What's New
Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed
Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 8
Salmon Bay Estuary Synthesis Report released
The Salmon Bay Estuary Synthesis Report was produced by Taylor Associates, Inc., for the Lake Washington/Cedar/ Sammamish Watershed (WRIA 8) Project Subcommittee to assess the relative benefits to Chinook salmon of restoration projects in the Salmon Bay estuary. It contains a review of published and unpublished literature on Chinook salmon use of estuaries including Salmon Bay, compares the relative value of four example restoration projects in the area downstream of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (the Locks), summarizes the results of interviews with eight local fisheries and estuarine scientists with knowledge of Salmon Bay, and recommends next steps for improving Chinook survival in the estuary. As part of the comparison of restoration projects, the potential benefits to Chinook salmon of daylighting Wolfe Creek received additional analysis, including an investigation of the creek's possible freshwater contribution to Salmon Bay.
Four Habitat Restoration Projects Receive More Than $866,000 from State
On December 11, the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board issued its 10th round of grants for salmon habitat projects across the state.
Four projects in WRIA 8 received a total of $866,411:
Protecting the Cedar River Reach at Elliot Bridge
The King County Water and Land Resources Division will use a $178,411 grant to buy almost four acres along both banks of the lower Cedar River. The project builds on previous acquisitions, both upstream and downstream, to form a continuous corridor of protected riparian land. It sets the stage for large scale restoration of all these lands, including levee setbacks. Targeted parcels are located just upstream of the "landslide reach", which is one of the two highest quality habitat areas on the lower Cedar River and home to significant chinook salmon runs. Local grant match: $271,589. (#09-1575)
Protecting the Royal Arch Reach of the Cedar River
Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) will use a $500,000 grant to buy 27.4 acres to protect, and later restore, habitat for chinook salmon in the lower Cedar River. SPU is buying land for salmon habitat protection and restoration below its municipal watershed ownership boundary at the Landsburg Diversion Dam. After the December 2008 flood, several landowners at the Royal Arch reach of the river expressed interest in selling their properties. Purchase of this land would provide restoration opportunities that would enable the river to migrate in the floodplain, thereby increasing habitat complexity for chinook salmon. SPU match: $88,000. (#09-1578)
Designing Restoration Projects for the South Lake Washington Shoreline
The Washington Department of Natural Resources will use a $154,000 grant to design a project to restore a quarter of a mile of shoreline and three acres of upland habitat in southern Lake Washington. The restoration will improve the water quality of the lake and shoreline habitat for chinook salmon. The department will complete a feasibility study and design of a project that would remove 650 linear feet of hardened shoreline; restore 660 linear feet of shallow water habitat; remove nonnative, invasive plants; replant the shoreline and three upland acres; and remove 21 creosote-treated piles and rip rap. State grant match: $24,000. (#09-1534)
Designing a Habitat Project on South Lake Washington
The City of Renton will use a $154,000 grant to design and apply for permits for a project that will create protected, shallow-water habitat for chinook salmon along Lake Washington's shoreline, and reduce the need for future dredging in the vicinity of the Renton Municipal Airport's Seaplane Base. The project goals are to dramatically increase the quality and quantity of shallow-water, shoreline habitat for juvenile salmonids. The project will reuse clean, dredged sediments to build a shallow-water habitat island to enhance the existing Cedar River delta habitat. This project will also restore the airport's Lake Washington shoreline, which consists entirely of rip rap and a sheet pile wall. A new shallow-water habitat bench will create a high quality migration route along the airport's shoreline for migrating juvenile chinook salmon. Renton match: $15,000. (#09-1606)
Volunteering in the watershed
There are volunteer opportunities where you can get dirty for a good cause!