Category Overview
Washington is famous for its gorgeous and abundant waterways, from the Salish Sea to the Nisqually River, but many communities lack open public beaches and waterfronts where everyone can enjoy picnicking, swimming, paddling, boating, and angling. Water Access projects fund public shoreline access, boat launches, and fishing docks to create more opportunities for water recreation.
Project Highlights
The City of Poulsbo will us this grant to buy 3.1 acres of the last available, undeveloped, low bank waterfront on Liberty Bay for a park. The City envisions a park with a least three designated locations for getting to the bay from a path that runs along the shoreline. Additional opportunities will be available for launching personal watercraft, shellfishing, beachcombing, fishing, swimming, bird watching, and walking. The park also will protect habitat in a half-acre of low and high marsh waterfront and a half-acre of shoreline buffer. The City will restore a half-acre of degraded wetland and about 200 feet of degraded shoreline buffer. The land is used by several priority species including Chinook, Coho and Chum salmon; steelhead; searun Cutthroat Trout; sand lance; butter and native littleneck clams; Olympia oysters; and a variety of birds including herons, ospreys, bald eagles, and waterfowl. Poulsbo will contribute $400,000.