ARCHIVED NEWS RELEASE
This document is provided for archival purposes only. Archived documents do not reflect current WDFW regulations or policy and may contain factual inaccuracies.
News release
Updated Dec. 31, 2015 to extend closure through Jan. 15
OLYMPIA - Public access will continue to be disrupted weekdays through Jan. 15 at the Skagit Wildlife Area Headquarters Unit on Fir Island.
Contractors for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) began work in October to repair the tide gate and culvert structure along Wiley Slough. The project was scheduled to be completed at the end of December.
The trail along the dike and the small boat launch for the marsh area will be closed weekdays through Jan. 15. Those areas will be open Saturdays and Sundays as well as New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Belinda Rotton, wildlife area manager for WDFW, noted that the boat launch to Freshwater Slough will remain open daily through construction.
The repairs are designed to address concerns about effective tide gate drainage and failing culverts.
The Headquarters Unit is a popular spot for waterfowl hunting, fishing, bird-watching and walking. The 190-acre headquarters estuary is part of WDFW's 16,700-acre Skagit Wildlife Area, located on the south end of Fir Island.