About dam time! The emergence of dam removal in river management policy : lessons from the Elwha River restoration project

Abstract: Dams are pervasive features of the river systems in the United States. More than 80,000 large dams, and as many as 2.5 million small dams, are spread throughout every major watershed in the country. While this vast number of dams has made a considerable contribution to development, recognition of the environmental impacts has significantly increased. Furthermore, over 25% of the nation's dams are now reaching the end of their operational lives, facing physical deterioration, risk of failure, loss of economic viability, and expired federal contracts. The convergence of these environmental, economic, social, and regulatory concerns is reflected in the sudden, remarkable emergence of [i]Dam Removal[/i] in river management. Dam removal represents a fundamental transformation in river management discourse, yet has been rarely studied. Through exploration and description of the emerging concept of dam removal, this thesis contributes to the discourse on river management. The transformation is further illustrated through a study of a pioneering dam removal project currently underway on the Elwha River in the Pacific Northwest United States. This monumental project is the country's largest dam removal and most expensive river restoration ever attempted. The evolution of the Elwha River Dam Removal project is representative of the broad shift in river management and also indicative of the significant policy issues that still exist around dam removal. Analysis of the phenomenon of policy change applied to the Elwha River case reveals factors of political receptivity, physical complexity, and advocacy coalitions that have been critical in the policy change process. From this case, policy lessons are found regarding the implications of congressional intervention in dam removal proposals, and the need for reforming hydropower dam licensing procedures in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. These specific policy lessons are valuable for the integration of dam removal in lasting river management policy.