Big River Floodplain Restoration

The Makah Tribe and Merrill & Ring have completed a restoration project in a portion of the Big River floodplain where natrual river processes were constrained by the presence of old bridge abutments. Big River is the largest tributary to Lake Ozette in the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula. The bridge abutments and fill material were removed from within the floodplain, approximately 1.5 miles upriver from the mouth of Big River. Big River is identified as critical habitat and is a known tributary used by ESA listed lake ozette sockeye salmon. Work included removal of 1,200 cubic yards of fill material from the floodplain, removal of the selected bridge abutments, treatment of noxious weeds, and planting of native vegetation. Having a healthy floodplain will be beneficial, not just for Lake Ozette sockeye, but for other terrestrial and acquatic species that inhabit this area as well.

The goal of the project was to restore the floodplain habitat to facilitate channel complexity, riparian connectivity and decrease velocity in a portion of the Big River, the largest tributary to Lake Ozette. Removing fill, restoring topographic elevations and planting vegetation will enhance the reconnected floodplain habitat.