Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge estuary in Washington state may be restored.

Byline: Susan Gordon

Sep. 21--Hundreds of acres of salt marshes and mud flats -- drained and diked to create farmland more than 100 years ago -- would be restored to benefit salmon and other aquatic life in a 15-year plan for Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge officials plan to break down most of the system of dikes that forms a barrier against Puget Sound and revive 699 acres of former estuary, where young fish feed and hide. A smaller dike would be built to protect the refuge headquarters, visitor center and more than 200 acres of freshwater wetland.

The move, which includes replacing a popular trail, is part of a refuge conservation plan that's been in the works since 1997 and is about to be formally approved by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The overall plan is estimated to cost $30 million.

Best known as a haven for migratory birds, the 2,925-acre sanctuary surrounds the mouth of the Nisqually River, about 20 miles southwest of Tacoma. Last year, the refuge hosted 140,000 visitors, including thousands of students.