SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6425

BYSenators Conner, Metcalf and DeJarnatt

Appropriating money to evaluate and report on the feasibility of removing two dams on the Elwha river that block anadromous fish from the upper regions of the Elwha river basin.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 18, 1988; February 1, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6425 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Smith, Vice Chairman; Barr, Benitz, DeJarnatt, Kreidler, Owen.

Senate Staff:Kaleen Cottingham (786-7415)

                  February 1, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES, FEBRUARY 1, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Elwha River wild chinook, especially the spring chinook, were once one of the largest salmon Washington rivers produced.  It is theorized that this salmon's steep ascent through a series of narrow canyons acted as a mechanism for the natural selection of larger fish.

Records indicate 100 pound fish existed in the river.  At its peak, the Elwha had 8,000 spawning chinook along with sizeable runs of other salmon species.

In 1912 the large dam on the mainstem of the Elwha River was completed.  Despite laws enacted by the Washington Legislature in the 1890's requiring fish passage for anadromous fish around dams, this dam on the Elwha was not equipped with a fish ladder.  Throughout 1913 and 1914 the then owners of the dam were threatened with dam removal unless fish passage was provided.  The company finally agreed to donate land for a hatchery.  The hatchery was unsuccessfully operated from 1915 to 1922.

The dam's effect immediately reduced the number of salmon by 75 percent.  The only species unaffected by the blocked passage was the fall chinook which spawned in the lower reaches of the river.  In addition to blocked passage, however, the dam changed the flow patterns and increased the sediment accumulations on the spawning gravel thus eventually diminishing even the remaining runs of fall chinook.

James River Corporation (previously Crown Zellerbach) owns and operates the dam on the Elwha as a source of power for their mill operations.  The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has been evaluating the relicensing of the dam for several years.  As a result of several federal court decisions, the relicensing process will most likely involve mitigation for the salmon and habitat lost as a result of the dam construction.  This relicensing process provides an opportunity for the state to become involved in the ultimate mitigation or decision whether to relicense.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Fisheries shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of removing the two dams on the Elwha River.  The report shall evaluate the biological, economic and engineering feasibility of these dam removals.  The report shall be completed and distributed by August 1, 1988.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Instead of authorizing a study which duplicates existing studies, the Department of Fisheries shall keep legislative committees briefed on the status of studies being performed by the James River Corp. as required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  The Department of Fisheries shall seek mitigation in the relicensing process for lost fisheries resources.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested January 12, 1988

Senate Committee - Testified: Kahler Martinson, Ed Manary, Department of Fisheries; Rich Poelker, WDW; Jack Brown, James River Co.; Michael Rizzotto, Friends of the Earth