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East Netul Tidal Restoration
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park » East Netul Tidal Restoration » Document List
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park proposes to collaborate with the Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration, Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, and other partners to reconnect 28.5 acres of historic tidal wetlands with the Netul (Lewis and Clark) River. In addition to restoring valuable estuarine habitat, this project is designed to provide enhanced flood protection to neighboring properties through the construction of a new setback levee on a neighboring agricultural field and enhance the visitor experience by providing a flow-through channel for ranger-led kayak tours through the restored floodplain.
At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the site of Fort Clatsop was a hill above the river surrounded by tidal marsh on both the north and south. These tidelands were diked in the 19th and early 20th centuries and converted from wetland to pastureland. In 1995, the Park worked with partners and the public to complete a General Management Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement. This plan recommends restoring pasturelands to historic tidal wetland conditions where feasible. The site known as East Netul is directly across from the popular kayak launch at Netul Landing, approximately 1 mile south of the Fort Clatsop replica and Visitor Center. Completing this project will contribute to re-creating the historic tidal marsh setting of Fort Clatsop and provide increased visitor kayaking opportunities. It will also meet our mandate to reestablish natural functions and processes within the lands we manage and contribute to the recovery of federally listed threatened and endangered salmon runs in the Columbia River system.
This project will complement previous work the partners have completed within the park at Otter Point (2012) and Colewort Creek (2013) and assist in the recovery of anadromous fish populations within the Youngs Bay watershed and greater Columbia River system. The proposed project area falls within the designated critical habitat for two species that are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Past fish presence monitoring data conducted within the Netul (Lewis and Clark) River and previously restored off-channel wetlands in the same reach as the project site have documented the presence of coho, chinook, steelhead, and chum salmonids, as well as cutthroat trout. All species of migrating salmonids and anadromous fish rely on high quality estuarine wetlands and off-channel habitats for feeding and refuge. To meet our objectives of restoring the historic scene and enhancing salmon rearing habitat, we are considering the following actions: levee breaches and dike lowering; shoreline improvements; tidegate removal & installation of setback fish-friendly tidegates; tidal channel excavation; marshplain grading; construction of a new setback levee; large wood placement; and native plant community establishment. Together, these actions would address much of the degradation that has occurred over time from past land use activities, thereby improving both the habitat quality at the site and the visitor experience.
We are seeking public input as we begin to draft an Environmental Assessment for this project, wherein we will analyze a range of alternatives and evaluate the potential impacts to natural and cultural resources, and the human environment. This initial public scoping period will run from January 20th, 2025 through February 20th, 2025.
If you have any questions or wish to comment, please do so here: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/EastNetul.
At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the site of Fort Clatsop was a hill above the river surrounded by tidal marsh on both the north and south. These tidelands were diked in the 19th and early 20th centuries and converted from wetland to pastureland. In 1995, the Park worked with partners and the public to complete a General Management Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement. This plan recommends restoring pasturelands to historic tidal wetland conditions where feasible. The site known as East Netul is directly across from the popular kayak launch at Netul Landing, approximately 1 mile south of the Fort Clatsop replica and Visitor Center. Completing this project will contribute to re-creating the historic tidal marsh setting of Fort Clatsop and provide increased visitor kayaking opportunities. It will also meet our mandate to reestablish natural functions and processes within the lands we manage and contribute to the recovery of federally listed threatened and endangered salmon runs in the Columbia River system.
This project will complement previous work the partners have completed within the park at Otter Point (2012) and Colewort Creek (2013) and assist in the recovery of anadromous fish populations within the Youngs Bay watershed and greater Columbia River system. The proposed project area falls within the designated critical habitat for two species that are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Past fish presence monitoring data conducted within the Netul (Lewis and Clark) River and previously restored off-channel wetlands in the same reach as the project site have documented the presence of coho, chinook, steelhead, and chum salmonids, as well as cutthroat trout. All species of migrating salmonids and anadromous fish rely on high quality estuarine wetlands and off-channel habitats for feeding and refuge. To meet our objectives of restoring the historic scene and enhancing salmon rearing habitat, we are considering the following actions: levee breaches and dike lowering; shoreline improvements; tidegate removal & installation of setback fish-friendly tidegates; tidal channel excavation; marshplain grading; construction of a new setback levee; large wood placement; and native plant community establishment. Together, these actions would address much of the degradation that has occurred over time from past land use activities, thereby improving both the habitat quality at the site and the visitor experience.
We are seeking public input as we begin to draft an Environmental Assessment for this project, wherein we will analyze a range of alternatives and evaluate the potential impacts to natural and cultural resources, and the human environment. This initial public scoping period will run from January 20th, 2025 through February 20th, 2025.
If you have any questions or wish to comment, please do so here: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/EastNetul.