Steigerwald Reconnection Project

This project reconnected 965 acres of Columbia River floodplain to the lands and waters of the Steigerwald Lake National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. This reconnection reduces flood risk, improves terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat, and restores natural ecosystem functions. This project protects nearby communities from flooding that have consistently damaged properties, and is expected to save the municipality $40,000 in pumping costs each year. This project created new wetlands, added thousands of new native plantings to the site, and created new recreational trails. The project is incorporating Wapato plants, an important food and cultural resource for local tribes that will harvest from the site.