OKANOGAN – The restoration of the Elwha River is the subject of the documentary film, “Return of the River” which will be shown at the Okanogan County PUD Auditorium on Friday, July 19 at 7 p.m.

This 71 minute film details the many steps taken leading to the restoration of the Elwha River on the Olympic Peninsula. Over 70,000 rivers have been dammed across the United States since 1900. Many of those dams have outlived their usefulness, represent large liabilities for their owners and should be removed to restore the river ecosystems that have been seriously harmed by these obsolete dams, says the Columbiana, which is presenting the film. “Return of

the River” is an example of what can be done when a community comes together to meet the challenges and individual issues each dam presents. Restoring these rivers can insure the recovery of threatened salmon, steelhead and other fish species within the Pacific Northwest’s rivers. Following the showing of the film will be a discussion of the Similkameen River that has been blocked by the Enloe Dam since 1920, with no power production since 1958. The Similkameen has a tremendous potential for the recovery of threatened species including Upper Columbia River steelhead, bull trout and Pacific lamprey. Proponents of removal of the dam say his could be accomplished at little or no cost to the public or the PUD OF Okanogan County.

For more information contact Columbiana at 509-476-4072 or 509-485-3844.