Human remains — possibly Native American — were discovered near the Elwha Dam on the Elwha River west of Port Angeles by an archeological survey team Thursday afternoon.
The age of the partial skeleton remains unknown, but the survey team, working for the National Park Service, determined that the remains likely predate European contact, said Barb Maynes, Olympic National Park spokeswoman.
The Lower Elwha Klallam tribe has been contacted, and neither the tribe nor the park service expects the discovery to delay the removal of the two Elwha River dams — the Elwha Dam and Glines Canyon Dam, which is in Olympic National Park. The dam removal is expected to begin in 2011.
The Elwha Dam and former power plant is located near state Highway 112, but the exact location of the remains is not being revealed.
And what will be done with the remains has not been determined.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
