Lake Washington Ship Canal Lake Washington Ship Canal The Lake Washington Ship Canal, which runs through the city of Seattle, connects the fresh water body of Lake Washington with the salt water inland sea of Puget Sound. The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks accommodate the approximately difference in water level between Lake Washington and the sound. The canal runs east–west and connects Union Bay, the Montlake Cut, Portage Bay, Lake Union, the Fremont Cut, Salmon Bay, and Shilshole Bay, which is part of the sound. The ship canal project began in 1911 and was officially completed in 1934. Prior to construction of the Lake Washington
Puget Sound sea urchins, and sand dollars. Dungeness crabs ("Metacarcinus magister") occur throughout Washington waters, including Puget Sound. Many bivalves occur in Puget Sound, such as Pacific oysters ("Crassostrea gigas") and geoduck clams ("Panopea generosa"). The Olympia oyster ("Ostreola conchaphila"), once common in Puget Sound, was depleted by human activities during the 20th century. There are ongoing efforts to restore Olympia oysters in Puget Sound. There are many seabird species of Puget Sound. Among these are grebes such as the western grebe ("Aechmophorus occidentalis"); loons such as the common loon ("Gavia immer"); auks such as the pigeon guillemot ("Cepphus columba"), rhinoceros auklet