Friday April 21, 2023
The Center Square —
King County has completed a restoration project on the Cedar River east of the City of Renton with expectations that it will improve salmon habitat and reduce flood risks.
The nearly $18 million project was coordinated by the county’s Water and Land Resources Division. The project coincides with the progress King County made with the Rainbow Bend restoration project that was completed in 2013.
The King County Flood Control District contributed about 30% of the funding. The county also found necessary funds through over $12 million in grant funding from Washington state Floodplains-by-Design, Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration and State Salmon Recovery.
The Cedar River restoration project restored 52 acres of floodplain while creating side channels and replicating log jams to provide slower-water flow. Salmon have a better ability to feed and grow in slower waters, which in turn helps improve their chances of survival when they migrate to the ocean.