ALEA Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account

ALEA Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account is sponsored by Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. The ALEA Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account is a grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office that funds the acquisition, improvement, and protection of aquatic lands for public purposes, as well as improved public access to the waterfront.

RCO - Washington Recreation & Conservation Office --> Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account - Recreation and Conservation Office Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account In 1984, the Washington State Legislature created this grant program to ensure that money generated from aquatic lands was used to protect and enhance those lands. Grants may be used for the acquisition, improvement, or protection of aquatic lands for public purposes.

They also may be used to provide or improve public access to the waterfront. Aquatic lands are all tidelands, shore lands, harbor areas, and the beds of navigable waters.

Grant Application Schedule Application Webinar, Applications Open View the recorded webinar May 20, 2026 - May 21, 2026 Technical Completion Deadline August 24, 2026 - August 25, 2026 Board Approves Preliminary Ranked Lists Most recent grants and evaluation results, listed by the application year.

Applicant Authorization Resolution Certification of Applicant Match Form Department of Natural Resources Scope of Work Acknowledgement Form Electronic Signature Authorization Form Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda Self-Certification Form Manual 3: Acquisition Projects Manual 4: Development Projects Manual 5: Restoration Projects Tips for Developing a PowerPoint Presentation for Grant Applicants Map to Determine "Project Need-Statewide Priorities" Score RCO’s Application Webinar recording is now available!

New for 2026: The manual for this year’s grant round will be published in February. But until then, here’s a sneak peek at upcoming changes: Acquisition of land currently or previously managed by a public entity is eligible. Sponsors have eighteen months from the board funding meeting to acquire land in a combination project.

Earnest or option payments incurred before the execution of a grant agreement are an eligible pre-agreement cost if they are applied to the purchase price of the land acquired. Outdoor Recreation Inventory : The 2023 Outdoor Recreation Inventory map and dashboard includes information on more than 23,000 outdoor recreation areas, facilities, trails, and water access sites.

It is used to understand the quantity and distribution of key outdoor recreation opportunities across the state. The dashboard also includes a service area analysis for outdoor recreation opportunities, such as accessing a local park or trail.

Removing bulkheads to restore natural beach functions Replacing a waterfront boardwalk Restoring shoreline for salmon habitat Developing a waterfront park Federally recognized Native American tribes Special purpose district, port district, or other political subdivision of the state if legally authorized to acquire and develop public open space, habitat, or recreation lands The above entities must be authorized legally to acquire and develop public open space, habitat, or recreation facilities.

Funding generally is awarded every two years. ALEA is funded almost entirely by revenue generated from aquatic lands and is used to improve those lands or access to them. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources manages the state-owned aquatic lands and generates revenue from activities such as leasing waterfront sites to marinas and selling harvest rights for geoduck clams.

Project Type Grant Limit Administrative Cost Limit Acquisition $1 million 5 percent of the total acquisition costs. Restoration or Improvement $500,000 Development $500,000 20 percent of the total project cost Combination (acquisition and development or restoration) $1 million. Not more than $500,000 may be for development or restoration.

Match may include the following: Donations of cash, land, labor, equipment, and materials Federal, state, local, and private grants Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials Acquisition: Buying land, leases, conservation easements, or access easements that will provide reasonable public access.

Restoration: Returning damaged or altered land to a condition that could be reasonably expected to substantially improve ecological conditions. The work is expected to result in a site that is self-sustaining and will not require continual intervention to function as a predominantly natural ecosystem. Restoration projects must allow or provide public access to aquatic lands.

Restoration projects with interpretive or educational elements are strongly encouraged. Development: Improving, renovating, or providing new structures or facilities that support public access to aquatic lands and waters for water-dependent activities. Educational features are strongly encouraged.

Fish and other wildlife production facilities Indoor facilities such as pools, community centers, museums, environmental centers Offices, shops, residences, meeting rooms Operating, overhead, and incidental costs Routine maintenance costs Legally mandated clean-up or mitigation costs not associated with the project What are Navigable Waters?

ALEA projects must be associated with navigable waters of the state as defined by Washington Administrative Code 332-30-106, Revised Code of Washington 79. 105, and Article 17 of the State Constitution. All marine waters are, by definition, navigable, as are portions of rivers influenced by tides.

Navigable rivers and lakes are those determined by the judiciary, those bounded by meander lines, or those that could have been used for commerce at the time of statehood. Known navigable freshwater bodies in eastern Washington include the following: Contact the Washington Department of Natural Resources aquatics land manager for your area to see if your project is in navigable waters.

Property acquired, developed, or renovated with ALEA grants must be kept for public outdoor recreation use forever. More information is in Manual 7: Long-term Obligations . Some upcoming grant application deadlines may be adjusted due to the government shutdown.

Find deadline updates on the corresponding grant pages. PRISM, RCO’s database for grant project management, is unavailable. Thank you for your patience as we work to get it back online.