Work has started on the Fisher Slough habitat restoration and flood control project near Conway! This project is creating jobs, restoring salmon habitat, and protecting farmers from flooding in the Skagit River delta.

A crew from Nehalem Marine Manufacturing was installing new floodgates that will enable salmon to travel from Puget Sound up Fisher Slough and access more than 15 square miles of spawning habitat in the Cascades.

The new gates will enable salmon to pass through during 90 percent of the critical migration period, a significant improvement from the old gates which allowed passage during just 45 percent of the critical migration time.

A Project Made Possible

This project was made possible thanks to funding from the federal stimulus program, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Fisher Slough project was selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for $5.2 million funding.

Fisher Slough is a tidally influenced wetland and farmland complex in the Skagit River delta. The Conservancy is partnering with Skagit County, Dike District 3, Drainage and Irrigation District 17, Western Washington Agricultural Association and others on this $7.6 million project.

Next Steps

After the floodgates are installed this fall, the next step is to reroute a drainage ditch away from the restoration site and set back a levee to make room for 60 acres of marsh habitat and enable the floodplain to absorb floodwaters. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by July of 2011.

Nature picture credits (left to right): Photo © TNC (Flood Gate Installation); Photo © TNC (Flood Gate is lowered below).