Elwha River, River system in Olympic Peninsula, Washington, US
The Elwha River is a river system on the Olympic Peninsula that flows from the Olympic Mountains through dense forests to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The water moves through deep valleys with steep banks and clear pools where it slows before continuing toward the coast.
Two large dams were built in the early 1900s to generate electricity for Port Angeles, blocking the river and stopping salmon from migrating upstream. These structures controlled the water for power production for over a century.
The river holds deep meaning for the Lower Elwha Klallam people, who relied on its salmon for food and survival for countless generations. This connection remains visible today in how the community relates to the river and its restoration.
The area is most easily reached from Highway 101, with several spots to view the river or walk into the valleys alongside it. The best times to visit are spring and fall, when water levels are moderate and trails tend to be drier.
Both dams were removed in 2014 in one of the largest river restoration efforts in the region, releasing sediment that created new estuary wetlands at the mouth. These newly opened areas have allowed salt-loving plants and wildlife adapted to tidal zones to reestablish themselves.
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