The Eklutna River (/iːˈkluːtnə/[1]) is approximately 11.8 miles (19.0 km) long and is located in the Southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska.

A portion of the river flows through a canyon up to 400 feet (120 m) deep, emptying into the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet approximately 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Anchorage.

[2] Thunderbird Creek, which enters the south bank about 1 km (0.62 mi) upstream from where the river exits the canyon and forms an alluvial fan.

Military expansion in Anchorage during the 1940s stressed the capacity of the Eklutna power generation system and it was upgraded several times.

The dam, as modified, is an earth- and rock-filled structure, 555 feet (169 m) long and contains approximately 5,000 cubic yards (3,800 m3) of material.

No longer operational, this dam gradually backfilled upstream for 0.6 miles (0.97 km) with 230,000 cubic yards (180,000 m3) of sediment.

This agreement "commits the Purchasers to fund studies to determine impacts and propose measures for protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife affected by the projects", with the goal of informing the Governor of Alaska on their designation of a Fish and Wildlife Program for the Eklutna Project.

It was later determined that the dam blocked existing sockeye from the accessing their spawning grounds within the greater Eklutna watershed.

[10] Presently, five species of salmon return to the Lower Eklutna River and spawn primarily in its main tributary, Thunderbird Creek [cite].