Elwha Nearshore 10 Years After Dam Removal - NV Presentation Dec 9 by Dr. Ian Miller

Dr. Ian Miller provided an update and summary of results from two on-going investigations into the changes in the Elwha Delta ten years after the removal of the dams. Seasonal topography and bathymetry surveys conducted in partnership with the United States Geological Survey and Washington Department of Ecology provide insights about how the delta of the Elwha River is continuing to evolve in response to the dam removal. Annual SCUBA-based surveys of algae, invertebrates and benthic fishes, are used to assess if and how the sub-tidal marine community has changed (or not) through and after dam removal.

A skilled science communicator and media spokesperson as well as a trained scientist, Dr. Ian Miller is Washington Sea Grant’s coastal hazards specialist, working out of Peninsula College in Port Angeles. Ian works with coastal communities and public agencies on the Olympic Peninsula to strengthen their ability to plan for and manage coastal hazards, including tsunamis, chronic erosion, coastal flooding and other hazards associated with climate change.