The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group (SPSSEG) received grant funding through the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to assess the feasibility of acquiring key floodplain property, removing existing flood control structures and shoreline armoring, enhancing floodplain connectivity, and improving salmon habitat along a 1.4 mile stretch of the ‘Wilcox Reach’ of the Nisqually River. The majority of the project area is within the Wilcox Family Farms property, one of the largest agricultural properties on the Nisqually shoreline and one of the few properties in the watershed with such a large area for potential habitat and floodplain enhancement. In addition to the initial acquisition and restoration feasibility assessment, a Preliminary Design was one of the expected deliverables however the scope was later reduced to a Conceptual Design due to funding and time constraints for this relatively large and complex restoration project. The project site is located approximately between RM 26.2 and 27.8, primarily on Wilcox Farm property located immediately upstream of the Centralia Diversion Dam. A series of shoreline armoring, bank protection and levee structures that have been in place for decades have simplified the river channel and have resulted in the loss of salmon habitat and many acres of disconnected floodplain and riparian areas. The purpose of the project (this grant) was to assess the feasibility of land acquisition or easements that would protect riverine and floodplain habitat and to complete a Conceptual Design for a reach-scale restoration project that would address armor/levee removal, or set-backs, and restoration of floodplain, wetland, and off-channel habitat for salmonids. This project will benefit all six salmonid species that utilize this system with improved rearing and/or spawning areas. The Wilcox Farms site is one of the largest, if not the largest, commercial-agricultural properties on the river. The shoreline area that is the focus of this project contains about a half-mile of shoreline armoring and at least 150 acres of floodplain land that is either directly in agricultural use, or that is disconnected as a result of the levees and armoring. This project represents one of the largest restoration opportunities along the Nisqually main-stem. Herrera Environmental and SPSSEG hosted a design charrette with the Wilcox family representative. Out of these efforts three project alternatives were developed, Alternatives 1, 2, 3, respectively. These alternatives ranged from lower habitat benefit and lower cost/effort (Alternative 1) to high benefit and cost/effort (Alternative 3). Herrera executed a 2D hydraulic model that yielded a comparison of depth and velocity changes for each of the Alternatives compared to existing conditions. Herrera also developed evaluation criteria and an evaluation matrix to assist stakeholders in comparing the relative benefits, costs, impacts to land, and other factors for each of the Alternatives. SPSSEG and the Nisqually Indian Tribe facilitated a series of meetings with the Wilcox family and their Executive Board, initially presenting the three Alternatives and ranking framework. The initial meetings also included discussions on the potential for a land acquisition transfer, or an easement. After several meetings and negotiations, the Wilcox Board informed the project team that land acquisition or easements would not be desirable, but that habitat restoration would be. The Alternative 2 concept was chosen as the preferred alternative that would provide an actionable restoration plan which maximizes the salmon benefit while meeting the needs of the Wilcox family, and that would not jeopardize the operation of the Centralia Diversion Dam. However, clarity on some of the design elements at the downstream portion of the site, which includes Harts Lake Canal and the field to field farm road, were needed. Additionally, design elements at the farthest upstream project area were requested by the Wilcox Board. Herrera provided 3 schematics (2A, 2B, 2C) showing a further sub-set of options for Alternative 2 that addressed issues in these areas. Option “2C” was chosen as the preferred option out of this subset. A draft of Alternative 2C was submitted to RCO at an earlier stage. The final Conceptual Design was then completed based on the earlier process and conceptual design drafts. The final Conceptual Design provides specific design details and suggested project elements not shown in the draft versions. Specifically, at the downstream portion of the site habitat enhancement options are presented for the Horn Creek and Harts Lake Canal confluence, which include wood roughening and habitat structures, and vegetation enhancement (Sheet C-3). Lower Horn Creek has the potential to provide rearing and holding habitat for steelhead, Chinook, coho, and winter chum and the suggested habitat elements in the design compliment proposed restoration along the Nisqually main-stem. Just upstream of the Horn Creek area, the proposed levee set-back and habitat elements are shown (Sheet C-4). Proposed treatments in this area include a series of side channels and log jams, and floodplain re-vegetation. Collectively, these treatments will provide roughness and complexity as the river reclaims this floodplain habitat, thereby “kick-starting” dynamic processes and avoiding a simplified river alignment that could form in the former, simplified agricultural field. Additional levee removal and set back elements, and Apex log jams are shown on sheet C-5. Revetment rock removal and Apex jams are shown on sheet C-6. At the far upstream of the site, bank roughening and deflector structures are shown on sheet C-7. An optional Flood Containment Berm is shown as well, however, as suggested in the earlier draft, we expect this project element may not be needed. The additional design sheets show details for proposed wood structures, side channels, and levee and revetment work.