The Salmon Friendly Lakes Program seeks to inspire behavior change among lakeshore residents through education and outreach opportunities, free technical assistance site visits, community science programming, as well as impact-reduction and restoration guidance.
This program is also a part of the Lake Sammamish Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) Abatement efforts being led by King Conservation District, which are intended to better understand, and reduce the impacts of artificial light on salmon in Lake Sammamish.
Salmon Friendly Lakes Partnerships
Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group is a non-profit that works to involve local communities in projects that will ensure a future for wild salmon. Through community volunteer efforts, we work together to revitalize urban streams and habitat for people and for fish. Together we can keep salmon a vibrant part of the Puget Sound.
King Conservation District (KCD) is a local government agency in King County, WA, dedicated to promoting sustainable land and water practices. As a non-regulatory organization, KCD provides technical assistance, resources, and education to conserve natural resources, enhance agriculture, and promote healthy ecosystems.
In Fall of 2025, artificial light at night scientists from the United States Geological Society Western Fisheries Research Center began collaborating with the Salmon Friendly Lakes program. Working with Mid Sound and KCD, the team created an Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) Community Science program aimed at collecting ALAN data along the shorelines of Lakes Sammamish and Washington, and along the Ship Canal in Seattle, WA. This data will help to identify the relationship between night brightness and cloud cover during the important salmon nearshore rearing period and outmigration.
King Conservation District and Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group are driven by a shared commitment to preserve and enhance salmon-friendly lakes. We aim to implement sustainable land management practices that promote healthy ecosystems and support salmon habitat. Through coordinated efforts in education, restoration, and conservation, we seek to ensure the long-term viability of salmon populations while fostering a thriving Pacific Northwest environment for both wildlife and people in the region.
The Salmon Friendly Lakes Program is funded in part by the King County Flood Control District in partnership with the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed (WRIA 8) Salmon Recovery Council.
Salmon Friendly logos designed by Facet NW.
In Fall of 2025, Mid Sound partnered with UW scientists studying the impacts of artificial light at night on the predation of juvenile salmon. UW scientists are currently working on expanding their research, using an acoustic camera at an extra shallow habitat to see how many salmon use the habitats, and how salmon and yellow perch interact at night. Research is ongoing and updates will be published throughout the year.
