In the ongoing debate surrounding the removal of dams from the Klamath River, proponents of restoration point to the success of Washington State’s Elwha River. Removing the Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam, blocking the river for nearly a century, has resulted in a rapid recovery of its ecosystem.
One resident of Sequim, WA, Scott Gussman, witnessed firsthand the remarkable transformation of the Elwha River. Describing it as the “rapid recovery of nature,” he has observed sediment revitalizing the river’s mouth, plants and trees reclaiming land once submerged, and the resurgence of salmon and other wildlife.
Gussman emphasizes, “Nature knows best.”
The Elwha Dam fell in March 2012, followed by the removal of Glines Canyon Dam, the tallest dam ever taken down at 210 feet high, in September 2014. The undertaking began in 1978 when Elwha Dam failed its safety inspection, leading to a collaboration between the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Robert Elofson, River Restoration Program Director for the tribe, expresses pride in their lead role in the project. As the five-year mark approached, he noted the tribe’s anticipation of resuming ceremonial fishing next year after a moratorium in effect since 2011.
Elofson has witnessed the tangible benefits of dam removal, from abundant crabs at the river’s mouth to elk signs on the former reservoir lands of Lake Aldwell.
The Elwha River, with 83 percent of its length protected within Olympic National Park, has become the wild river it had been. The dams were the only major impediment to the river’s health, making it an exceptional case study in ecological restoration.
Elk roam where reservoirs once existed, and larger, healthier bird populations thrive. A young forest grows where sand once blew across former reservoir lakebeds, and the river’s teal green color returned as its channel stabilized.
Logs tumble and stack in the river, creating complex, braided channels, islands, and jams. Fish populations are booming, with over 4,000 chinook spawners counted above the former Elwha Dam in the first season after its removal. Overall, fish populations were at their highest in 30 years.
“It has been a real success,” affirms Elofson, underlining the positive impact of restoring the Elwha River to its natural state.
So, the Klamath River can return to its healthier, wild roots as it streams down towards Requa and to the Pacific Ocean, which Oregas and Rli Rq look out upon as they protect the river’s mouth.
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