Opening new water facilities a milestone in journey to Elwha River restoration
Upper Elwha River. National Park Service
The Elwha River in Washington State was once home to some of the biggest and most diverse salmon runs in the state.
The river was one of a handful of rivers in the contiguous United States that supported all the native types of Pacific Northwest anadromous salmon: salmon that migrate from the sea to spawn in fresh water. Salmon as large as 100 pounds were common in the late 1700s.
Two hydroelectric dams built on the river in the early 1900s blocked more than 90 percent of the salmon from returning upriver to spawn, impacting salmon runs and restricting the tribal fishing rights of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribal peoples.
The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act in 1992 created a restoration and dam removal project. The National Parks Conservation Association applauded the April 5 opening of the Port Angeles Water Treatment Plant and Elwha Water Facilities as a final step before the dam removal process, their field representative David Graves said in a release.
The construction of these two facilities is one of the last steps before removal of the two dams on the Elwha River can move ahead and the restoration of the Elwha River’s ecosystem can begin.
“The two water treatment plants will protect water users from the sand, gravel and rocks that will flow downstream upon removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams,” Graves said. “This sediment has been accumulating behind the two dams since their construction.
“The Elwha River Restoration Project will return the river to its natural, free-flowing state, allowing 10 different species of fish, including five Pacific salmon stocks and steelhead, to once again reach habitat and spawning grounds.”
As the largest watershed in Olympic National Park, the restoration of the Elwha River salmon runs will return vital nutrients to the water and help restore the park’s ecosystem, Graves said. Park scientists estimate that 22 species of wildlife, including bald eagles, black bears and river otters, have declined because of a lack of salmon carcasses throughout the upper portions of the river.
“This critical project will help ensure that Olympic National Park is restored and protected for our children and grandchildren.”
Read the NCPA press release here.
For more information: Elwha Watershed Resource Information.
