Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) restored 7 acres of estuarine wetland habitat at the 74-acre project site at the Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve now part of the WDFW Union River Unit in the southern part of the Union River Estuary on Hood Canal.

Specific project elements included:
• Removing 825 ft of one levee and 425 ft of a second levee, consisting of a combined total of 1,999.75 Cubic Yards of fill material; this fill material appears to be similar material from the excavated inside of the levees and will be placed back into the excavated areas to match existing estuarine elevations inside and outside of the removed levee.
• Filling the straightened estuarine channel and excavating a new sinuous pilot channel that mimics other natural channels in the area, connecting it to the existing stream.
• Working cooperatively with Mason County Roads to raise Roessel Road with the intent to eliminate flooding and road closures, connecting the raised road with the existing raised trail/levee system.
• Raising a portion of existing gravel emergency access road to the new elevation of Roessel Rd.
• Replacing one 18-inch culvert on the existing emergency access road with a 15 ft culvert.

Benefits to the project area, local community, and Hood Canal watershed include eliminating flooding and temporary closure of Roessel Rd., restoring natural processes to 7 acres of important intertidal wetland habitat for ESA listed salmonoid populations, improving trail conditions for community access and use, and eliminating a tidal fish passage barrier.