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Fish ‘nursery’ renovation enhances the Columbia River estuary

The Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Washougal, Washington, hosts nearly 90,000 hikers, birdwatchers and other nature enthusiasts each year. The floodplain restoration project will rebuild and lengthen the existing trail system and add bridges that will allow unimpeded access for fish in the channels.
The largest estuary restoration project BPA has ever sponsored will restore nearly 1,000 acres of fish habitat.
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Juvenile salmon migrating through the Columbia River Basin on their way to the Pacific Ocean need areas where they can rest and grow while transitioning from  fresh water to salt water. When the Steigerwald Floodplain Restoration Project is complete, salmonids will have access to 960 acres of floodplain that is currently inaccessible.

Jason Karnezis, BPA Estuary Program Lead. 

The largest estuary restoration project BPA has ever sponsored will restore nearly 1,000 acres of fish habitat.

The Bonneville Power Administration, with several federal, state and local partners, is embarking on a project that will reconnect vital floodplain habitat to the Columbia River. The Steigerwald Floodplain Restoration Project is the largest estuary restoration project BPA has sponsored.  Biologists say once it’s restored, the floodplain will be a prime juvenile fish “nursery.”
“Juvenile salmon migrating through the Columbia River Basin on their way to the Pacific Ocean need areas where they can rest and grow while transitioning from  fresh water to salt water,” said Jason Karnezis, BPA Estuary Program Lead. “When the Steigerwald Floodplain Restoration Project is complete, salmonids will have access to 960 acres of floodplain that is currently inaccessible.”
The Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge sits next to the Columbia River, just upstream from the Port of Camas-Washougal in Washington.  The project’s goals are consistent with meeting the mitigation requirements of the Northwest Power Act and current Endangered Species Act regulations, and will involve:
  • Excavating and reshaping approximately 3 miles of tidally-influenced channels, allowing fish passage for returning adults to Gibbons Creek, a tributary running through the refuge.
  • Modifying the existing levee system to reconnect water channels to the mainstem Columbia.
  • Rebuilding the existing trail system and adding bridges that will allow unimpeded access for fish in the channels.
  • Relocating the existing parking lot and visitor area from the floodplain to behind the new setback levee to provide buffers for the restored Gibbons Creek.
  • Raising State Route 14 to the Columbia River’s 500-year flood elevation.

The restoration is due to be complete in 2022.
Bonneville's Fish and Wildlife Program funds projects like this each year to protect and enhance fish and wildlife to mitigate the impacts of the development and operation of the federal hydropower system.
“We partner with local, state and tribal organizations to fulfill our responsibilities under the Northwest Power Act and implement offsite mitigation actions for endangered species," said Crystal Ball, Executive Manager of BPA’s Fish and Wildlife Program. “This project is an excellent example of how Bonneville works with others to improve conditions for fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin."
BPA worked closely with the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Port of Camas-Washougal, and other public and private partners to overcome many project challenges.  The restoration design is complex and required several project permits, among them a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allowing modifications to the existing levee system. According to Debrah Marriott, Estuary Partnership Executive Director, those challenges make reaching the goal even sweeter. She said it’s a project that will benefit the region for decades to come.
“The Steigerwald project meets so many needs,” said Marriott. “We’re restoring nearly 1,000 acres of habitat for migrating fish, removing private and public property from the flood zone, improving recreation opportunities and creating local jobs.”

Steigerwald is one of 568 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System managed by the USFWS. It is part of the larger Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Steigerwald is one of 568 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System managed by the USFWS. It is part of the larger Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

The 1,049-acre wildlife refuge is unique in that it is located within the Portland/Vancouver metro area and straddles both rural and industrial environments: to the east is a private ranch; to the west, the Washougal Wastewater Treatment Plant that serves about 15,000 Washougal residents and businesses; and an industrial area that is home to many businesses, including manufacturers, food processors and a restaurant.

"The National Wildlife Refuge System has been achieving conservation success for more than a century. This project is an example of what collaboration and hard work can accomplish to benefit both people and wildlife," said Eric Anderson, the USFWS Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex acting project leader.

Steigerwald refuge hosts nearly 90,000 hikers, birdwatchers and other nature enthusiasts each year. Washougal Mayor Molly Coston said her love of the refuge began more than 10 years ago when she volunteered for a project there. She still walks and finds solitude there several times a week.

“It’s eight minutes from my house and a world away,” said Coston. “It is a wonderful place for parents to take young families to experience a unique experience of wildlife, hidden art pieces and the wonder of the natural world.”

Coston said construction will involve some inconvenience and frustration, but the end results will be well worth it. When the project is done, the refuge will have a healthier, diverse ecosystem for fish and wildlife, and “a wonderful and unique legacy for our children and grandchildren.”

The Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge sits next to the Columbia River, just upstream from the Port of Camas-Washougal. The 1,049-acre wildlife refuge is unique in that it is located within the Portland/Vancouver metro area and straddles both rural and industrial environments.

The Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge sits next to the Columbia River, just upstream from the Port of Camas-Washougal.  The 1,049-acre wildlife refuge is unique in that it is located within the Portland/Vancouver metro area and straddles both rural and industrial environments. 

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