Kelsey Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kelsey Creek |
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Kelsey Creek in Bellevue's Crossroads neighborhood
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Location of the mouth of Kelsey Creek in Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| Region | King County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lake Hills Greenbelt Bellevue, Washington |
| River mouth | Lake Washington 16 ft (4.9 m) 47°36′01″N 122°09′58″W / 47.60028°N 122.16611°W |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 17.0 sq mi (44 km2) |
Kelsey Creek is a small river, also called a creek, located in Bellevue, Washington. Bellevue is a city on the east side of Seattle. This creek starts in the wet, marshy areas of the Lake Hills greenbelt. This greenbelt is a natural space between Phantom Lake and Larsen Lake.
The creek flows first north and then west through the Crossroads neighborhood. After that, it turns south towards Kelsey Creek Park. Here, it changes direction again, flowing west and becoming known as the Mercer Slough. This happens just west of Interstate 405. The Mercer Slough is a very important wetland area. It is the largest wetland next to Lake Washington, covering about 367 acres (149 ha). The slough eventually flows into the East Channel of Lake Washington near Interstate 90.
Contents
Understanding the Kelsey Creek Area
What is a Drainage Basin?
The Kelsey Creek drainage basin is a large area of land where all the rain and water eventually flow into Kelsey Creek. This basin covers about 10,870 acres (4,400 ha). It includes about 75% of the city of Bellevue. It also covers a part of Redmond.
Smaller Streams Joining Kelsey Creek
Many smaller streams, called tributaries, flow into Kelsey Creek. These include Valley Creek, Goff Creek, and the West Tributary. Other important streams are Sturtevant Creek, Richards Creek, East Creek, and Sunset Creek.
Kelsey Creek flows into the Mercer Slough through a large concrete tunnel. This tunnel was specially built to help salmon swim upstream easily. It has small drops that make it easier for the fish to move against the current.
A Look Back: History of Kelsey Creek
Early Settlers and the Duwamish People
Long ago, the Duwamish lived in this area. Their main homes were in what is now Renton and Seattle. They had a small settlement called Satskal right along the Mercer Slough. This shows that the area has been important to people for a very long time.
Changes to the Water Flow
Originally, the Kelsey Creek area included Phantom Lake. But in the late 1800s, a farmer named Henry Thode changed things. He made Phantom Lake's water flow into Lake Sammamish instead. This meant less water flowed into Kelsey Creek.
The Mercer Slough Through Time
For hundreds of years, the Mercer Slough wetlands were a swampy, marshy area with shallow water. The slough itself was like a shallow part of Lake Washington. In 1894, a small sawmill was built at the top of the slough. Logs and cut wood were floated down the slough to Lake Washington. Back then, the slough was wide and deep enough for log rafts and small boats.
In 1917, the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks were finished. This caused the water level of Lake Washington to drop by about 8.8 feet (2.7 m). When the water dropped, it uncovered the lake bed where the slough is now. In the 1920s, parts of the Mercer Slough were dug deeper. This made it easier for small boats to travel through it. Today, you can even rent canoes to explore the lower part of the waterway!
Images for kids
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Larsen Lake, near where Kelsey Creek starts. It's part of the Kelsey Creek water system.
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Kelsey Creek in the Crossroads area after a fall rainstorm.
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The Mercer Slough, about 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) upstream from where it meets Lake Washington.
