Thornton Creek
Encyclopedia
Thornton Creek is 18 miles (29 km) of urban creeks and tributaries from southeast Shoreline
through northeast Seattle
to Lake Washington
. The creek is the largest watershed in Seattle, draining a 12 square miles (31.1 km²) region of relatively dense biodiversity for an urban setting, home to frogs, newts, ducks, other birds, and an occasional beaver, in addition to over 200,000 people. From west of Jackson Park Golf Course in Shoreline
, from Sunny Walter-Pillings Pond in Licton Springs–North College Park
, and north Northgate
Thornton creek flows through Maple Leaf
and Lake City
including Meadowbrook
and Matthews Beach
neighborhoods, emptying into the lake at Matthews Beach Park.
or coyote
. Prior to European settlement, Native Americans lived around Lake Washington. One of the eighteen historic home sites was identified near the mouth of Thornton Creek.
Early in the 1900s the creek was a spawning ground for fish (at least five species of Pacific salmon and trout), as well as habitat for insects, amphibians, muskrats, bats, coyotes, and birds. The areas surrounding the creek were developed without regard for the importance of maintaining habitat and a riparian corridor; species diversity declined, and the creek became a typical, significantly degraded urban watershed. Storm water retention, sites restoration, an Environmental Learning Center adjacent to a school, and a fish ladder contributed to restoration and the return of native plants and wildlife.
For many decades much of the stream has run through culvert
s, notably under the car park of Northgate Mall
. Building on gradual successes in restoration, activist neighbors initiated and have had some success working with the City of Seattle and developers toward daylighting
parts of the buried creek. Organizations of citizens have cleaned up adjacent wetlands, educated the public about stream health and quality of neighborhood life, and rallied to bring more of the creek to daylight. Many restoration projects in Seattle have been in some way connected to or inspired by Thornton Creek.
Shoreline, Washington
Shoreline is a city in King County, Washington, United States, north of Downtown Seattle bordering the northern Seattle city limits. As of the 2010 census, the population was 53,007, making it the 19th largest city in the state of Washington....
through northeast Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
to Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
. The creek is the largest watershed in Seattle, draining a 12 square miles (31.1 km²) region of relatively dense biodiversity for an urban setting, home to frogs, newts, ducks, other birds, and an occasional beaver, in addition to over 200,000 people. From west of Jackson Park Golf Course in Shoreline
Shoreline, Washington
Shoreline is a city in King County, Washington, United States, north of Downtown Seattle bordering the northern Seattle city limits. As of the 2010 census, the population was 53,007, making it the 19th largest city in the state of Washington....
, from Sunny Walter-Pillings Pond in Licton Springs–North College Park
Licton Springs, Seattle, Washington
Licton Springs or North College Park is a neighborhood in the informal Northgate district of North Seattle. It is bounded by Interstate 5 to the east, beyond which is Maple Leaf neighborhood and the Northgate Mall; Aurora Avenue N to the west, beyond which is Greenwood; N 85th Street to the south,...
, and north Northgate
Northgate, Seattle, Washington
Northgate is an informal district of neighborhoods in north urban Seattle, Washington, named for and surrounding Northgate Mall, the first covered mall in the United States....
Thornton creek flows through Maple Leaf
Maple Leaf, Seattle, Washington
Maple Leaf is a mostly residential neighborhood in Seattle, originally a rural suburb named Maple Leaf Addition to the Green Lake Tract or Green Lake Circle...
and Lake City
Lake City, Seattle, Washington
Lake City is the northeast region of Seattle, centered along Lake City Way NE , 7–8 miles northeast of downtown. A broader definition of the Lake City area includes all the land between 15th Avenue NE and Lake Washington, and between NE 85th and 98th streets to the Seattle city limits at NE 145th...
including Meadowbrook
Meadowbrook, Seattle, Washington
Meadowbrook is a neighborhood in the Lake City district of Seattle, Washington. Meadowbrook is centered around open fields adjacent to the , , and Nathan Hale...
and Matthews Beach
Matthews Beach, Seattle, Washington
Matthews Beach is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington; it and Meadowbrook are the southern neighborhoods of the annexed township of Lake City...
neighborhoods, emptying into the lake at Matthews Beach Park.
Habitat and stewardship
Thornton creek flows through Meadowbrook Pond, visited by migratory birds and an occasional transient beaverBeaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
or coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
. Prior to European settlement, Native Americans lived around Lake Washington. One of the eighteen historic home sites was identified near the mouth of Thornton Creek.
Early in the 1900s the creek was a spawning ground for fish (at least five species of Pacific salmon and trout), as well as habitat for insects, amphibians, muskrats, bats, coyotes, and birds. The areas surrounding the creek were developed without regard for the importance of maintaining habitat and a riparian corridor; species diversity declined, and the creek became a typical, significantly degraded urban watershed. Storm water retention, sites restoration, an Environmental Learning Center adjacent to a school, and a fish ladder contributed to restoration and the return of native plants and wildlife.
For many decades much of the stream has run through culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
s, notably under the car park of Northgate Mall
Northgate Mall (Seattle)
Northgate Mall is a shopping mall in the Northgate district of north urban Seattle, Washington. It is currently anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, Toys "R" Us, JCPenney, Macy's and Nordstrom.-History:...
. Building on gradual successes in restoration, activist neighbors initiated and have had some success working with the City of Seattle and developers toward daylighting
Daylighting (streams)
In urban design and urban planning, daylighting is the redirection of a stream into an above-ground channel. Typically, the goal is to restore a stream of water to a more natural state...
parts of the buried creek. Organizations of citizens have cleaned up adjacent wetlands, educated the public about stream health and quality of neighborhood life, and rallied to bring more of the creek to daylight. Many restoration projects in Seattle have been in some way connected to or inspired by Thornton Creek.
Neighborhoods of the Thornton Creek watershed
- Southeast neighborhoods of the city of ShorelineShoreline, WashingtonShoreline is a city in King County, Washington, United States, north of Downtown Seattle bordering the northern Seattle city limits. As of the 2010 census, the population was 53,007, making it the 19th largest city in the state of Washington....
, north fork headwaters - Lake CityLake City, Seattle, WashingtonLake City is the northeast region of Seattle, centered along Lake City Way NE , 7–8 miles northeast of downtown. A broader definition of the Lake City area includes all the land between 15th Avenue NE and Lake Washington, and between NE 85th and 98th streets to the Seattle city limits at NE 145th...
neighborhoods- Olympic HillsOlympic Hills, Seattle, WashingtonOlympic Hills is a neighborhood in the Lake City district of Seattle, Washington.The architecture is very diverse, ranging from homes displaced from the University District, to newer construction....
- Victory HeightsVictory Heights, Seattle, WashingtonVictory Heights is a neighborhood in the Lake City district of Seattle, Washington.The neighborhood was named after the Victory Highway, which forms the eastern border of the area. The Victory Highway was originally called the Gerhart Erickson Road , then Bothell Road, but was renamed the Victory...
- MeadowbrookMeadowbrook, Seattle, WashingtonMeadowbrook is a neighborhood in the Lake City district of Seattle, Washington. Meadowbrook is centered around open fields adjacent to the , , and Nathan Hale...
, confluence of forks - Matthews BeachMatthews Beach, Seattle, WashingtonMatthews Beach is a neighborhood in Seattle, Washington; it and Meadowbrook are the southern neighborhoods of the annexed township of Lake City...
- Olympic Hills
- NorthgateNorthgate, Seattle, WashingtonNorthgate is an informal district of neighborhoods in north urban Seattle, Washington, named for and surrounding Northgate Mall, the first covered mall in the United States....
neighborhoods- PinehurstPinehurst, Seattle, WashingtonPinehurst is a neighborhood in the Northgate area of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is bounded by NE 130th Street to the north, NE Northgate Way to the south, I-5 to the west, and Lake City Way to the east...
- Licton Springs–North College ParkLicton Springs, Seattle, WashingtonLicton Springs or North College Park is a neighborhood in the informal Northgate district of North Seattle. It is bounded by Interstate 5 to the east, beyond which is Maple Leaf neighborhood and the Northgate Mall; Aurora Avenue N to the west, beyond which is Greenwood; N 85th Street to the south,...
, south fork headwaters - Maple LeafMaple Leaf, Seattle, WashingtonMaple Leaf is a mostly residential neighborhood in Seattle, originally a rural suburb named Maple Leaf Addition to the Green Lake Tract or Green Lake Circle...
- Northgate MallNorthgate Mall (Seattle)Northgate Mall is a shopping mall in the Northgate district of north urban Seattle, Washington. It is currently anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, Toys "R" Us, JCPenney, Macy's and Nordstrom.-History:...
- Pinehurst
See also
- List of rivers of Washington
- Daylighting (streams)Daylighting (streams)In urban design and urban planning, daylighting is the redirection of a stream into an above-ground channel. Typically, the goal is to restore a stream of water to a more natural state...
- Neighborhoods of Ravenna Creek
- Water resourcesWater resourcesWater resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful. Uses of water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Virtually all of these human uses require fresh water....
- Boeing CreekBoeing CreekBoeing Creek is a stream in the U.S. state of Washington, located in the city of Shoreline, just north of Seattle. It is about long and empties into Puget Sound. The creek is heavily modified along its course, and in many places has been diverted into culverts. The watershed of Boeing Creek is...
- Ravenna CreekRavenna CreekRavenna Creek is a stream in the Ravenna and Roosevelt neighborhoods of Seattle, Washington, whose present daylighted length of nearly 3500 feet is entirely within Cowen and Ravenna parks....
- Yesler CreekYesler CreekYesler Creek is a stream that originates in the Bryant and Wedgwood neighborhoods of Seattle, Washington and flows southward to empty into Union Bay of Lake Washington. Portions are daylighted, such as those flowing between 39th and 40th Avenue NE and through Burke Gilman Park...
Further reading
- "Thornton Creek Alliance"
- "Homewaters Project"
- "Thornton Creek Watershed", the Homewaters Project
- Thornton Creek Watershed "Community Library"