Ela Dam

The project will restore 549 miles of watershed, protect the habitats of endangered aquatic species, and help the Cherokees reconnect to the river which flows through their lands, called the Qualla Boundary.

For nearly a century, the Ela Dam in the North Carolina mountains has provided electricity but also altered wildlife habitats and disconnected the community. Land conservation and environmental groups have joined the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in an ambitious plan to remove the aging dam. But that hinges on getting millions of dollars in federal funding.