Dams and Ships and Things

Ooooh, look. They found something entertaining to do at Elwha Dam that is outside the riverbed and not causing silt during this 'fish window'. Since the middle of last month they have taken out the old powerhouse buildings. (I had other things on my mind and missed it entirely.) And now: thank you, Peninsula Daily News, for a film of the old powerhouse tower at Elwha Dam coming down this morning. It looks like they've put a telescope there at the viewpoint, too. Yum. It's still pretty boring on the upper dam webcam, because nothing visible is happening. I can't wait until they start lowering the dam face again, presumably in January when the 'fish window' closes.

That Was Then. From the webcam's slideshow, Nov. 16 is when they started on the powerhouse buildings. (Click for larger image.)This Is Now. Today the tower came down, boom. (Click for larger image.)

Thanks to the local paper also for harbor columnist David Sellars. On Sunday he gave an update on the log trade. Three log ships are due to load this month, 'despite a softening demand for logs within the Asian market during the past few months' as Mr. Sellars describes. The first of the three, IVS Kwaito, just came in off the Strait this morning. There will be photos.

And lastly, my friend IJ found this story about the reintroduction of fishers to an area in the Sierra Nevada in California. The story mentions that they have been reintroduced also near Crater Lake (Oregon) and here in Olympic National Park. Ours certainly didn't need to be encouraged to leave their cages. I don't think I've seen stories about them for a couple of years. I hope the reintroduction took.