Removal of two dams on Washington’s Elwha River will begin no later than 2011, thanks to $54 million in federal economic recovery funds for which American Rivers advocated. The largest dam removal in the nation’s history, was originally scheduled to begin in 2012. The funds will go toward preliminary activities necessary to prepare for dam removal, – first authorized by Congress in 1992.  The new timeline for removal of the 210-foot high Glines Canyon Dam and 108-foot high Elwha dam will provide momentum for the effort to restore Puget Sound by 2020.

“Using economic recovery dollars to restore a free-flowing Elwha River is a win-win for the river, salmon, and local communities,” said Brett Swift, Northwest regional director of American Rivers.  “The project will create jobs, restore salmon and steelhead to some of the best habitat anywhere, and create an unprecedented opportunity to study the science of river restoration.”

Removing the dams will give salmon and steelhead access to 70 miles of pristine habitat in Olympic National Park for the first time in nearly 100 years. Eighty-three percent of the Elwha River lies within the park boundary.  By 2030, hundreds of thousands of salmon and steelhead should return to the river each year, giving a significant boost to sport and commercial fishing industries and providing a key food source for endangered Puget Sound orcas.

American Rivers has advocated for the restoration of the Elwha River for years and pushed at both the state and national level for including the removal of the Elwha dams in the recovery package. American Rivers also helped secure over $6 billion in economic recovery funds for clean water, green infrastructure, and river restoration nationwide.