Award Abstract #0452328
REU--An Undergraduate Research Program on the Elwha Dam Removal and Restoration Project in Washington State

NSF Org:	DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure
Initial Amendment Date:	April 13, 2005
Latest Amendment Date:	April 27, 2009
Award Number:	0452328
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	Sally E. O'Connor DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	April 15, 2005
Expires:	March 31, 2010 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$597210
Investigator(s):	William Eaton bille@pcadmin.ctc.edu (Principal Investigator) James Allaway (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Peninsula College 1502 E Lauridsen Blvd Port Angeles, WA 98362 360/417-6276
NSF Program(s):	OTHER GLOBAL LEARNING & TRNING, EAPSI, TEACHER PROFESSIONAL CONTINUUM, HUMAN RESOURCES, RSCH EXPER FOR UNDERGRAD SITES
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	SMET, BIOT, 9261, 9251, 9250, 9184, 9178, 9177, 5977, 5926, 1228
Program Element Code(s):	7731, 7316, 7271, 7226, 1139

ABSTRACT

The removal of two dams on the upper Elwha River in Washington State, officially described as a salmon restoration project, will begin in 2007, and will change the ecosystem dramatically for re-entry of salmon into the upper river. It is to be the largest dam deconstruction and habitat restoration project conducted and is ranked as the second most urgent restoration priority by the National Park System. The removal of the Elwha dams presents an unprecedented REU Site setting at Peninsula College (PC) for 16 students per year to address fundamental ecological questions never before studied in this context and scale, associated with nutrients and trophic webs, succession, aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and fluvial processes operating within a wild salmon watershed. A consortium, consisting of scientists from PC, Western Washington University/Huxley College of the Environment (Huxley College), Olympic National Park (ONP), USGS Biological Resources Division (USGS BRD), NOAA Fisheries Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal (Elwha Tribal) has been created to study the watershed before, during and after dam removal. Sixteen students per year will work with consortium mentors to investigate restoration management regimens while exploring fundamental questions in ecology, wildlife sciences, and restoration ecology. Students will be involved in a year-long course (Fall through Summer Quarter) that includes over 100 hours of course activities and 400 hours of research on the Elwha system, working as full participating members of the consortium. The research projects will focus on analysis of a variety of parameters in the Elwha ecosystems throughout the year, identifying mechanisms and indicators of changes in population distribution and abundance; predicting changes in these populations due to dam removal; and providing information on the effects of dam removal and restoration projects for use worldwide. Interested students should contact Dr. Brian Hauge, REU Student Advisor (brianh@pcadmin.ctc.edu) or Dr. Bill Eaton, REU Project leader (bille@pcadmin.ctc.edu) for more information. Information is also available at http://pc.ctc.edu/academics/artssciences/life_sciences/research.asp.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

(Showing: 1 - 5 of 5).

Dwight Barry.  "Elwha Dam Removal Project Update: Huxley College on the Peninsula: Students and faculty study Elwha watershed.,"  Horizons. Huxley College of the Environment Alumni Newsletter,  v.Winter,  2007, 

Jodi M. Minion, Dwight Barry, La Belle Urbanec, Ashley Gray, and Jeff Duda.  "Salmon, Forests, and Pre-Restoration Assessment Using Stable Isotope Analysis on Riparian Vegetation (Washington).,"  Ecological Restoration,  v.25:3,  2007, 

Minion, J., D. Barry, A. Gray, J. Duda, and L.J. Urbanic.  "Marine derived nutrients in riparian western cedar and sword fern along the Dungeness and Elwha Rivers, Washington, USA.,"  Ecological Restoration,  2007, 

R. Bowechop, R. Flores, D. Lauderback, J.Reems, D.Romero, F. Sam, S.Valadez, M. Wheeler, and A. Williams, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and D. Barry, Peninsula College..  "New Database Occurrence Record for Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum).,"  Education Series Report; Center of Excellence, Peninsula College.,  v.06-01,  2006,  p. 1.

R. Bowechop, R. Flores, D. Lauderback, J.Reems, D.Romero, F. Sam, S.Valadez, M. Wheeler, and A. Williams, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and J. B. Hauge and E. Epler, Peninsula College..  "Amphibian Research in the Elwha River Basin.,"  Education Series Report, Center of Excellence, Peninsula College.,  v.06-03,  2006,  p. 1.


(Showing: 1 - 5 of 5).

Please report errors in award information by writing to: awardsearch@nsf.gov.