Presenter/s: Dan Elefant, PE
Symposium Session: 2024 - 02 Restoring Puget Sound Estuaries: Insights from Monitoring and Lessons Learned from Construction
Topics covered: estuary and tidal
ABSTRACT
Island biogeography and conservation biology support the necessity for larger and more connected habitat restoration. Based on over 10 years of experience in engineering designing and constructing estuary restorations in the Puget Sound, the presenter will focus on key design and analysis elements that led to successful construction implementation that set a trajectory for mature marsh evolution in the Stillaguamish Estuary. 2019 salmonid usage data, vegetation assessments, and onsite geomorphic evaluation from the Stillaguamish Tribe’s zis a ba Phase 1 estuary restoration was used to inform design of this year’s 2023 estuary restoration construction with The Nature Conservancy. Recent monitoring data (drone elevation and fish sampling) confirms that TNC’s site is now on a restoration trajectory as compared to analysis from 2014 that suggested the site was not performing to support rearing salmonids. Restoration recovery data from both zis a ba Phase 1 and TNC’s Port Susan Bay site will be presented with a focus on its incorporation into the Tribe’s next 2 phases of restoration with the goal of 700 acres of connected habitat.