Tribe nears return to 1,100 acres along restored Elwha River

The Lower Elwha Klallam tribe of Washington state is close to regaining 1,100 acres of ancestral land along the Elwha River.

For 171 years, the tribe has been separated from this territory, which was flooded for over a century after the construction of a dam. A federal bill, passed by Congress, now awaits a signature from the executive branch to transfer the land back to the tribe.

The land is located between two highway bridges on the Elwha River and borders Olympia National Park. National Parks Service staff have already collaborated with the Lower Klallam tribe on fieldwork related to the transfer. Returning the land would partially reverse the Point No Point Treaty of 1855, in which the tribe ceded most of its territory in exchange for services and continued hunting and fishing rights, an agreement that did not account for the dam’s impact.

This acreage holds cultural and ecological significance for the Klallam people. It includes sacred sites like historic villages and a place believed to be where the tribe originated, as well as habitat for diverse wildlife including salmon, kingfishers, and mountain lions. The Elwha Dam, built in 1910, blocked salmon from reaching their spawning grounds and disrupted the tribe’s traditional way of life.

Tribal members have enjoyed fishing rights on the river for the past four years, and they anticipate salmon will reclaim their territory as the land recovers, similar to the Klamath River restoration.