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Olympic National Park
Elwha Fisheries
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![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090513112620im_/http://www.nps.gov/pwr/templates/images/graphics/spacer.gif) |
The Elwha River was once one of the most productive salmon streams in the Pacific Northwest, home to all five species of Pacific salmon, as well as other fish species. But salmon have been blocked from all but the lowest five miles of the river since the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams were built in the the early 1900s. More about salmon and other anadromous fish in Olympic waters.
Removal of the two dams will restore the Elwha River to its natural, free-flowing state and will once again allow fish access to over 70 river miles of habitat now protected within Olympic National Park. And once the dams are removed and the river restored, the river will produce historic levels of salmon and steelhead, with numbers exceeding 390,000 adult fish. More about Elwha fish restoration plans.
Dam removal will begin after water quality protection facilities are complete.
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![fish swimming](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090513112620im_/http://www.nps.gov/pwr/pgallerycontent/p/s/20070919170524.jpg) |
Elwha Snorkel Survey 2007 (9 Photos)
Photos of biologist-divers conducting 42-mile snorkel survey of Elwha River. Also contains underwater photos taken during survey.
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![snow covered forest and meadow snow covered forest and meadow](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090513112620im_/http://www.nps.gov/pwr/customcf/apps/CMS_HandF/Pictures/OLYM_OLYM_snow3.jpg) |
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Did You Know?
That endemic Olympic snow moles are scurrying beneath this blanket of snow? Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge is blanketed with over ten feet of snow for most of the winter, providing water for summer and protection for snow moles in winter.
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Last Updated: February 25, 2009 at 17:17 EST |