Salmon Return to Washington's Upper Elwha River After 102 Years

Wild salmon have returned to a stretch of the Upper Elwha River where they have been absent for 102 years. The last section of the two dams blocking salmon from their historic spawning grounds was removed in August, and just two weeks later, a chinook was spotted above the old dam site.

As assistant habitat manager for the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, Mel Elofson has been working toward the restoration effort for 20 years and was the first to notice the salmon. "I just happened to walk up to the edge of the stream about 100 meters above the dam, and there it was, sitting right next to the bank," Elofson said.

He contacted Olympic National Park officials to tell them of the sighting, and park service biologists Heidi Hugunin and Anna Geffre conducted a snorkel survey to confirm the species last week. They spotted three adult chinooks between 30 and 36 inches long. "[Anna] spotted the first one," Hugunin .... http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/fiel...after-102-years