Stillwater Flooodplain Restoration

The Stillwater Floodplain Restoration project was a salmon habitat restoration project located in the Stillwater Reach of the Snoqualmie River, western Washington State, on public lands stewarded by WDFW and an adjacent private farm. Natural, habitat-forming aquatic processes in this reach of the Snoqualmie have been impaired by shore armament, a lack of stable large woody debris, and reduced forest cover.

To accomplish the restoration goals, approximately 2,100 lineal feet of bank armorment along the right bank was removed, the bank was re-sloped to the natural shoreline gradient, flood fence poles were installed on the uppermost bench of the river bank area, native trees were planet, and a failing culvert was replaced.

The flood fencing was consolidated into the lowest area along the river bank. This is the area where it is expected to be the most effective for capturing large woody debris (LWD) and creating off channel habitat, result in the fewest disturbances of existing mature vegetation, and will likely result in the best habitat outcomes for the site.

The replacement culvert on the farm road must be buried between 20% and 30% of its height below the channel bottom, to allow sediments to settle out inside it to facilitate fish passage.