Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park

April, 2024
Welcome Susan Bishop, new Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park Caretaker

Susan Bishop joins the City of Port Townsend as the new Caretaker of Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park. “I was born in Port Townsend, as were my parents and grandparents and I have lived on the Olympic Peninsula for all of my life," says Susan. "I am happy to be the first Caretaker at Kah Tai Nature Park. I have lots of love for this place. I remember as a child we used to call it “The Flats” and I have watched this park grow since it was started. I even remember the year they had the carnival at Kah Tai. I am hoping to play a big part in getting Kah Tai to a place where people can enjoyt nature and a place where it feels safe for everyone.”

January 19, 2024
Special Opportunity Notice: Now Accepting Applications for Kah Tai Caretaker Position

The City of Port Townsend is seeking an individual that best represents the City by providing safe, equitable, and inclusive access to parks, recreation, and city facilities to foster healthy living and strengthen the bonds of the community.

The Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park Caretaker will bring a vibrant park presence to Kah Tai by adding more visibility and security to the park. This is an unpaid, contracted position that includes an RV site including utilities (water, sewer, and electric) that are paid by the City in exchange for a designated amount of working hours at the park. Applicant must provide their own registered and insured RV or camper. The right applicant will also be comfortable with public interaction as this position will help educate visitors to the park as well.

Applications will be reviewed in February 2024, and interviews will be scheduled with qualifying candidates.  You can find the application linked at the bottom of this page. Reach out to Michael Todd, Parks & Facilities Manager, with questions. 

Park Location

Bounded by Sims, 12^th, Landes, 19^th and Kearney Streets

Park Description

Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park belongs in its entirety to the City of Port Townsend as of 2013. As a Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) park, perpetual 6(f)(3) protections prohibit its use for any purpose other than that described in the grant which funded its creation: a passive nature park supporting activities that are in keeping with protection of wildlife habitat. Off-leash dog use is generally incompatible with wildlife habitat and is discouraged.

Birding is a favorite pastime at the park. The Park is on the Olympic Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail. Admiralty Audubon documented 62 land-associated and 36 water-associated species in a twice-monthly, two-year study completed in 2011. More than 150 species of birds have been sighted at Kah Tai since the first thorough documentation in 1978. Kah Tai’s southern uplands have walking and bicycle trails that are heavily used as the park provides access between east and west Port Townsend. The trails are handicapped-accessible and are used by strollers, walkers and wheelchairs. There is currently no trail that loops around the lagoon. Boating, fishing, and swimming in the lagoon are prohibited.

History

Kah Tai was a tidally flushed estuary until 1930 when Port Townsend built Sims Way across the mouth of the lagoon. In 1963, the Port of Port Townsend decided to expand its boat haven with the assistance of the Army Corps of Engineers. At the time, the ecological value of estuaries wasn’t readily understood and Kah Tai’s value as an inexpensive dumping location for dredge spoils was considered a better purpose. The transfer of 231,000 cubic yards of marine sand and mud decreased the lagoon area by more than half and completely altered its physics, biology, and chemistry. Subsequent attempts to build a planned unit development on the dredge spoils mobilized citizens to save what remained.

Volunteers did all the legwork, and a 1980-81 IAC grant proposal for federal LWCF support purchase the private parcels in the park received funding from the Secretary of the Interior’s contingency funds. The expectation upon purchase of all private parcels (from a total of 19 owners) was that the publicly-owned parcels (County, PUD and Port) would all be transferred to the City.

A second grant funded in 1983 by IAC provided funds to match private donations and sweat equity to develop a nature park primarily on the recovering dredge spoils of the Port-owned southern uplands, with Port agreement. The final plan was unanimously approved by the City Council.  The small lagoon was dug and connected to the bay, with the approval of the Army Corps of Engineers. Trails were established, and volunteers built the bridge, picnic shelter, and restroom.

Today Kah Tai serves as the second largest drainage basin in Port Townsend; drainage basin #9 serves more than 700 acres of the City. The 1960s dredge spoils have matured into thriving uplands. Kah Tai became Port Townsend’s first Adopt-A-Park in 2001 when a consortium called the Kah Tai Alliance adopted the Park. More recently, the park has had its adoption renewed by Admiralty Audubon. Despite intermittent prohibitions on planting native species in the uplands until the recent transfer to City ownership, volunteer efforts to remove invasive weeds and robust natural succession have produced a beloved nature park.

Total Acreage

75.86 acres