Project Name
Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project
Project Location
The Duckabush Estuary is located at approximately mile 310 of U.S. Highway 101 in Brinnon, Jefferson County, Washington, on the west side of Hood Canal.
Proposed Action
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) proposes an estuary restoration project at the mouth of the Duckabush River in Brinnon, Jefferson County, Washington, on Hood Canal. The estuary is currently compromised by fill, dikes, and road infrastructure, including Highway 101, which partially blocks channels, limits tidal interaction, and reduces estuarine habitat available to fish and wildlife. The proposed project would reconnect the river to its floodplain and restore tidally influenced wetlands by modifying local roads and both moving and elevating Highway 101 onto a bridge spanning the estuary. Distributary channels would be re-established and riparian vegetation planted. This project was identified as a high priority restoration action by the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP).
Project Proponent
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
State Environmental Policy Act (Sepa) Lead Agency
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
Sepa Responsible Official
Lisa Wood, WDFW
Date of Issuance
May 15, 2020
Public Comment Period and Hearing on Draft Seis
The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEIS) was made available for a 30-day public comment period with a comment end of 5 p.m. February 20, 2020. A public hearing was held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday February 8, 2020, at the Brinnon School, 46 Schoolhouse Road, Brinnon, WA. Both oral testimony and written comments were accepted at the meeting. A total of 31 comments were received during the public comment period.
Availability of the Final Seis
The Draft and Final SEIS are available online.
The documents are available to read at:
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife -- Natural Resources Building 1111 Washington Street SE, Olympia, WA, Monday¡VFriday, 8 a.m.¡V5 p.m.
- Olympic Canal Tracts Office 310703 Highway 101, Brinnon, WA 98320
If you have questions about this action, contact Lisa Wood either at the address above, or via SEPAdesk2@dfw.wa.gov, or phone 360.902.2260. Electronic versions of the documents are also available to be sent to interested parties upon request at no cost.
Permits, Licenses, and Approvals Likely Required For Proposal
- Clean Water Act Section 404, Nationwide Permit -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
- U.S. Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10 -- USACE
- National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 Consultation -- USACE in coordination with Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP)
- Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- National Marine Fisheries Service [NOAA Fisheries] and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS])
- Magnuson.Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Essential Fish Habitat Consultation -- NOAA Fisheries
- Marine Mammal Protection Act Incidental Harassment Authorization or Letter of Authorization -- NOAA Fisheries
- Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification -- Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology)
- Clean Water Act Section 402 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Construction Stormwater General Permit -- Ecology
- Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Federal Consistency Determination -- Ecology
- Aquatic Use Authorization -- Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
- Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) -- WDFW
- Building Permit -- Jefferson County
- Shoreline Substantial Development Permit/Variance/Conditional Use -- Jefferson County
Authors and Contributors
A list of authors and contributors is provided in Chapter 7 of this Final SEIS.
Location of Background Materials
Background materials used in the preparation of the Final SEIS are listed in Chapter 8, References.
The NEPA EIS can be read at: https://bit.ly/PSNearshore (case-sensitive).
Project information and updates can be found at: https://wdfw.wa.gov/duckabush.
Date of Next Action and Date Final Action is Planned
The date of the final action is May 15, 2020, which is the same date of issuance of this Final SEIS by Lisa Wood, SEPA Responsible official for WDFW. No further action is planned.