Long Lake Management District set to return in Thurston County amid milfoil threat

Thurston County has taken the first step toward the implementation of a new Long Lake Management District after local residents warned that a lapse in treatment and intervention could lead to the return of invasive weeds and harmful algae blooms. 

The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously at a public hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 5, to approve a resolution of intention to establish Long Lake Management District No. 25. 

Environmental Health Program Manager Stuart Whitford said more than 20% of property owners within the district’s proposed boundaries had signed a petition to form the district wherein it satisfied criteria under RCW (Revised Code of Washington) 36.61.  

He said the district would be the third version since Long Lake’s first management district was formed in the late 1980s in response to a rapid spread of Eurasian milfoil and declining water quality. 

“If we do not continue the activities of this management district, the lake will revert back to where it was before it was being properly managed under the leadership of the lake management district," he said.

Whitford pointed to phosphorus in lake bed sediments as the district’s root environmental concern. The nutrient acts as a food source for both algae and cyanobacteria.

“Cyanobacteria, as you know, create toxins. Those can have human health impacts through ingestion, but also, they can go airborne,” Whitford said. 

He added research from other lake communities has shown the presence of cyanotoxins in the bloodstream of people living nearby. 

Management efforts 

Mike Oechsner, Chair of the Long Lake Management District Steering Committee, recounted the history of the district’s formation. He said his grandfather purchased their lakefront home in 1974. 

By 1986, the lake had become “almost unswimmable” due to widespread milfoil growth. The event then sparked the creation of Thurston County’s first lake management district in 1990. 

“When that Lake Management District finished, the residents said, ‘We’re not done.’ We want to protect our lake for the future, for our kids, for our grandkids, and for the well-being of our community,” Oechsner said. 

He said the current committee of 20 volunteers works closely with county representatives to monitor water clarity, test for toxins and respond quickly to new weed growth. 

He also noted Long Lake has had no toxic algae outbreaks in the past 18 months and a recent recurrence of milfoil was treated within 30 days due to the district’s emergency reserves and treatment plan. 

Eric Casino, a Long Lake homeowner, talked about the ability to leverage money in order to continue the group's work.

“If we're don't stick to this time only, we'll miss out on a year's worth of funding because we won't be able to get our stuff over to the taxes, get the tax collections done in time,” Casino said. 

Casino also said the positive relationship between the Long Lake Management District and the county was a “a pretty good testament” to how coordination now works. He also said the LLMD has strong neighborhood backing, noting many residents have advocated to contribute more funding if it results in increased lake protection efforts. 

Steve Mauer, who settled full time at Long Lake in 2022, said the committee’s work includes pulling invasive plants and monitoring lake conditions firsthand. 

“These things are huge and essential. My goal is to live in this house with my wife until we can’t anymore, and that means we need to maintain that lake,” he said. 

Vickie Tuvey, who has lived on Long Lake for 23 years and served on the committee since 2018, recalled past episodes when the lake was on the verge of ecological decline.

She praised the committee’s educational work on septic systems and household behavior, and said the lake is currently “the best it’s been in the whole time” since moving in years ago. 

Board’s approval 

Board Vice Chair Wayne Fournier acknowledged the committee’s role in lake stewardship and expressed appreciation for their efforts. He also said hearing about the depth of volunteer involvement and continuity of effort helped affirm the board’s decision to move the process forward. 

Following the board’s approval of the resolution, the county confirmed the next step in the process involves scheduling a follow-up public hearing to adopt formal findings and determinations. The hearing is tentatively slated for Aug. 19. 

The board also stated the timeline, already underway, is proceeding faster than previous iterations of the Long Lake Management District. 

Board Chair Tye Menser emphasized that such a pace might not have been appropriate for a new or untested lake district, but said Long Lake Management District’s history and records justified the acceleration.  

“If it was a new Lake Management District, we may not be wanting to speed this up in this way because there’d be a lot of other concerns,” Menser said.