Buckmire Slough Tidal Reconnection Vancouver Lake, Washington

Close collaboration with the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce aimed to restore estuary function and wildlife habitat to the Buckmire Slough near Vancouver Lake, Washington. The slough had poor water quality conditions and two large berms blocking fish passage.

An Improved Floodplain Habitat with Fish-Friendly Features

The removal of four in-stream barriers restores full estuarine tidal processes and improves juvenile salmon access to the slough and wetland habitat. Installing two new bridges led to an improved floodplain habitat while placed logs and other low-lying features support native vegetation (e.g., Sedges and Wapato) and prevent juvenile fish from getting stranded. The design includes fish-friendly features, ecological features to support native Wapato, and large wood habitat structures. In developing the design, the Otak team used hydraulic modeling to assess water quality, fish passage conditions, and scour potential at the bridge sites.