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Elwha River Restoration The removal of the two dams on the Elwha River is the result of years of work by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, federal agencies, citizens, environmental groups and members of congress. For salmon, the removal of the dams will open up habitat in the Elwha watershed that has been cut off to them since 1913. The removal of the dams will also allow sediment, which has been trapped behind the two dams for over 90 years, to move down-river and into the Straits of Juan de Fuca. The sediment is expected to have a significant restorative impact on the shoreline of the Central Straits of Juan de Fuca. Surfrider Foundation staff and members, with the assistance of USGS, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Washington Deparment of Fish and Wildlife, the Clallam County Marine Resource Committee and Dr. Rob Young of Western Carolina University, designed this monitoring project to visually track the changes that the beach is likely to undergo when the dams are removed. Volunteers collect images of the beach at various locations throughout the seasons. Click on the links below and come back often to track how the estuary and shoreline changes. Removal is expected to begin in the fall of 2008. - - - - - See our overflight photo series. For more information on this project please visit: Elwha River Restoration Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe's Elwha Restoration site. |
