Elwha Dam Removal Science Symposium and Field Trip

Project ID: 6959
Principal Investigator: Jennifer Bountry
Research Topic: Sediment Management and River Restoration
Priority Area Assignments: 2012 (Climate Adaptation), 2013 (Climate Adaptation)
Funded Fiscal Years: 2012
Keywords: research, technology transfer, dam removal, sediment

Research Question

This proposal is aimed at helping to facilitate technology transfer to Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) research being accomplished on the largest dam removal and sediment management program in North American history on the Elwha River in northwestern Washington State.

Need and Benefit

Because of the large sedimentation volume involved, there are multiple unique field monitoring, analysis, and predictive tools being attempted on the Elwha River. Since there has not been a project of this scale before, the opportunity to learn what happened to fish and sediment as a result of the project is unprecedented and is not likely to occur again in the near future.

Reclamation staff has requested an opportunity to visit the Elwha River and learn about how the reservoir and river are responding to the dam removal, along with how the real-time nature of the adaptive management program is working (and lessons learned).

Contributing Partners

Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.

Research Products

Bureau of Reclamation Review

The following documents were reviewed by experts in fields relating to this project's study and findings. The results were determined to be achieved using valid means.

Elwha Science Symposium Event-Online and In Person (final, PDF, 409KB)
By Jennifer Bountry
Publication completed on September 30, 2012

This bulletin summarizes the research results and potential application to Reclamation's mission.

Summary of Elwha Science Symposium Event (final, PDF, 474KB)
By Jennifer Bountry
Report completed on January 08, 2013

The Elwha Science Symposium occurred the week of August 20, 2012 in Port Angeles, WA. The planning committee consisted of members from Bureau of Reclamation, USGS, NOAA, USFWS, NPS, Elwha Tribe, and local support from Peninsula College and Nature Bridge. Planning occurred from November 2011 to August 2012 with mostly monthly meetings at first that increased to weekly meetings the month before the event. Funding was provided by the Science and Technology program for Reclamation.

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Last Updated: 6/22/20