For questions about the King County  Swimming Beach Monitoring Program, please contact Dean Wilson, Program Manager

For questions about the Swimming Beach Web site, please contact Daniel Smith

Stickleback Deaths


image of three spined stickleback 

Have you seen me floating dead in the water?

This time of year we typically see quite a few dead male three-spine stickleback in many of our lakes. This die-off corresponds to the three-spine stickleback’s breeding season, which is pretty tough on the males. They expend a lot of energy in attracting the females, building the nest and caring for their young.

Photo of dead sticklebacks

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Updated: 9/22/2009