Skokomish Dike Removal Signals Beginning of Large Estuary Restoration in Hood Canal and Puget Sound

By Paul Cereghino

On September 10, 2007 the tides of Hood Canal fully inundated 108 acres of the old Nalley farm for the first time in seventy-five years creating cause for celebration. The land, once used for growing hay, is now owned by the Skokomish Tribe, and is being converted back to river delta tidal marsh so it can be used for growing fish. The project is the largest dike removal to date in Hood Canal. Mason Conservation District, the Skokomish Tribe and Tacoma Power and Light collaborated managed construction, principally funded by the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife) under the guidance of the Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership. NOAA’s Restoration Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service all contributed resources to the collaborative inter-governmental venture.

The project aims for full restoration of natural processes. All dikes were removed allowing sheet flow of flood and tidewaters across the site and full access to the historic delta by the sediment-laden Skokomish River. Tides and river are anticipated to cut new channels, deposit sediment, wood, and seed recreating the historic habitat structures that support endangered summer chum and Chinook salmon as well as a diversity of estuarine-dependant species whose populations will be strengthened by restoration of critical estuarine habitat. Monitoring or recovery will be completed by the Tribe in collaboration with Washington Department of Natural Resources and compared to adjacent reference habitat and natural dike breach areas to better document the value of complete dike removal. The next phase of the Skokomish Estuary Restoration will involve over 200 acres of marsh restoration on the adjacent Nalley Island. Several thousand acres of large-scale tidal restoration are currently being planned on Dungeness, Nooksack, Skagit, Stilliguamish, Snohomish, and Nisqually River Deltas, with tidal marsh restoration occurring at many small creek mouths across Puget Sound.

For more information visit our the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program website

The Skokomish Delta is a place of breathtaking natural beauty. The site is adjacent to intact marsh that will speed recovery by dispersing seed into the restored site. Restoration will result better flushing of existing adjacent tidal channels.

Crews worked quickly from the break of dawn to remove as much of the remaining dike as possible before the first tides rolled in.

Prior to the day of first tides, the majority of the dike was removed leaving only a ‘one-bucket’ width of dike for the day of the breach.

As a precondition of the project Tacoma Power and Light required construction of a elevated walkway to allow 24/7 access to their transmission towers that cross the site. These walkways will allow for excellent site access by the tribe to ‘usual and accustomed’ resource areas.

The first muddy trickle of seawater entered the site under the watchful eye of tribal members and project partners.

The footprint of the dike was graded to be level with the surrounding marsh. Tides and river floods are anticipated to rework the floodplain in ways that will enhance fish access, sediment deposition and other habitat functions.

The first unconstrained tide entering Nally’s fields in 75 years.

The first tide reclaiming an old road bed.
Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
P.O. Box 43145, Olympia, Washington 98504-3145