Glines Canyon Dam
{{Short description|Dam on the Elwha River, Washington, US}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox dam
|name = Glines Canyon Dam
|image = Glinescanyondam2.jpg
|image_caption = Glines Canyon Dam
|name_official =
|dam_crosses = Elwha River
|res_name = Lake Mills
|location = On Elwha River, along Olympic Hot Springs Road, about {{convert|11|mile|km}} southwest of Port Angeles, in Olympic National Park, Clallam County, Washington, USA
|dam_length =
|dam_height = {{convert|210|ft|m|abbr=on}}
|dam_width_base =
|construction_began = 1925
|opening = 1927
|demolished = 2014
|cost =
|res_capacity_total = {{convert|40500|acre.ft|m3|abbr=on}}
|res_catchment =
|res_surface = {{convert|415|acre|ha|abbr=on}}
| coordinates = {{coord|48.00203|-123.59991|format=dms|display=inline,title,source:ProprioMeOW}}
| location_map = Washington #USA
| designed_by = P.M. Thebo; W.B. McMillan; W.A. Whitmire; H.R. Stevens; H. Schorer
| builder = Thebo, Starr, & Anderson Inc.
| extra = {{Infobox NRHP
| name = Glines Canyon Hydroelectric Power Plant
| embed = yes
| nrhp_type = hd
| nocat = yes
| architect =
| architecture = Classical Revival
| added = December 15, 1988
| area = {{convert|7|acre}}
| mpsub = {{NRHP url|id=64500703|title=Hydroelectric Power Plants in Washington State, 1890--1938 MPS}}
| refnum = 88002742{{NRISref|version=2010a}}
}}
}}
Glines Canyon Dam, also known as Upper Elwha Dam,{{GNIS|type=retired|1527623|Upper Elwha Dam}} was a {{convert|210|ft|m|0|adj=on}} tall concrete arch dam that impounded Lake Mills reservoir on the Elwha River in Clallam County, Washington. {{As of|2015}}, it is the tallest dam ever to be intentionally breached.
Built in 1927, Glines Canyon Dam was located {{convert|13|mi}} upriver from the mouth of the Elwha River at the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and about {{convert|8|mi}} upriver from Elwha Dam. Both dams lay within Olympic National Park, established in 1938. The National Park Service demolished Glines Canyon Dam in 2014 as part of the restoration of the Elwha River (Elwha Dam was demolished in 2011–2012). The project was the largest dam removal in history until the restoration of the lower Klamath River in the 2020s.
History
The dam was built privately to generate electricity for industries and major military installations on the Olympic Peninsula, including lumber and paper mills in Port Angeles.
The Glines Canyon Hydroelectric Power Plant historic district, a {{convert|7|acre|ha}} area comprising the dam, the powerhouse, and the water conveying system, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.{{cite web| url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/88002742_text| title=National Register of Historical Places record for Glines Canyon Hydroelectric Power Plant| access-date=June 23, 2017| archive-date=August 11, 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811113129/https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/88002742_text| url-status=live}} and {{NRHP url|id=88002742|title=accompanying pictures|photos=y}}
Effects of dam on river habitat and area ecology
Lacking passage for migrating salmon, Glines Canyon Dam blocked access by anadromous salmonids{{harvnb|Grossman|2002|p=155}} to the upper 38 miles (61 km) of mainstem habitat and more than {{convert|30|mi|km|0}} of tributary habitat. The Elwha River watershed once supported salmon runs of more than 400,000 adult returns on more than {{convert|70|mi|km}} of river habitat. By the early 21st-century, fewer than 4,000 adult salmon returned each year.
Habitat restoration
{{Main|Elwha Ecosystem Restoration}}
Numerous groups lobbied Congress to remove the two dams on the river and restore the habitat of the river and its valley. The Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act of 1992 authorized the US Federal Government to acquire the Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam hydroelectric power projects for decommissioning and demolition for habitat restoration.
The Elwha Ecosystem Restoration project started in September 2011 as work to demolish the nearby Elwha Dam began downstream. The final piece of the Glines Canyon Dam was removed August 26, 2014.{{Cite web|url = http://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/olympic-parks-elwha-river-freed-after-last-dam-blasted-out/|title = Olympic park's Elwha River freed after last dam blasted out|date = 27 August 2014|access-date = June 29, 2017|archive-date = August 16, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220816192646/https://www.seattletimes.com/life/outdoors/olympic-parks-elwha-river-freed-after-last-dam-blasted-out/|url-status = live}} Now that the dam has been removed, the area that was under Lake Mills is being revegetated and its banks secured to prevent erosion and to speed up ecological restoration.
Gallery
File:Lake Mills.jpg
File:Glinescanyondam1.jpg
File:Glines Canyon Dam (removed) from above, Oct 2014.JPG|Glines Canyon Dam (removed) from above, Oct 2014
File:Glines Canyon Dam (removed) from inside reservoir, Oct 2014.JPG|Glines Canyon Dam (removed) from inside reservoir, Oct 2014
See also
{{Portal|United States|Water|Renewable energy}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- {{cite book |last=Grossman |first=Elizabeth |date=2002 |title=Watershed: The Undamming of America |publisher=Basic Books |isbn=1-58243-108-6}}.
- Mapes, Lynda V. (2016). "[http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/elwha/ Elway: Roaring Back to Life] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084520/http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/elwha/ |date=March 5, 2016 }}," The Seattle Times.
External links
{{Commons category|Glines Canyon Dam}}
- [http://www.interactive-earth.com/visualizations/glines_removal.htm Glines Canyon Dam Removal Process] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610082518/http://www.interactive-earth.com/visualizations/glines_removal.htm |date=June 10, 2009 }} - animation
- [http://www.video-monitoring.com/construction/olympic/js.htm Glines Canyon Dam webcam and time lapse movie of removal project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615003116/http://www.video-monitoring.com/construction/olympic/js.htm |date=June 15, 2012 }}
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18401162 "Demolition dam: Why dismantle a huge river barrier?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429082044/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18401162 |date=April 29, 2016 }}, BBC video
- [https://home.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/elwha-ecosystem-restoration.htm Elwha River Restoration] , National Park Service
- {{HAER |survey=WA-130-B |id=wa0605 |title=Elwha River Hydroelectric System, Glines Hydroelectric Dam and Plant, Port Angeles, Clallam County, WA |photos=25 |dwgs=6 |cap=3}}
- {{Citation |last=Mapes |first=Lynda V. |title=Elwha: Roaring back to life |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=February 13, 2016 |url=http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/elwha/ |access-date=February 28, 2016 |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084520/http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/elwha/ |url-status=live }}
{{NRHP in Olympic NP}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in Washington}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Dams in Washington (state)
Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Washington (state)
Category:Demolished power stations in the United States
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Olympic National Park
Category:Buildings and structures in Clallam County, Washington
Category:Hydroelectric power plants in Washington (state)
Category:Dams on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
Category:Dams completed in 1927
Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1927
Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 2014
Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Washington (state)
Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Clallam County, Washington
Category:2014 disestablishments in Washington (state)