Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project
The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) is leading the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project. This project will restore Capitol Lake to an estuary and is one of the largest projects of its kind in the nation.
Restoring 260 acres of estuarine and salt-marsh habitat in South Puget Sound is the path forward to improving:
- Water quality
- Wildlife
- Plant habitat conditions
- Climate and flood resilience
- Recreational water access
- Fishing
- Regional transportation
DES is in the early design phase. Construction could begin as early as 2027, pending construction funding and environmental permits.
DES is partnering with environmental consulting firm Floyd|Snider of Seattle on this project.
The Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project is supported with funding from Washington's Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington's climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.