The Duwamish River is a key economic and ecological component of the Puget Sound that has been highly urbanized and altered. The Duwamish also supports the listed Puget Sound chinook salmon; a cultural icon for the people of the northwest. The Duwamish Estuary is critical to the successful life history of this species because it provides a staging area where the chinook acclimate to the increased salinity of the Sound before heading out to the ocean. Much of the Duwamish River and Estuary has been developed; therefore, restoring the remaining marsh and riverine habitats along the Duwamish provides critical habitat to chinook salmon.

The Kenco Marine Restoration Site, which is owned by the Muckleshoot Indian tribe, is the final restoration site of the Elliott Bay/Duwamish Restoration Program Panel (the Panel). The Panel is comprised of federal, state and tribal trustees who are working collaboratively with the City of Seattle and King County to develop effective restoration projects using funds from a natural resources damage assessment settlement. The Panel has completed seven restoration projects along the Duwamish and Elliott Bay and contributed money to purchase properties for habitat restoration.