Hurricane Ridge / NPS photo
On November 15, 2024, Olympic National Park released a Memorandum of Agreement outlining steps to address the environmental and cultural impacts of a water infrastructure project at Hurricane Ridge. You can view the document on the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/HRWRMOA.
Starting in spring 2025, the park will begin rehabilitating the water system in the Hurricane Ridge area. This project could affect two archaeological sites that are culturally significant to the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, and Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe.
The park has worked closely with these Tribes and the Washington State Historic Preservation Officer to develop mitigation measures. The Tribes have been invited to join the agreement as concurring parties to approve the proposed solutions.
Mitigation efforts in work like this typically includes the presence of an archaeologist on site to monitor any impacts to cultural resources. Due to the cultural significance of the sites that may be affected, it’s like there will also be Tribal monitors on site.
Discovery of significant artifacts disturbed by the project would likely halt the project while the resources are recovered. All standard practice for cultural resource mitigation.
Hurricane Ridge is, incidentally, open again after a fire destroyed the visitor center there in 2023.
The public is invited to review the agreement during the open comment period, running from Friday, November 15, to Saturday, November 30, 2024.