We are almost done, as I write this, with phase one of the Carpenter Creek Estuary Restoration project that started in 2000 — a bridge named the “Stillwaters Fish Passage.” That’s a very long time to work on a project of any kind. It’s almost as long as it takes to raise a child, and I feel like a child is about to be born.

In a few days, all of the temporary steel walls and fill that held the temporary road bypass will be removed. Once we can see the tides flowing freely and unrestricted under that bridge, I think I will be able to breathe again!

One of the last steps in the project was to fill the scour hole on the estuary side (the one on the cove side had been filled earlier). We helped state Fish and Wildlife in seining the hole to retrieve and relocate as many of the fish and creatures from the hole as possible. We managed to save hundreds of crabs, salmon, sculpin, candlefish, cutthroat trout and many others.

As I saw these creatures coming from just one small part of the estuary, I was amazed. It has been the same experience for me every time we have seined out there. Once again, it was incredibly clear and impressive how many creatures can live in the abundance of estuary habitat! This seems comparable to thousands of humans trying to live in one small apartment building, getting all our food and sustenance from that same space! Estuary habitat is the most productive habitat of any kind, even more than the best farm land in the Midwest.

I cannot explain how gratifying it is to know that our hard work over the past 11-plus years has made a significant difference for so many of our watershed co-inhabitants. This would not have happened without the dedication and determination of this community. So many folks kept up the fight, writing letters and emails whenever asked and even going to Olympia to testify. You do not know how much that energy sustained us as we confronted one stumbling block after another.

We have a very long list of federal, state and county officials and staff to thank:- U.S. legislators: Jay Inslee, Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray and their staffs, especially Mendy Droke, Chris Endresen, Mike English, and Kristine Reeves. – State legislators: Christine Rolfes, Sherry Appleton, Phil Rockefeller, and Hans Dunshee. – Kitsap North commissioners: Chris Endresen, Steve Bauer and Rob Gelder. – Kitsap County staff: Patty Charnas, Kathy Peters, Monica Daniels, Jon Brand, Marc Gaspar, Steve Heacock. – Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle office, especially Bernie Hargrave. – Puget Sound Partnership staff, especially John Meyer.

The next time any of you who did anything for the fish passage restoration project happen to pause by the estuary or cove, be sure to listen closely. I think you will hear a gull or a salmon or a crab whispering a little “Thank you!”

— Naomi Maasberg is director at Stillwaters Environmental Center.