Snohomish Conservation District presents 9-acre riparian restoration plan for Stormwater Wetland Park
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Summary
Snohomish Conservation District told the Arlington City Council it has grant funding to restore about 9 acres and 2,600 feet of riparian zone at Stormwater Wetland Park, using a three-year phased planting and monitoring plan to improve water quality and salmon habitat.
The Snohomish Conservation District presented a grant‑funded plan to restore riparian habitat at Arlington’s Stormwater Wetland Park, targeting roughly 9 acres and about 2,600 feet of the Stillaguamish River corridor.
Kristen, a representative of the Snohomish Conservation District, told the council the district has partnered with the city for years and has secured state and federal grant funding to support the project. Joshua Kim, the district’s habitat restoration project assistant, said the primary work would occur over three years and would include site preparation, contracted planting of native conifers and understory shrubs, and ongoing maintenance and monitoring.
Why it matters: presenters said the reach of the Stillaguamish River near the park is listed as impaired for temperature and coliform, and that restoration can increase shade, reduce runoff, and improve groundwater infiltration. The project is designed to restore habitat for native fish and wildlife; presenters called out Chinook salmon and steelhead among species that use the reach.
Details: Kim said the team identified invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, knotweed and English holly that form dense thickets and can harm native vegetation and create hazards in the park. The planting plan includes conifers (Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar) and understory shrubs; the presenters said they expect an initial survival target of about 85% and will replant as needed. They also described an adaptive management approach and said primary grant funding covers three years of work, with hoped‑for maintenance and monitoring for up to 10 additional years depending on future funding.
What the city did: the presentation followed an interlocal agreement the council approved in recent weeks; no council action on the project was taken during this meeting. Councilmembers thanked the presenters and had no substantive questions.
What’s next: presenters said they will continue coordination with Arlington staff and local schools on outreach and education as the project moves toward implementation.