Recovery Act Speeds Restoration of the Elwha River and Dam Removal

Olympic National Park announced today that $54.7 million in Recovery Act funding will be used to complete nine mitigation projects in preparation for the removal of two dams on the Elwha River, now slated to begin one year earlier than planned in 2011. Olympic Park Institute students have been preparing for this historic event, the nation's largest dam removal to date, by working with local scientists to collect data on the surrounding ecosystem. 

The Elwha is the largest watershed in Olympic National Park and historically was among the Pacific Northwest's most productive for fish and wildlife, supporting all the species of Pacific Salmon, including Chinook which weighed over 100 pounds. Two dams were erected on the river early in the last century which blocked over 70 miles of native salmon habitat, disrupting the natural ecosystem and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe's way of life.

Projects such as the Elwha River restoration and dam removal are an investment in America's future. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said, "they are also an investment in telling the story of America to future generations through our national parks by conserving our awe-inspiring landscapes, our rich culture and our great heritage."

Students in the Elwha Science Education Project at Olympic Park Institute help study this groundbreaking project both in the field and the classroom. They study the scientific and cultural aspects of dam removal and river restoration while participating in hands-on activities. Teacher trainings and field studies at several monitoring sites deepen the story by providing resources to local educators, allowing them to bring the Elwha study into their own classrooms. This unprecedented project serves as an important case study for students and scientists and provides an inspiring framework that contextualizes science with explorations in the beauty and history of the area.

As they record baseline conditions of the existing ecosystem, researchers have shared their results in a series of summary documents, available online at the Elwha Research Learning Unit. These summaries are created through the support of the North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Network and are intended to help students in middle school and beyond to better understand the ecologic relationships between the Elwha River watershed and neighboring Strait of Juan de Fuca. To learn more about the Elwha River summary reports please visit the Elwha Science Education Project.

Read the official Olympic National Park press release »