McSorley Creek Shoreline and Estuary Restoration Project

The McSorley Creek Shoreline and Estuary Restoration Project will examine removing the rock bulkhead along the shoreline and the rock at the creek’s mouth to restore natural beach processes, make the creek more accessible for fish and the beach more accessible to people.

Current status:

King County and Washington State Parks worked with a consultant team to complete 60% design in February 2024. The project is on hold indefinitely, but the 60% design can be a springboard for final design when the project is restarted.

*Heavily armored mouth of McSorley Creek and Puget Sound shoreline extending to the north*

In early 2024, King County, in collaboration with Washington State Parks, completed 60% design for a stream and shoreline restoration project at Saltwater State Park. Much of the shoreline and the mouth of McSorley Creek, which flows through the park, is currently armored with angular rock. The project goal is to restore salmon and forage fish habitat and natural habitat-forming processes, while making the park more resilient to the impacts of coastal erosion and sea level rise. The proposed project will remove armoring from 1,000 feet of shoreline and the lower 450 feet of McSorley Creek, create a pocket estuary, improve park features and recreational amenities, and increase climate resiliency.

Why are we considering this project?

Removing the bulkhead and the armoring at the creek’s mouth will help bring back natural processes that create juvenile Chinook salmon habitat and improve nearshore forage fish spawning. The WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat plan identifies McSorley Creek as a high priority project for restoration of natural beach (sediment) processes. Additionally, recent high tides have damaged the bulkhead and trail and flooded the Saltwater Café. These park amenities are at risk of more damage and flooding in the future. Designing a project that addresses these issues provides a great opportunity to enhance the recreational use at the same time.

Fact sheet: McSorley Creek Pocket Estuary and Feeder Bluff Restoration

Project partners

King County partnered with Washington State Parks on the project design. The project was supported by WRIA 9 and was funded through grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, the King County Flood Control District Cooperative Watershed Management and Flood Reduction Grant Programs, and the King Conservation District.