Torrent of water rushes over Elwha Dam

In this latest image from the Elwha Dam webcam you can see the new flow around the left side of the dam.

Check out all the project webcams  (Via: The Peninsula Daily)

Animation from the National Park Service on the dam removal process.

Send Lawyers Guns and Money

The Elwha hatchery issue is headed to the courts.

Wild fish advocates have served 60 day notice that they intend to sue numerous agencies over the Elwha hatchery plan. Those served were the Olympic National Park, the NOAA Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This is the world's largest river-restoration program and it should reflect the world's best science," said Kurt Beardslee, head of the Wild Fish Conservancy, one of the groups involved. "We think the hatchery is threatening the recovery of wild fish and we really don't think it went through the proper review process."

Also joining in the action are the Wild Steelhead Coalition, The Conservation Angler and Federation of Fly Fishers Steelhead Committee.

LINK (Via: The Seattle Times)

Read the press release at the Wild Fish Conservancy.

Year of the River: Episode 1 (Elwah Dam Removal)

Year of the River: Episode 1 from Andy Maser on Vimeo.

Good work from Mr. Maser on the Elwah Removal. 

Unconquering the Last Frontier

The party celebrating the removal of the Elwha dams kicks off this week and while everyone's attention is focused on the what the future holds, here is a documentary that looks back at what it took to get where we are today.

Narrated by Gary Farmer and filmed in Washington State from 1993 to 1999, Unconquering the Last Frontier, explores the causes and effects of the ongoing salmon crisis in the Pacific Northwest, focusing on the Elwha River. The film was released in 2001/2 and has been honored by film festivals around the world. The film tells the story of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribes struggle to survive in the shadow of hydropower development.

This is the rarely screened 101 minute feature film version; it is a multi dimensional view of this landmark restoration effort and represents an important contribution to American documentary cinema.

(Via: Osprey Steelhead News)

Viper to Join Elwha Dam Removal Celebration

Tom Skerritt will join Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and other dignitaries at the official dam removal ceremony at Elwha Dam on September 17. If you have a question for Tom you can ask in the comments section of the American Rivers blog post.

LINK (Via: American Rivers)

Elwha River hatchery to hurt recovery

The media is starting to pay attention to those who think the hatchery plan on the Elwha is misguided.

LINK (Via: The Seattle Times)