Category Overview
Project Highlights
Snohomish County will use funding for design, permitting, and construction of a 325-acre estuary restoration project, reestablishing estuarine tidal marsh conditions and processes to benefit ESA-identified priority species including Chinook, Steelhead and Bull Trout. The project is located on county-owned land along Union Slough on Smith Island in the Snohomish River estuary, northeast of Everett, WA. Due to an increase in mitigation attributed “restored estuary acres” the total restored estuary acres attributed to this SRFB project is 307 acres. Restoration will include a) constructing a setback dike to protect adjacent agricultural properties, WA Interstate-5, and Everett Waste Water Treatment Plant infrastructure, b) creating habitat elements designed to jumpstart estuarine natural processes, including reconnecting/creating tidal channels, filling linear ditches to prevent fish stranding, creating large wood structures, suppressing invasive plants, and native species replanting; and c) breaching 4,500 linear feet of dike, allowing tidal inundation. In addition to reestablishing critical salmon rearing habitat, this project offers passive recreation including a non-motorized boat access point, and opportunities for wildlife viewing, picnicking, and walking. Once complete, this project will achieve more than 25% of the 10-year estuary restoration benchmark set with the 2005 Snohomish River Basin Salmon Conservation Plan.