Shoreline Restoration in the San Juans

San Juan County waters and shorelines are essential parts of salmon recovery efforts in the Salish Sea. With over 400 miles of shoreline, the habitats found in the Islands contribute to salmon abundance and diversity across the Region. This nearshore habitat serves as an important feeding and rearing environment for out-migrating juvenile salmon, and other culturally and economically important species, including forage fish. The Islands' shorelines and nearshore environments provide vital spawning and rearing areas for juvenile Pacific herring, surf smelt, and Pacific sand lance, which serve as an important prey source for many marine mammals, sea birds, and fish, including salmon as they migrate through San Juan County waters on their way to the ocean. Restoring shorelines is a priority for San Juan County.

The San Juan Islands Salmon Recovery Chapter Update established a series of long-term protection and restoration goals focused on our marine shorelines and nearshore habitats. By 2070 the goal is to have restored:

• 2.8 miles of degraded spawning beaches.
• 27 miles of degraded shoreline habitats and processes.
• eelgrass and kelps at 200 parcels (688 acres) of public and/or private tidelands associated with Pacific herring spawning grounds, and protected or restored eelgrass and kelps along 68.5 miles of shoreline.
• over 45 miles of shoreline with marine riparian overhanging, and buffer vegetation.
• 6.5 miles of feeder bluffs and 26.5 miles of pocket beaches.

This Project page provides an overview of the different restoration efforts underway by San Juan County's Department of Environment. Browse through to learn more about each one, how they improve our marine habitats and shorelines, and how they improve access and experiences for residents and visitors to the Islands.

Funding: Funding for these projects comes from a variety of state and federal grants. Check out each Project update below to learn more about how each effort has been funded.