Once Upon a Time There Was a Nisqually Delta Dike
by Doug Kerr
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About the Book
This book is a photographic essay, of sorts, and a reflection of what the Nisqually River delta was like for those who loved the tranquility and the camaraderie that walking (and exploring) the dike for over 35 years provided.
To reclaim and make the soil farmable, a five and one-half mile dike was built around the perimeter of the delta beginning in 1904. As a result the delta became productive farmland until the late 1960's when it became increasingly unprofitable. In 1974, the delta became the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
Since then, thousands of hikers, bird watchers, and outdoor enthusiasts regularly walked the dike to commune with its abundant fauna and flora.
In 2008 after twelve years of planning, and under the partnership of the Nisqually Tribe, Ducks Unlimited, and the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, the restoration of the Nisqually estuary was begun. The largest estuary project of its kind ever undertaken in the Pacific Northwest, more than 762 acres will reconnect the estuary with the tides of Puget Sound (or Salish Sea). The removal of the original dike built by A. L. Brown over 100 years earlier began in May of 2009. The tidal restoration of estuarine habitat on the western side of the river compliments the conversion of 153 acres of diked pasture on the eastern side of the river which was undertaken by the Nisqually Tribe in 2002. In 2010, a three-mile board walk was built directly over the estuary to allow visitors to experience the restoration of the estuary up close.
To reclaim and make the soil farmable, a five and one-half mile dike was built around the perimeter of the delta beginning in 1904. As a result the delta became productive farmland until the late 1960's when it became increasingly unprofitable. In 1974, the delta became the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
Since then, thousands of hikers, bird watchers, and outdoor enthusiasts regularly walked the dike to commune with its abundant fauna and flora.
In 2008 after twelve years of planning, and under the partnership of the Nisqually Tribe, Ducks Unlimited, and the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, the restoration of the Nisqually estuary was begun. The largest estuary project of its kind ever undertaken in the Pacific Northwest, more than 762 acres will reconnect the estuary with the tides of Puget Sound (or Salish Sea). The removal of the original dike built by A. L. Brown over 100 years earlier began in May of 2009. The tidal restoration of estuarine habitat on the western side of the river compliments the conversion of 153 acres of diked pasture on the eastern side of the river which was undertaken by the Nisqually Tribe in 2002. In 2010, a three-mile board walk was built directly over the estuary to allow visitors to experience the restoration of the estuary up close.
Features & Details
- Primary Category: Arts & Photography Books
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Project Option: Standard Landscape, 10×8 in, 25×20 cm
# of Pages: 108 - Publish Date: May 16, 2011
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About the Creator
Doug Kerr is a retired college professor who has walked across Spain along "El Camino de Santiago de Compostella." Along with his wife, Villa, they were the first Americans to walk the length of the new Hadiran's Wall Path in England in 2003. He has been a photographer for over 45 years.