Size: 175 acres
Location: Clark County, WA
Acquired: 2017
Transferred: Sold to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2020

In 2017, Friends acquired the 175-acre Steigerwald Shores to support the Steigerwald Reconnection Project. This landmark initiative reconnected Gibbons Creek to its historic Columbia River floodplain, restoring 965 acres of critical wetlands and creating a thriving habitat for salmon, waterfowl, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. It stands as the largest and most successful habitat restoration project in Columbia Gorge history.

The success of this project was made possible by Friends’ acquisition of Steigerwald Shores, as 40% of the levees removed to restore natural water flow were located along its 1-mile riverfront. Thanks to the generous contributions from our donors during the 2018 Preserve the Wonder campaign, the Steigerwald Reconnection Project has become one of the nation’s most remarkable achievements in habitat restoration and flood mitigation.