"We all owe a big “thank you” to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. They never gave up on getting those two dams torn down, and today that dream is becoming a reality. For 100 years they have had to wait for their treaty rights to be restored and for the salmon to return.

The salmon never gave up either. At a recent dam removal celebration, I saw 73 chinook swimming in the clear green water at the foot of the Elwha Dam, ready and waiting. And it won’t be long before the river’s estuary comes back to life, too, with clams spitting all over the place.

This is a great day for the Elwha people. All of those who have gone before us, they’re looking down on the Elwha, too, and they are witnessing what is happening. And they are smiling.

“Economic engine,” “long-term economic growth” and “investment in the future” are some of the words folks have used to describe the benefits of the dam removal project. And they’re right."

Get the Story:
Billy Frank, Jr.: There Are a Lot More Elwhas Out There (Indian Country Today 10/5)

Related Stories:
Opinion: Billy Frank talks treaties for dam removal celebration (9/20)
Billy Frank: Federal government responsible for treaty rights (9/9)