DESCRIPTION
The project reach is associated with the lower river and mouth of the Dosewallips River (RM 1.0 - 0.0), including the Brinnon Rural Village Center, Dosewallips State Park, and Highway 101 and Bridge. The river has a single outlet to Hood Canal and is tidally influenced throughout the reach. The state park includes one of Floodplain processes are severely constricted by the Highway 101 Bridge and causeway resulting in aggradation, scour or burial of redds, and loss of connectivity with the floodplain and estuary. The 2023 Hood Canal Salmon Recovery Program Priorities and Immediate Needs for the Dosewallips lists "Protect riparian, LWD structures, Restore floodplains" and "Channel migration zones" on page 4 as well as "Restore riparian and Transportation infrastructure" as other potential related actions. This Brinnon Reach Phase 2 plans for and initiates these intended outcomes. It will expand upon an existing County program to improve resiliency (with respect to habitat and flood/erosion risk) in the Powerlines/Lazy C and the upstream Rocky Flats Reach (AKA Wolcott) reaches by filling assessment and planning gaps in the lower river and estuary.
The Brinnon Floodplain Acquisitions project will acquire three or more designated floodway properties in Brinnon (currently 6 parcels; 3.96 acres; 545 feet of shoreline) from willing sellers located and restore them to open space. The project is Phase I of a larger planning and acquisition effort to address flood risks and improve habitat in the Brinnon Reach of the Dosewallips River. Land uses, including development in Brinnon, Dosewallips State Park and US-101, have led to channel and floodplain alterations and habitat simplification. Opportunities for restoration in the reach are currently limited by high flood risk and the presence of insurable structures. The targeted parcels are located within a potential river avulsion route through a neighborhood of single-family homes and small businesses. At the upstream end of this route is a relic meander bend where erosion has worsened. At the downstream end are two 100'-long US-101 overflow bridges north of the main stem river span. Acquisitions from willing sellers along the potential avulsion pathway may provide expanded restoration options leading to improved floodplain functions. Potentially, the meander bend could be linked via a side channel complex to the 100' bridge(s). With separate funding, the County and Brinnon community are collaborating with partners to develop an action plan to meet flood risk reduction and habitat improvements needs to include future acquisition priorities.
