Duck's Unlimited (DU) used this grant to support WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)'s decision making process regarding the future management of southern Leque Island. As a result of this project, WDFW decided to restore 250 acres of tidal marsh, nearly all the available land on the island. DU supported WDFW's decision making process by completing final engineering design, overseeing technical studies, and permitting related to Phase 1 and by completing 60% design for Phase 2. WDFW's decision-making process carefully and critically examined several alternative solutions to failing dikes at Leque Island and the implications for department mandates, site operations, fish and wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities. WDFW solicited public input at open houses and in meetings with stakeholders. WDFW recruited volunteers to participate in a Stakeholder Advisory Committee. With input from the public, the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, and DU, WDFW developed Design Selection Criteria to evaluate different design scenarios. DU developed conceptual design alternatives and cost estimates. Concurrently, subconsultants completed hydraulic modeling and ground-water monitoring to evaluate those alternatives. The studies focused largely on evaluating restoration goals and potential impacts to neighbors, including the combined effects of the project and the nearby 100 acre Zis-a-Ba Restoration Project. These technical elements proceeded slowly to allow adequate time for WDFW to solicit and incorporate input from stakeholders and the public. Agency and stakeholder concerns drove the design process, which in turn informed and drove the technical elements. In May 2015, WDFW management chose the preferred alternative. After new dike failures in 2016, WDFW decided to phase the project. Phase 1 would build the interior drainage network, Phase 2 would re-introduce the tides. DU completed engineering design, oversaw technical studies, and permit compliance related to Phase 1, which: * Excavated 18,260 linear feet of new tidal channels within the project site. Excavation impacted 10.8 acres and redistributed 40,000 cubic yards (CY) of material. * Filled 8.4 acres of existing artificial drainage features interior of the perimeter dike, including drainage ditches and borrow areas. 39,200 CY of material excavated from the new tidal channels was used as compacted fill in these areas. * Removed 1,900 linear foot berm bisecting the project area. Material associated with the existing berm (up to 700 CY) was spread in 4-inch lifts across about 1.5 acres of the project site * Created low-elevation habitat / wave attenuation hummocks. The hummocks are 1 to 3 feet tall and designed with a top elevation low enough to maintain wetland hydrology before the perimeter levee is breached. Phase 1 was necessary to hedge against more unintended dike breaches. After completing Phase 1, if an accidental breach occurs, WDFW and DU will evaluate the benefits and costs of repairing the breach based on its extent and location. With Phase 1 completed, there is a greater chance that repair of a breach will not be necessary because the tidal channel network is already configured. Phase 2 will occur when final design is complete and enough money is on hand to re-introduce the tide. As part of this grant, DU and WDFW continued to advance Phase 2 design and prepared for permitting resulting in additional studies and design documentation.