04-07-2015 2005-2014 Implementation Progress ReportI'IIIIIIIIII III! Ill lilliplum
Making our, Watershed 11"it for a King
Point Heyer,
Vashon Island
WRIA
at a Glance
Contents
Implementation Progress Report 2014............................................................2
WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan Recovery Objectives....................................3
RecoveryPriorities..................................................................................................5
FundingStrategy.....................................................................................................6
FundingProgress.....................................................................................................6
Featured Project: Marine Nearshore Subwatershed...................................8
Featured Project: Duwamish Estuary Transition Zone ...........................10
Featured Project: Lower Green River Subwatershed..............................12
Featured Project:Middle Green River Subwatershed..............................14
Featured Project: Upper Green River Subwatershed..............................16
WRIA 9 Programmatic Actions.......................................................................18
Monitoring.................................................................................................................19
State of the Watershed.....................................................................................20
WRIA 9 Coordination Team..............................................................................23
2005-2015 Active & Completed Projects Map...........................................24
2005-2015 Active & Completed Projects Summary...............................26
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Square Miles °/' %r total ("% /F land area)
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IIII ii II IIII iii iii iiii iii IIII iiirogiiiress III poiirt
Mine years have passed since the award -winning Water Resource Inventory
Area (WRIA) 9 Salmon Habitat Plan (Habitat Plan) was approved by the 17 lo-
cal governments of WRIA 9. On August 10, 2005, King County Executive Dow
Constantine (then District 8 Councilmember) and former Covington Coun-
cilmember Rebecca Clark wrote:"Our local wild Chinook salmon runs were
listed as "threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1999
and are clearly in danger. This fact suggests that the underlying ecosystem that
supports these remarkable fish also is in jeopardy. It is up to all of us to recov-
er this important resource for ourselves, for our children, and for our children's
children and make our watershed truly "Fit for a King."
In the three years since the last progress report, WRIA 9 has seen a significant
number of projects completed and more underway on the Green/Duwamish
Central Puget Sound Watershed. In 2013, the Green/ Duwamish River was
designated an Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) site; this designa-
tion will allow for better coordination across government agencies to continue
habitat restoration. In 2014, King County Executive Dow Constantine and
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray introduced the Green/Duwamish Watershed Strategy
aimed at producing tangible improvements for cleaner air, land, and water, by
coordinating the work being done and money being invested across the entire
ecosystem of cities, forests, farms, and rivers.
The UWFP program seeks to help communities, particularly in underserved
areas, improve and benefit from their urban waters. The UWFP ambassador
works with local groups and federal agencies to improve collaboration and
provide limited funding to conservation projects in order to "put people first."
The Habitat Plan was the culmination of six years of local governments, tribes,
business and environmental interests, and state and federal agencies working
together to:
•Achieve recovery of the Green River Chinook salmon population;
• Improve the ecological health of the watershed; and
*Contribute to the recovery of Puget Sound as a whole.
In 2014 the Habitat Plan was translated into open standards language as part of
the regional monitoring and adaptive management in order to roll up progress
at the scale of Puget Sound. Since Plan adoption, accomplishments include
significant progress on 54 of 162 high priority salmon habitat projects and
support of many stewardship, education and outreach programs. However,
much remains to be done. Like the shared effort to develop the Habitat Plan,
good stewardship of the watershed and its salmon will rely on continued coop-
eration and shared responsibility.
We are pleased to present this report to parties of the Interlocal Agreement
(ILA) and the Watershed Ecosystem Forum (Forum): the guiding group of
elected officials and representatives from local agencies, organizations, and
citizen groups who work together to solve salmon recovery issues in WRIA 9.
The parties of the ILA and Forum demonstrate the enormous effort it takes to set
and achieve goals in "Making our Watershed Fit for a King."
l only need to see the
Pautzke reach of the
Green River in Auburn,
the North Wind's Weir
site of the Duwamish
River in Tukwila, and the
Seahurst coastline in
Burien to see the value
of our efforts to recover
Chinook. By basing
our actions on science,
keeping our partnerships
steadfast, and thinking
creatively, we will
continue making our
watershed fit for a king.
M!M=
IIII IIII IIII iii ii IIN°°°IIII III iiittIIIIIII ii IIII iiiry Ob,JUectives
pi, umri/
� The Habitat Plan is based on strong science, and guides short- and long-term
salmon habitat projects actions and strategies to put WRIA 9's Chinook salmon population on a path
completed total within to recovery. The Habitat Plan used a comprehensive, ecosystem approach to
watershed protecting and restoring salmon in WRIA 9 by recommending specific and
achievable projects, programs, and policies for implementation between
� 2005 and 2015.These are focused in four of the five subwatersheds: Marine
salmon habitat projects Nearshore, Duwamish Transition Zone, Lower Green, and Middle Green. The
underway Habitat Plan directs actions of salmon recovery to protect and restore:
%,,, f -Physical, chemical and biological processes of freshwater, marine, and
salmon habitat projects estuarine habitats;
in the pipeline
• Habitat connectivity; and
If -Clean water in quantities conducive to salmon restoration.
III ecoveiiiry III iiir iiii iiir fii ° fii
Recovery of salmon requires a mix of actions including protecting and
restoring habitat, sound land use planning and regulation, and public
education and outreach.
Proposed actions and policies to achieve a viable salmon population
and improve overall ecosystem health in WRIA 9 include both proj-
ects and programs.
Projects are on -the -ground actions such as acquisition and restoration
activities, while programmatic actions, intended to complement these
actions, aim to increase awareness, understanding, and support for
greater watershed health. Since adoption, 23 projects recommended
in the Habitat Plan have been completed and 18 are currently under-
way. Programmatic actions are ongoing.
Short -Term Increase abundance of the natural origin Chinook salmon to
(10 - 15 Years): between 1,000 and 4,200 annually*
Long -Term Increase abundance of natural origin Chinook salmon to
(50 - 100 Years): 27,000 annually
Short -Term Productivity: Increase population growth rate of natural origin Chinook
salmon
Long -Term Productivity: I Stabilize Chinook population growth rate at the equilibrium
Short -Term Increase distinct Chinook spawning aggregations in the
Spatial Structure: Middle Green
Long -Term Achieve distinct Chinook spawning aggregations above
Spatial Structure: Howard Hanson Dam
Short -Term Diversity: Protect existing Chinook life history types and increase
variability in age structure
Long -Term Diversity:
Re-establish spring Chinook population upstream of Howard
Hanson Dam
Re-establish historical run and spawn timing of existing fall
Chinook population
*The Plan's abundance targets are a range from 1,000 to 4,200 salmon annu-
ally, versus a single target. A range is used because the productivity of each
year's run varies depending on a variety of factors. If fish are experiencing
high productivity, fewer adults are needed to reach future targets than if they
are experiencing low productivity, which would require more fish returning to
reach future targets.
For example, if fish are experiencing low productivity, a spawning fish may
produce only one fish that will return as an adult; they are merely replacing
themselves. While at high productivity, each spawning fish may produce four
fish that will return as adults. For this example, under low productivity 4,200
returning adults and under high productivity 1,050 adults are needed to reach
a target of 4,200 fish returning in the future.
IIII iiindiing Strategy
"111'he strategy for III II(A 9 salmon recovery, per Management Strategy-1
(Policy MS-1), is to allocate funding and implementation actions as follows:
•40% to the Duwamish Estuary transition zone (River Mile 1-10);
•30%to rearing habitats (Middle Green, Lower Green, Duwamish Estuary,
Marine Nearshore); and
•30% for spawning habitats (Middle Green and Upper Green River).
(Competing factors have slowed progress; we are currently implementing at
10%).
NOTE: The funding strategy defers, for the first ten years, to actions taken by
the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) and Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU)
in the Upper Green River Subwatershed to improve habitat conditions and
restore connectivity.
The upstream fish passage facility, and several instream habitat projects un-
dertaken by the USACOE and TPU have been completed and are highlighted
on page 16.
Since Pllairm adoption, WRIA 9 and its partners secured over $137 million
from all funding sources to implement Chinook salmon recovery projects and
programs. The Habitat Plan originally estimated the implementation cost of
priority projects over the first 10 years to be between $198 million and $291
million, and implementation cost of all projects recommended in the Habitat
Plan to be $389 million or more.
Forum -directed funding for salmon habitat protection and restoration projects
was provided from four major sources:
-Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) grants;
• King Conservation District (KCD) grants
• Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration (PSAR) grants
*The Cooperative Watershed Management Grant Program through King
County Flood Control District
Additional sources that leverage salmon recovery funding for habitat projects
include: Conservation Futures Tax (CFT); Aquatic Lands Enhancement
Account (ALEA); Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP); Ecosystem
Restoration Program (ERP); USACOE Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP);
USACOE Puget Sound Adjacent Waters (PSAW); regional grants; local surface
water management fees; KCD; Community Salmon Fund; and King County
Flood Control District funds.
F- istoric Ilfuindirig.: Prior to Plan implementation (1999-2005), SRFB awarded
nearly $7 million and KCD awarded over $2 million to WRIA 9 salmon recov-
ery, funding 17 acquisition and restoration projects. Funds leveraged by SRFB
and KCD total over $5 million.
Curui°enf Ilf ruin frog: Since Plan adoption, SRFB and PSAR have awarded ap-
proximately $16 million and KCD over $11.5 million to WRIA 9 salmon
recovery. ERP awards have totaled more than $9.5 million and leveraged
funds from other sources have totaled almost $100 million since 2005. Total
funds secured since 2005 amount to over $137 million. A major portion of
this total, $36 million, went toward the acquisition of the South Maury Island
gravel mine, which protects 250 acres from future development. This average
is well under the anticipated cost needed annually to implement all recom-
mended projects.
IIII��:- ,,,,,, ° iiir IIII�)iiir c
IMaiiiriiiine II iiir III iiir ,,,,,, Subwateirshed
SedIII uiiir ° IIIII' iidk, Shar6IHhne III' iiirio j e °
The marine nearshore plays a significant role in the life of
Chinook salmon. All species of ocean-going salmon use the
nearshore formigration; it is particularly critical for juvenile Chinook
and chum for rearing, refuge from predators, and transition to
saltwater habitats.
Seahurst Park shoreline restoration was a two-phase project done in partner-
ship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the City of Burien, and Puget
Sound Partnership over a ten-year period. The existing bulkhead was removed
and almost a mile of natural shoreline was created, one of the largest contigu-
ous lengths of natural shoreline within the cities of WRIA 9.
9,000 cubic yards of gravel and sand were placed on the beach and
native plants and shrubs were planted to create a naturally sloping
beach. Phase One was completed in 2005 and Phase Two con-
struction was completed in 2014. This 178-acre park is enjoyed by
thousands of beach visitors per year and its forested bluffs and gravel
shoreline contribute to healthy salmon habitat. In 2014, Futurewise
awarded WRIA 9 with the Livable Community Award in recognition
of the Seahurst restoration and its positive impact on the community.
Figure 1 shows the active and completed projects in the Marine
Nearshore Subwatershed, undertaken since Habitat Plan
IW I, ire 1
II ar iiii m., NearsIhare SudbwatwrsIlied
Hllldbl it IIIRroject
Completed Habitat Project
0 Active Habitat Project
.'° ...' Major Road
King County Boundary
WRIA 9 Subwatershed Boundary
NA11111Incorporated Area
VAS,HON
ISLAIJD
O 1 2 Miles
January 2015
MAU'RY
SLAND
1r
i1r
"'q
011
a �;yW4,dw.
IIII��:- ,,,,,, ° iiir IIII�)iiir c
Illf)uwaiiirnish Estuary IIII""'iiir ii iiii iiii iiir """"" ii
AIIIII rm iiir° III liii i��il 'iiiii iiir° �� Illl[i dIIII IIIII ter iiir Illlh°°°�' III liiii°
The Transition Zone, where saltwater and freshwater mix, is
critical Chinook habitat. Chinook spend several months here while
they transition from freshwater to saltwater
The North Wind's Weir Estuary Habitat Restoration Project, completed in
2010:
Photo: Zachary *Created over 2 acres of high quality shallow water habitat;
Christin, Earth .Provides a new area for juvenile Chinook to feed and grow while migrating
Economics
downstream; and
-Is designed to boost juvenile Chinook survival rates.
North Wind's Weir was completed through partnerships with WRIA 9, the
USACOE, KCD, City of Seattle, City of Tukwila, the Elliott Bay/Duwamish
Restoration Panel, the Recreation and Conservation Office, and King County.
A dedicated group of volunteers, EarthCorps and King County staffs continue
to monitor and maintain the plantings at the project site.
Figure 2 shows the active and completed projects, undertaken since
Habitat Plan adoption, in the Duwamish Estuary Transition Zone.
IIIII ilium liiii,"'� �ll III IIIII rliiii iiir
III
R/A 9 and federal, state, local and private sector partners
joined in developing the Duwamish blueprint - a strategy for
guiding habitat restoration in the Duwamish River transition zone,
where juvenile salmon adapt from fresh to salt watery
Less than three percent of the historic wetland habitat remains in the Du-
wamish. Shallow water, intertidal habitat is especially lacking, and it is critical
to increase its area in the transition zone estuary to boost Chinook survival,
and ultimately, recovery. The Duwamish Blueprint authors used the latest
scientific information to identify the best locations and methods for improving
habitat for salmon.
•The transition zone, the highest priority area for creating shallow water,
intertidal habitats where young salmon can feed and grow, was designated
between river miles 10 and 1, from north Tukwila to almost the West Seattle
Bridge.
*Maps highlight potential project areas for reaching the agreed new target
of 40 acres of shallow water habitat by 2025. Project guidance is available
for project designers, and funding and implementation recommendations, if
implemented, will speed habitat improvements.
1, ���gwrc? 2
. . . . .............
Elliott
Bay
III ro
jects
Completed Habitat Project
Active Habitat Project
... . ...... . Major Road
. ....... . .............. . ....... King County Boundary
%.o0o"I WRIA 9 Subwatershed Boundary
Incorporated Area
... . ...... . . . . .
0 1/2 1 Mile
SEATTLE
January 2015
VIU)IM111LA
KING COUNTY
Program D-3:
Duwamish Blueprint,
Duwarnish
Transition Zone
IIII��:- ,,,,,, ° iiir IIII� iiir c
IIII.......... iiir Green III iiii iiir Subwateirshed
11 m m iiird iii iiiiriate I II'��)iirojec.,t
The Lower Green River Subwatershed is an important sys-
tem for juvenile Chinook rearing. It is also one of the weakest links
to Chinook salmon recovery in WRIA 9 because it has very little off -
channel refuge habitat for both juvenile and adult salmon due to;
•A levee -confined system with a mix of industrial, commercial and
residential land uses;
-Businesses and infrastructure located behind the levees; and
*Numerous and often competing management priorities such as population
growth and development needs, flood safety concerns, and agriculture.
�Despite these challenges, a number of active projects that are adjacent and/
or share a floodplain are working in a cohesive and coordinated approach to
"Since the adoption achieve landscape -scale benefits:
of the Salmon Habitat
Plan in 2005, we have • Riverview Park Restoration (completed);
learned to be more
sensitive to the needs
of the agriculture family
and how collaboration
and partnership will lead
to better water quality in
the WRIA 9 watershed.
This mind set will sustain
`happy farmers and
happy fish' in the Green/
Duwamish River Water-
shed Ecosystem."
•Mill Creek (Leber) Acquisition and Restoration (acquisition and design
completed);
• Downey Farmstead Acquisition and Restoration (design completed); and
•Teufel Acquisition (acquisition complete, beginning design phase in
partnership with the King County Flood Control District (KCFCD)).
These projects are possible through partnerships with WRIA 9, USACOE,
SRFB, PSAR, KCD, KCFCD, and King County.
Figure 3 shows the active and completed projects, undertaken since
Habitat Plan adoption, in the Lower Green River Subwatershed.
IIII��' ,,,,,, a t iiir IIII�)iiir c
III iiii lilt ,,, iiii IIII� iveiiir ° ,,, iiir
iiiir�)atrtzike iiiiiiiiiiiiiiievee iiiirZeriri ova airid
The Middle Green giver provides some of the best remain-
ing salmon habitat in the watershed,- the majority of existing Chi-
nook spawning in le PIA 9 occurs in this subwatersheda
The Pautzke Project comprised removal of 1,800 feet of levee and subsequent
restoration activities. Completed in 2011, this project provides habitat ben-
efits through:
-Promoting channel meander;
•Creating slow -water habitats;
*Allowing river migration on 21 acres of floodplain previously disconnected
from the river; and
• Providing on -site delivery of large wood to promote channel branching,
scour and dam pools, and depositional features.
The Salmon Recovery Funding Board's 2008 funding report identi-
fied the Pautzke project as one of 11 projects, of 131 statewide, as
"noteworthy" and recognizes the project as one of four that stood out
statewide as a "wow" project.
The Pautzke Project was completed through partnerships with
WRIA 9, SRFB, PSAR, KCD, and King County.
Figure 4 shows the active and completed projects, undertaken
since Habitat Plan adoption, in the Middle Green River
Subwatershed.
II liii dI IIIW Green Ziver, � ��i III � ° iiiir IllVmiiu �
Hllll 111 liii at IRr j r °ts
0-M
Ongoing Habitat Project
0-M
Completed Habitat Project
-M
Active Habitat Project
—.
Major Road
King County Boundary
WRIA 9 Subwatershed Boundary
114AINu. Incorporated Area
IIII���� �'eatuiiired III iiir
Subwateirshed
The Upper Green river Subwatershed contains the headwaters
of the Green River and was once a historically significant source
of spawning and rearing habitat for Chinook salmon in (/RBA 9.
Over 45% of the watershed is currently blocked from fish pas-
sage from the Upper Green River by the Tacoma f feadworks di-
version clam and the Howard Hanson Dam. This blockage is one
of the weakest links to Chinook recovery in WR/A 9. Completion
of this project should dramatically increase the spatial structure
and genetic diversity of the Green River Chinook population.
Project details include:
•Construction of the upstream fish passage facility by TPU was
completed in 2005.
•A downstream fish passage facility (FPF), to be built by the USACOE,
in planning and design.
USACOE is conducting a study on a downstream fish passage facility in
2012, with construction anticipated
-Approximately $80 million has been spent on the FPF from the original
authorization with approximately $30 million left for FPF construction.
Additional efforts by the USACOE and TPU are focused on implementing
instream habitat improvements to include culvert removal/replacement
projects, large woody debris placement, and revegetation.
Figure 5 shows the active and
completed projects undertaken
by USACOE and TPU in the Upper
Green River Subwatershed.
... .......
.'38 a 11, 11 e Y
N
0 1 2 Mile
January 2015
LlIpIperi Grewml IIIIWZlivwr III twrsIhe
HIIII lltat Rrojct.s
Completed Habitat Project
Major Road
King County Boundary
WRIA 9 Subwatershed Boundary
o'.
p�0',
..... . . .. ...... . ..... ....... . . .
KING CO./ KITTITAS CO.
KING CO. KITTITAS CO.
IIII IIA 9 IIII���� ii iiir iii iiir ° fii Actions
"ll he I falbitat I1131arm has prograimmrms and IIpIlluides t "support vuigoramm edU,,,
eatuion/uinformnatuioin efforts" amid "foster ste ardslllmuip" in order to expand
citizen participation in salmon recovery. Plan policies also seek to protect
salmon habitat in the watershed. Programmatic actions in WRIA 9 include:
*The Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist program, which provides
opportunities for people recreating on local beaches to learn about the
nearshore environment;
")�11111111111 • Environmental education for grades three to eight at the Environmental
Xo' Science Center in Burien's Seahurst Park;
*The pilot Stormwater Retrofit Program, which is developing a blueprint
for how to best manage stormwater using small, dispersed, low impact
development practices and facilities;
*Workshops organized jointly with King Conservation District for Puget
Sound waterfront homeowners on using vegetation as a bluff stabilization
technique and for improving beach conditions;
•A basin stewardship program in the Miller -Walker Creek basin under a
separate set of inter -agency funding and agreements; and
•Community Salmon Investigation (CSI) —Volunteers walk Miller and Walker
Creeks each fall to determine rates of salmon dying before they spawn, from
2010 through 2014.
"/ dream of a picture like • King County Basin Stewards in the Middle Green and on Vashon-Maury
this on the Green." Island are essential to implementing the 2005 Salmon Habitat Plan. Basin
stewards identify, prioritize and find funding for habitat restoration and
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII� conservation projects.
• Revegetation projects along the river conducted by groups like Duwamish
Alive!, Forterra, EarthCorps, Nature Consortium, and others improve
degraded habitat.
IMollinitollid ling
1 he WRIA 9 lnnm pemrmentation Ilf clhinical t:.,oalrrmmrmittee"s Status aiind Turemnm s
t nitro m°uing Report, rt, 01 , fuindiings include:
*The amount of shoreline armoring has decreased in both the freshwater and
saltwater environments due to restoration actions;
*Through restoration efforts, the riparian condition in the Middle Green River
Since
has held steady. The river migrated through 30 acres of trees, which are now
providing high quality instream habitat; 1975,
•There has been a substantial increase in large wood jam densities from 2001
to 2009
-There has been a loss in tree cover in the marine riparian areas;
•The banks of 38% of Newaukum Creek and 82% of Soos Creek have tree
cover;
•Water quality/temperature standards are violated in Newaukum and Soos
Creeks most frequently in June, July and August, and violations in Soos Creek
occur more frequently than Newaukum Creek.
•23% of Soos Creek channel is in public ownership, while only 4% of the
Newaukum Creek channel is in public ownership; and
•Only 22 out of 55 drift cells (or approximately 33% of the marine shoreline)
have more than 50% of their sediment
sources intact.
• King County Basin Stewards in the Middle Green and on Vashon-Maury
Island are essential to implementing the 2005 Salmon Habitat Plan. Basin
stewards identify, prioritize and find funding for habitat restoration and
conservation projects.
• Revegetation projects along the river conducted by groups like Duwamish
Alive!, Forterra, FarthCorps, Nature
Consortium, and others improve
degraded habitat.
every
year,
l walk r'
the river
bank when the salmon
return. No matter
what is happening in
my personal life, the
return of the salmon
puts life in perspective.
Fall of 2070, l shared
this walk with a young
Earth Corps volunteer
from Colombia. What
a thrill for us to see a
big Chinook. Returning
salmon is a legacy we
must protect."
State ofthe WateiirsIhed
Illll��tiir iliass 111111 ' iiiird II
II-IIIaIbitat Plan projects are hn a v uruiety of Iphases: completed; underway;
and in the pipeline. With these projects, we aim to achieve benchmarks
discussed in the Habitat Plan and improve habitat to recover salmon. Figure 6
shows the progress made toward attaining the ten-year goals of each bench-
marks since Plan adoption in 2005. Although not all have been met, WRIA 9
has made great strides toward protection goals in the Marine Nearshore Sub -
watershed and restoration goals in the Middle Green River Subwatershed.
This progiress rqport Ihiglhllluigllli s implementation accomplishments present-
ed in the Habitat Plan. Many other efforts are taking place by other partners
in WRIA 9 that have ecosystem and salmon benefits. This report also does not
account for recent habitat losses, for example, cutting trees on levees, armor-
ing in the marine nearshore, and development
in floodplains.
Status al" IIIII 'iiii iiiin IIIII ihri WII IIIII
Figure 7 depicts the annual number of Chinook spawning in the river has
ranged widely over the years. The number of natural origin spawners has
generally met the Habitat Plan's target range of 1,000 to 4,200 fish. However,
in 2009 only 207 natural origin spawners were observed; the lowest count
since 1981. In 2011 only 903 natural origin spawners were counted,
according to Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife (WDFW).
The percent of hatchery fish on the spawning grounds has regularly exceeded
the Habitat Plan's target of less than 30%. This target of having less hatchery
spawners has only been met three times in the last 40 years (Figure 8).
Vhe girapiis below show that the Green River Chinook salmon population
continues to decline. Despite nine years of implementation efforts target
ing our actions and prioritizing our funding
investments, we have not met the
Habitat Plan's target of 1,000 to
4,200 natural origin spawners
returning to the Green River. The 14000
downward trend is sobering and Ln 12000
spotlights the need to dramatical-
ly increase our level of effort. We 3 10000
need to rededicate and recommit c� 8000
ourselves to the following key o
strategies to making our water- - 6000
shed "Fit for a King:"
Z 4000
2000
n
�I iir �S m um 1 IIIIC"""'�'iii III' �w ° ia iiiir il
IIOIh'iiiii iiin11k
SIIIpawrflhrig iii iiri the Greeri IIIII' liiveri
Green yin III liii iiir Oliii inodk fin IIIZiver SIpawnliihng
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0% p 1
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Data from NOAA's Salmon
Populations Summary database
and WA Dept. of Fish and
Wildlife
• Protect currently functioning habitat and habitat forming processes from
degradation;
• Connect the Upper Green River by restoring access for salmon;
• Restore habitat that contributes to the survival of juvenile salmon; and
• Increase Duwamish River estuary habitat.
Implementing the Plan's recovery strategies is complex and challenging. As
this report indicates, we are implementing at roughly 10% of levels estimated
as necessary to recover the watershed's Chinook salmon population. Many
factors contribute to this slower than anticipated rate of recovery, including
the following key obstacles:
•Funding: Dedicated, sustainable revenue sources to implement salmon
habitat recovery projects and programs are needed. Meeting the funding
levels to implement habitat projects and programs will require new sources
of funding and optimizing
current sources;
•Governance: Regional collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries is
crucial to successful Habitat Plan implementation. To strengthen the role
of all partners and optimize funding, the Forum will need to remain the
governing body for planning, decision making,
and budgeting;
•Multiple Authorities: Natural resources are managed by multiple agencies
with different objectives and authority. Increased collaboration and
sustainable revenue sources would increase the ability to achieve multiple
objectives for managing the watershed;
• Reconnections Delayed: Reconnecting the Green River to its
floodplain is the best long-term approach to meeting salmon
recovery objectives where the river is extensively constrained
by levees, while also reducing risk to life and property from
flooding. Further, facilitating passage of salmon between the
Upper Green River and the rest of the basin remains a critically
important strategy that must progress; and
�f�r�
• Research Gap: An assessment of salmon productivity in the
key
watershed is a research need. While continuing to address
t
the obstacles we face to implement the Habitat Plan, we must
continue to emphasize self-sustaining runs of natural origin
spawners. It is critical to determine the role and impacts of nat-
urally spawning hatchery fish when examining the Green River
Chinook salmon
population productivity and ability to be self-sustaining.
WRIA 9 continues to focus limited funding on the most important recovery
actions; we strive to ensure that agencies communicate; we are forging new
partnerships while keeping the existing ones strong; and we continue to
revisit strategies and use adaptive management based on science to reassess
and refine funding and project priorities. Our commitment to restoring habitat
and recovering salmon remains strong.
WII�RIIA 9 CoardhinatianIIII""' iirn
I oug 0steiriiman
Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed Coordinator
Phone: 206-477-4793 Email: doug.ostermanGkin count . ov"
WRIA 9 website: h V./-//www,govlink.orglwatersheds/9/
htt //w w. reenthe reen.co �
p: r�,1
I(auren Beurgeron
Habitat Project Coordinator
EIlluissa Osteurgaar
Planning and Stewardship Coordinator
I(ollirm fillmgghns
Senior Ecologist
ll...uin a Grob
Administrative Coordinator
au ireein Judge
Communications Coordinator
Progress II gliourt IPurqpairauioiin "ointributoiu•s:
Karen Bergeron, Linda Grob, Maureen Judge, Josh Kahan, Elissa Ostergaard,
Doug Osterman, and Greg Rabourn
Gralliillh is Ill)e igiuru and Caurtoguraplh :
Laurel Preston
Watershed Ilf..:.to TMiir II1::::: iiru iirn irnernbeirs pir lii ' iii uig fu ri iii iirmg for the Ilp iir llp iir tiii uw of thils pu llblll iii til on:
CITY OF
AD-
V u
y
WASHINGTON iiii���,,
BIJR�EN
PtE City it
t a MAP LLEY
CITY OF
�- Federal Way
Enumclaw WASHINGTON KENT King County
ILA
Y
CITY OF __,..,.n ••� ��� o
NORMANDY PARK
WASHINGTON i�T�STacoma.-..r
City of Seattle �1111,1v101AERANA1
City of Algona
City of Auburn
City of Black Diamond
City of Burien
City of Covington
City of Des Moines
City of Enumclaw
City of Federal Way
City of Kent
King County
City of Maple Valley City of Tacoma
City of Normandy Park City of Tukwila
City of Renton
City of SeaTac
City of Seattle
Watershed Ilflll; t urn Ill::::: uruuuil-n Imernbeirs of IIRIIIA g) allIso iiiirm 111 uu de:
American Rivers SHADOW (Save Habitat and Diversity of Wetlands)
The Boeing Company
Covington Water District
EarthCorps
Green/Duwamish Watershed Alliance
King Conservation District
King County Agriculture Commission
Master Builders Association
Mid -Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group/
Trout Unlimited
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
WA State Department of Ecology
WA State Department of Fish & Wildlife
WA State Department of Natural Resources
Alternative Formats Available
Voice: 206-477-4800 TTY Relay: 711
Additional copies of this report are available from:
King County
Department of
Natural Resources and Parks