Experimental field study conducted on the Elwha River to test foodweb effects of adding coho salmon carcasses to side channels of the lower and middle river. Study was initiated in the summer of 2007, carcasses placed in January of 2008, and field data collected until August 2008. Our research approach is unique in that we will compare the effects of carcass placement in locations with and without current anadromy, and do so in the context of monitoring a major dam removal effort. By helping to develop a more mechanistic understanding of how marine nutrients affect freshwater productivity, this study directly tackles questions central to the NWFSC Salmon Research Plan and is of great interest to the larger scientific community.

Salmonids, benthic invertebrates, periphyton, stable isotopes, growth, composition