Hood, W.G., 2004. Deepwater Slough Restoration Monitoring Report – 2000-2003. Skagit River System Cooperative, La Conner, WA. pp. 41.

Dramatic losses of natural habitat have occurred in the Skagit delta since Euro-American settlement, 150 years ago (Fig. 1). Agricultural and urban development in the delta have led to the loss of more than 70% of estuarine emergent wetlands and 90% of estuarine scrub-shrub, riverine scrub-shrub, riverine forested, and palustrine emergent, scrub-shrub, and forested wetlands (Bortleson et al. 1980, Collins & Montgomery 2001). This extensive habitat loss has led to significant declines in fish and wildlife, of which the best documented is that of chinook salmon, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) (64 Federal Register 14308, March 24 1999). Due to their ESA status and cultural, economical, and political significance there is considerable interest in increasing chinook salmon populations in the Skagit basin. Because estuarine rearing habitat is the most significant limitation to chinook production in the basin (Beamer et al. 2003), there is considerable interest in estuarine habitat restoration