Skagit Watershed Council used this funding to develop a feasibility assessment of habitat restoration alternatives and a preliminary design for the preferred alternative for the Cottonwood Island area located at the Skagit Forks, where the North and South Forks of the Skagit River bifurcate. The project is the first phase of a two-phase project resulting in the design and implementation of a restoration alternative consistent with the Council's strategy to restore landscape processes. The core of the assessment was to develop a hydrodynamic model of this complex area to understand the sustainability, feasibility, and hydrologic/ hydraulic impacts of significant habitat restoration alternatives. Using the model results, the study team analyzed and developed restoration alternatives. This information is critical to understand what, if any, acquisition may be necessary to restore the connectivity and functioning of off-channel habitat in this area. This information can also be used to seek landowner approval to move to the second phase. Over 95% of the 200-acre area riverside of the dike at Cottonwood Island is owned by WDFW, though the study area included areas in private ownership inside and outside the dikes. Cottonwood Island was identified as a high priority for restoration by the SRFB-funded Big Bend Feasibility Study and is a targeted restoration action in the Skagit River Chinook Recovery Plan. The area is a high priority target area in terms of potential benefit to Skagit wild Chinook and other target species.