Skokomish Estuary Restoration
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Since 2006, Mason CD has been working with the Skokomish Tribe to restore the Skokomish Estuary on Hood Canal. Both geographically and in respect to natural resources, the Skokomish Estuary is at the heart of Mason County. Along with its location near the center of Mason County at the Great Bend of Hood Canal, the Skokomish Estuary is also of key importance to the health and abundance of many marine and wildlife species for which this county is known.
In the beginning, Mason CD and the Skokomish Tribe partnered with Tacoma Power to restore the west side of the old Nalley Farm, established by Marcus Nalley (founder of Nalley Foods). This project, Phase 1, removed 5000' of dike to reopen 116 acres of intertidal wetlands. Immediately thereafter, salmon spawned, seals moved in, and bird use exploded. Phase 2, in 2010, restored 215 acres of intertidal wetland, and required the contractor to build a 210' bridge across Nalley Slough to Nalley Island. The contractor then removed 2.5 miles of dike, excavating and hauling 93,000 cubic yards of material. Much of this material was stockpiled for future restoration. In 2012, Mason CD planted native vegetation on 46 acres of Nalley Island and placed over 200 pieces of large woody debris on the island using a twin-rotor heavy-lift helicopter. The contractor then began the first part of Phase 3. This includes filling large remaining borrow ditches, recreating tidal channels in their historic locations, and constructing 29 new stream crossings across Skokomish Flats Road and utility access roads to reconnect tidal channels all the way back into the freshwater wetlands. This work was completed in summer 2016 and reconnected an additional 1512 acres of wetland to the estuary and shoreline. Changes we have seen since the beginning of the Skokomish Valley Estuary Restoration include:
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