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February 5, 2024

Best in State: Gold Award
Social, Economic, and Sustainable Design Considerations

Photo from ACEC Washington
The project removed a levee and constructed a new bridge to reestablish the floodplain.

Otak

Project: Dungeness Nature Center bridge and river restoration
Client: Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe

The Dungeness Nature Center river restoration and bridge project aimed to restore the Dungeness River floodplain and enhance salmon habitat while ensuring infrastructure sustainability. The project, a collaboration between Otak and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, tackled the historical challenges resulting from European settlers’ infrastructure development, which had a negative impact on the river’s natural flow.

The project removed a levee and constructed a new bridge to reestablish the floodplain, allowing salmonoid species to thrive. Additionally, an outdoor classroom structure, shaped like a traditional cedar hat, was built to provide an educational facility connected to the river.

Innovative engineering solutions included the use of bioengineering with large, anchored logs, seismic isolation bearings to support robust piers, and engineered log jams anchored to large rocks to withstand river forces. The project maintained a tight schedule, completing construction in just one year while minimizing trail closures and downtime.

Randy Johnson, habitat program manager for the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, said: “Aesthetically and functionally, the bridge is superb. We are thrilled with the innovative wishbone design, and the flow of traffic merges and splits seamlessly. The Tribe routinely receives rave reviews about the bridge from trail and Nature Center users. Environmentally, the project has surpassed the Tribe’s expectations. The design team integrated a marvelous side channel and 11 engineered logjams into the project, creating highly productive salmon habitat on the reconnected floodplain.

“The project is a ringing success for salmon, the Tribe, trail users, the Nature Center, the community, and the environment. The Tribe heartily thanks the Otak team for delivering a spectacular project.”


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