For nearly a century, wild salmon have been severely affected by hydroelectric development on the Eklutna River. The removal of the abandoned lower Eklutna dam in 2018 reconnected more than 8 miles of salmon habitat and instilled hope in the community for a fishfilled future for the Eklutna River. Five years later, we are partway through the legally-required mitigation process for the owners of the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project to address their project’s “impact to fish and wildlife and their habitat” and the Eklutna River still runs dry below the diversion dam at Eklutna Lake. Meanwhile, the owners of the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project try to dance around the reality of their impact and propose solutions that fail to provide flowing water to the entire Eklutna River.
Chugach Electric Association and Matanuska Electric Association need to own their impact to Eklutna River salmon by committing to the restoration of fish passage and releasing water into the dry riverbed directly from Eklutna Lake, or they will be willfully committing Eklutna River salmon to a future of impairment. Eklutna salmon and area residents deserve better — let’s see a mitigation plan our community can be proud of.
— Peter Melde
President, Southcentral Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Anchorage
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