Elwha Dam

Infobox_Dam
dam_name=Elwha Dam

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caption=Elwha Dam
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reservoir=
locale=Elwha River
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height=108 ft (33 m)
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began=1910
open=1913
closed=2012 (est.)
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map_text=Elwha river and dam locations
map_width=200px
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The Elwha Dam is a 108-ft (33 m) high dam located on the Elwha River approximately 4.9 miles upstream from the mouth of the river on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The dam was built under the direction of Thomas Aldwell. Aldwell previously bought up tracts of land around the river, and with the help of Canadian financier George Glines, began construction of the Elwha Dam in 1910.

Aldwell cut corners on constructing the dam, including not building fish passages and did not secure it to the bedrock. Thus, in 1912, as the reservoir filled behind the nearly completed dam, the lower sections of the dam gave way and a torrent of water headed downstream, taking out a bridge. Aldwell was able to get funding for reconstructing the dam and it was completed in 1913. The reservoir that fills the valley behind it is now known as Lake Aldwell.

Initially, along with the Glines Canyon Dam, which was completed in 1926, it helped to fuel economic growth and development for the Olympic Peninsula and the community of Port Angeles, Washington. However, today the combined power output of both dams only provides 38% of the electricity needed to operate one paper mill, the Daishowa America mill.

Lacking passage for migrating salmon, its construction blocked access by anadromous salmonids to the upper 38 miles (48 km) of mainstem habitat and more than 30 miles of tributary habitat. The salmon runs that once numbered more than 400,000 adult returns in over 70 miles of available habitat, now number less than 4,000 adult returns on only 4.9 miles of available habitat.

The "Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992" authorized the US Federal Government to acquire the Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam hydroelectric power projects for decommissioning and demolition for habitat restoration. Work is under way on the Elwha Ecosystem Restoration project, with actual dam removal slated to begin in 2012.

External links

* [http://www.fws.gov/laws/laws_digest/ELWHA.HTML Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992]
* [http://www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/elwha-ecosystem-restoration.htm Elwha River Restoration] – National Park Service
* [http://www.interactive-earth.com/visualizations/elwha_removal.htm Elwha Dam Removal Animation]