Seahurst Bulkhead Removal and Beach Restoration Construction
Project Description
- Located in the Nearshore Subwatershed at Seahurst Park on Puget Sound in Burien
- Follow-up to the Seahurst Seawall Removal Assessment, a feasibility study that also received funding from SRFB
- Since being armored in the 1970s, beach elevations in Seahurst Park have dropped three to four feet due to wave scouring and the disconnection of the beach from primary sediment sources. These changes have significantly degraded habitat quality for salmon and the organisms they depend on, particularly forage fish.
- From November 2004 to February 2005, 1,400 feet of failing shoreline armoring was removed and the beach was restored to natural conditions in the south section of the park. Through reconnecting the sediment supply, the beach will be naturally replenished. The project goal is to restore self-sustaining nearshore habitat and ecological processes to avoid the need for on-going human intervention.
Partners and Funding
- Led by the City of Burien, partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- $190,500 funded by the SRFB (fifth round), $190,500 funded by the City of Burien, and $707,000 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Additional funding information
Importance for
Salmon
- This nearshore area is used by juvenile salmon including Chinook before they migrate to the open ocean
- At 169 acres and nearly one mile of shoreline, Seahurst Park can become one of the largest stretches of shoreline in central Puget Sound mainland that provide good habitat for salmonids
- The shoreline has overhanging vegetation; a study has documented that young salmon rely heavily on terrestrial insects from marine riparian vegetation for their diet
- Pre- and post-restoration monitoring will quantify the benefits from this project. Download the pre-project monitoring report (February 2005)(Adobe Acrobat)
Other Watershed Salmon Restoration/Protection Projects