Since the Elwha Dam was removed less than five months ago, salmon have already been spotted in the newly opened section of the river.
The Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams were both constructed on the Elwha River nearly a century ago. At that time, the river was famous for its salmon fisheries with hundred-pound fish and waters thick with salmon.
Once the dam was put in, the fish had limited room to spawn and the population declined to a few thousands in recent years. The removal of the dams was expected to allow the salmon and other species to recover, but it’s surprising the recovery is happening so quickly.
Elwha River photo via Shutterstock
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