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This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Has a major Washington state dam removal project delivered the expected benefits?

By Claire Zimmerman
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NO

Anticipated benefits from a $325 million project to remove two dams on the Elwha River on Washington's Olympic Peninsula have yet to materialize. The project, the largest such effort in the U.S. to date, was completed in 2014.

The dam removals released sediments that caused a general habitat degradation. With harsh environmental changes, fish and insect populations are less diverse than expected. Chinook salmon and steelhead populations have not returned in the levels forecast. Benefits from increased recreation and tourism in the area has yet to materialize.

The original analysis of the project in 1995 understated or missed some significant factors. "Contingent benefits"--projected values from landscape preservation and other non-economic factors--remain the major justification for what was a politically popular project, a 2019 review concluded.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
University of Missouri--St. Louis: Retrospective benefit-cost analysis on Elwha river dam removal
Evergreen State College: Original economic analysis of Elwha River Restoration Project (1995)
Research Gate: Elwha river dam removal sediment load
Research Gate: River landscape responses to dam removal
Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission: Elwha river restoration update
National Geographic: World's largest dam removal unleashes river
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Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.