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Scientific Investigations Report 2011–5120
Coastal Habitats of the Elwha River, Washington—Biological and Physical Patterns and Processes Prior to Dam Removal
Edited by Jeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, and Christopher S. Magirl
Preface
This report includes chapters that summarize the results of multidisciplinary studies to quantify
and characterize the current (2011) status and baseline conditions of the lower Elwha River, its
estuary, and the adjacent nearshore ecosystems prior to the historic removal of two long-standing
dams that have strongly influenced river, estuary, and nearshore conditions. The studies were
conducted as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Multi-disciplinary Coastal Habitats in Puget
Sound (MD-CHIPS) project. Chapter 1 is the introductory chapter that provides background and a
historical context for the Elwha River dam removal and ecosystem restoration project. In chapter
2, the volume and timing of sediment delivery to the estuary and nearshore are discussed,
providing an overview of the sediment stored in the two reservoirs and the expected erosion
mechanics of the reservoir sediment deposits after removal of the dams. Chapter 3 describes
the geological background of the Olympic Peninsula and the geomorphology of the Elwha River
and nearshore. Chapter 4 details a series of hydrological data collected by the MD-CHIPS Elwha
project. These include groundwater monitoring, surface water-groundwater interactions in the
estuary, an estimated surface-water budget to the estuary, and a series of temperature and salinity
measurements. Chapter 5 details the work that has been completed in the nearshore, including the
measurement of waves, tides, and currents; the development of a numerical hydrodynamic model;
and a description of the freshwater plume entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Chapter 6 includes a
characterization of the nearshore benthic substrate developed using sonar, which formed a habitat
template used to design scuba surveys of the benthic biological communities. Chapter 7 describes
the ecological studies conducted in the lower river and estuary and includes characterization of
juvenile salmon diets and seasonal estuary utilization patterns using otolith analysis to determine
habitat specific and hatchery compared with wild patterns in juvenile Chinook salmon, assessment
of benthic and terrestrial macroinvertebrate communities, and seasonal patterns of water nutrients.
In Chapter 8, the vegetation communities of the eastern estuary are characterized by mapped
vegetation cover types and samples collected for vegetation composition and diversity. Chapter 9
summarizes the existing conditions of the study area as detailed in this report and describes some
of the possible outcomes of river restoration on the coastal ecosystems of the Elwha River.
Together, these different scientific perspectives form a basis for understanding the Elwha River
ecosystem, an environment that has and will undergo substantial change. A century of change
began with the start of dam construction in 1910; additional major change will result from dam
removal scheduled to begin in September 2011. This report provides a scientific snapshot of the
lower Elwha River, its estuary, and adjacent nearshore ecosystems prior to dam removal that can
be used to evaluate the responses and dynamics of various system components following dam
removal.
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First posted September 7, 2011
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Suggested citation:
Duda, J.J., Warrick, J.A., and Magirl, C.S., eds., 2011, Coastal habitats of the Elwha River, Washington—
Biological and physical patterns and processes prior to dam removal: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific
Investigations Report 2011–5120, 264 p.
Contents
Chapter 1.—Coastal and Lower Elwha River, Washington, Prior to Dam Removal—
History, Status, and Defining Characteristics. By Jeffrey J. Duda, Jonathan A. Warrick, and Christopher S. Magirl
Chapter 2.—Anticipated Sediment Delivery to the Lower Elwha River During
and Following Dam Removal. By Christiana R. Czuba, Timothy J. Randle,
Jennifer A. Bountry, Christopher S. Magirl, Jonathan A. Czuba,
Christopher A. Curran, and Christopher P. Konrad
Chapter 3.—Geomorphology of the Elwha River and its Delta. By Jonathan A.
Warrick, Amy E. Draut, Michael L. McHenry, Ian M. Miller, Christopher S.
Magirl, Matthew M. Beirne, Andrew W. Stevens, and Joshua B. Logan
Chapter 4.—Baseline Hydrologic Studies in the Lower Elwha River Prior to
Dam Removal. By Christopher S. Magirl, Christopher A. Curran, Rich W.
Sheibley, Jonathan A. Warrick, Jonathan A. Czuba, Christiana R. Czuba,
Andrew S. Gendaszek, Patrick B. Shafroth, Jeffrey J. Duda, and James R.
Foreman
Chapter 5.—Coastal Processes of the Elwha River Delta. By Jonathan A.
Warrick, Andrew W. Stevens, Ian M. Miller, and Guy Gelfenbaum
Chapter 6.—Nearshore Biological Communities Prior to Removal of the
Elwha River Dams. By Stephen P. Rubin, Ian M. Miller, Nancy Elder,
Reginald R. Reisenbichler, and Jeffrey J. Duda
Chapter 7.—Aquatic Ecology of the Elwha River Estuary Prior to Dam Removal.
By Jeffrey J. Duda, Matthew M. Beirne, Kimberly Larsen, Dwight Barry,
Karl Stenberg, and Michael L. McHenry
Chapter 8.—Vegetation of the Elwha River Estuary. By Patrick B. Shafroth,
Tracy L. Fuentes, Cynthia Pritekel, Matthew M. Beirne, and
Vanessa B. Beauchamp
Chapter 9.—Summary and Anticipated Responses to Elwha River Dam Removal.
By Guy Gelfenbaum, Jeffrey J. Duda, and Jonathan A. Warrick.