Monday, September 12, 2011

Huge masses of sediment mean dams must be removed chunk by chunk

Dam removal will allow the Elwha to once again transport sediment from the high mountains to the sea, a process that maintains the river's natural form and function. Here, the Elwha in July slices through sediment exposed as reservoirs were drained to prepare for dam removal. It's just a fraction of the 24 million cubic yards of trapped sediment that must be managed by controlling the pace of dam removal.