Why is Restoration Needed at Chinook Marsh?
The Chinook Marsh property sits behind an aging and deteriorating levee that was constructed in the 1920’s to protect agricultural land. This levee has failed and been repaired during past flood events. Today the levee still cuts Ebey Slough off from its floodplain and constrains its ability to create and maintain fish and wildlife habitat.
As the tides ebb and flow in lower Snohomish River marshes, they provide slow, protective water and constant food supply for young Chinook and other salmon species that use these habitats to grow and adapt to the salty waters of Puget Sound. The loss of this “rearing” habitat is considered one of the primary factors limiting recovery of Chinook salmon. Restoration of tidally influenced habitat in the Snohomish River estuary has been identified as a priority for salmon recovery in the basin (Snohomish Basin Salmon Recovery Forum, 2005).
Recent restoration actions like those at https://www.qwuloolt.org/ Qwuloolt, https://snohomishcountywa.gov/1150/Smith-Island-Restoration-Project Smith Island, https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/5417/Mid-Spencer-Island-Restoration-Project Mid-Spencer and https://www.portofeverett.com/environment/blue_heron_slough.php Blue Heron Slough have nearly doubled the amount of tidally inundated habitat available in the Snohomish River estuary, yet all of this newly available habitat is in the lowest extents of estuary. Rearing habitat remains severely lacking in areas more closely connected to the mainstem of the Snohomish River, where out-migrating juvenile salmon are concentrated.
Located less than a mile from where Ebey Slough diverges from the Snohomish River, restoration at the Chinook Marsh site will provide rearing habitat in an area where it is needed most. Restoration will increase available functional habitat, increase habitat complexity, improve habitat connectivity, and mitigate habitat fragmentation within the estuary system (Chamberlin, 2022).
