Restoration of Puget Sound River Deltas

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This page is for summarizing on-wiki resources describing the restoration of Puget Sound River Deltas.

Methods

• Among the majority of Puget Sound deltas levee or dike setback or removal is the primary method of restoration.
• In industrialized systems like the Puyallup Delta and Duwamish Delta fill removal is the primary method of restoration.
• In the Deschutes Delta dam removal is the method of restoration.

Planning and Analysis

• Simenstad et al 2011 describes the historical condition of Puget Sound River Deltas compared to current conditions.
• Fresh et al 2011 identifies loss of delta wetlands as a significant change in Puget Sound Ecosystems.

Cereghino et al 2012 proposes a summary analysis of 16 Puget Sound river deltas, and how their historical potential and current degradation might affect how we think about restoraiton of ecosystem processes in those systems.

• File:Greene & Beamer 2005.pdf provides some evidence of chinook rearing dependance on delta wetlands, which is being extended in an effort measuring the density dependance and spatial pattern of juvenile salmon rearing in Snohomish and Skagit deltas.
• Similar work is underway associated with monitoring following the Nisqually Refuge Restoration.
• ESRP and NOAA RCNW are collaborating on a River Delta Adaptive Management Strategy to support the systematic management of risk and project development that support whole river delta ecosystem restoration and resilience through management of a sequence of river delta capital projects.

Funding and Implementation

Funding for a large Puget Sound Delta Restoration action typically requires mulitple funding sources to support feasibility, design, construction and evaluation of project work.

• Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP) distributes state capital funds, and
• Puget Sound Aquisition and Restoration program funds projects defined by the Lead Entity system, and in addition identifies and funds large capital projects including large river delta restoration.
• Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) distributes state appropriations that match federal funds from the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund.

Objectives and Status

• Individual salmon recovery plans may have set quantitative goals for river delta restoration.
• As part of the Puget Sound Vital Signs effort, the Puget Sound Partnership has set an estuary restoration goal, both to restore a proportion of total historical delta wetlands, and to meet salmon recovery objectives.
• See the pages for individual River Delta sites to find out more information about goals and status for specific systems.