Estuary Restoration: The Return of the Nisqually Estuary
Trail Information Overview - November 16, 2009
- A half mile of the new Nisqually Estuary Trail was opened on November 12, 2009. This trail starts near the Nisqually River Overlook and proceeds for one half mile along the new outer dike. There are great views of the estuary restoration area from this trail.
- In Spring 2010, construction will begin on the rest of the Nisqually Estuary Trail. This portion of the trail will be a one-mile boardwalk to the northwest corner of the delta, near the mouth of McAllister Creek. By the fall of 2010 about half of this trail will be completed.
- The 5.5 mile Brown Farm Dike Trail closed permanently on May 4, 2009
- The 1-mile Twin Barns Loop Trail is open everyday from sunrise to sunset.
Read the latest Press Release (11/12/09).
Project Updates - November 16, 2009
The construction portion of the estuary restoration has been completed. All heavy equipment has left the site. There are no further trail closures expected this year due to construction. The restoration of the tides to the 762 acres of habitat has already begun to reestablish channel, providing habitat for fish and birds and initiating the natural processes which will restore the Nisqually estuary.
The Refuge has partnered with the US Geological Survey and the Nisqually Tribe to monitor the changes that have already started to occur in the restoration area. Monitoring will include data collection on bird and fish use, invertebrates, vegetation, tidal inundation, sediment transport, salinity, geomorphology, and effects on the nearshore.
Project Updates - November 16, 2009
- On November 12, 2009 the Refuge and the major partners of the restoration project celebrated "The Return of the Nisqually Estuary". Over 300 people attended the event that was held on the new outer dike. The ceremony included speakers, a Nisqually Tribal Drumming Welcome and Blessing, the naming of the longest historical tidal slough channel "Leschi Slough", and the dedication of the new Nisqually Estuary Trail.
- On September 23, 2009, the first slough channel in the restoration site was reconnected to McAllister Creek. On October 5, the contractors finished connecting all the major slough channels. The last remaining sections of the Brown Farm Dike were take down to grade. On November 9, the construction of the engineered log jam just north of the Nisqually River Overlook was completed. The was the last work part of the project for the contractors to complete.
- Construction of the new exterior dike, the flood swale, and enlargement of the freshwater wetlands has been completed. Wet conditions and unusually heavy rain in August affected progress, but the drier weather in September improved conditions.
- Construction of the flood swale along the entrance road is complete. Strippings (the top layer of soils that were set aside) have been spread to provide a natural seed source to speed revegetation. The flood swale is designed to allow future flood waters that would come underneath I-5 and across the entrance road to evacuate into tidal habitat instead of coming into the new, smaller diked area, so the headquarters area is not flooded if an extreme flood event were to occur again.
- Work on the new exterior dike for this year. As of November 1, the entire new dike has been built to it's final height. The connection of the new dike to the old dike near the Nisqually River Overlook has not yet been completed.
- Seasonal wetland areas have been enlarged in three locations by scraping and removing dirt near the Refuge entrance, in the area leading to the Barns, and near the equipment staging area. The dirt from these areas is being used to build the new exterior dike.
- A temporary site was created northeast of the Twin Barns to obtain additional dirt needed for the dike. This is the future riparian forest restoration site which will be filled next year to the height needed to support trees and be above the tides dirt available from dike removal.
Trail and Road Closures - November 16, 2009
- The service road to the Barns is remain open to foot traffic.
- The 5.5 mile Brown Farm Dike Trail is permanently closed.
- The McAllister Creek crossdike is permanently closed.
- The Ring
Dike Trail, a half-mile loop spur off of the Brown Farm Dike
Trail, is now permanently closed.
Project Background
After conducting
an extensive planning process from 1996 to 2004 with partners and public
involvement, the Nisqually NWR is restoring more than 760 acres of the
Nisqually estuary, re-creating almost an entire estuary by returning diked
areas back to tidal influence. The project is the top priority to recover
federally threatened Chinook salmon in the Nisqually watershed. Migratory
birds that depend on estuaries will also benefit, including waterfowl,
waterbirds, shorebirds, and seabirds.
A lot of work
will be necessary to restore the Nisqually estuary. Construction will
occur over a 3-4 year period, beginning in July 2008.
The trail system at Nisqually NWR will drastically change with the estuary
restoration. The Brown Farm Dike Trail will no longer exist, however a
new trail and boardwalk will be constructed to allow visitors to walk
to the northwest corner of the delta. During the construction time, there
will be trail closures in some areas. The Refuge will make every effort
to keep the public informed about trail closures and other important events.
For on-going information,
please refer to this webpage, call the Refuge at the phone number below,
or sign up to receive "The Flyway," the Refuge's quarterly newsletter.
Click
here for a copy of the estuary restoration brochure, "The Return of the Nisqually Estuary".
Click here for a copy of the August 13th News Release from Refuge Manager, Jean Takekawa.
Click
here to read a copy of the July 10th News Release from Refuge Manager, Jean Takekawa.
