The Squally Beach site, previously known as the Puyallup Tribal Nursery site or the Puyallup Tribal Conservancy and the Inner Hylebos site, is located along the northern shoreline of the Hylebos Waterway, south of Marine View Drive and immediately west of East 11th Street. The project site consists of approximately 0.66 acres of uplands bordering an extensive area of intertidal mudflats immediately west of the site. The Squally Beach site is situated adjacent to the largest area of original mudflats in Commencement Bay. The site contains salt marshes and low-gradient mudflats that provide habitat for benthic organisms important to the food chain. These organisms are of particular importance to shorebirds and juvenile salmon.
Prior to restoration, the Squally Beach site contained some hardwood trees, blackberry bushes, and a strip of intertidal marsh vegetation approximately 3 to 4 feet wide growing at approximately MHHW elevation. The upland portion of the site was covered with blackberry bushes and other invasive plants and was used as a dump site. The site contained several pilings, logs, and downed wood, indicative of previous log storage activities in the vicinity. The design was consistent with the overall objective for the Hylebos Waterway of increasing the sinuosity of the shoreline and increasing the area and quality of the intertidal habitat. The design phase was completed in late 1999, construction was completed in fall of 2000, and vegetation planting of the upland site took place in fall 2000 and spring 2001.
The project involved excavating about 2,000 cubic yards of material, grading an area north of the existing vegetation line, and planting intertidal vegetation. Runoff from the hillside on the north side of Marine View Drive, which forms the eastern project boundary, was intercepted and routed through the project site in a dendritic channel pattern. Freshwater inputs were used to lower salinity and encourage growth of saltwater marsh species that tolerate brackish conditions. The site was hydroseeded with a mix of native species, and native plants, shrubs, and trees were hand-planted by volunteers.