Restoration in the Northwest
In Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, 27 populations of salmon are listed as threatened or endangered as a result of habitat loss and over harvesting. Through habitat restoration we work to undo the damages done to coastal wetlands, shellfish beds, and salmon-bearing streams. Nearly half of historic tidal wetlands have disappeared from Oregon's coastal estuaries; in Puget Sound, Washington more than 80 percent of tidal wetlands have been lost and vast areas of floodplain wetlands have been cut off from rivers by levees or filled for development. We work with our partners to reconnect these marshes and floodplains to tidal or riparian waters and to restore habitat. We restore spawning and rearing habitats for fish and improve fish passage by removing dams or replacing undersized culverts.
Do you want to learn more about habitat restoration?
- How do I strengthen my plan?
- How can I streamline my project approval?
- What regulations will apply to my project?
- What funding is available from NOAA?
Technical Resources
Success Stories
Elwha River Dam Removals, Washington (application/pdf, 3.5MB)
Fisher Slough Marsh Restoration, Washington (application/pdf, 180kb)
Fourmile Creek Riparian Restoration Project, Idaho (application/pdf, 1.2MB)
Gold Ray Dam Removal, Oregon (application/pdf, 1.7MB)
Lowe Creek Channel and Wetlands Restoration at Boatman Grove, Oregon (application/pdf, 778kb)
Middle Fork John Day Channel Relocation and Riparian Restoration Project, Oregon (application/pdf, 501kb)
Ramsey Wetland Complex Off-Channel Habitat Restoration Project, Oregon (application/pdf, 1.3MB)
Salmon Creek Estuary Restoration, Washington (application/pdf, 1.1MB)
Salmon River Aquatic Habitat Restoration Project, Oregon (application/pdf, 785kb)
Videos
Restoring the Elwha River, Washington
Dam Removals on the Calapooia River, Oregon
Hemlock Dam Removal, Washington
Middle Fork John Day Channel Relocation and Riparian Restoration, Oregon
