Todd Beamer High School - Environment

The Hylebos River flows through the Federal Way area, fed year around by rainwater absorbed and held by the surrounding land. For centuries the Hylebos was a thriving ecosystem, supporting wildlife and salmon. But in the early 1900’s many forests in the area were cleared for pastureland, drastically altering the way rainwater was absorbed into the river. Through the 1950’s and 60’s much of Federal Way became covered in pavement, again radically altering water drainage patterns. The Hylebos no longer thrives. In the summer, the river level is too low to adequately support the once plentiful salmon spawning runs. During other seasons, rainwater often pours too quickly into the river, causing harmful erosion and currents. This condition has been caused by removal of forests in the watershed and wetlands areas that surround the Hylebos.

What is a wetland? When we hear the word “wetland,” most of us picture a swampy bog with cattails, waterfowl and tall grass. But there is more to a wetland than meets the eye. Wetland areas are categorized by type. In most cases, a swampy bog is a very sturdy wetland called “type three.” Our new high school property contains a different kind of wetland called “type one.” A type one wetland is difficult to recognize from the ground’s surface — it can even seem quite firm underfoot. It is made up of certain soil conditions, plants and water existing in a particular combination. The soil and organisms within it act like a huge sponge that soaks up water at a predictable rate, cleans it through natural ground filtration, and slowly releases it into the river throughout the year. A type one wetland is the most fragile and sensitive wetland, taking hundreds of years to form.

Our goal is to improve the condition of the Hylebos wetlands by controlling the flow rate of water running off our property. We are doing this through a series of natural-looking, man-made ponds that will “catch” rainwater as it approaches the wetland area. The ponds will be designed to retain the rainwater before it enters the wetlands, then release it slowly, just as it was long ago when the area was an old growth forest. The result will be a healthier wetland ecosystem, and a positive step toward restoring health to the Hylebos River. We’ve created a construction process that will actually improve the natural function of the surrounding wetland ecosystem, rather than harm it. We look forward to the educational opportunities afforded by involving students in our wetlands restoration project.

1. As rainwater lands on paved areas and grass fields, it quickly runs downhill.
2. The "necklace" pond and creek system (see top view on the design page) is designed to collect and retain rainwater, then release it slowly into the wetland soil, simulating the water absorption rate of the old-growth forest that grew here long ago
3. Like a sponge, the wetland soaks up the rainwater, cleans it through natural filtration, and slowly releases it into the river throughout the year.

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