Category Overview
Conserving land along our waterways protects important habitat and helps keep our rivers healthy, clean, and more resilient to drought. Riparian Protection projects conserve and restore fresh and saltwater habitat while protecting fish habitat. In doing so, the grants help provide our families, farms, and fisheries with clean water across the state.
Project Highlights
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) used this grant to buy a total of 129.69 acres with 1,500 feet of Dosewallips River frontage adjacent to Dosewallips State Park; 79.50 acres (39.50 and 40 acre parcel, disconnected yet the same parcel number) and 800′ of Dosewallips River frontage acquired from Pope Resources; and 80 acres and 1,500′ of Dosewallips River frontage acquired from the Samis Foundation. Dosewallips State Park is located on the west shore of Hood Canal, 1 mile south of Brinnon. The parks now consists of 586 acres with over a mile of saltwater shoreline on Hood Canal and almost a mile and a half of freshwater frontage on both sides of the Dosewallips River. The river is home to seven species of wild salmon and contains some of the most important and highest quality salmon habitat in eastern Jefferson County. This acquisition protects habitat for four species of salmon listed as at-risk of extinction by the federal government. The State Parks Commission approved a long-term boundary for the park that included a 6-mile corridor from Hood Canal to the Olympic National Forest. These acquisitions begin to make this corridor a reality.