Puget Sound Innovation Stories

Estuaries

Estuaries link the ocean and rivers, provide nutrients to the environment, and constitute a vital part of the Puget Sound ecosystem. Estuarine restoration aims to open natural tidal flooding that increases nutrients and food supply, provides access to habitat, and revegetates areas with riparian and marine plants. After estuarine habitat is made accessible to tidal flow, young salmon, birds, crabs, and other wildlife use restored areas readily. Many estuarine projects support local economies and provide safety benefits to the community in addition to habitat improvements.

Jimmycomelately Creek Restoration

Jimmycomelately Creek Restoration

Partners restore imperiled summer chum salmon and shellfish in Clallam County   Jimmycomelately Creek and its estuary in Clallam County are now home to a robust population of ESA-listed summer chum salmon as well as a thriving commercial shellfish operation. This...

Voluntary No Anchor Zones

Voluntary No Anchor Zones

Protecting eelgrass and shellfish habitats through voluntary community action Port Townsend is a popular destination for pleasure boaters in Washington's inland waters. Eelgrass beds flourish in the nearshore just beyond the waterfront and were at risk for significant...

Salmon Creek Estuary Restoration

Salmon Creek Estuary Restoration

Restoring an old mill site to benefit salmon, shellfish, and people The Salmon Creek and Snow Creek estuaries are located within a half-mile from each other in Discovery Bay, forming a complex system of salt and freshwater interchange where young salmon get used to...

Union River Estuary Restoration

Union River Estuary Restoration

Restoring habitat and connecting people and salmon The Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife collaborated to return ocean tides to restore salt marsh habitat in the lower Union River, which is part of the larger Lynch...

Maynard Nearshore Restoration

Maynard Nearshore Restoration

Removing defunct infrastructure to protect fish and shellfish The Maynard Nearshore Restoration Project is located at the head of Discovery Bay in Jefferson County. Salmon and Snow Creek enter the bay within a half-mile of one another forming an estuary that...

Drayton Harbor

Drayton Harbor

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 2 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT: 42 WRIA: 1 CITY, COUNTY: Blaine, Whatcom County Project Summary For decades, Drayton Harbor provided ideal growing conditions for shellfish and jobs for many in the local community. By 1995, much of Drayton Harbor was...

Fir Island Restoration

Fir Island Restoration

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 2 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT: 10 WRIA: 3 CITY, COUNTY: Skagit, Skagit County Project Summary The Skagit River and its delta provide habitat to some of the largest runs of Chinook, pink, and chum salmon in the state. Tidal wetlands protect and feed...

Lyre Conservation Area

Lyre Conservation Area

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 6 LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT: 24 WRIA: 18 CITY, COUNTY: Dungeness, Clallam County Project Summary The Western Strait of Juan de Fuca, a migratory corridor for Puget Sound salmon, is characterized by small pocket estuaries and high-energy beaches. The...

Puget Sound National Coastal Wetlands Conservation

Puget Sound National Coastal Wetlands Conservation

In early 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Washington State Department of Ecology with $4.7 million in National Coastal Wetlands Conservation grants to fund six projects to restore and protect wetlands in Puget Sound and the Grays Harbor area. The...

Smith Island

Smith Island

The Smith Island Estuary Restoration Project will benefit threatened salmon, restore ecological systems, and improve flood control and recreation across the region by: Removing a historic levee, excavating channel networks, and installing wood placements to improve...

Titlow Park Shoreline Restoration Project

Titlow Park Shoreline Restoration Project

The Titlow Park Shoreline Restoration Project is working closely with Tacoma Metro Parks to successfully remove a derelict bulkhead, seawall, and defunct home near an important bait fish beach in Puget Sound. The second phase of the project will undertake restoration...

Leque Island Estuary

Leque Island Estuary

In the Stillaguamish River watershed, 85 percent of historical tidal marsh habitat has been displaced by other uses. Leque Island's tidal marsh habitat is particularly valuable for young Chinook salmon as they transition from fresh water to saltwater but it is...

Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration

Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration

Led by the Tulalip Tribes, the Qwuloolt Estuary restoration is one of the largest restoration projects in Puget Sound. (Qwuloolt is the Lushootseed word for "marsh.") Located within the Snohomish River floodplain, the estuary historically encompassed tidal...

Skokomish Estuary Restoration

Skokomish Estuary Restoration

The Skokomish River floods more frequently than any river in Washington, and yet the river channel often goes dry during Chinook salmon migration. This is because nearly half of the Skokomish River estuary had been converted to diked farmland, which contributed to...

Duwamish Gardens in Tukwila

Duwamish Gardens in Tukwila

Duwamish Gardens will provide nearly an acre of shallow-water habitat for salmon, as well as a pleasant park for urban residents to enjoy. Young salmon need off-channel, shallow-water habitat, where they can feed on insects and invertebrates that live among the...