Great little video showing how quickly new habitat is colonized... FYI this was shot in September.

http://vimeo.com/75830580

Would be really important that the trible competely buy in to the recovery of this "new river system".

The video's show what can happen, when Dam's are removed.

Speaking of colonization/re-colonization of the Elwha I wonder given the extraordinary pink returns to the Fraser and Puget Sound this year whether some of them found their way to the Elwha. That would truly be the natural colonization process in action.

BTW -
The pre-harvest Fraser/Puget Sound (Salish sea?) pink run may have exceeded 25 to 30 million fish.

Curt

Smalma,

There were a fair number of pinks that were congregating in the Glines Canyon stretch. In past summers prior to dam removal, there would be small schools as well.

Have seen some neat underwater shots of Elwha pinks surrounded by little O. mykiss looking for some eats.

Not likely to happen. Think these guys would be worth it?

Thanks Doc, but those really big Chinook salmon are gone forever. I presume you read my post on this thread. If not, here's my view:

"The folks that will get hurt by a closure of the fishery will be the Elwha Tribe, and the local recreational anglers. Those folks who harvest in SE AK, along the BC coast, and in places like Sieku and the Strait will continue to take fish that will return to the Elwha.

In fact, it's been my view that these offshore fisheries will be the reason that really big Chinook salmon will never return to the Elwha, regardless of the lack of dams. It's very likely the fishing pressure in the near shore areas (SE AK, BC, and WA) is high enough such that Chinook salmon will never live long enough to get to 80+lbs. Nobody C&R's a 50lb Chinook in the ocean hoping it will grow to 80lbs. Those 50lbers get bonked.

Indeed, that is what has really changed in the years since the Elwha dams were constructed. When those dams went in (100+ years ago), there was no high seas fishery. All fishing was done close to shore. Once those juvenile salmon cleared the near shore areas, they had all the forage and all the time they needed to grow to whatever size they wanted. Now, they have neither unlimited time nor forage. Millions of pounds of forage (herring, smelt, anchovy) is scooped up by purse sieners. And commercial and recreational anglers ply the waters of their feeding grounds 24/7, all summer long. The longer those fish stay on the feeding grounds, the more likely it is they will get bonked.

But don't get me wrong. I'm really glad to see the Elwha dams removed. Indeed it is a reason for hopeful optimisum and a sense of renewal. However, I don't believe we will ever see really large Chinook again. Not in the Elwha and not in the Columbia. And the reasons have nothing to do with dams."

I hope I'm wrong, but only time will tell.

Almost done!

http://www.elwhafilm.com/bang/

cool, but they cut the filming off too soon....I wanted to see the river flow after the blast

Hard to find the line in that mess. Far right? Rig to flip.

Wow, Doc! Great photo's. Thanks!

I wonder, is this canyon the area known as "Gobblin's Gate" back in the day? I've read that that was one whoop-ass cataract, pre-dam, that likely acted as a natural selector for the out-sized kings the river used to be famous for.

Nope, Goblin's Gate is above the former Lake Mills. This is the canyon just above the Altair Campground.

Getting charges ready for what looks like could be the FINAL blast...

A few more blasts to go. Completion less than 3 months away.

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/articl...project-as-work

Lookin' good.... pretty much looks like she's been blasted down to grade this morning.

Looks like the boom happened late yesterday or early today. Going through the webcam slideshow you can see that outside corner piece there when it got dark last night and gone at first light today.

edit: ha, looks like we both saw it at the same time Doc.

Scott