Congresswoman Kim Schrier tours priority salmon habitat restoration projects
This summer WRIA 8 partners hosted Congresswoman Kim Schrier on tours of two priority salmon habitat restoration projects. In early July, King County and Seattle Public Utilities welcomed Congresswoman Schrier to the Riverbend Levee Setback and Floodplain Restoration project on the Cedar River. The project was in active construction to remove and setback a levee, reconnect over 40 acres of floodplain, and restore over a mile of river habitat that will be used by over 90% of the watershed’s juvenile Chinook salmon as they migrate downstream. The project area will achieve 40% of the watershed’s floodplain reconnection goal for the Cedar River. During the tour, discussion included describing challenges with funding, permitting, and regulatory requirements, as well as how funding from the recent federal infrastructure and jobs act can support similar projects.
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In August, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust along with several partners hosted Congresswoman Schrier for a tour of lower Issaquah Creek in Lake Sammamish State Park. The visit was centered around a restoration effort planned for summer 2023, which will increase relict-channel and floodplain connections via placement of large woody material features to improve conditions for juvenile Chinook and other salmonid species and enhance in-stream complexity. The project, which is a priority for WRIA 8 salmon recovery and has received over $1.5 million in WRIA 8 habitat restoration grant funding, was selected as one of the congresswoman’s Community Project Funding priorities this year and has passed the House as part of the government funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year.
Salmon SEEson is coming!
Fall is coming and salmon will be returning to streams and rivers throughout King County to spawn. The annual Salmon SEEson program will run from late August through November, promoting self-guided salmon viewing sites as well as some hosted events (stay tuned!). If you decide to visit a self-guided site near you, please remember to: plan ahead, practice social distancing, wear a mask, choose a site near you, leave no trace, and contribute to an inclusive experience for all. Check out the Salmon SEEson website for more information on self-guided and viewing opportunities!
King County Flood Management Plan seeks committee members
Over the next two years King County will develop a new Flood Management Plan. The flood plan is the guide for managing flood risks along rivers, creeks, and shorelines. How does reducing flood risks impact rivers that support wildlife and farming? Ensure safe roads and reliable infrastructure? How can the likelihood of bigger floods be addressed with the resources available? What matters most to you?
To create the next plan, King County is learning about the values and goals of communities most vulnerable to flooding. This will help equitably shape the County’s programs, policies, and infrastructure for years to come.
Public participation is central to the development of the flood plan. The County is looking for people interested in joining a Partner Planning Committee that will help shape the plan. Visit the County’s Partner Planning Committee webpage to learn more about the committee and how to join.
Sign up to receive announcements and updates on the flood plan. Stay tuned for the fall dates for virtual flood plan kickoff meetings!
Volunteers helping restore Edmonds Marsh
For the second year in a row, community volunteers are removing chain link fencing and invasive species like bittersweet nightshade in Edmonds Marsh to restore wetland vegetation and improve water flows from creek tributaries to the Marsh. Highschool students, part of the Edmonds Stream Team, are testing water quality in the Marsh, which are detecting improvements in the areas where restoration efforts have occurred. Read the full story here.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves 2022-2026 Action Agenda for Puget Sound recovery
On August 24, the EPA the Action Agenda as the official Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the Puget Sound National Estuary Program. The Action Agenda, updated every four years, serves as the science-based plan guiding prioritization, implementation and funding of Puget Sound recovery. More information is available on the Puget Sound Partnership website.
Salmon in the news
Below are links to several recent news stories involving salmon:
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Judge faults federal plan to protect orcas from Alaska salmon harvests - Seattle Times
- News about sockeye salmon populations:
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Pacific salmon find safety in numbers, UW researchers show - Seattle Times
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What the Nooksack River’s climate tailspin means for people and fish - Crosscut
Announcements and habitat project updates
Constructed side channel and reconnected floodplain at the Riverbend Levee Setback and Floodplain Restoration project
Large wood structures in the side channel constructed as part of the Jan Road Levee Setback project
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Cedar River floodplain reconnection projects near completion!– Two large Cedar River floodplain reconnection projects will be completed in the next couple months. King County Construction on both the Riverbend Levee Setback and Floodplain Restoration project and the Jan Road Levee Setback project is schedule to be complete this summer, with additional planting work to continue into the fall. Both projects restore important juvenile salmon floodplain rearing and refuge habitat and reduce flood risk.
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Sammamish River & Waynita Creek Restoration project progressing – In the City of Bothell, conceptual design work has begun for the Sammamish River & Waynita Creek Restoration project, which includes stream and wetland habitat restoration for the east side of the former Wayne Golf Course property. It includes 1,000 linear feet of the south bank of the Sammamish River along with the mouth and lower reach of Waynita Creek, and reconnection with unnamed tributaries and wetlands in the confluence area to address fish refuge and water temperature. Once data collection is complete, three or four design alternatives will be created using this site-specific information and presented to the community for review and comment. More information at www.bothellwa.gov/SRWCR.
Funding Opportunities:
- Department of Ecology Water Quality Combined Funding Program – This funding supports water related projects, including stormwater management activities and facilities, nonpoint source pollution control activities, onsite sewage systems, and wastewater facilities. Applications are open through October 12. More information is available on the Water Quality Combined Funding Program webpage.
- Upcoming NOAA Federal Funding Opportunities under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA):
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Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants
Due date: Sept 6, 2022 Eligibility: broad, including NGOs
Summary: Supporting transformational projects that restore marine, estuarine, coastal, or Great Lakes ecosystems, using approaches that enhance community and ecosystem resilience to climate hazards. Proposals may include the following types of project phases: planning and assessments; feasibility studies; engineering design and permitting; on-the-ground implementation; pre- and/or post-implementation monitoring; or any combination of phases thereof. Proposals may also include capacity-building and stakeholder engagement to support the proposed restoration.
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Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities
Due Date: Sept 30, 2022 Eligibility: broad, including NGOs
Summary: Supporting opportunities for underserved communities, tribes, and/or tribal entities to meaningfully engage in coastal habitat restoration activities. Through this funding opportunity, NOAA intends to support capacity building and restoration project activities that have the greatest potential to lead to habitat restoration that enhances resilience of underserved communities in marine, estuarine, coastal, and Great Lakes areas. Meaningful engagement of underserved communities is intended to ensure that communities are integral to the visioning, decision-making, and leadership for coastal habitat restoration projects; to ensure that the scope of such projects are inclusive of the priorities and needs of communities; and/or to ensure that the benefits of such projects flow back to underserved communities.
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