CLALLAM BAY — Residents can open the mouth of the sand-gorged Clallam River — as long as shoreline habitat is not damaged, a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife official said.

“The department’s stance is if someone wants to open the river mouth, we will give them a permit to open the river mouth,” said Stephen Kalinowsky, Fish and Wildlife regional habitat program manager.

A process involving an environmental review, must be followed, he said.

With a breach in the river at Clallam Spit and shoreline damage that has closed Clallam Bay Community Park to public access, residents say that opening the Clallam River’s mouth is the only answer.

Don Baker, community spokesman on the river and park issues, said digging out a channel at the river’s mouth at Clallam Bay will lessen pressure on the river upstream.

It will also allow for migratory fish passage, he said.

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