On Friday, May 10th, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and Columbia Land
Trust held a ceremony celebrating the pending removal of the
Kwoneesum Dam at the headwaters of Wildboy Creek in Skamania
County, Washington. After years of meticulous planning and close
collaboration, the removal process is now underway to restore fish
passage to key spawning habitat within the Washougal River
watershed and improve a critical natural ecosystem within the
Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s ancestral lands. A traditional tribal
blessing of the site was held when the planning process for the
project began in 2021.
The Kwoneesum Dam, first built in 1965 by the Camp Fire Girls
organization for recreational purposes, stands at 55-feet tall by
425-feet wide and currently blocks all fish passage to 6.5 miles of
spawning and rearing habitat in a headwater tributary of the
Washougal River, while holding back valuable sediment and wood to
starved channels downstream. Its removal will immediately restore
fish passage and enhance instream conditions, benefiting coho
salmon and summer steelhead – species sacred to the Cowlitz Indian
Tribe’s ancestral heritage and way of life.
Patty Kinswa Gaiser, Chairwoman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and
Meg Rutledge, Executive Director of Columbia Land Trust, spoke to a
crowd of project partners and elected officials representing the
state of Washington about the importance of the project and the
shared vision that brought the two organizations
together.
"Today marks a pivotal moment as we begin the journey to
remove the Kwoneesum Dam,” said Patty Kinswa-Gaiser, Cowlitz
Indian Tribe General Council Chairwoman. “This project holds
deep significance, not only for the benefits it will bring to our
environment and fish species, but for the preservation of the
Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s cultural heritage as well. By restoring fish
passage and nurturing the ecosystem within the Washougal River
watershed, we're honoring our ancestors, while improving the health
of a river system that our Tribe, our community, and our region
depends on. The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is grateful for Columbia Land
Trust standing alongside us in this shared vision, rooted in
respect for our land, our shared resources, and our
traditions."
“Columbia Land Trust conserves and cares for the vital lands,
waters, and communities of the lower Columbia River region,”
said Columbia Land Trust Executive Director Meg Rutledge.
“Removing Kwoneesum Dam, which has long lost its original
purpose, lives into our core values. Restoring these streams to run
wild, honors the enduring cultural values of Cowlitz Indian Tribe,
and benefits the Washougal River system through the animal, plants
and people that depend on its intact ecology. Columbia Land Trust
grounds all of our work in sound science and strong relationships.
Bringing these values together in collaboration with Cowlitz Indian
Tribe and their leadership is a proud moment for our
organization.”
Background
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe and its ancestors have sustained the
land, rivers, and resources of present-day Southwest Washington for
time immemorial -- including the lands within the Wildboy Forest.
For generations, the natural resources of Washougal watershed –
from sacred salmon and steelhead species to first foods and
medicines – have provided the foundation for the Cowlitz way of
life, its teachings, traditional practices, and cultural
heritage.
In 1965, the Camp Fire organization built Kwoneesum Dam at the
confluence of three creeks to create a recreational lake for a new
girls’ camp. Girls from across the region spent summers swimming,
sailing, and canoeing there until the mid-1980s, when the camp
closed, and the land was sold to an industrial timber company.
Despite its scenic appearance, the stagnant lake absorbs sunlight
and increases water temperature, which can be fatal to adult and
juvenile salmon and steelhead.
After being managed for forestry, the land was again put up for
sale in 2019. Cowlitz Indian Tribe staff saw a crucial opportunity
and alerted Columbia Land Trust, who raised funds and purchased the
1,300-acre site in 2020, conserving the land and embarking on a
collaborative effort to remove the dam and revitalize the Washougal
River watershed.
In addition to benefiting fish species, the Kwoneesum Dam
removal partnership will also allow the Tribe to apply its
traditional knowledge and land management practices as this vital
ecosystem recovers, ensuring sacred plants and species are
protected and managed in a manner that respects our cultural values
and practices.
“This location once had a splash dam, used to transport
Yacolt Burn logs to lumber mills downstream, then it was replaced
with the Kwoneesum Dam in 1965. The Wildboy Creek watershed and the
remnant stocks of steelhead and coho have endured these effects for
well over a century,” said Pete Barber, the Cowlitz Indian
Tribe’s Habitat Restoration Program Manager and lead for the
dam removal project. “Removing this manmade obstruction will
restore natural processes, fish access and give the creek an
opportunity to recover.”
Partners
The land purchase was funded with grants from the Open Rivers
Fund, a program of Resources Legacy Fund supported by the William
and Flora Hewlett Foundation, as well as funding from Washington
Department of Ecology’s water quality program, Washington Salmon
Recovery Funding Board, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Hugh and
Jane Ferguson Foundation, Wiancko Family Foundation, The
Conservation Alliance, private donors, a program-related investment
loan from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Pacific
Northwest Resilient Landscapes Initiative with support from the
Land Trust Alliance, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and Oregon
Community Foundation.
The dam removal was funded by USDA’s Natural Resources
Conservation Service – Environmental Quality Incentives Program,
NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Conservation, Washington State
Recreation and Conservation Office - Salmon Recovery Funding Board
& Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board, Pacific Coastal
Salmon Recovery Fund , Open Rivers Fund, a program of Resources
Legacy Fund supported by the William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation.
Additional Details
As an embankment dam, the removal process will occur after the
104 acre-feet of water in the reservoir has been removed, with
construction taking place over the summer and expected to conclude
this fall.
Once the dam has been removed, additional restoration and
native planting activities will begin within the nine-acre
reservoir footprint. A half-mile of Wildboy Creek channel
downstream of the dam will have hundreds of logs anchored to
bedrock and covered with rock and gravel to restore the degraded
streambed. Additionally, three new tributary channels will be built
from native material excavated and stockpiled from the initial
reservoir excavation, dating back to 1965.
For public safety, the forest and dam area are closed to the
public during construction, dam removal, and initial restoration
efforts, but ultimately, the Land Trust plans for the land to be
open to the public for non-motorized, non-overnight activities.
Photo Assets
- Pictures from the celebration event on May 10, 2024 can be
found here.
- Historic photos from Nancy King of the Camp Fire Organization
can be found here.
- Additional high-res photos of Kwoneesum Dam can be available
upon request.
About Cowlitz Indian TribeWe, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe,
are the Forever People. Since the beginning of time, we have
nurtured our community by stewarding our lands and rivers,
investing in our people and culture, and promoting
self-determination and prosperity for future generations. Our
mission is to preserve and honor the legacy of our elders and
ancestors by empowering a tribal community that promotes social
justice and economic well-being, secures aboriginal lands, respects
culture and sovereignty, and fosters justice, freedom, and mutual
welfare. More information can be found at www.cowlitz.org.
About Columbia Land TrustColumbia Land Trust is a
nonprofit organization that conserves and cares for the vital
lands, waters, and wildlife of the lower Columbia River region,
through sound science and strong relationships. Since 1991 the Land
Trust has conserved more than 58,000 acres of land in Oregon and
Washington to enhance communities, ecosystems, and connections with
nature.
Austin Hicks
Cowlitz Indian Tribe
austinh@strategies360.com
Kelsey Farabee
Columbia Land Trust
kfarabee@columbialandtrust.org