smilesforu
08-18-2000, 01:13 AM
Please send a email to help endorse this letter. This is a important fight to save the salmon on the Olympic Peninsula in our lifetime. Send email to commissioners@co.clallam.wa.us
Dear Senator Gorton:
In our commitment to long term planning and implementation of salmon recovery and watershed planning projects, Clallam County is developingits collaberative role in supporting salmon recovery and ecosystem restoration efforts on the north Olympic Penninsula. We have identified, in this developing stage, the importance of providing support for full ecosystem restoration of the Elwha River watershed.
Congress has mandated the full restoration of this ecosystem and its native anadromous fisheries through the Elwha Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act(Public Law 102-495). Consequently, the Department of Interior is moving toward actual removal of both the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on the Elwha River. This action is due to the uniquiness of the Elwha River and the ecosystem restoration act and does not set a precednt for breaching hydroelectric dams in other areas in Washington.
The Elwha River was historically one of the most productive producers of anadromous salmonids on the Olympic Penninsula, supporting runs of ten different stocks. However, construction of two dams without fish passage facilities restricted fish access to only the lower 4.9 miles of the river. Since construction of the dams, loss of gravel recruitment, woody debris,and alteration of temperature regimes below the dams have degraded the existing habitat conditions to a point that the Elwha River supports only small runs of primarily hatchery-supplemented fish. The majority of the drainage(80 percent)is located above the dams, within the boundries of Olympic National Park, and is in pristine condition. Once accessible, these habitats will be quickly colonized by salmonids.
Cllallam County supports the full restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem and beleive that the removal of both dams is the only action that provides the potential for full restoration. Additionally, we beleive that concurrent removal of the dams presents the most cost effective and ecologically benefical process while resulting least detrimental impacts to exisisting and future fishery and water resources.
The cost associated with removing the Elwha Dam, followed by removal of the Glines Canyon Dam 12 years later, are estimated to amount to an aditional 26.5 million. This action would involve: requiring two contractor stagings, 12 years of additional fisheries monitoring, duplication of fish restoration efforts, and rehabilitation of roads- twice. Regulatory cost will cover at least a 12 year period, with a supplemental EIS immediately required for removal of only the Elwha Dam and another in order to update information following the 12 year period.
We beleive that the restoration of the Elwha River represents a unique opportunity to restore wild salmon stocks on a scale unparalleled on the west coast. Full rsestoration can only occur with the removal of both dams which achieves the goal in the shortest time, with the lowest cost, and with the least enviromental impact.
Sincerly,
Board of Clallam County Commissioners
Tight Lines
Marty
------------------
Marty
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)
Dear Senator Gorton:
In our commitment to long term planning and implementation of salmon recovery and watershed planning projects, Clallam County is developingits collaberative role in supporting salmon recovery and ecosystem restoration efforts on the north Olympic Penninsula. We have identified, in this developing stage, the importance of providing support for full ecosystem restoration of the Elwha River watershed.
Congress has mandated the full restoration of this ecosystem and its native anadromous fisheries through the Elwha Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act(Public Law 102-495). Consequently, the Department of Interior is moving toward actual removal of both the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on the Elwha River. This action is due to the uniquiness of the Elwha River and the ecosystem restoration act and does not set a precednt for breaching hydroelectric dams in other areas in Washington.
The Elwha River was historically one of the most productive producers of anadromous salmonids on the Olympic Penninsula, supporting runs of ten different stocks. However, construction of two dams without fish passage facilities restricted fish access to only the lower 4.9 miles of the river. Since construction of the dams, loss of gravel recruitment, woody debris,and alteration of temperature regimes below the dams have degraded the existing habitat conditions to a point that the Elwha River supports only small runs of primarily hatchery-supplemented fish. The majority of the drainage(80 percent)is located above the dams, within the boundries of Olympic National Park, and is in pristine condition. Once accessible, these habitats will be quickly colonized by salmonids.
Cllallam County supports the full restoration of the Elwha River ecosystem and beleive that the removal of both dams is the only action that provides the potential for full restoration. Additionally, we beleive that concurrent removal of the dams presents the most cost effective and ecologically benefical process while resulting least detrimental impacts to exisisting and future fishery and water resources.
The cost associated with removing the Elwha Dam, followed by removal of the Glines Canyon Dam 12 years later, are estimated to amount to an aditional 26.5 million. This action would involve: requiring two contractor stagings, 12 years of additional fisheries monitoring, duplication of fish restoration efforts, and rehabilitation of roads- twice. Regulatory cost will cover at least a 12 year period, with a supplemental EIS immediately required for removal of only the Elwha Dam and another in order to update information following the 12 year period.
We beleive that the restoration of the Elwha River represents a unique opportunity to restore wild salmon stocks on a scale unparalleled on the west coast. Full rsestoration can only occur with the removal of both dams which achieves the goal in the shortest time, with the lowest cost, and with the least enviromental impact.
Sincerly,
Board of Clallam County Commissioners
Tight Lines
Marty
------------------
Marty
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)