Cultus Bay Estuary Connectivity Planning

The proposed project is to develop alternatives, select a preferred alternative, develop conceptual designs, and permit ready preliminary designs to reconnect the inner estuary of Cultus Bay, and provide access for several ESA listed species by removing or replacing a flap tidegate with multi-span bridges. Recently, 100 ft. of the dike and road where the tide gate was located blew out from flooding. The dike/road provides access to a private house and other structures, and the landowners are motivated in working with Tulalip to come up with a solution to restore landowner access, enhance fish passage, and return natural processes for the inner estuary of Cultus Bay. We will work with a coastal engineer and the landowner to develop alternatives, including alternative access routes, tide gate/levee removal, alternative bridge crossings, and/or setback berm/dike design. We will then select a preferred alternative and complete conceptual designs.

Note: Timing of funding for this project is essential to keep amenability of landowners and implement the most fish friendly solution for Cultus Bay. We would like for this project to be considered for the regular SRFB round, so we can begin work this year and complete conceptual designs by end of 2025. Landowners may seek other solutions, including rebuilding the road/levee, emergency repair solutions and/or replacing it again with a flap gate as before if we are not able to work with them on the issue in the near term.

Project Goals include: Enhance juvenile rearing for ESA listed and other species (chinook, coho, steelhead, etc.) by increasing quality, quantity and connectivity of estuary habitat throughout the year including critical rearing months. Enhance spawning opportunities for coho, steelhead, cutthroat and other species by increasing access to Cultus Creek throughout the year including during critical spawning months. Enhance estuary quantity to benefit fish and other species (waterfowl, etc.) by increasing connectivity and natural processes.