Let the fishes swim freely! Fish Barrier Removal Grant Opportunity

The new Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board grant program is administered jointly by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Recreation and Conservation offices. Applications are being accepted until March 29. Selected projects will be included in a request for funding from the Legislature for the 2019-2021 biennium.  

The program is currently accepting applications for two project types – planning (i.e., design-only) or restoration (i.e., construction). Planning projects that are approved for funding must be developed to full design. Restoration projects that are approved for funding must be constructed within the grant award period. 

Projects must meet all the following eligibility criteria: 

  • The project must correct a complete or partial barrier to anadromous salmonids, as defined in the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s barrier assessment manual.
  • The project must be in coordination with another barrier correction project that has been completed since 2010 or is currently funded and scheduled for construction by 2021. This includes barriers that have been removed directly upstream or downstream of the proposed project site, and barriers that have been removed from associated tributaries. 
  • Restoration projects must have recently completed preliminary-level designs submitted with the final application. Preliminary design deliverables are described in Manual 22, Appendix C-2.

For more information, see the Request for Applications or contact Justin Zweifel with WDFW at [email protected].