A series of beaver dams has created about 20 acres of swamp and alder forest that add to the diversity of freshwater wetlands. Emerging from the swamp, the creek flows over a weir and into a small estuary with mud flats, grassy meadows, and a small salt marsh. The estuary drains into Hood Canal through a channel crossed by a causeway (with road).
Beyond the causeway, the UW owns about 40 acres of tidelands--mostly mud flat, rich in marine invertebrates. The land is secluded because of the steep sides of the canyon. In the past, the field station's primary function has been as a natural habitat for fish research for the School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences. Four species of salmonids still spawn in its streams.
Teaching and research activities include natural history, artificial rearing studies, and whole-life-history studies of organisms that alternate between fresh and salt water. Emphasis is on ecological studies and the effects of increasing urbanization in the Puget Sound basin. Active studies on site include artificial propagation to enhance fish stock production and help develop culture techniques for endangered and threatened fish species. Five cabins make graduate student housing and overnight field trips for small groups practical.
