Sunday, November 1, 2026
The Tumwater Public Works Committee backed a resolution reinforcing the city's support for the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Project.
The project involves the removal of 5th Avenue Dam in Olympia, as well as the restoration of 260 acres of estuarine and salt-marsh habitat in South Puget Sound.
Deemed the best approach for the lake’s long-term management according to a 2022 environmental impact statement, the restoration would improve water quality, create wildlife habitat and improve public access, said Tumwater Water Resources and Sustainability Department Director Dan Smith.
He made his remarks at a committee meeting on Oct. 8., at which time the group unanimously voted to forward the resolution to Tumwater City Council.
Smith said the resolution demonstrates the city’s support for Washington State Department of Ecology, which took over the project from Washington State Department of Enterprise Services in 2025.
Partner agencies are working to complete design and permitting by mid-2027 with construction starting when funding becomes available.
“The state is actively pursuing a number of different avenues from both local, state, and federal sources,” Smith said. “We're fairly confident that we're going to see some funding come in that can allow this to start probably mid- to late-28.”
The resolution incurs no new fiscal obligations and only maintains the city's existing commitments. The city would contribute around $7.67 million through 2050 for the project as part of a 2024 interlocal agreement with Olympia, Thurston County, the Port of Olympia, Squaxin Island Tribe, and LOTT Clean Water Alliance.
The money would fund periodic sediment dredging at Budd Inlet, where water from the future estuary is going to flow once the dam is removed.
Smith said the city has started to collect funds through stormwater rates to meet its financial commitments.
As part of the interlocal agreement, Tumwater would also coordinate with the state for design and construction of boardwalks at the south basin of Capitol Lake. The city would take ownership and control of the boardwalks once completed.
The committee decided to place the resolution on the city council’s consent agenda on Oct. 20. It means the resolution, along with other decisions packaged into the consent agenda, would be considered in one vote without further discussion. unless pulled from the agenda.
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Honestyandrealityguy
I perceive a lack of instituional knowledge about why the dam was originally built. Once emptied, that place is going to look terrible. Been looking a bit worse the past few years, but the difference will be horrible. Sad.
Monday, October 12 Report this
Boatyarddog
For someone that Claims "institutional" knowledge you seem to precieve incorrectly its costs of original purpose. The expense of dredging the original settling basins is Complex and costly so back to square one, let it fill the bay naturally.
And CLOSE THE DEFUNKED MARINE TERMINAL.
Monday, October 12 Report this
Olympiansince64
Unfortunately the Thurston County Commissioners seem to disagree with protecting this estuary, as they are providing a work-around for a company to ultimately destroy the Black River wetlands that feed it! Email them to get this stopped AGAIN!!
This was the story posted in Nextdoor:
"Black Lake Quarry: Here We Go Again
Last month, appellants won their appeal against Thurston County, resulting in the invalidation of the industrial rezone at the Black Lake Quarry site next to the Black River. The Growth Management Hearings Board expressly found that the rezone was inconsistent with the comprehensive plan and substantially interfered with Growth Management Act goals. Its previous zoning, allowing one house per 20 acres, was specifically intended in part to protect the Black River corridor.
Unfortunately, it's as if we're living a real-life Groundhog Day.
Yesterday, county commissioners, except Emily Clouse, decided to give the mine owner another opportunity to pursue the industrial rezone rather than return the property to its previous zoning. One apparent financial incentive for the mine owner is the avoidance of millions of dollars in restoration expenses that would otherwise be required.
County staff warned commissioners yesterday that pursuing the rezone again would divert scarce planning resources and delay the county's Critical Areas Ordinance update by three to four months. Yet the commissioners chose to proceed anyway, with the exception of Commissioner Clouse (just as she was the only commissioner to vote against the original rezone). Commissioner Menser abstained, explaining that he saw potentially insurmountable obstacles to an industrial rezone.
You can watch the work session at the link in the comments.
Appellants and concerned residents have already spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours challenging the county's decision—and won. Now the county is once again devoting public resources to helping a private mine owner obtain a financially advantageous rezone that would hurt sensitive salmon habitat.
Please contact the county commissioners and tell them that scarce public resources should be used for public priorities, not to help a private company avoid restoration expenses."
Monday, October 12 Report this
MJGord
Honesty, Olympian & Boatyard have merit. I am new to the area and before reading their comments I was thinking why did we originally pay for & dam it in the first place?
Tuesday, October 13 Report this
CobraCommander
Honestyandrealityguy - Sorry you don't like the 'aesthetics,' but habitat restoration and improving salmon populations aren't about how 'nice' everything looks. I don't believe you actually visit anyway. You're probably from Rochester or something.
Tuesday, October 13 Report this
Person of Interest
It just does not make sense to approve or support this resolution without understanding how much this overall project will cost. Smith says the cost to Tumwater “is around” $7.67 million dollars. Remember this statement and see how it holds up over time. Most of the project costs are over seven years in the future.
Tuesday, October 13 Report this
Boatyarddog
Yup, waaaay back, yhe cities self proclaimed "elites" wanted to leave a mark like all pissing dogs DO (trump is deranged) so they put the lake in. STUPID idea. With No real future plan to maintain it.
Tuesday, October 13 Report this