Chinook River Confluence Conserved
197 acres of highly threatened tidal wetland habitat conserved near the Pacific Ocean
Columbia Land Trust’s conservation work in the Columbia River Estuary focuses on protecting remaining high-quality habitat for endangered salmon and steelhead and restoring the key habitat needed to support their full life cycle. Our vision is a landscape where rivers have room to move naturally, and fish and wildlife have the diversity of habitats they need to thrive.
This October we completed another project supporting these goals by conserving 197 acres of high-quality habitat at the confluence of the Chinook and Columbia Rivers in Pacific County, Washington. This site, which we will call Chinook River Confluence, contains highly threatened, functionally intact tidal wetlands and stretches along the Columbia River for over a mile, supporting migratory waterfowl, shorebirds and other wildlife. Half a mile of side channels provide important resting and rearing habitat for salmon, especially juveniles on their long journey from the interior Columbia Basin to the Pacific Ocean.
The property generates outsized benefits for fish and wildlife, as it is interconnected with other protected lands and restoration projects in the area. The Land Trust has supported the protection of over 1,340 acres in the Chinook River watershed alone. Moreover, the property is adjacent to 1,000 acres of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s John’s River Wildlife Area and the 600-acre Fort Columbia Historical State Park.
Looking ahead, our stewardship will focus on protecting the site’s existing high-quality habitat and enhancing ecosystem function where suitable through culvert removal, channel reconnection, noxious weed control, and native planting. The Land Trust will monitor it regularly and take action as needed to maintain the property’s ecological integrity.
As this site is in the heart of unceded Chinook Indian Nation territory, we will continue to engage with their leadership about the future of this important place.
This project was funded by Bonneville Power Administration.