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.

More than 275 kinds of birds at least periodically populate the area. They include song birds, shorebirds, waterfowl, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, herons and osprey.

The refuge was created 30 years ago after people pressured government officials to protect the fragile delta from further development.