Coastal Management

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Shoreline ecological functions are a public trust resource under the state Shoreline Management Act and our Infrastructure, driven by Land Use regularly encroaches on these landscapes. Shorelines of the state include larger streams (discussed in Category:Aquatic Buffer) however this topic is focused on Nearshore Ecosystems, including River Deltas, Beaches, Embayments and Headlands. Shoreline management encompasses Monitoring, Regulation and Restoration with the goal of No Net Loss under state law. The modern basis for shoreline management in Puget Sound was largely established by the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project. That body of science and policy has been expanded over time under the Puget Sound Watershed Characterization Project, Beach Strategies for Nearshore Restoration and Protection in Puget Sound, and other efforts. The Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program plays a significant role in advancing management. Different Landforms are affected differently by different forms of Infrastructure and Land Use. The Impacts of Shoreline Armoring on Beaches is a prominent area of concern.

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The Shoreline Management Act requires that Counties and Municipalities implement a Shoreline Master Program that achieves the goals of the act.
WDFW has authority for Hydraulic Project Approval which allows for some regulation of shoreline developments which impact fish life and their habitats. This authority when applied to beach-spawning Forage Fish creates the opportunity for consideration of actions that affect beach conditions over time.
Sea Level Rise Risk Evaluation often includes consideration of how sea level rise will affect shoreline habitats. Habitats that have been stabilized with artificial structures are vulnerable to a phenomena called "coastal squeeze" where as water level increases, the shoreline is unable to recede, resulting in a loss of intertidal area.
Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project conducted between 2001 and 2015 completed a series of scientific and policy documents that defined the trajectory for shoreline management.
The Salish Sea Nearshore Programmatic Biological Opinion issued by NMFS presents a basis for quantification of impacts to critical habitats for Chinook Salmon with implicaitons for shoreline management.