Saltese Flats

Lake Saltese was temporarily (partially) recreated in Spring 2017, after record-breaking winter precipitation.

The Saltese Flats are residual wetlands that are the result of draining Saltese Lake, located in Spokane County in the U.S. state of Washington. The wetlands are overlooked by the Saltese Uplands, and are fed by the Quinnamose Creek, and emptied by the Saltese Creek The wetlands were originally drained for farming, but the Spokane County Environmental Services are working hard to try to restore them. The primary goal is to restore the wetlands habitat, and increase late summer water flow into the Spokane River. [1]

History

The area known as the Saltese Flats, was once a Lake (even larger than the nearby Liberty Lake, but was drained by Peter Morrison in the 1890s. Starting in 1894, Morrison and hired laborers, who used horses to dig canals that totaled 10 miles (16 km) in length. Morrison thought if the lake was drained, he would be able to grow the best Timothy Hay in the Northwest. Within weeks of the canals being finished, the lake had completely drained, except for a portion now known as Shelley Lake. The primary drainage canal is now known as the Saltese Creek. [2]

References

  1. ↑ "Saltese Flats Wetland Restoration". Spokane County. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
  2. ↑ "What Happened to Saltese Lake?". Spokane County. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
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