The final pieces of the Kwoneesum Dam in the Washougal River watershed were removed last week, completing four months of deconstruction and creating optimism in the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and the Columbia Land Trust that salmon and steelhead trout in the river would soon benefit from the improved waterway.
“We are thrilled to have successfully completed the removal of Kwoneesum dam,” said Pete Barber, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe's habitat restoration program manager and the lead for the Kwoneesum dam removal project. "This was a significant undertaking, made possible by a collaboration of dedicated individuals and groups all set on restoring this area to its original beauty and repairing this vital ecosystem.”
Located in rural Skamania County, the Kwoneesum Dam was built in 1965 and formed a recreational lake that was initially used for a new girls’ camp. Following the camp’s closure in the 1980s, the land was purchased by an industrial timber company before it was again put up for sale in 2019.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe notified the Columbia Land Trust, which raised funds to purchase the 1,300-acre site in 2020.
The removal process included diverting upstream flows and draining approximately 20 million gallons of water from the reservoir. Over the next few months, additional restoration work will be completed to further improve the former reservoir and surrounding forest.
Removal of the Kwoneesum Dam is expected to open 6.5 miles of spawning habitat.
The area is expected to open for recreational day use for the public next year.
“The removal of Kwoneesum Dam marks a significant milestone in our journey to restore the natural beauty and ecological balance of our ancestral lands, which in this case has been in the process for many years,” William Iyall, Cowlitz Indian Tribe chairman, said in a statement. “As we work to restore the area to its original state, we honor our ancestors and ensure that future generations will continue to thrive in harmony with the land. We are thrilled to see this project enter this crucial stage, bringing us closer to a restored and revitalized ecosystem.”
