Dam Removal for Restoration of the Elwha River

The Elwha River is located on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, and flows northward 45 miles from the base of Mount Olympus to the Strait of Juan de Fuca near Port Angeles. The river system includes over 100 miles of tributary streams and drains a watershed area of 325 mi2, 83 percent of which lies within the boundaries of the Olympic National Park. The construction of two hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River in the early 1900's blocked the migration path for several species of salmon and trout, severely limited the downstream flow of sediment and nutrients necessary for spawning, and raised downstream water temperatures in late summer and early fall.
Although the projects helped in the early development of the peninsula by Euro­American settlers, the reservoirs inundated important cultural sites of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and virtually destroyed the fisheries which were the basis of the Tribe's economy. Reduced sediment supply to the river has changed the flow regime from active meandering to less active and more channelized, has caused the beach at the river's mouth to recede and steepen, and has contributed to the erosion of Ediz Hook, the sand and gravel spit that protects Port Angeles Harbor. The removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams is proposed to fully restore the Elwha River ecosystem and native anadromous fisheries in a safe, environmentally sound, and cost-effective manner.