Green Cove Creek Bridge restores salmon passage in Thurston County 

Thurston County officials celebrated the opening of the Green Cove Creek Bridge after the replacement of a culvert that environmental assessments found had blocked salmon runs since 1969. 

The bridge was completed, and then inaugurated on Wednesday, Aug. 27, after a two-year construction period.

In 2021, county inspectors discovered the soil supporting the original structure was giving way and threatened to close the road, cut off utilities to nearby homes and collapse the culvert.

The culvert was temporarily patched until crews could begin planning for its replacement, the county said in an announcement about the completion of the project. 

The replacement project involved removing more than 20,000 cubic yards of materials, an amount enough to fill about four Olympic-sized swimming pools.  

Green Cove Creek Bridge was built with five, 150-foot long concrete girders that weighed a total of 81 tons. The girders werer installed by two cranes, which worked in tandem. 

Construction work included culvert removal, creek diversion, foundation pouring, girder placement and road deck installation. 

Meanwhile, for guiding the project from emergency response to completion, Thurston County Public Works Senior Civil Engineer Marcus Storvick was recognized as Washington state’s 2025 Project Manager of the Year by the County Road Administration Board (CRAB). 

The recognition, awarded at the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Aug. 5, cited Storvick’s management of emergency stabilization efforts in 2021 and his coordination of agencies to deliver a permanent bridge replacement under compressed timelines.  

Partnerships 

Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland joined county officials and tribal leaders to mark the project’s completion. Strickland secured millions of dollars in federal appropriations that paid for more than 60% of the county’s costs. 

The funding also covered utility relocations that helped maintain reliable water service during the construction period.

“I’m so proud we secured funding for a project that checks every box — safety, clean water, fish passage — without asking families to pay more,” said Strickland in a statement included in the announcement. “It’s a win for the whole community.” 

Board Chair Tye Menser said the project was the result of extensive collaboration. 

“Our success wasn't just about what we built, but how we built it. … This project was a true collaboration — uniting the (Squaxin Island) Tribe, local neighbors, and government partners — to not only open up fish habitat but to also forge unprecedented partnerships that will benefit our community for generations,” said Menser in a statement included in the announcement. 

The county acknowledged support from the Squaxin Island Tribe, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and state and federal permitting offices in completing planning, design and property acquisition in under two years. 

Salmon habitat, tribal lands 

Replacing the culvert restored 0.6 miles of upstream salmon habitat. 

In 2024, monitoring confirmed the return of chum salmon, coho salmon, sea-run coastal cutthroat trout and South Puget Sound steelhead, a federally threatened species.  

Puget Sound Chinook salmon, also listed as threatened, are expected to benefit from restored gravel flow and healthier nursery areas. 

Green Cove Creek lies in the Squaxin Island Tribe’s Usual and Accustomed Area, affirmed by the 1974 Boldt Decision. 

Tribal fisheries staff worked with the county on environmental reviews and cultural resource assessments before construction. 

The culvert was ranked third of 306 barriers listed for replacement in the Deschutes watershed. 

The bridge also serves as a wildlife corridor with deer, coyotes, river otters, barred owls, salamanders and red-legged frogs documented near the site. 

According to the county, riparian planting was also added to improve shelter and forage along the creek. 

State data estimates for every $1 million invested in fish passage projects that generates about $2.5 million in local economic activity. 

“Let’s continue to show the entire county and the state of Washington that when Thurston County wants to get something done, we get it done right here,” Strickland said.