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| View of Lake Washington |
Union Bay Natural Area (including my site) was
not always a glorious location. After the outwash plain deposits were exposed
because the water level had dropped, the city of Seattle and the University of
Washington decided a new fate for this land. They began dumping residential
waste into the area and converted it to the Montlake Landfill around 1926. In 1971,
the landfill was closed and capped with two feet of clean soil. Some areas were
landscaped and additional topsoil was added. In 1972, Union Bay Natural Area
was converted into a wetland habitat for educational and recreational purposes
and was transformed into the beautiful landscape you are standing upon today(1).
While the history of the area has been covered and hidden underground, the
signs of previous human abuse still remain. As you stand at this station and
enjoy the views of Lake Washington (see picture on left), it is highly probable
that you will find some trash floating along the shore. In addition, you may
smell some methane gas from the decomposing landfill debris, but don’t worry,
the quantity is quite small and does not pose a hazard. This site is a view to
behold, but keep in mind, there is a deep, dark secret hiding underneath.
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| Garbage from the former landfill days |
Source:
1. Center
for Urban Horticulture. Union Bay Natural
Area. University of Washington, Seattle. Web. 4 June 2013.
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