The last stretch of undeveloped shoreline on the Ship Canal was dedicated over the weekend as a safe haven for over 950,000 annually migrating juvenile salmon, including threatened Puget Sound Chinook.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Salmon Bay Natural Area, Mayor Greg Nickels said the $1.8 million project will protect and restore the last section of un-armored shoreline in the area, and will provide habitat critical to the survival of Lake Washington salmon during their migration from fresh to salt water.

Much of the area downstream of the Ballard Locks is steep with hardened shorelines, presenting challenges for juvenile salmon. The Locks structure itself is difficult for small fish to navigate and leaves a limited area where freshwater and saltwater mix - which juvenile salmon need to acclimate to life in marine water.

"We know that the young salmon have been avoiding the areas where there were derelict boats, decks, and creosote pilings," said Mayor Greg Nickels. "As a result of removing those structures and allowing new native vegetation to increase along the shoreline, there will be more food to eat and more access to shallow habitat and we expect more fish to start using the area."

The rehabilitation of Salmon Bay is being made possible with funding from both private and government groups. The city's $485,000 contribution to the effort included a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant award to Groundswell NW, a Ballard non-profit dedicated to creating and protecting parks and habitat.

"Groundswell Northwest has shown us what a group of motivated people can do when they put their minds to it," said Nickels, speaking from a new public viewing deck overlooking the Salmon Bay Natural area. "Over the last decade, Groundswell raised funds in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities to purchase the property, held planting parties, and participated in the design and oversight of the construction of this outlook, plaza, and planting beds."