Chris Dunagan from the Kitsap Sun posted about bull trout being saved from the Elwha River.
Many agencies and groups, including the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, assisted moving nearly 100 fish from the middle of the river to an area upstream into better habitat, out of the way of the river’s two fish-blocking dams, both of which will start to be deconstructed this fall.
From the story:
The protective action is considered important, because removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams is likely to dislodge an estimated 24 million cubic yards of sediment that has collected behind the dams since they were built, according to estimates by the Bureau of Reclamation. Most of that sediment will come from a delta at the south end of Lake Mills. Bull trout caught in the sediment-laden river probably will not do well, researchers say.
“Using the best available science, we’ve taken steps to protect the bull trout population and given them immediate access to high-quality, pristine habitats in the upper river through this relocation project,” said Sam Brenkman, fisheries biologist for Olympic National Park.
