Squalicum Creek Estuary Restoration – Design Phase

Existing conditions

Squalicum Creek is the largest independent coastal stream in the Nooksack River Basin. Today, Squalicum Creek flows to Bellingham Bay in a narrow channel near the intersection of Roeder Ave and Squalicum Parkway. The estuary is the lower portion where freshwater mixes with saltwater. There are currently three fish passage barriers under three different ownerships: Port, City, and BNSF. While historically the mouth of Squalicum Creek was a large estuary, it is now narrowed by development.

The project will restore crucial habitat for multiple anadromous Pacific salmon stocks, including juvenile Chinook salmon. This habitat has been documented as important in the Nooksack Basin for Chinook to rear prior to migrating to the Pacific Ocean (Beamer et al. 2016). The project will also benefit Southern Resident Killer Whales (orcas) who are listed as endangered under the ESA.

Squalicum Creek Estuary has three crossing structures in the lowermost 0.1 river miles of the system that limit fish passage to more than 40 miles of upstream habitat. All of these structures have a nexus with local transportation facilities. The Roeder Avenue structure, which carries cars and trucks across Squalicum Creek, is a three-cell concrete culvert. Immediately downstream of Roeder Avenue is the railroad spur structure, carrying a BNSF railroad facility. The railroad spur structure is comprised of six concrete box culverts and connected to Roeder Avenue by a concrete flume. The Port truck bridge is a 60-foot-long concrete slab bridge with wood footings. During high tide, water levels approach or exceed the top of the openings of the Roeder Avenue and railroad spur structures, resulting in a constriction of flow into and out of the estuary and Squalicum Creek. At low tide, the creek outflow is split among the openings and is commonly spread out and very shallow, preventing upstream fish passage during such conditions.

The area is also susceptible to annual localized flooding in the winter during storms and high tide events. The largest recent storm event was in November 2021 and is estimated to have exceeded a 100-year event (see image below).  

Project benefits

This project has been prioritized through statewide assessments as a key location for fish passage improvements. By restoring full fish passage at three transportation crossings at the mouth of the stream, the project is intended to:

• Restore estuary habitat that has been lost to development; this habitat is crucial for multiple Pacific salmon species, including juvenile Chinook salmon who use the Nooksack Basin to rear prior to migrating to the Pacific Ocean
• Benefit Endangered Species Act-listed Puget Sound Chinook salmon, Puget Sound steelhead, bull trout, other salmon and trout species, nearshore fish populations, and Southern Resident Killer Whales
• Reduce localized flooding to improve water quality and reduce disruptions to economic activity and the transportation network
• Remove contamination from the project area
• Improve climate resilience at a site identified as vulnerable to impacts, including sea level rise
• Honor the City’s commitment in the Fish Barrier Culvert Remediation Project Memorandum of Agreement with Lummi Nation, Nooksack Indian Tribe, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.