Salmon Recovery Planning and Projects

Chinook salmon jumping upstream

Salmon Recovery in Pierce County

Pierce County and its salmon recovery partners are committed to the development of a countywide Salmon Recovery Program and Implementation Strategy. Chinook, coho, chum and pink salmon, as well as steelhead, cutthroat and bull trout all call Pierce County’s rivers and streams home. These species must be protected from further future loss. 

The below projects are spread across the four Watershed Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs 10, 11, 12 and 15) in Pierce County. These projects, and future planning efforts, demonstrate Pierce County’s commitment to achieving lasting benefits for fish and fish habitat through barrier removal, levee setbacks, feasibility studies and other stream typing efforts grounded in sound science and collaborative action. 

Pierce County’s Salmon Recovery Program is made up of many partners including local Tribes, state, federal other local governments and non-profit organizations that are committed to the goals of Salmon Recovery. To hear more about Pierce County’s Salmon Recovery Program, or to learn about how you or your organization can participate in this effort, please contact Sean Goldsmith at [email protected].

Contact

Sean Goldsmith
Salmon Recovery Planner
(253) 798-2398

[email protected]

If you are completely stopping salmon from moving upstream, then you're not going to have salmon.


There are a lot of things that keep salmon from going upstream and we call them by different names - dams, levees, culverts, etc. These barriers can be extremely damaging to fish populations, driving them, in some cases, to near extinction. 

Hear Pierce County's Tom Kantz explain the importance of removing fish barriers in the video. 


  1. Salmon Recovery Projects in Pierce County

  • Brighton Creek Culvert

    The goal of this project is to remove a fish barrier on Brighton Creek, where it crosses under Harts Lake Road near the confluence with the Nisqually River.

  • Chambers Creek Bridge Replacement

    Pierce County explores bridge replacement options as part of a greater effort to restore the Chambers Bay Estuary.

  • Purdy Creek Fish Passage

    The goal of this project is to improve fish habitat and water quality for the lower part of Purdy Creek and Burley Lagoon. 

  • Swan Creek Channel Restoration

    This a 2.5-mile channel restoration project from 64th St. East to Swan Creek Park at Pioneer Way East.

  • Rody Creek Channel Stabilization

    This project will reduce sediment input and loading into the Rody Creek channel by stabilizing certain areas of ravine slope erosion.

  • Horsehaven Creek Culvert Replacements

    The goal of these projects is to improve fish passage and address flooding issues on Horsehaven Creek where it crosses under 150th Avenue East and 188th Street East near Orting.

  • Huge Creek Culvert Replacement

    Replacing an aging culvert which is a barrier to fish migration.