Ashley Von Essen presented Habitat Work Group's ranked project list for the 2015 Salmon Recovery Funding Board cycle. She presented at the July 2015 NRC meeting.

1. Nisqually 2015
Ranked Project List
Nisqually River Council, July 2015

2. Our Mission..
To spend approximately $2.5 million to better
the Nisqually River Watershed and the Puget
Sound region.
»SRFB : $415,000
»2015-17 PSAR: $1,400,000
»2013-15 PSAR: <$750,000

3. 1. Mashel Shoreline Protection Phase IV
• Protection of 2.49 miles
of river and 374 acres in
the Middle Mashel Gorge
• Geographic area of
highest priority
• Adjacent to other
protected properties
• Acquisition would
remove threat of future
timber harvest and
development
• Property availability
requires quick action
Project Sponsor: Nisqually Land Trust
Amount Requested: $724,165

4. 2. Mashel Eatonville Restoration Phase III
• Restoration effort to improve
salmon habitat complexity,
including installation of up to
12 ELJ’s, side channel
reactivation, 5 acres riparian
planting at the Mashel/Little
Mashel Confluence
• Geographic area of highest
priority
• Increases habitat diversity
(largest limiting factor)
• Builds on earlier upstream
phases
Project Sponsor: South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group
Amount Requested: $1,190,000

5. 3. Whitewater Reach Protection Project
Project Sponsor: Nisqually Land Trust
Amount Requested: $300,000
• Protection of 3800’ of
mainstem shoreline, as
well as associated
wetlands (if all parcels
are acquired)
• Geographic area of
highest priority
• Adjacent to other
protected properties
• 90% of project area is
intact & fully functioning

6. 4. Mashel Eatonville Restoration Phase III
Conservation Easement
• Conservation easement
of 5.1 acres and 690 feet
of shoreline, preventing
further residential
development
• Geographic area of
highest priority
• Would greatly facilitate
the Mashel III
restoration
• Would facilitate
neighboring landowner
relations
Project Sponsor: Nisqually Land Trust
Amount Requested: $150,000

7. Nisqually Chinook Recovery Monitoring
Project Sponsor: Nisqually River Foundation
Amount Requested: $41,500
• Provide field support to collect data needed for
annual updates to harvest, hatchery, and
recovery programs, including:
1. Collecting juvenile Chinook out-
migration data via beach seining in
the lower river, estuary, and
nearshore
2. Collecting adult Chinook data at the
fishery, weir, hatchery, and
spawning grounds

8. West Oakland Bay Restoration & Conservation
Restoration, planning, and
conservation of the
Goldsborough Creek
estuary
1. Construct 14 ELJ’s to
rebuild the mouth of
Goldsborough Creek
2. Remove .25 miles of dike
and creating intertidal
shelves for natural
vegetation growth
3. Final design for the
removal of Port Shelton
bulkhead
4. Acquisition of 14 acres
on Eagle Point
Project Sponsor: Squaxin Island Indian Tribe
Amount Requested: Approx. $200,000

9. Alt 1. Middle Ohop Protection Phase II
• Upstream of future Phase IV
project site
• Geographic area of highest
priority
• Conservation easement of 35
acres, 2200’ shoreline along
upper Ohop Creek, 3 acres
riparian planting
• Adjacent to NLT properties
• Would potentially remove 1
development right, still in
negotiations with landowner
Project Sponsor: Nisqually Land Trust
Amount Requested: $230,000

10. Alt 2. McKenna Small Lots Acquisitions
Project Sponsor: Nisqually Land Trust
Amount Requested: $600,000
• Scalable project looking to
eventually acquire 35 acres,
15 separate lots, on the
Nisqually mainstem based on
a developed habitat strategy
• Lots are small (1-5 acres), yet
very pricey with limited
shoreline
• Geographic area of highest
priority
• Acquisition of these lots
would protect against future
residential development

11. To make a long story short…
1. Mashel Shoreline Protection Phase IV
2. Mashel Eatonville Restoration Phase III
3. Whitewater Reach Protection Project
4. Mashel Eatonville Restoration Phase III CE
5. Nisqually Chinook Recovery Monitoring
6. West Oakland Bay Restoration & Conservation
Alt 1. Middle Ohop Protection Phase II
Alt 2. McKenna Small Lots Acquisitions