DESCRIPTION
The Kukutali Preserve, located within Skagit Bay in Skagit County, Washington (Figure 1), was purchased in 2010 and is co-owned and co-managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (SITC). The preserve encompasses approximately 90 acres, including an island connected to Fidalgo Island (hereafter referred to as the mainland) via a natural tombolo, along with a natural coastal lagoon and associated upslope wetlands on the mainland. In addition, the preserve also includes approximately 11 acres of tidelands. The acquisition of these unique habitat features presents the opportunity to identify potential restoration actions that would benefit juvenile Chinook and other salmon. A 2013 study by SITC outlines restoration opportunities in the areas surrounding the tombolo and the lagoon/wetland complex on the mainland portion of the Preserve (SITC, in preparation). A range of design alternatives, including no action, will be developed and presented as part of this proposed restoration design project for both sites so that a full range of costs and benefits can be evaluated.
The Kukutali Preserve, located on the Swinomish Reservation within Skagit Bay in Skagit County, Washington, is co-owned and co-managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (SITC) through the Kukutali Preserve Management Board. The Preserve encompasses 11 acres of tidelands and ~90 upland acres, including Kiket Island, a natural tombolo connecting Kiket and Fidalgo Islands, a natural coastal lagoon, and associated upslope wetlands. As listed in the 2005 Skagit Chinook Recovery Plan, about ΒΌ of the historic Kiket Lagoon footprint has been filled and the southern tombolo is completely armored, limiting natural habitat development.
This project designed restoration work to restore sedimentary processes at the tombolo and improve habitat quality to benefit all six salmonid species including juvenile Chinook. A 2014 SITC study outlined restoration opportunities in the tombolo and the lagoon/wetland complex areas (SITC, 2014). This project prepared a final design for full restoration of the tombolo after we evaluated several restoration alternatives and their costs and benefits and received approval from the Kukutali Management Board. As we were able to gain agreement on a preferred alternative early in the process, we did not need to design a range of alternatives and achieved significant cost savings. Full restoration for the tombolo focused on restoring sediment transport that historically maintained the lagoon, spit, and tombolo with included upper beach restoration for forage fish habitat and native plantings. A final design report for full tombolo restoration, 100% design drawings, and ACOE and Tribal permit applications were developed and submitted. Pre-construction planning was initiated.
