Ancient “Eklutna is an old, old village. Nobody knows when they first moved there. Dena’ina people came down the Matanuska River when they returned to Cook Inlet after the ice age.” (Billy Pete/ James Fall 1978/79) (There are also theories that Dena’ina came from the west through the mountains.)

1922 A preliminary permit application with the Federal Power Commission (FPC) and posted a notice on the land near Eklutna River claims 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water flowing in the stream. 

1923 The FPC grants Anchorage Light and Power Company (AL&P) a preliminary permit for two years.

1929 Lower Eklutna dam is completed, blocking salmon migration.

1945  AL&P is purchased by the City of Anchorage for $1,000,000.

1950 The new Eklutna Power Project is authorized on July 31, 1950, by Public Law 628, 81st Congress, 2nd Session, H.R. 940.  (AC, NVE)

1955 The new Eklutna power plant (with a 4.5 mile-long tunnel under Twin Peaks for water from Eklutna Lake) goes on line on July 1, 1955, blocking all water flowing out of Eklutna Lake.

1964  Upper Eklutna dam is destroyed by the historic 1964 earthquake and rebuilt in 1966.

1991 Eklutna Hydroelectric Project is purchased by Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, and the Municipality of Anchorage with the Snettisham Hydro Project agreement, postponing mitigation steps to 25 years, 30 years, 35 years.

1997 Eklutna Hydroelectric Project sells for nearly $6 million and is transferred on Oct. 2, 1997, to the electric utilities.

1998 “Snettisham [is] sold for nearly $82 million.”

2002 Eklutna River Watershed Council is created by Native Village of Eklutna Tribal Government inviting stakeholders to participate.

2018 Lower dam is fully removed, opening access to 22 miles of upstream spawning and rearing habitat for salmon for the first time in 89 years. Learn more about the dam removal.

2019 Mitigation planning for the Eklutna Hydropower Project, as required in the 1991 purchase agreement, begins.

2021 The first year of field studies occurs, featuring a 3 week release of water from the diversion dam of Eklutna Lake. Learn more here.

2022 Field studies to inform mitigation of the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project conclude. Eklutna River Restoration Coalition members and 100+ supporters host a relay to transport salmon from Native Village of Eklutna to Eklutna Lake by walking, running & biking to demonstrate that Eklutna River salmon need water & fish passage. Watch the video here.

2023 After years of field studies, the utilities release their Draft Fish and Wildlife Plan in October. Despite the many fish experts in the Technical Working Group calling for fish passage to the lake and adequate flow following a natural hydrograph down the length of the river, the Draft Plan does not meet those goals. Instead, the utilities propose to use an existing pipe from Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) to take water from the lake and release it a mile downstream. The Draft Plan would leave a mile of the river dry, release only a trickle of water down the remaining river, and not allow fish migration into the lake. 

2024 In January, the utilities host a series of public meetings to tell the public about the Draft Plan. The public is invited to comment on the Draft Plan through February 19. 874 Alaskans commented on the Draft Plan, with four out of five asking for adequate flows through the entire river and fish passage to the lake. Afterward the comment period, negotiations begin between the six parties to the 1991 agreement and Native Village of Eklutna. The final plan will likely be sent to the governor for approval at the end of April.