$1.1 Million Proposed for Salmon Habitat Restoration in Clear Creek, Commencement Bay, Washington
April 13, 2022
The Commencement Bay Trustee Council released a draft restoration plan (PDF 35 Pages) proposing to spend $1.1 million to implement two habitat restoration projects on Clear Creek, in Pierce County, Washington. If approved, the projects would restore fish passage and improve wetland habitat for salmon, steelhead, birds, and other fish and wildlife in the area. These resources have been impacted by a history of contamination in the Commencement Bay area. The document is now out for public comment for 30 days until May 13, 2022.
The Clear Creek Restoration Projects consist of an ecosystem-based approach to restoration: each of the various projects function together to improve the natural environment and processes in ways that benefit injured fish and wildlife, and their habitats.
The projects are proposed at the mouth of Clear Creek, where it flows to the Puyallup River three miles upstream from Commencement Bay. The draft plan recommends allocating $1.1 million towards a floodgate replacement and road decommissioning to allow salmon and other species reach previously inaccessible wetland and upstream habitats. In these important habitats, salmon are able to find shelter, feed on insects, and juveniles can grow stronger before migrating to the ocean.
The projects will also allow for more effective flood management. They’ll improve the interchange between water in wetlands near the mouth of Clear Creek and water flowing through the new floodgate at the Puyallup River, and increase water storage capacity. If approved in a final restoration plan, the projects will be implemented by Pierce County—with the road decommissioning expected to begin in summer 2022, and the floodgate replacement beginning the following year.
Public Comment
The Trustee Council is accepting comments on the draft plan for a 30-day comment period open through May 13, 2022. Please send your written comments on the draft plan to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) no later than May 13, 2022.
Submit comments:
- By email to: john.r.floberg@noaa.gov
- By mail to:
John R. Floberg
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
7600 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA 98115
Download a copy of the Draft Restoration Plan:
A History of Pollution in Commencement Bay
Beginning in the early twentieth century, industrial activities in Commencement Bay and its waterways resulted in the release of hazardous substances and discharges of oil to the environment. These releases and discharges have impacted natural resources, including fish, birds, other wildlife, and their habitats.
The Commencement Bay Trustee Council has been working to settle with polluters and restore natural resources in Commencement Bay and its waterways since 1991. So far, the Trustee Council has recovered over $70 Million in settlements to fund an ecosystem-based approach to restoration. The Trustee Council consists of members representing NOAA, the Department of Interior, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Puyallup Tribe, and the State of Washington.
