Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account
Forecasted
The Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account supports Washington public agencies and tribes in acquiring, restoring, and improving aquatic lands to protect habitat and provide public access to the water.
Funder: Recreation and Conservation Office
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2028 (Application deadline) | July 2028 (Technical completion)
Funding Amounts: $4.3 million in program funding; grants up to $500,000 or $1 million by project type; 50% match
Summary: Funds acquisition, restoration, and waterfront improvements that protect Washington’s aquatic lands and provide public access.
Key Information: Projects must be associated with Washington’s navigable waters and provide or allow public access.
Description
Created by the Washington State Legislature in 1984, the Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account reinvests revenue from aquatic lands in their protection and improvement. The Recreation and Conservation Office supports the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board, which makes funding decisions. Aquatic lands include tidelands, shore lands, harbor areas, and beds of navigable waters.
Grants support acquiring land or property rights for public access; restoring damaged shorelines, estuaries, and other aquatic habitat; and developing or renovating waterfront facilities for water-dependent activities. Projects might remove a bulkhead, restore salmon habitat, replace a boardwalk, or develop a waterfront park. The program seeks naturally self-sustaining ecological functions, usable access to the water, and greater public awareness of aquatic lands. Projects combining access with protection or enhancement are encouraged.
