Griffin Creek Mid-Zone Reach Acquisition

Salmon Recovery Funding was used to purchase 19 parcels covering 9 acres along Griffin Creek. The target parcels extend about one third of a mile along both banks of Griffin Creek. The undeveloped riparian area extends more than 300 feet on the left bank of the stream and 100-300 feet on the right bank. King County targeted these parcels for acquisition in 1995 as part of its Waterways 2000 program. Waterways 2000 was a program that identified and protected hundreds of acres of important aquatic habitat in the County. The program received an Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties in 1996 as an innovative program worthy of replication by other local governments. This acquisition added to two existing Waterways 200 sites, encompassing 48 acres, owned by the county and managed for habitat protection purposes. The objective of this acquisition was to prevent additional residential development in the stream corridor up to the Forest Production District boundary and to encourage the interplay of natural processes on the landscape. Acquired land are managed for habitat protection by the King County Parks System. King County Parks System has an excellent track record of managing habitat areas through its natural area protocol, which currently applies to more than 1,000 acres county wide.

The goal of the project is to protect intact habitat from degradation. The objective of the project is to protect salmon refugia and habitat that is part of a key ecological process.