HomeMy WebLinkAbout012726 email - Duckabush Estuary_US 101 project - 100% Design Milestone AchievedALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Good afternoon Jefferson County Commissioners –
It has been a while since my last update to you and I regret that I have not yet had the chance to properly introduce myself to Commissioner Dudley-Nolette, but today I am excited to
share an important update on the Duckabush Estuary restoration project! After six years in design phase that included weaving two complementary designs by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) into one cohesive plans and specifications set, numerous design reviews, and one global pandemic that changed the
way we work and collaborate, design work on the Duckabush Estuary Restoration project is complete! Loss of habitat function, driven by legacy infrastructure, is a pervasive challenge
to restoring Puget Sound’s shoreline ecosystems. This first project stemming from the work of the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP; a partnership between
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife) is notable as a proof-of-concept in bringing big federal capacity to fix this type of ecosystem
problem. Celebrate with us by sharing this information with others who have an interest in this kind of achievement and continue reading below for more information. Additional project
information can be found at https://wdfw.wa.gov/Duckabush.
With this milestone we are on the cusp of tapping into USACE’s powerful role in Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration and directing it towards improving the health of Puget Sound via implementation
of a project that restores natural estuarine processes and aligns transportation infrastructure with estuary function - at the mouth of the Duckabush River. Partnering with USACE not
only brings a partner with experience in aquatic infrastructure design and planning, but it leverages their favorable cost-sharing relationship, with USACE funding 65% of the design
and construction. With the assistance of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG), the non-federal share of the project (35%) has been made available to WDFW via direct state
capital appropriation and RCO grant monies in the single largest RCO contract to date.
Next Steps
Pausing to recognize this milestone in the two decades-long PSNERP partnership, and acknowledging the design work and contributions of WDFW, WSDOT, USACE, HCSEG and so many others is
important. And we’ve still got big tasks to complete before the project is ready for advertisement, including:
* Real Estate. While most of the project footprint is already owned by WDFW, partners are actively working with peripheral landowners over the next several months to secure agreements
that will ensure the necessary land is available to build the project.
* Permitting. USACE - as the project lead and construction manager - is finalizing permitting.
* Funding. As a cost-shared project between USACE and WDFW, WDFW has already secured its share of construction funding and continues to support USACE in securing the federal ~$84M portion
of construction funds in what could be an uncertain federal funding landscape.
Timeline
Pending efficient completion of the above tasks, the project schedule is as follows:
Project Importance
Building on insights from the WRIA Limiting Factors Analysis and guided by PSNERP’s science‑based data, the Duckabush Estuary project design removes environmental stressors that limit
estuary function. With most project lands already in state ownership, WDFW is proud to demonstrate its commitment to recovery. Completing this project advances the Hood Canal Lead Entity’s
Salmon Recovery Workplan and contributes to the 2022‑2026 PSP Action Agenda, where PSNERP is recognized as an ongoing program and one of 11 program targets that accelerate progress
toward the desired recovery outcomes in the Action Agenda. Concurrently, State and Tribal shellfishing experts are collaborating to improve access to Hood Canal tidelands. The Duckabush
Estuary project sparked this effort, recognizing that canal-wide changes, including population growth, development, and habitat restoration will affect how people access and use tidelands.
By planning ahead, we can ensure lasting access opportunities.
Key Project Features
This project will reconnect fragmented habitat and allow unrestricted movement of water, sediment, fish, and wildlife and restore habitat complexity to the unique estuarine environment
at the mouth of the Duckabush River that will benefit several ESA-listed species. Major project elements include:
* Construct an estuary-spanning 1,613-foot-long elevated 2-lane highway.
* Design that maximizes span lengths (up to 228’) using 9 bridge piers and allows dynamic river movement with shafts designed to scour depth
* Remove over 30,000 yards3 of causeway fill and training berms, and two bridges (121’ and 168’) over the main Duckabush channels
* Reconnect 4 blocked historical channels and modify existing topography to increase connectivity and off-channel habitat
* Remove or replace 3 undersized culverts
* New public recreational access and amenities
* New left turn lane onto Duckabush Road
Thank you for marking this occasion with me and please send me any questions you have or hear from others. I am anticipating that, once we have a contractor on board and a solid construction
schedule identified by them, we will host another public information session in/near Brinnon and I will be sure to share that information with you when we begin planning it.
Best,
Theresa Mitchell
Environmental Planner
Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
Habitat Program | Restoration Division
360.790.8252 – mobile