DESCRIPTION
The Pysht River estuary was historically used for the marine transport of logs between 1915-1975. To do so, the lower river was channelized and periodically dredged using both suction and clamshell dredges. Dredge materials were discharged onto salt marsh or placed along channel margins. As a result, significant areas of the Pysht River estuary were disconnected from the river and or converted to upland vegetation types. Suction dredge deposits first appear in the 1951 aerial photograph series and form a series of interconnected, large mounds on what was formerly tidal marsh in the northwest portion of the estuary. Removal options for these deposits have been explored in two recently completed design projects Pysht River Estuary Saltmarsh Restoration (partial and final designs). This proposal involves the restoration of saltmarsh habitat in the Pysht River estuary through the removal of ~105,500 cubic yards of dredge deposits over 21.5 acres of historic saltmarsh habitat and the establishment of ~10,000 linear feet of tidal channels. These channels will ultimately provide benefits to a multitude of species including forage fish and salmonids including Pysht River stocks of chum, coho, chinook and steelhead. There is also documented use of the estuary by listed stocks of chinook from other areas including Puget Sound and the Columbia River.