The purpose of the Smith Island Restoration project is to re-establish historic tidal marshlands that provide critical habitat for threatened Chinook salmon, as well as other salmon species, in the Snohomish River basin.
The project included construction of a new setback dike to hold back flood and tidal waters to protect the adjacent properties including farmland, local businesses, and Interstate 5. After the setback dike was completed, large sections of the existing dike were removed and the ebb and flow of tidal waters returned for the first time in 85 years.
