Hugh Conway Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Whats the latest on the Elwha dam removal? Was out there Saturday and forgot to check out the progress. Quote
Jim Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Slowly. Now scheduled for 2012, at the earliest due to some related water-project work. Given the budget issues I would not bet on that date. Quote
Hugh Conway Posted October 30, 2008 Author Posted October 30, 2008 edit: ouch, 2012? Â I saw that the water treatment plant contracts were let last year 9/07 Quote
Jim Posted October 30, 2008 Posted October 30, 2008 Just got this:  Monday 3   Wildlife Science Seminar  Status, Challenges, and Opportunities for Elwha River Dam Removal  Brian Winter Elwha Restoration Project National Park Service  3:30 p.m.  Smith Hall Room 120 UW Seattle campus   Quote
olyclimber Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 This will RUIN access to the BEST CRAG IN THE WORLD. Or at least make the hike longer. Quote
Hugh Conway Posted October 31, 2008 Author Posted October 31, 2008 This will RUIN access to the BEST CRAG IN THE WORLD. Or at least make the hike longer. Â I'm curious the impact on one of the metter surf breaks in the area - might improve it, but the winter storms could make for "interesting" lineups Quote
JosephH Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 I suspect it will improve the break. This will be one of the more interesting experiments ever done when it happens... Quote
olyclimber Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 the best break EVER occurred at the Elwha this spring. some people where intimidated/could get out in it, buta couple of people who have been riding that area for many, many decades had an epic day. Quote
RJRiha Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 This will RUIN access to the BEST CRAG IN THE WORLD. Or at least make the hike longer. Â I talked with one of the guys that put up routes at Elwha Wall, and they know how to access the area once the dam is removed. The only problem is the parking is not nearly as close as it is now and definitely less visible. Looks like there will be worries about cars being broken into. Have you done some climbing at that wall? My only experience there was humbling. That is some HARD climbing. Many routes seemed extremely sandbagged. Quote
Hugh Conway Posted January 30, 2011 Author Posted January 30, 2011 bizzump! Stimulus funds bring it up to September 2011 for the start! Quote
TobiasT Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 From the perspective of a flyfisher and native ecology junky this is going to be awesome. The amount of wilderness salmon habitat above those dams is staggering, and the river's beautiful up there. I guess it's still a long way off even after they remove the dams but I can't wait to hike the upper tributaries and see salmon redds. Quote
Jim Posted January 30, 2011 Posted January 30, 2011 Yea, saw that. Good news. Here's a smaller dam removal project I worked on in Oregon - Bull Run. A couple friends are working on a similar film for Elwa. Â [video:youtube] Â Quote
Hugh Conway Posted January 31, 2011 Author Posted January 31, 2011 I guess it's still a long way off even after they remove the dams but I can't wait to hike the upper tributaries and see salmon redds. Â I agree, it's going to be cool. Amazing terrain up there. Curious to see what happens to the delta & hook as well. Â Quote
G-spotter Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 From the perspective of a flyfisher and native ecology junky this is going to be awesome. The amount of wilderness salmon habitat above those dams is staggering, and the river's beautiful up there. I guess it's still a long way off even after they remove the dams but I can't wait to hike the upper tributaries and see salmon redds. Â Given the declining salmon runs in the Fraser and points south I wouldn't be surprised if the dam removal granted access to great habitat but no salmon showed up to take advantage of it Quote
Hugh Conway Posted January 31, 2011 Author Posted January 31, 2011 The Olympics are still home to the dumbest Mountain Whitefish known to mankind Quote
Fairweather Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Very good news. Next step: Wolf reintroduction. Quote
Jim Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Very good news. Next step: Wolf reintroduction. Â Oh there's a tough sell, but I've been surprised before. Quote
Off_White Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Very good news. Next step: Wolf reintroduction.  the argument for returning wolves to the Olympics  I think the major opponents would be elk hunters who feel like they already have enough competition, but the peninsula doesn't have the same kind of ranching economy and history that have made wolf reintroductions so controversial in other western states. I wonder what it would do for the goat overpopulation issue? Quote
Hugh Conway Posted January 31, 2011 Author Posted January 31, 2011 Very good news. Next step: Wolf reintroduction. Â Oh there's a tough sell, but I've been surprised before. Â haven't the Twilight movies laid the groundwork for that? just print some posters of topless "werewolf" hunks running around Quote
Jim Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Very good news. Next step: Wolf reintroduction.  Oh there's a tough sell, but I've been surprised before.  haven't the Twilight movies laid the groundwork for that? just print some posters of topless "werewolf" hunks running around  That's the ticket! Once in a while my wife and I would get over to the Quinault Reservation and rent a cabin for the weekend - but now there is a three day minimum because the Twilighters have ticked up the hotel demand. Good for Forks - maybe good for wolves using your pitch! Quote
j_b Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 anyone knows what they are planning to do with the sediment behind the dam and how long that will affect the river downstream. It seems like an interesting problem because isn't there still a small salmon run in the lower reaches? Quote
Jim Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Definately the biggest issue. See below. For the Marmot Dam removal I worked on the geomorph guys estimated that it would take 10 years for the sedimient behind the dam to get flushed out of the system - it took 1 year.  What will happen to all the sediment once the dams are removed? Approximately 13 million cubic yards of sediment have built up in the Lake Mills reservoir behind Glines Canyon Dam since 1927, while approximately five million cubic yards of sediment currently remain in the Lake Aldwell reservoir. Much of this sediment will be released in a slow, controlled manner.   To allow for a gradual release of sediment, plans call for a lowering of the water level in Lake Mills prior to the start of dam removal in 2011. A drawdown experiment was conducted in 1994, in which the reservoir was drawn down 18 feet over the course of one week, then allowed to remain stable for one week. As the water level dropped, the river began to cut into the existing delta, creating a deep and narrow channel. A new delta began to form at the new, lowered lake level and the river channel moved laterally along the existing delta. The test indicated that the gradual lowering of the water level would allow for efficient erosion and movement of the delta sediment load downstream.   Based on those findings, the water level in Lake Mills will be lowered in 2011 in preparation for dam removal. After the dam removal period (approximately two-and-a-half to three years), the river will begin to restore itself to natural conditions. Sediment transport will return to natural levels, resulting in restored and rejuvenated habitats downstream from the dams.   Quote
j_b Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Cool. Has the Elwha drainage ever been clear cut? Quote
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