Elger Bay

Elger Bay estuary covers about 50 acres and is located in the southeast section of Camano Island on Saratoga Passage.  It is privately owned by a homeowner's association and is protected under a conservation easement.  It consists of saltmarsh, mudflats and open water. It contains a great deal of woody debris.

Spartina is present over a significant portion of the marsh (as of June 2001). There is tidal flushing through an opening at the west end of a sand spit.

Source of fresh water

No freshwater streams enter the wetland but there is runoff from surrounding hills.

Plants

Atriplex patula, Distichlis spicata, Grindelia integrifolia, Jaumea camosa, Rosa nutkana, Rosa pisocarpa, Salicomia virginica, Spartina alterniflora, Spartina anglica, and Triglochin maritimum.

Man made obstructions to the estuary

There is a man made beach wall. Roads and houses have been built on the beach berm and in the buffer to the north and east of the marsh and there is more housing construction occurring on the hill to the north.

Description of the historic estuary

Historically Elger Bay was an open marsh with no beach berm.

Resources

Island County Estuarine Restoration Program

Prepared by Sheldon & Associates, Inc., June 2001

Puget Sound Creosote Awareness project

www.pscap.net/index_m.htm