NORTHWESTERN DIVISION Seattle District
Aerial photo of the Mountlake Terrace Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project, taken July 17, 2023, showing the overall project area. Construction on the $5.5. million Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)-funded project began June 2023 to restore wetlands, riparian corridors, and create more places for birds, fish, turtles, salamanders, and native mammals to live. PHOTO BY DAVID CARLOS, MOUNTLAKE TERRACE
From a Bogey to Birdies, From Fairway to Flyway - Golf Course Gets a Mulligan, Converts to Habitat What does it take to convert a former golf course into fish and wildlife habitat?
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hat was the question plaguing Mountlake Terrace, Washington, a city just 14 miles north of downtown Seattle, after taking ownership of
BY NICOLE L. CELESTINE
64 I AMERICA’S ENGINEERS
a 16-acre golf course on Lake Ballinger’s shores and allowing it to return to its natural condition starting in 2012. Today, the area is unrestored open space and parklands, with a degraded Hall Creek flowing through it. Invasive plant
species and degraded channels jeopardize what could be valuable fish and wildlife habitat in the urban sprawl. City officials developed a master plan for restoring the wetlands, riparian corridors, and fish and wildlife habitat, creating and preserving critical habitat for amphibians, and providing significant habitat for migrating birds and many waterfowl species using the Pacific Flyway. Bringing the plan to life required engineering expertise in water resource stewardship and ecosystem restoration. City officials knew the nation’s engineers, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), has this expertise and experience in delivering world-class solutions to environmental challenges. They called upon USACE’s Seattle District for assistance exploring an aquatic ecosystem restoration project under Section 206 of its Continuing Authorities Program (CAP). “Ecosystem restoration projects like this allow the Corps the opportunity to partner with local communities, to create and preserve critical habitats in rapidly developing urban areas,” said district Civil Works Programs Section Chief Jeff Dillon. “The local community is actively engaged and motivated to move forward with this restoration opportunity.” The city received USACE’s technical assistance under Section 206 to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems and wetland habitats to improve the quality of the environment. Section 206 projects include channel modifications and wetland restoration. “Collaboration with the Army Corps of Engineers makes habitat restoration possible for over 16 acres of a previous golf course,” said the city’s Stormwater Manager Laura Reed. “When this project is completed, park visitors can enjoy an
