The Future of Clayton Beach
On the southern shore of Larrabee State Park in Samish Bay, Skagit County, a grand restoration project is shaping up. The Salish Sea Alliance is partnering with Washington State Parks, the Washington Department of Natural Resources, the Skagit and Whatcom Marine Resources Committees, and other collaborators to restore nearshore conditions and enhance degraded habitats at Clayton Beach. Engineering and design services are being provided by Herrera Environmental Consultants.
Starting in approximately 1912, the shoreline at Clayton Beach underwent development to accommodate the construction of the Interurban Trolley, also known as “The Trolley That Went to Sea.” The current landscape bears witness to the historical remnants of this development, with remaining stubs and riprap scattered along the beach. These remnants are a part of the 5,000 pilings and acres of rock that were employed in the construction of the trestle. The trestle, which served its purpose until 1928, was superseded by the opening of Highway 99 for vehicular traffic. Offshore, a 13-acre dredge hole remains, serving as evidence of the excavation where sediments were extracted and utilized to support the trestle’s structure. Over the course of nearly a century, these residual features, along with the dredge hole, have exerted a lasting impact on nearshore processes, habitat, structure, public use, and now climate resiliency.
Photo Credit to WWU Heritage Resources
The Clayton Beach project includes two interconnected phases of restoration. The first phase focuses on filling the 13-acre, dredged depression that extends to approximately -18 feet MLLW. Restoring this area will help reestablish eelgrass habitat lost to historical dredging and reduce the wave energy currently eroding the toe of the bluff resulting from the extensive size and depth of the hole. The second phase aims to remove more than 1,300 linear feet of rock armor, pilings, and debris from the beach. Recovery of the site will begin prior to removal of the debris removal of invasive plants in the backshore and the planting of native trees, grasses, and shrubs to jumpstart shoreline recovery.
Eelgrass beds are the nursery grounds for many of the Salish Sea’s valued species, providing food and refuge for juvenile salmon and marine birds, and spawning habitat for herring, Dungeness crab, and countless invertebrates. Restoring the intertidal zone allows surf smelt and Pacific sand lance to spawn in beach sediment currently buried under 5,500 CY of rock. Revegetating the backshore and uplands with native vegetation and accumulation of large woody debris will help cool the shoreline and provide insects and cover for juvenile salmon.
COLLABORATORS: Washington State Parks, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Skagit and Whatcom Marine Resources Committees, Western Washington University – Shannon Point Marine Center, and Herrera Environmental Consulting. Collaboration also includes the diversity of additional landowners and managers across the site including the Upper Skagit Tribe, Puget Sound Energy, BNSF and private landowners.
By removing outdated structures and restoring natural processes, the Clayton Beach restoration project provides multiple benefits for fish and wildlife, enhances coastal resilience and continues to support and improve public access to the shoreline.
Relevant Resources
Clayton Beach Fact Sheet: CLAYTON BEACH FACT SHEET
Hoja Informativa de Clayton Beach: CLAYTON BEACH HOJA INFORMATIVA
Clayton Beach Feasibility Study: CLAYTON BEACH FEASIBILITY STUDY
FUNDING: This project has been funded wholly or in part using federal funds from the following agencies and departments: Assistance agreement PC-01J89501 from the United States Environmental Protection Agency through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Award NA22NMF4690358 from NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce; Award F22AC02162-00 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, NOAA, US Department of Commerce, or US Fish and Wildlife Service.
ADDITIONAL FUNDERS: We are grateful for additional funding support provided by the Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership, Seeking Health, Puget Sound Energy, Marathon Oil, HF Sinclair, and the Burning Foundation.