EVERETT — Eight projects aimed at improving habitat for salmon and trout within Snohomish County received $2.85 million in state grants this week.
In total, the state’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board handed out over $50 million in fish project grants across the state. About half was funded through the Climate Commitment Act.
“These grants are crucial to salmon recovery work in Washington,” Gov. Jay Inslee said in a press release. “Without this funding, we’d have no chance of returning salmon to healthy, harvestable levels. The Climate Commitment Act is helping us go bigger and faster all across the state. It will take all of us pulling together to change the fate of salmon, which is inextricably linked to Washington’s economy and quality of life.”
Two of the biggest local grants will go toward maintaining foliage. The Stillaguamish Tribe received $633,487 to address five locations along the North Fork Stillaguamish River. The money will be used to maintain 100 acres of previous plantings and add 10 new acres. Removing invasive species is also part of the planting and maintenance project.
The tribe received an additional $518,198 to buy land in the Snohomish River floodplain. The tribe will use the money to buy 35 acres of riverbank and floodplain habitat along the North Fork Stillaguamish River. The land is currently either fallow or farmed land and is either next to or directly across the river from land owned by the Stillaguamish Tribe or Snohomish County.
“These properties will provide opportunities for restoration work and will protect the land forever,” a state press release said.
The Adopt A Stream Foundation also received $291,924 for maintaining plantings along Olaf Strad Creek, Quilceda Creek, and Coon Creek, in Marysville. Work also will be done outside of Granite Falls.
Snohomish County got $546,550 for restoration of the South Slough, a side channel of the Skykomish River near Sultan. That money will pay to demolish buildings and restore wetlands.
The Tulalip Tribes received $342,027 to design a restoration plan for Big Gulch Stream. The project’s target area is near a fish passage project where the stream passes under a railroad.
“The design will seek to realign the stream, restore intertidal processes, and improve the stream’s banks,” the state release stated, “which will restore habitat that will be made more accessible by the fish passage project.”
Jordan Hansen: 425-339-3046; jordan.hansen@heraldnet.com; X: @jordyhansen.
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