Protect lakes

As a professional engineer who has spent almost 50 years in the environmental engineering field, I applaud the setback regulations as a first step in the protection of our lakes.

My firm developed and implemented the plan that resulted in correction of eutrophication in Lake Washington some 30 years ago. Lake Washington is the largest fresh water lake on the planet to recover from the devastating effects of excess nutrients and runoff from urban development. Today it is nearly as clear as it was before World War II and is a tremendous asset to the community.

However, setbacks are just the first step. Also needed are bans on septic tanks in the watershed, control and treatment of storm and snow-melt runoff and a prohibition of two-stroke cycle watercraft.

Garr Jones

Whitefish