Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) has a unique opportunity to restore 762 acres of the Nisqually estuary. The project fully restored natural processes through the removal of dikes. This is the single largest estuary restoration project ongoing in the Pacific Northwest, and combined with recent smaller restorations conducted by the Nisqually Tribe, the project re-created an estuary and contributed substantially to the recovery of Puget Sound estuarine habitat.
The Nisqually estuary provides important feeding and rearing habitat for a variety of fish and wildlife, including the federally threatened Chinook salmon and Puget Sound steelhead. This restoration project will contribute to the recovery of one of the most depleted wetland components in south Puget Sound. Restoring 762 acres of estuary increases estuarine emergent (salt marsh) habitat in south Puget Sound by 46%, a substantial increase in the Puget Sound region. Restoration of the Nisqually estuary is identified as the highest priority to recover federally threatened Nisqually River Chinook in the approved Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan and it is estimated using the EDT model that it will double the number of naturally spawning Chinook salmon in the watershed. The Nisqually watershed provides important habitat for the recently listed Puget Sound steelhead (federally threatened) and bull trout (federally threatened) that have historically resided within the delta.
