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Water Quality Improvement &
Habitat Restoration Projects

The Lone Tree Creek Restoration Project restored and enhanced salmon habitat in the stream and pocket estuary located on the Swinomish Reservation in Washington State. The stream and pocket estuary were blocked from tidal influence and fish passage by a series of perched and undersized culverts. An important aspect of this project is that these culverts are entirely on Tribal land. The Tribe has taken the initiative to correct fish passage problems on Reservation, including this project, even though the land base is relatively small (<12 sq. miles). The project restored tidal influence and fish passage by replacing existing impassible culverts (2 foot diameter) with a 40’ bridge, a 10 foot wide arched culvert, and three 8 foot wide squashed culverts. Tidal influence in the enhanced pocket estuary will re-create estuary-type freshwater/salt water mixing zones, critical rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. Fish usage will be monitored pre- and post- project to determine effectiveness of improvements. Planting additional estuary and native plants in the wetlands and increased buffer will enhance the newly opened estuary habitat as well as maximize filtering effects to improve water quality. Current water quality monitoring will be continued to determine water quality improvements.