Remediate the disruption of habitat-forming processes: Levees and tide gates in the Lummi Bay delta have destroyed over 1,200 acres of historic salt marsh habitat and the infilling of nearly 13 miles of tidal channel habitat. To the extent that we can feasibly restore full hydrologic function to isolated wetlands and historic tidal channels, natural habitat-forming processes will be restored. 2. Provide juvenile life-stage refugia for ESA-listed and other salmonid species through re-connecting habitats: We propose to fish passage to off-channel, wetland floodplain habitat that serves as rearing, feeding and high velocity refugia habitat for salmon and trout. We also propose to reconnect fish passage between the Nooksack River and Lummi Bay to allow Nooksack juvenile salmonids more direct access to one of the largest native eelgrass habitat areas in Puget Sound. 3. Prioritize critical habitat for ESA-listed and other salmonid species: The project targets habitat limiting factors for ESA-listed bull trout, chinook salmon, and another salmonid stock of tribal significance, the current listing candidate coho salmon. The Nookack estuary has been designated in the Whatcom County’s Restoration Strategy (2004) as a “High Priority” for the restoration of habitats critical to the recovery of these species.