Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Light Availability Controls In The Benthic Nearshore Ecosystem Of The Elwha River, Hannah Glover, Andrea S. Ogston, Emily F. Eidam, Ian M. Miller, Stephen P. Rubin, Helen Berry

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Elwha River Restoration Project was the largest US dam removal project to date, both in dam height and sediment released. During dam removal in 2011–2014, ~18 Mt of sediment washed downriver, and macroalgae virtually disappeared from the adjacent nearshore ecosystem. The link between current benthic light availability and sediment delivery and transport has been investigated in order to understand conditions during dam removal. Seven instrument platforms were deployed on the 10-m isobath along a 16 km transect centered on the river mouth for seven fortnightly periods in 2016 and 2017 to monitor near-bed photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), suspended sediment, …