Way back in June 2001, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kitsap County, Stillwaters Environmental Education Center, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Suquamish Tribe began discussing ways to restore the Carpenter Creek estuary. Kitsap County chose to partner with the Corps on the project.

In April 2002, the project team completed a preliminary restoration plan that recommended replacing culverts under South Kingston and West Kingston roads because they prevent tides from fully flooding the estuary in a natural state. The county and Stillwaters teamed up to acquire a State Salmon Recovery Funding Board grant for the county’s share of project funding.

The design work took several years, and the start of construction has been delayed many times. Most recently, the delay was due to severe winter flooding in Lewis County, because many Army Corps staff members were diverted to assist in re-building that area.

The project is currently scheduled for construction in the summer of 2009. It will begin with construction of a 90-foot bridge on South Kingston, replacing the 12-foot box culvert there. Community support has been the key to keeping this project in the Army Corps budget. Thanks for your support over the years!

Naomi Maasberg is administrative director of Stillwaters Environmental Education Center in Kingston.