The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $5,822,096 in federal funding to the washington department of ecology through the FY2024 and FY2025 coastal zone management habitat…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the Washington Department of Ecology $5.8 million through the Office for Coastal Management (CFDA 11.473) Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection and Restoration Grant Competition for the Hoko Watershed Restoration Project. The award, obligated on October 1, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2028, supports a multi-benefit habitat restoration initiative in Clallam County that will restore salmon populations, improve water quality, enhance flood resiliency, and increase food and water security for rural coastal communities. The project encompasses channel restoration of 4.3 miles of the Hoko River, floodplain process restoration across 351 acres, floodplain and riparian plantings over 74 acres, and vegetation management for elk forage on 82 acres. Restoration methodologies include helicopter-placed wood structures, ground-based channel restoration using heavy equipment, and comprehensive reforestation and weed management efforts.

The project is implemented in partnership with two sub-awardees. The North Olympic Salmon Coalition (award date February 26, 2026) will install engineered log jams along the Hoko River mainstem and side-channels, remove infrastructure impediments to restoration (creosote timber railroad trestle bents and structures), and conduct floodplain and riparian reforestation and elk revegetation efforts. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe (award date January 27, 2026) will install engineered logjams along the Little Hoko River to support salmon habitat recovery and improve water quality and flood risk management in the region.

The national oceanic and atmospheric administration is providing $5,822,096 in federal funding to the washington department of ecology through the FY2024 and FY2025 coastal zone management habitat protection and restoration grant competition. This funding will increase the safety and productivity of coastal communities within coastal counties through habitat restoration planning, engineering and design projects, habitat restoration implementation projects, and land conservation projects. Specifically, the washington department of ecology will use these funds for the hoko watershed restoration project, to implement a multi-benefit restoration project to recover salmon habitat and populations, improve water quality, increase food and water security and increase flood resiliency for enhanced quality of life in rural clallam county, washington state. This project will restore habitat sustaining processes in two locations within the hoko watershed: 1) channel restoration of 4.3 miles of the hoko river, and 2) floodplain process restoration of a 351-acre project area along hoko river and its tributaries, all of which has been degraded by floodplain disconnection. This effort will include floodplain and riparian plantings over 74 acres, and vegetation management for ELK forage over 82 acres. Implementation of this restoration will result in decreased flood risk and improved water quality and groundwater storage. The proposed project includes a mix of treatments and methods including helicopter placed wood structures, ground-based channel restoration completed by heavy equipment, and floodplain reforestation and weed management to benefit fish, wildlife and ultimately people.