Restoring Salmon
NPCA's northwest office has recognized that salmon and rivers are a vital part of our national parks' ecosystems. This year our expanded rivers program will be working in national parks such as Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and John Day Fossil Beds to strengthen the return of one of our regions most iconic species, salmon.
Olympic National Park is home to more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams that support several species of salmon, steelhead and bulltrout. Many of these species are being threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and other problems inside and outside of the park.
In 1992, Congress recognized the need for salmon recovery in passing the Elwha Restoration Act. With the passage of this act, Olympic National Park must restore the river system and its salmon stocks, including the removal of two 100 foot-tall dams. Starting in 2009 these two dams will be removed and the Elwha River will begin its resurrection. NPCA is working to ensure the success of the project by working with elected officials and community members to highlight the importance of this restoration project.
NPCA staff members, in collaboration with park leadership and Oregon Natural Desert Association at John Day National Fossil Beds National Park, are working restore the John Day River, the longest free flowing river in the lower 48 states. Agricultural practices over the past 100 years have depleted the river’s water supply and threaten returning salmon and steelhead. NPCA will be working to secure funding to promote sustainable agricultural practices and will secure additional funding to initiate a unique restoration project within the park’s boundaries.
