employee at CLAIM had this to say: "We are undergoing efforts to manage the invasive mud snail population, but until population levels decrease by at minimum 78%, there can be no activity within or around the Lake." Because of a high rate of siltation, the lake has been dredged periodically in the past to keep it from filling in. After a 25-year hiatus, in 2011 the State Legislature appropriated $200,000 in order to seek permits to reimplement maintenance dredging in order to retain and improve Capitol Lake as part of the historic Wilder and White design of the State Capitol Campus during its centennial year. Invasive Species In 2009, the New Zealand mud snail, an invasive species the size of a grain of rice, was discovered in Capitol Lake. The lake has been closed to all public use, including boating and other recreation, since 2009. A heavy cold snap in 2013, combined with a drawdown in water level in preparation, was roughly estimated to have killed 40–60% of the mudsnail population. An infestation of Eurasian milfoil was controlled using herbicide in 2004. Later efforts relied on scuba divers to remove this invasive plant. Controversy Controversy surrounds Capitol Lake because it replaced the Deschutes River estuary. Because of a high rate of siltation, the lake was dredged periodically in the past to keep it from filling in, a classic case of eutrophication. Additionally, poor water quality has caused the lake to be closed to swimmers due to unsafe levels of E. coli. In June 2012, the Washington State Department of Ecology released a report titled: Deschutes River, Capitol Lake, and Budd Inlet Temperature, Fecal Coliform Bacteria, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, and Fine Sediment Total Maximum Daily Load Technical Report - Water Quality Study Findings by scientists; Mindy Roberts, Anise Ahmed, Greg Pelletier, and David Osterberg. This study provided information in a question and answer format. References External links Information from Squaxin Tribe Information from Dept. of General Administration Capitol Lake Improvement and Protection Association Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team Artificial lakes of the United States Geography of Olympia, Washington Lakes of Thurston County, Washington