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The Elwha River: A wild ride through a decade of dam removal
A connected river is good for nature, period. And because we are a part of and depend on nature, it is good for humanity too.
John R. McMillan, Science Director, The Conservation Angler All photos provided by John McMillan “The river will never recover!” This is one of the responses I've seen in recent months from skeptics of the historic dam removal project currently underway on the Klamath River – the largest such project ever to date. This claim is…
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Rapid diversification in Salmon and Steelhead Populations Following Dam Removal
John McMillan returns with a guest column about the ongoing recovery of the Elwha River. It’s been eleven years since the Elwha Dam (the lower of the two dams on the Elwha, located at river-mile five) was removed. I still remember the day the heavy equipment started to roll, and the dam started to fall. …
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The Observer
The Observer Underwater Photography John McMillan is a scientist, angler and advocate for native and wild fish, particularly anadromous salmon and steelhead. He’s also an avid “fish watcher.” A diving mask is a window to a world that unlocks some of Nature’s greatest mysteries… where he feels a sense of harmony and being in the…
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Hatcheries can’t save Snake River salmon and steelhead
A chinook salmon headed upstream to spawn. John McMillan photo. Editor's note: This is the third in a series of posts that show why the four dams on the lower Snake River must come out to ensure a future for Snake River salmon and steelhead. In the mid-20th century heyday of large dam construction, when…
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Elwha River is ascendant six years after the last dam came out
The years 2012 and 2015 are important years for the Elwha River, and for salmon and steelhead on the West Coast. Those years are when the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams, respectively, were fully deconstructed on Washington’s Elwha — and salmon and steelhead were able to pass them for the first time in a century.…
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Lean season for Washington steelhead (and what anglers can do about it)
Editor's Note: John McMillan is the science director for Trout Unlimited's Wild Steelhead Initiative, and one of the preeminent steelhead scientists in North America. He is also an accomplished angler and, like his father before him, a dedicated coldwater conservationist. This post can also be found on the blog of Wild Steelheaders United. Although winter…
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Why is your lateral line different than mine?
Most of us working on behalf of wild steelhead love our jobs. Still, after a long week we are ready to hit the water — and share some more steelhead knowledge. This week we touch on a study conducted by Andrew Brown at the University of Washington, along with several co-authors. The paper can be…
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John McMillan
John McMillan is the science lead in the effort to restore salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest.