About the Project

After a century of diking off tidal flow, the Brown Farm Dike was removed to inundate 308 ha of the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) in October 2009. Along with 57 ha wetlands restored by the Nisqually Indian Tribe, the Nisqually Delta represents the largest tidal marsh restoration project in the Pacific Northwest to assist in recovery of Puget Sound salmon and wildlife populations. Over the past decade, the Refuge and close partners, including the Tribe and Ducks Unlimited, have restored more than 35 km of the historic tidal slough systems and re-connected historic floodplains to Puget Sound, increasing potential salt marsh habitat in the southern reach of Puget Sound by 50%. More »

Restoration News

Nisqually Refuge Manager Jean Takekawa receives Warren G. Magnuson Puget Sound Legacy Award. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge Update July/August 2010. August 29, 2010. Jean Takekawa, refuge manager at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, WA, received the 2010 Warren G. Magnuson Puget Sound Legacy Award for her tireless efforts to restore more than 760 acres of the refuge to tidal wetlands. The largest such restoration on the West Coast, the project involved partnerships with the greater Puget Sound community and contributed to groundbreaking science on estuarine restoration monitoring. ... [Link]

Creating a walk at the delta. Nisqually River: Estuary boardwalk about half done. The Olympian. August 15, 2010. Snaking its way across the recently reclaimed Nisqually River estuary, the mile-long boardwalk at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is nearly 50 percent complete. When it opens to the public, which should be late this year, refuge visitors will have a chance to venture out into a world of mudflats, saltwater vegetation and tidal sloughs rich with marine life and birds, constantly changing with the tides. ... [Link]

Reflections on the Water: Conversations About the Salish Sea. July 22, 2010. The waters of Puget Sound, Georgia Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca define the natural boundaries of the maritime Pacific Northwest. Known collectively as the Salish Sea, it also defines the people who’ve lived in this place from centuries past to the present. ... [Link]