Ediz Hook Restoration Project Support

The funding associated with this project supported the acquisition of marine shoreline vegetation involved in a larger FY 2013 SRFB project (#13-1068) which also utilizes Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration; State Salmon Funds (Non-PCSR) and sponsor match (including in-kind funding). The larger project restored approximately 4 acres of nearshore habitat in the Strait of Juan De Fuca along a 0.66 mile reach of Ediz Hook. Two adjacent reaches were restored. Reach 1: Beach restoration actions including removal of hard armoring, addition of 21,600 cubic yards of sand and gravel, additions of large wood and revegetation with native dune grass species will be completed along 0.32 miles of shoreline. In reach Reach 2 the emphasis will be on restoring dune grass habitats by blocking vehicle access with barrier logs and conducting revegetation activities along 0.34 miles of shoreline. Specifically PCSRF funds were used to purchase 88,000 native dune grass plants to be planted during the fall of 2016. Species include: dune grass (Elymus mollis), seashore lupine (Lupinus littoralis), beach pea (Lathyrus japonicus), yarrow (Achilea millefolium), seathrift (Armeria maritima), coast strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), and gumweed (Grindellia integrifolia).

The overarching beach restoration project will occur on Ediz Hook in Port Angeles Harbor, Clallam County, and is designed to improve forage fish spawning habitat as well as migratory corridor habitat used by numerous species of fish including listed populations of Puget Sound Chinook and steelhead. It will improve migratory conditions for salmon and other fish by removing and preventing the need for additional shoreline armoring. The project includes beach restoration, beach nourishment, and adding native dune grass vegetation which are all designed to improve nearshore conditions for forage fish as well as improving migratory corridor habitat. This proposal is modeled upon previous beach restoration projects constructed recently on the southern shore of Ediz Hook. Phase 1 included restoration of 1500 of beach along central Ediz Hook as mitigation for the Port Angeles Graving Yard project. Phase 2 was the restoration of an adjacent 1000 of beach at the former A-Frame log dump site. This phase 3 proposal would apply design principals from the later projects to restore nearshore habitat to a 0.66 mile reach of Ediz Hook immediately to the east of the former A-Frame site. This proposal will result in application of restoration treatments to restore habitats in two reaches. On Reach 1, beach restoration, nourishment and revegetation will be completed along 0.32 miles of shoreline. The second reach focuses primarily on controlling vehicle access and revegetation activities along a 0.34 mile reach.