WASHOUGAL, WA – The Cowlitz Indian Tribe and Columbia Land Trust recently held a ceremony celebrating the pending removal of the Kwoneesum Dam at the headwaters of Wildboy Creek in Skamania County, WA. After years of 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 ft. tall by 425 ft. 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 Chairwoman Kinswa-Gaiser. “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 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.”
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.
