The Washington Department of Ecology and the Department of Enterprise Services officially opened a thirty-day public comment period on October 9, 2026, for the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement regarding the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project.
The project permanently severed the saltwater connection to Budd Inlet, converting 260 acres of historic estuarine salt marsh into a managed freshwater pool.
Prior baseline engineering studies estimated total capital costs between $350 million and $400 million, reflecting complex earthmoving operations, structural demolition, bridge replacements, and extensive sediment handling across three interconnected water basins.
Under a binding 2024 interlocal agreement governing long-term sediment management, the Port of Olympia committed to significant financial obligations to fund maintenance dredging every twelve years through 2050.
Regional fishery benefits extend well beyond Thurston County, providing critical foraging grounds that directly strengthen Chinook survival rates.
Washington Department of Ecology and DES open public review on the Draft Supplemental EIS for the Deschutes Estuary project, detailing bridge replacements, berms, and $100M in savings.