The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project will restore 260 acres of estuarine and salt-marsh habitat in South Puget Sound. The estuary is at the mouth of the Deschutes River, on the footsteps of the Washington State Capitol Campus, along the shoreline of downtown Olympia, and within the Usual and Accustomed Fishing Grounds of the Squaxin Island Tribe. The project will remove the 5th Avenue Dam and associated tide gate, which were built in 1951 to make the Deschutes Estuary into a freshwater reflecting pool for the Washington State Capitol Campus.
The Washington State Legislature directed the Department of Ecology to serve as the lead state agency to manage the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project following the 2025 legislative session. Ecology continues to collaborate with the Department of Enterprise Services and other project partners on the design and permitting of the project.
The 5th Avenue Dam and Bridge removal will restore tidal exchange and a new bridge will be constructed with vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian lanes. Restoration of the Deschutes Estuary will improve ecological conditions, achieve state water quality standards, improve climate resilience, and restore recreational water access and fishing.
Project Timeline
The project is now in design and permitting, and is funded for a portion of this work through a NOAA Fish Barrier Removal grant, a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Coastal Resilience Fund grant, Ecology Centennial Clean Water Program grant, and an appropriation by the Washington State Legislature through the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at climate.wa.gov.
Other Languages or Accommodations
To request or to learn more about what other languages we can provide, contact our Language Access Coordinator at language@ecy.wa.gov or 360-870-1689. When you call, please allow a few moments for us to contact an interpreter.
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Accessibility
To request ADA accommodation for disabilities, or printed materials in a format for the visually impaired, contact Ecology’s ADA Coordinator by email at ecyadacoordinator@ecy.wa.gov, or call 360-407-6831.
People with impaired hearing may call Washington Relay Service at 711. People with speech disability may call TTY at 877-833-6341.