I went out to check out the Port Susan Bay Preserve for birds. It is often a good place to see large flocks of snow geese and raptors. This is the area south of Stanwood that is a part of the Skagit Wildlife Areas at the end of Boe Road. Going down the road I began to wonder if I was on the right route. The land to the left (south) side rose up about fifteen feet to form a dike. The road ends abruptly at a small parking area after passing a flood control structure. I climbed the dike on a new graveled access where I could see that what had been fields to the south are now flooded. The field to the north toward Stanwood is partly under water with excavating going on.
The transformation is a part of project by the Stillaguamish Tribe funded by NOAA to reestablish salmon habitat to what it was before the area was diked along Port Susan for farming in the late 19th century. Two miles of the old dikes are being removed along with some structures and install flood gates to allow water to pass through the dike. It appears that there will be access for hiking along the dikes. I have included a URL with information about the project.
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