There has been a little confusion on the Lake Tapps Poker run event. It will be held on May 30th (weekend after Memorial Day), not on Memorial Day weekend. The weather is always up in the air, but with Tapps, an overcast day works best to keep the majority of the lunatics off the Lake. This year we are going to organize a small potluck BBQ during the event. I will have a BBQ set up for burgers or dogs while we all sit and tell boat stories. I have several locations to choose from depending on how many think they may attend. If you add a quick response here if you are planning on attending, I will finalize the location and get more details posted. The last few years, we have started around 10:00 am and gone to about 3:00-4:00. If it is a nice day like this past Sunday, it may work better to start a bit later and use the Lake more in the early evening. Regardless of the location we will have access to private launches and dock space.
For those that don't know, here is a little history and some facts about the Lake..
“Lake Tapps was formed in 1911 as a reservoir for power generation by Puget Power Electric. Originally the area consisted of four separate lakes, Lake Kirtley, Lake Tapps, Crawford Lake and Church Lake. Two and a half miles of earthen dams allowed the water level of Lake Tapps to raise 35 feet joining the four lakes together.
The lake surface area consists of 2,566 acres with a storage capacity of 46,655 acre-feet of water. With 45 miles of shoreline Lake Tapps is only 13 miles less that that of Lake Washington.
In 1954 much of the land around the lake was purchased by Lake Tapps Development Company from Puget Sound Power and Light Company. The original intention of the company was to provide summertime recreational home sites. As part of this program, a number of local parks were created for the use of property owners within the various projects. Also, Pierce County was given 70 acres, with nearly a mile of shoreline, and the City of Bonney Lake was given two acres of waterfront property for public use.
The white River, with it's head waters located on the northeast slopes of MT Rainier, supply the lake with its water.
Large runs of fish, mainly salmon, migrate throughout the White River. A fish trap is maintained at the diversion dam located near the town of Buckley. After trapping, the fish are hauled by tank trucks and released at the Mud Mountain Dam Reservoir.
Summer boating, skiing and personal water craft is the primary use by the public of Lake Tapps. Two public parks, one at the north end and one at the south end allows for public access to the water. Eight other private parks located around the lake provide access for resident members.”
The Lake is located just a few miles South of Auburn. There are several gas stations and restaurants close by, but nothing accessible by boat. If you have any questions, or need more information about the event, don't hesitate to post or call.
Brian Franchini
(206) 423-4644
For those that don't know, here is a little history and some facts about the Lake..
“Lake Tapps was formed in 1911 as a reservoir for power generation by Puget Power Electric. Originally the area consisted of four separate lakes, Lake Kirtley, Lake Tapps, Crawford Lake and Church Lake. Two and a half miles of earthen dams allowed the water level of Lake Tapps to raise 35 feet joining the four lakes together.
The lake surface area consists of 2,566 acres with a storage capacity of 46,655 acre-feet of water. With 45 miles of shoreline Lake Tapps is only 13 miles less that that of Lake Washington.
In 1954 much of the land around the lake was purchased by Lake Tapps Development Company from Puget Sound Power and Light Company. The original intention of the company was to provide summertime recreational home sites. As part of this program, a number of local parks were created for the use of property owners within the various projects. Also, Pierce County was given 70 acres, with nearly a mile of shoreline, and the City of Bonney Lake was given two acres of waterfront property for public use.
The white River, with it's head waters located on the northeast slopes of MT Rainier, supply the lake with its water.
Large runs of fish, mainly salmon, migrate throughout the White River. A fish trap is maintained at the diversion dam located near the town of Buckley. After trapping, the fish are hauled by tank trucks and released at the Mud Mountain Dam Reservoir.
Summer boating, skiing and personal water craft is the primary use by the public of Lake Tapps. Two public parks, one at the north end and one at the south end allows for public access to the water. Eight other private parks located around the lake provide access for resident members.”
The Lake is located just a few miles South of Auburn. There are several gas stations and restaurants close by, but nothing accessible by boat. If you have any questions, or need more information about the event, don't hesitate to post or call.
Brian Franchini
(206) 423-4644
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