The first steps

Unfortunately, my original research plans on the divergent stories of urban agriculture in the context of Havana, Cuba fell through. Now, I’ve started off on a very different project, the removal of the Elwha Dam and Glines Dam on the Elwha River. I will still be applying my same theoretical framework focusing on narrative and political ecology. The question I would like to try and answer is: In what ways have distinct political, social, and economic factors led to the construction and subsequently the decision to remove the Elwha River dams, and how have these political ecological factors guided divergent narratives? Researching the Elwha River dams provides a good example of divergent narratives of an environmental state, because the area surrounding the dams is home to very different groups of people who each seem to have a different story about the dams and the removal project

A little history:
The Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams were completed on the Elwha River in 1913 and 1927 at heights of 32 and 64 meters in order to provide hydropower for local timber companies. The dams were built without fish ladders and since their construction salmon populations have plummeted. From the time of the dams’ construction, 9 of the 10 Elwha native species of salmon and trout can no longer be found in the river. The dam construction changed a lot more than just the fish populations. Since salmon come back to their birthplace to spawn and then die, the dam construction led to a decrease in nutrients in the river. The decline in salmon populations is also a likely contributing factor to the decline in orcas, which feed on Chinook salmon near the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The creation of the dams also submerged sacred sites of the Klallam tribe.

Setting a precedent:
One of the dams to be removed would be the tallest ever demolished in the U.S. Hundreds of dams built in the past century are near the end of their usefulness and either need to be removed or require costly repairs. Because so many future policy decisions may be based on the ecological outcome and social reaction to the Elwha dam removal project, the Elwha will be carefully watched and documented.

Different groups, different stories:
Although some people still seemed opposed to the dam removal, many view the reasons for which the dams were built as no longer valuable. The community is no longer primarily dependent on lumber and agriculture. In addition, many believe that railroads or highways for transporting goods would now better provide for these industries. The dams only create a small amount of non-essential electricity. A variety of groups place themselves strongly in favor of dam removal including: the Klallam Indian Tribe, the National Park service, commercial and recreational fisherman, a variety of environmentalists, and the American Whitewater Affiliation. Interviewing and reading the publications of these various groups may provide an interesting account of the Elwha dam removal project. Another factor of this potential project would be to research who opposed the creation of the dam compared to who favors removal today.