Salmon Bay facts for kids

View of Salmon Bay, with Puget Sound in the background. The bridge in front is the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks; the bridge closer to Puget Sound is the Salmon Bay Bridge.

Salmon Bay is a part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle, Washington. This canal connects Lake Washington to Puget Sound. Salmon Bay is the westernmost section of the canal. It flows into Shilshole Bay, which is part of Puget Sound.

What is Salmon Bay?

Salmon Bay is a key waterway in Seattle. It helps boats travel between fresh water and salt water. The bay is located west of the Fremont Cut, another part of the Ship Canal.

How the Ballard Locks Changed Salmon Bay

Night view looking west, with Salmon Bay in the center and Ballard on the right.

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks are very important for Salmon Bay. These locks are like a water elevator for boats. They separate the bay into two main parts.

• The western part of Salmon Bay, closer to Puget Sound, has salt water.
• The eastern part, closer to Lake Washington, has fresh water.

Before the Ship Canal and the locks were built, all of Salmon Bay was salt water. The locks changed this by controlling the water flow. This created a unique mix of fresh and salt water areas.

Bridges Over Salmon Bay

Two important bridges cross Salmon Bay:

• The Ballard Bridge is east of the locks. It is a bascule bridge, which means it can open in the middle for boats to pass. This bridge carries traffic on 15th Avenue. It connects the neighborhoods of Ballard and Interbay.
• The Salmon Bay Bridge is west of the locks. This bridge carries BNSF Railway train tracks. It connects Ballard to Magnolia.

In 1919, the Fishermen's Terminal was called the "Salmon Bay Terminal."