News

The Steigerwald Reconnection Project, a $32 million restoration project covering nearly 1000 acres of floodplain habitat at the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, was the largest of its kind. Led by the Estuary Partnership, the enormous restoration project required the support of dozens of partners, funders, and other project advocates. To celebrate the project’s completion and the

The grand reopening ceremony of Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge was held on Saturday, May 7. We embraced the spring rains as we welcomed the community back to their Refuge. On behalf of all the project partners, we are thrilled to see the community back enjoying the Refuge. Thanks to all of our speakers and others who made the day special. Special gratitude to the drummers of the Cowlitz

Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge reopened to the public on May 1. After nearly two years of closure to construct the largest habitat restoration project ever along the lower Columbia River, the Estuary Partnership, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and all the other project partners are excited to welcome the community back to the Refuge. Public Reopening Ceremony A public reopening

April is Earth Month, and we are recognizing the 52nd anniversary of the beginning of the modern environmental movement by teaming up with four great businesses. These business partners are showing their support for our mission to restore and care for the waters and ecosystems of the lower Columbia River.

After two years of closure to complete the largest habitat restoration project in the history of the lower Columbia River, Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge reopens to the public on May 1. Construction on the Steigerwald Reconnection Project began in 2019 to reduce flood risk, reconnect 965 acres of Columbia River floodplain, and increase recreation opportunities at the refuge. The

Large, walkable floor maps of the entire Columbia River watershed will soon appear in classrooms throughout the state. The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and Portland State University’s Center for Geography Education in Oregon are debuting the walkable watershed floor map and classroom lessons with primary-school students. Supplementing traditional tabled-sized watershed models, massive

This spring, head outdoors with one of our printable, interactive maps and explore Salmon Creek or Vancouver Lake.

“Snake! Snake!” cried a cluster of 5th grade students from the banks of Salmon Creek in Vancouver, Washington. Within moments, the cluster of kids had grown as students raced across the Salmon Creek Greenway Trail to see the garter snake, held carefully by Sarah, 12. “I’ll let it go over here,” she said after her classmates got a closer look, and she gently set the snake down in the grass to

This winter marks a new milestone for the Steigerwald Reconnection Project. With most of the major earthwork completed, including the construction of the east and west setback levees, the full removal of the Gibbons Creek elevated channel and fish ladder, and the creation of new channels and graded wetlands, Steigerwald is ready for a massive bareroot planting effort. Volunteers, students, Estuary

In the past year and a half, the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership navigated through two big shifts. We adapted our work in response to a global health pandemic and Elaine Placido was brought on as our second-ever Executive Director in the organization’s 26-year history. These changes allowed the Estuary Partnership to reorient and rethink not only what we do but also how we do it. After a year