 911 immediately and assist in any way possible until the police and fire boats arrive on scene.
Both the Bonney Lake Police Department and the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department will be patrolling the water this upcoming July 4th weekend looking for intoxicated or reckless boat operators. Equipment violations and Boater Education Cards will be strictly enforced as well. Please make sure your vessel is safe and in proper working condition prior to launching.
Please use extreme caution while enjoying Lake Tapps and be mindful of this year’s unique circumstances that could create hazards to both swimmers and boaters.
