Water and Ice:
Elwha River restoration
Landsat imagery acquired in 2011 and 2012 illustrate the changes to the Elwha River basin in the Washington State Olympic Peninsula after the removal of the Elwha River dam. The Elwha and Glines Canyon dams were constructed in the 1920s to provide hydroelectric power to the region. Over subsequent decades the dams became less efficient, the machinery outdated, and the reservoirs heavily silted. Further, the dams prevented salmon from reaching upstream habitat. In 1992, Congress authorized the removal of the dams. The Elwha dam was removed in early 2012, and the Glines Canyon dam is scheduled for removal by late 2013. The Landsat images show the impact of dam removal. The reservoir behind the dam is gone, the exposed silt deposits are gradually being removed, and natural river flow, important to salmon habitat, is being restored.  Download Poster
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July 5, 2011
May 12, 2012
Related Links
USGS – Fact Sheet 2011-3097: Elwha River Dam Removal – Rebirth of a River
USGS – Science Topics: Dam sites
USGS – Ecosystems – Fisheries: Aquatic and Endangered Resources Program – Fish Passage and Dams
USGS – Water Science for Schools –Hydroelectric power: How it works
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