Dam party flows well

Published 3:03 pm Wednesday, March 19, 2014

More than 100 people celebrated at the Last Dam Summer Party on Thursday, May 27, at Holiday Inn Express in Sequim.

Local residents, National Park Service employees and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe members celebrated the planned removal of the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on the Elwha River in 2011.

Attendees said the projects could benefit everyone.

Brian Winter, project manager for the dams’ removal, said removing them boosts the economy across the peninsula, including Sequim, with jobs in different fields like construction.

“When all the fish are restored, then people are buying gear at places like Swain’s Outdoor to go fishing,” he said.

Betsy Carlson, a former employee of the parks service, said there is too much going against salmon already — that this will help them.

She thinks the cultural benefits for the Elwha Tribe are outstanding, too.

All proceeds from the event benefited Washington’s National Park Fund.

Visit www.wnpf.org for more information.