The Elwha River

The Olympic Peninsula’s Elwha River is the ancestral home of the Lower Elwha Klallam people and of five species of salmon, all of whom were abruptly dispossessed in 1910 when two dams were built without fish ladders. These dams cut the salmon off from 90 percent of their habitat, drove the tribe off their land and, through ensuing legislation, made it illegal for them to maintain their fishing rights — and with them, the tribe’s core sustenance and vital integral spiritual connection to the river. From 2011–2014, both dams were removed, leading to astounding environmental recovery and a sense of hope in our region and beyond. These dam removals have turned out to be models driving similar removals, not only here but in other countries. Composer Annea Lockwood and flutist Claire Chase immersed themselves in the Elwha River habitat and history to create a portrait of a resilient ecosystem and a resilient people.