Founding Principal Kate Snider recently authored a feature article in the ASCE’s March 2024 Civil Engineering Magazine with Scott Stainer, P.E., M.ASCE, of KPFF, and Johnathan Cook, P.E., of Vigor Shipyards. The article highlights the legacy in-water and upland contamination, site remediation, and development of a precedent setting habitat restoration on Harbor Island.

Vigor Shipyards, formerly known as Todd Pacific Shipyards, has successfully completed a 3-acre aquatic habitat restoration at its Harbor Island facility in Seattle. The goal of the project aimed to support the migration of Duwamish River salmon to the ocean while simultaneously creating a habitat within an urban environment.

In April 2021, Vigor entered a consent decree with federal agencies and local tribal governments. As part of this agreement, the shipyard committed to demolishing certain infrastructure and to convert approximately 10% of the active facility to establish a new aquatic habitat designed for juvenile salmonids. Floyd|Snider managed design, permitting and construction management for the project.

To ensure the success of the project, Vigor has partnered with Seattle-based salmon restoration nonprofit Long Live the Kings and the University of Washington. Together, they will continue to perform post-construction fish surveys at the site. These surveys will serve as an assessment to monitor the impact of the habitat restoration on the salmon population and the overall health of the Duwamish River ecosystem.