Did you ever wonder where our drinking water originates? Take the kids to the Cedar River Watershed Education Center to find out! Located just 35 miles east of Seattle at Rattlesnake Lake, the Center provides free and low-cost programs to families and all ages of school children.
The Seattle Public Utilities’ Watershed Management Division manages over 100,000 acres of land in the Central Cascades and provides clean drinking water for more than 1.4 million people in King County.
The Education Center is owned and operated by Seattle Public Utilities. At the Center, kids and adults can learn about the protected watershed, the water cycle, how our water is cleaned and transported, and more. The Education Center is free and open year-round Tuesday through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (April through October) and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (November 1 through March) Hands-on displays, engaging activities, and a large topographical map of the watershed provide a great overview for visitors.
Just outside the welcome center is a Rain Drum Courtyard with a display of natural forest habitat and drums arranged to play selected rhythms from dripping water pipes.
The Cedar River Watershed Education Center provides a tour and field trip brochure of programs offered throughout the year. A wide variety of experiences are available, from hiking tours to cultural and historical tours.
Free naturalist-led activities are available most Saturdays and Sundays from January to March 2019. Registration begins December 1 online. Registration for all programs is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit www.seattle.gov/util/crwec or email CRWprograms@seattle.gov for more information and registration.
The Education Center is located at 17905 Cedar Falls Road SE in North Bend, WA.
Drain Pro Plumbing professionals are available to handle all your household plumbing concerns. Ask us about ways we can help you conserve water or save energy with low flow toilets or shower heads or by installing tankless water heaters.
Sources:
Field trip brochure: Cedar River Watershed Education Center, 2018-19.
Seattle Public Utilities—Public Field Program brochure, 2018-19.
Photos courtesy of the Cedar River Watershed Education Center
