Edmonds-based RBC Wealth Management has presented a RBC Blue Water Community Action Grant of $5,000 to the People for Puget Sound, which will be used in assisting the City of Edmonds in improving Willow Creek.

RBC launched the Blue Water Project in October 2007 as a multi-year commitment to the worldwide stewardship of water as a natural resource.  The first phase of the program will provide $50 million in grants over 10 years through Visionary Grants, Leadership Grants and Community Action Grants.

The focus areas for RBC Blue Water Project funding are watershed protection and access to clean drinking water

Willow Creek enters the Edmonds Marsh near Pine Street and State Route 104 and exits via a pipe out to Puget Sound. The project would direct Willow Creek into a new open channel that would be more beneficial for salmon use. This project will protect and restore natural areas in Edmonds.

Willow Creek is shown as blue line traveling through the Edmonds Marsh. It then enters a big pipe (shown as a green line on the map) where it goes under the railroad tracks, under the marina parking lot, under the beach, and into Puget Sound.  The project would eliminate the piped portion and have the creek “open” all the way to Puget Sound. The exact routing of that open creek channel will be recommended during this project.