Rocky Creek Estuary and Riparian Protection

The Rocky Creek Estuary and Riparian Protection Project acquired and permanently protected approximately 164 acres on the Key Peninsula in Pierce County that contains over 1.3 miles of salmon streams, 0.34 miles of non-salmon streams, as well as estuarine habitat where Rocky Creek flows into Rocky Bay. The project safeguarded intact and fully functioning critical habitat for multiple phases of salmonid lifecycles by permanently protecting both significant spawning streams and a portion of the estuary. This habitat is used by Endangered Species Act listed Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, as well as chum, coho, and cutthroat. Great Peninsula Conservancy will manage this project site as a nature preserve with the goal of protecting its intact and functioning critical salmon habitat in perpetuity.

The 2016 PCSRF award dollars were spent within the award period.

The primary goal of the Rocky Creek Estuary and Riparian Protection Project was to permanently protect critical salmon habitat in the lower reach of the Rocky Creek watershed. This acquisition project conserved approximately 164 acres of forest that contains nearly 1.3 miles of salmon streams, as well as estuarine habitat where Rocky Creek flows into Rocky Bay. The project safeguarded intact and fully functioning critical freshwater reaches for spawning adult Puget Sound Chinook, coho, chum, and Puget Sound steelhead, primarily during late summer, fall and winter. The property also provides important year-round juvenile rearing habitat for these species. Rocky Bay Estuary also provides year-round high-quality feeding grounds, refuge from predators, and a physiological transition zone for Puget Sound Chinook juveniles from Rocky Creek and is utilized by many other Puget Sound salmonid stocks.