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Habitat Restoration Projects
To improve nearshore habitat conditions for forage fish, eelgrass, shellfish and juvenile salmon, FRIENDS works with interested private and public landowners to restore shoreline properties that are being impacted by unnecessary shoreline modifications. Multiple restoration projects have been completed or are in-progress.
Shoal Bay Forage Fish Habitat Restoration Project |
In the fall of 2008, FRIENDS removed an old concrete and creosote wood shuffleboard court structure from the upper beach of Lopez Islands Shoal Bay. The site was replenished with appropriately sized sand and gravels, restoring a known surf smelt spawning site. Shoal Bay has documented Pacific herring and surf smelt spawning habitat and juvenile salmonid usage. Coastal Geologic Services completed the restoration assessments and designs. Project funded by the Russell Family Foundation and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
As we were walking along our beach on July 31 at 9:30 PM, to our surprise, excitement, and amazement, all of the effort involved with this project came to fruition as the surf smelt returned to spawn and now had use of the additional beach. As the surf smelt were spawning, two salmon were also observed foraging on the surf smelt which is all part of this marine environment life cycle! We have such a feeling of fulfillment and gratification. Thank you to the FRIENDS and all involved. Gary & Patty Bergren
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Shoal Bay Lagoon Restoration, Lopez Island |
In the fall of 2009, FRIENDS removed a cement tide gate from the entrance to the Shoal Bay lagoon improving water quality and fish passage. Two dump truck loads of concrete, steel, plastic and wood and nearly 20 truckloads of fill material were removed from the site. The tide channel and slope of the banks were then shaped. Dune and salt grasses will be replanted by volunteers. Coastal Geologic Services completed the restoration assessments and designs. Project funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Community Salmon Fund, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Washington State Department of Ecology.
We wish to thank everyone involved for the highly successful restoration project on our Shoal Bay shellfish farm. FRIENDS of the San Juans has been cooperative, respectful and extremely inclusive through the entire process. The actual removal was carefully timed and staged to minimize impact both to the marine life and our ongoing shellfish farming activities. We are delighted with the result aesthetically, and can already discern significant, positive changes to the function of the lagoon. Nick and Sara Jones
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San Juan Island Salt Marsh Restoration |
Along San Juan Islands Turn Point Road, an unnecessary rock wall was removed and a critical wetland and potential forage fish spawning beach were restored. After eleven dump truck loads were taken away from the upper beach and salt marsh habitat, clean pea gravel and sand were used to nourish the beach. Impacted wetland plants were then replanted along the new marsh face. The restored beach now provides suitable forage fish spawning substrate and the wetland and the marine environment are reconnected. Jim Johannessen and his staff at Coastal Geologic Services completed the restoration assessments and designs. The project was funded through a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant. FRIENDS wishes to thank the landowners, the Ruckelshaus Family, for their willingness to complete the project and provide matching funds for the implementation.
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Barlow Bay Community Nearshore Restoration |
Barlow Bay is a priority nearshore marine habitat area with eelgrass, sand lance and surf smelt spawning beaches, and out-migrating juvenile salmon. In 2008, Friends of the San Juans, Coastal Geologic Services and local residents completed a comprehensive community restoration planning process. The removal of the derelict creosote pilings is the first, early action, restoration project to be completed of the many identified in the plan. Numerous degraded structures are impacting sand lance spawning habitat and water quality conditions for forage fish, juvenile salmon and shellfish. FRIENDS is working with multiple landowners to remove creosote pilings and armoring from the bay. In September, 2009 13 derelict creosote piles were removed from intertidal and shallow subtidal waters within Barlow Bay. Funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Community Salmon Fund.
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Blind Bay Forage Fish Habitat Restoration, Shaw Island |
Final designs are underway for a beach nourishment project to improve spawning habitat substrate at a documented surf smelt spawning beach. Funded by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board with in kind support from San Juan County Public Works.
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Neck Point Coastal Wetland Restoration, Shaw Island |
Final designs are underway for this project to reconnect a coastal wetland to the marine environment. Funded by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board with in kind support from the San Juan County Conservation District.
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