Public workshop Dec. 5 to provide update on Spencer Island restoration project

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will provide an update on a major restoration project at Spencer Island in Snohomish County on Dec. 5 at an in-person meeting, alongside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and Snohomish County Parks.

The Spencer Island restoration project intends to restore a portion of river delta that was heavily modified when the landscape was developed for grazing and agriculture in the early 1900s. The project would improve important habitat for threatened salmon, increase biodiversity, and normalize water movement at the site. Located in the Snohomish River estuary east of Everett, WDFW manages a portion of the island as the Spencer Island Unit of Snoqualmie Wildlife area.

WDFW, the Corps, and Snohomish County Parks will host an in-person public meeting to discuss proposed site design and potential recreational effects at Spencer Island on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Weyerhaeuser Room, located on the fourth floor of the Everett Transit Station at 3201 Smith Avenue in Everett. The public is invited to ask questions and provide feedback on the updated design proposal.

A previous meeting and public comment period was held in 2023 to discuss preliminary design options. An additional public comment period is also planned for January 2025 as part of required National Environmental Policy Act review.

Materials from the Dec. 5 meeting will be posted to the WDFW website when available; those who are unable to attend the meeting can email questions to lindsey.desmul@dfw.wa.gov. 

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish, wildlife, and recreational and commercial opportunities.