Thursday Dec 23 2004 2:55 PM

Five salmon habitat restoration grants totaling $1.63 million have been approved for projects in Pierce County by the state Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The grants were among more than 103 individual projects funded statewide totaling $26.7 million in the fifth annual round of funding projects aimed at creating conditions that will allow salmon runs to return to historic levels.

“These projects are part of Pierce County Lead Entity Organization’s continuing efforts to improve the floodplain conditions for fish and citizens,” said Dan Wrye, program services manager for Pierce County Water Programs. “Healthy floodplains give us multiple benefits of reduced flooding, improved water quality and good quality of life. We were successful this year because of the dedication of members of our citizens and technical committees.

“Our goal for 2005 is to bring even more state and federal money to Pierce County for salmon habitat improvements. We encourage community groups, conservation groups, cities and others to submit project proposals to the Pierce County Lead Entity.”

Pierce County Water Programs is lead entity for three of the funded projects: $576,955 for buying land to protect salmon habitat near South Prairie, $297,500 for studying the feasibility of moving levees on the Puyallup, White and Carbon rivers, and $160,690 for designing a new creek that flows into the White River near Buckley. In addition, the Nisqually Tribe is lead entity for two funded projects: $502,600 for restoring and preserving the Mashell River near Eatonville and $124,950 for purchasing land for salmon habitat along the Nisqually River near McKenna.

Project descriptions:
- Along South Prairie Creek, the Cascade Land Conservancy in partnership with the Pierce Conservation District will buy and restore about 100 acres known as the Inglin Farm. The creek is the primary tributary to the Carbon River and is the most important salmon spawning area in the Puyallup watershed. The area accounts for nearly half of all the wild steelhead in the Puyallup River system, the only significant run of pink salmon, and important returns of Chinook, coho, chum salmon and sea-run cutthroat trout. The high quality habitat along the stream is threatened by increasing development. The conservancy, which will plant native plants to restore the area, will match the SBRB grant with $523,072 in cash and donated labor.

- The Pierce County Water Programs Division will create a comprehensive catalog of potential levee setback projects on the Puyallup, White, and Carbon rivers. Moving the levees would reconnect the rivers and floodplains, a top-priority restoration action. The study will pick project locations where features such as historic side-channels and hydrology indicate the likelihood that natural processes will act to create the desired habitat. Engineering concerns, land-use, hydrology and flood protection, cost, and landowner willingness will be evaluated along with habitat restoration for project prioritization. Conceptual designs will be evaluated and prioritized, and a few high priority projects will proceed through preliminary design. Pierce County Water Programs will provide a $52,500 match.

- King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks will design and obtain permits for a project to restore channel, floodplain, and shoreline conditions at the mouth of Boise Creek, a tributary to the White River near Buckley. Boise Creek is one of the largest producers of Chinook, coho and steelhead salmon of all the creeks entering the White River. This project would design the relocation of the lowest 500 feet of the creek into newly constructed channel about 1,200 feet in length. It also would restore the slope of the historic channel and create valuable salmon habitat. King County will match this grant with $53,564.

- The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group will proceed with final design, permitting, construction, monitoring and purchase of conservation easements for restoration projects in four sections of the Mashell River near Eatonville. The Mashell River is an important spawning and rearing area for Chinook, steelhead and coho salmon. Projects will include purchasing easements on some land, enhancing fish habitat, improving shoreline plants, removing riprap near Smallwood Park and enhancing wetland and shoreline function at Eatonville’s sewage treatment plant outfall. The grant also will allow the salmon enhancement group to purchase conservation easements for at least six properties, which will permanently protect the floodplain area from development. The salmon enhancement group will partner with the Nisqually Watershed Education Project, Nisqually Stream Stewards and Pierce County Stream Team to engage volunteers in planting, maintenance and monitoring. The Nisqually Tribe will provide additional monitoring. The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group will match this grant with $128,251 in cash and donated materials, labor and equipment.

- The Nisqually Land Trust will buy about 12 acres along the Nisqually River for permanent protection. The property is on Harts Lake Loop Road near McKenna. The land includes nearly 1/2 mile of meandering shoreline. The riparian shoreline habitat contains a large stand of mature trees on steep slopes along the river. The land trust will match this grant with $22,050.

Salmon, a Northwest icon, were placed on the federal list of endangered species in 1991, which set off a series of activities including formation of the Salmon Recovery Board to oversee the investment of state and federal funds for salmon recovery. Since 2000, the board has awarded $214.7 million in grants for 591 projects.

Pierce County has received a total of $7.1 million for 27 projects over the last five years.
CONTACT: Dan D.Wrye, Program Services Manager, 253-798-4672; Roy Huberd, Lead Entity Coordinator, 253-798-6793; or Dick Ferguson, Media and Community Relations, 253-798-3979