The Department of Enterprise Services is undertaking a monumental estuary restoration project in the heart of the Washington State capitol.

DES invites you to engage with the project team at a public meeting on August 19. Click here to learn more about virtual and in-person options.

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) is undertaking a monumental estuary restoration project in the heart of the Washington State capitol. 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 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.

Additional benefits include:

  • Providing productive habitat for shellfish, salmon, and other anadromous species, including aquatic species listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
  • Serving as a key step in restoring productive migratory fisheries in south Puget Sound and advancing Orca recovery.
  • Addressing chronic water quality violations by improving dissolved oxygen conditions in Budd Inlet.
  • Increasing climate resiliency across downtown Olympia by reducing maximum flood elevations by up to 1 foot compared to conditions with the 5th Avenue Dam in place.
  • Producing habitat that will better sequester carbon than existing conditions.
  • Celebrating the Pacific Northwest through native plantings, interpretive signs, and Tribal art installations.
  • Restoring active public use of the waterbody with new boardwalks, water access points, and fishing piers.
Restoring the Deschutes Estuary

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 and an initial 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.

A graphical timeline depicting planned design phases and stakeholder engagement. Fieldwork and site investigations will run from November 2024 through the middle of 2024. Conceptual design will occur between the end of 2023 through the middle of 2024, with targeted stakeholder engagement and engagement regarding sediment management. Additional funding is needed starting in quarter 3 of 2024. At that point, the project team will move into conceptual design review and 30% design, with additional stakeholder, regulatory agency, and public engagement. 60% design is estimated for 2025, and 90% and 100% design are slated for 2026. The team will continue to pursue federal and state grant funding throughout the project.
Click image to enlarge.

Other Languages or Accommodations

To request information in other languages please email [email protected] or (360) 407-8200.

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