FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
July 24, 2007 Mark Fryburg, PGE, 503-464-8481
Oregon’s largest dam removal starts July 24
Marmot Dam demolition to be major step in Sandy Basin restoration
Sandy, Ore. — A blast of explosives will crack the concrete face of Marmot Dam today, beginning its demolition and ushering in a new era for Oregon’s Sandy River Basin. The removal will improve salmon and wildlife habitat and public recreation.
The Marmot Dam demolition on the Sandy River will be the largest dam removal in the Pacific Northwest in 40 years and the largest ever in Oregon. It will be the first phase in Portland General Electric’s (PGE) $17 million Bull Run Hydroelectric Project “decommissioning” plan, developed in consensus with 23 diverse organizations. [Editors please note: Please see the attached list for participant quotes.] The plan also provides for the removal of PGE’s Little Sandy Dam, on its namesake river next summer, followed by the removal of most other project components. The plan has been approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
“This partnership is taking a great step toward restoring a breathtaking river for fish, wildlife and people,” said PGE CEO and President Peggy Fowler. “We celebrate the future of a watershed that will provide unimpeded salmon and steelhead passage from the slopes of Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean.”
The Sandy is home to winter steelhead, spring Chinook and coho salmon, all listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The State of Oregon lists coho as an endangered species.
Following the detonation, pneumatic hammers will chip apart the concrete structure. Demolition of the Marmot Dam should take about two months. The concrete chunks will be recycled for road surfacing.
During that work, the river bypasses Marmot Dam, diverted by earthen coffer dams. The coffer dams will be washed away in late autumn by natural stream flows. Located about 40 miles east of Portland, the structure was built in 1913 to power a trolley that carried city dwellers out to the countryside and was rebuilt in 1989 after a flood. At 22 megawatts, Bull Run is one of PGE’s smallest generating facilities, and its power has already been replaced with environmentally friendly wind power and other sources.
For more information, photos, video, and updates, visit www.marmotdam.com. PGE, headquartered in Portland, also will donate 1,500 acres of its Sandy River Basin land to the Western Rivers Conservancy, which will convey most of the property to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for permanent protection. The land will form the foundation of a planned 9,000-acre conservation and recreation area. The Sandy will remain one of the top Chinook salmon and steelhead fishing destinations in Oregon, while Marmot Dam removal will enhance whitewater rafting and kayaking on the river. PGE is surrendering its rights to the water “in stream,” meaning no one can remove that amount of water in the future.
PGE announced that it would remove the Bull Run Hydroelectric Project in 1999 after the company determined that demolition would be more economical for its customers than maintaining the facility and upgrading it to modern fish protection standards. PGE remains committed to hydropower and is in the process of upgrading fish protection at its remaining hydro projects.
Next summer’s demolition of the 16-foot-high Little Sandy Dam will allow fish passage at that location for the first time in almost a century. The structure currently diverts almost all of the water out of the lower Little Sandy River for power production. More than 10 miles of habitat will be restored when the natural flows are restored to the Little Sandy River.
PGE and the 22 other organizations that co-authored the decommissioning plan with the utility include environmental groups, state and federal natural resource agencies, local governments and businesses. They committed to a collaborative agreement, rejecting the expensive and exhaustive adversarial proceedings that characterize many major environmental decisions.
About Portland General Electric Company
Portland General Electric, headquartered in Portland, Ore., is a fully integrated electric utility that serves more than 796,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Oregon. Visit our Web site at www.PortlandGeneral.com.
POR-F
Source: Portland General Electric Company
Bull Run Hydroelectric Project Decommissioning
A few words from some of the organizations that helped develop the plan…
Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe
“Free-flowing rivers are great for so many reasons,” said Dave Slover, owner of Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe. “For kayakers, the removal of Marmot Dam means additional water in the river through spring and summer. With the eventual removal of the Roslyn Lake diversion, we will now get boatable flows through the incredible Sandy Gorge into August. Just like fish, kayakers love fresh, cool water in their rivers.”
American Rivers
“This river renaissance on the Sandy is cause for great celebration and will be an inspiration for communities in the Northwest and across the country,” said Rob Masonis, American Rivers’ Northwest regional director. “The undammed Sandy River, flowing freely from Mt Hood to the Columbia, will be good for local business, clean water, and fish and wildlife. The Sandy will show us that when a river is healthy, we all thrive.”
American Whitewater
“What’s good for fish is good for paddlers,” said Thomas O’Keefe, PhD Pacific Northwest Stewardship Director American Whitewater. “Removal of Marmot Dam will restore flows to the Sandy Gorge, one of the region’s most scenic whitewater runs. Paddlers will be able to enjoy a longer season with more dependable flows.”
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
“The removal of Marmot Dam, which is located on BLM land, is a big step toward restoring the Sandy River to its original free-flowing state,” said Ed Shepard, Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington state director. “PGE has demonstrated once again the strength of its commitment to conservation of this national treasure that is the Sandy River. The Bureau of Land Management will continue working with PGE, its partners and the public to develop a management plan for BLM’s Sandy River Basin lands. We hope to have the plan completed by fall 2008.”
City of Sandy Mayor Linda Malone
“We are proud to be a part of the process of bringing the Sandy River back to its natural state from the headwaters all the way to the Columbia,” said City of Sandy Mayor Linda Malone. “We hope that it achieves the goal of improving the long-term viability of our native salmon and steelhead species.”
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
“The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is pleased with the approach for removing the project,” said Andy Schaedel, DEQ’s Northwest region water quality program manager. “In addition to the improvements in aquatic habitat, PGE will meet its requirement to lower water temperatures in the Sandy River with dam removal. The company’s donation of project lands will allow continued protection for both habitat and water quality in the river.”
Mt. Hood National Forest
“The removal of Marmot Dam is the culmination of years of successful work and negotiations between staff of the Mt. Hood National Forest, PGE and other partners to the agreement,” said Gary Larsen, Mt. Hood National Forest supervisor. “It gives me great personal and professional satisfaction to know that improved fish access will soon be restored to more than 100 miles of salmon and steelhead habitat in the Mt. Hood National Forest.”
Native Fish Society
“Dams have impacts on salmon so removal of the Marmot Dam will be good for the Sandy River. Restoring natural river flows below the dam and the re-distribution of the river gravels currently stored behind the dam will be good for the ESA-listed salmon and steelhead,” said Bill Bakke, director of the Native Fish Society. “With the removal of this dam, there is a an exciting opportunity for folks to work together with the federal and state fish agencies to enhance the native fish populations of the Sandy River Basin to ensure that this historic event will truly benefit wild fish.”
Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association
“Outdoor recreation is the second paycheck for all Oregonians, and that paycheck just received a fat bonus with this gift from PGE,” said Brooks G. Eilertson, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association board member and general merchandising manager at Joe’s Sports and Outdoor. “This dam removal will enhance both our Northwest lifestyle and the industries that support recreation.”
NW Steelheaders
“Steelhead and salmon need free-flowing rivers to survive,” said Mike Myrick, member of the NW Steelheaders Sandy Chapter. “Removal of Marmot Dam is a historic moment in salmon recovery taking place in the backyard of metropolitan Portland.”
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
“In addition to maintaining some of Oregon’s best steelhead, chinook and coho fishing, the removal of Marmot Dam on the Sandy will provide unimpeded access for spawning and play an important role in the recovery of these fish,” said Todd Alsbury, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s district fish biologist. “Since water will no longer be diverted away from a portion of the mainstem Sandy River, more rearing habitat will also be available for fish and other aquatic species. This especially becomes important during low summer flows.”
Oregon Department of State Lands
“As the state agency that regulates work in Oregon’s public waters, the Department of State Lands’ role was to issue a permit for the in-water work for the dam removal,” said Louise Solliday, Oregon Department of State Lands director. “Our involvement in projects along the Sandy River spans many years, and we’re pleased to be part of this historic event to restore this portion of the river to its natural flow.”
Oregon Trout
“This is a big deal,” said Joe S. Whitworth, Oregon Trout’s executive director. “Where the last century was about plumbing and controlling streams, this century will be about returning them to healthy form and function. As one of the first and largest dam removals in the West, this is a ‘do-not-miss’ stream restoration opportunity in Portland’s backyard that stands to benefit Oregonians of all stripes. Pulling Marmot Dam represents a huge step toward a future that can include native fish recovery, healthy waters, restoration-based local jobs and increased recreational opportunities.”
Oregon Water Resources Department
“Oregon Water Resources Department appreciates all the individuals, and the organizations they represent, that cooperated these many years to make this day possible,” said R. Craig Kohanek, hydroelectric project analyst for the Oregon Water Resources Department. “This demolition represents a new chapter in the life of the Sandy River, and is literally and figuratively a watershed event.”
Sandy River Basin Watershed Council
“With Marmot Dam coming out and the conservation corridor well under way, the role of the watershed council becomes even more important,” said George Hoyt, vice chair of the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council. “We’ll continue our work with interested private landowners to do projects that meet their needs, while also improving water quality and habitat for endangered salmon."
Trout Unlimited
“Obviously we’re excited about the opportunities for wild fish in the Sandy River created by removing these dams,” said Trout Unlimited’s Oregon Council chair Tom Wolf. “But what’s also exciting is the quality of the habitat within the watershed that’s coming along with it. Oregonians and visitors will be able to cherish the Sandy Basin as a watershed more intact than we’ve known for a generation.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
“The removal of Marmot Dam is a laudable event that will restore significant natural resource values in Portland’s backyard, a place where human needs and conservation opportunities balance in a way that makes us the envy of other cities,” said Ren Lohoefener, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pacific Region. “We thank PGE and all the other partners for making this significant contribution to conservation happen.”
WaterWatch of Oregon
“This is an exciting day for the Sandy River,” said John DeVoe, WaterWatch of Oregon executive director. “The removal of Marmot dam and the dedication of the project’s water rights in stream will provide unimpeded passage for fish and will forever protect stream flows in the river. People who care about the Sandy River’s important fisheries, abundant wildlife and unparalleled recreational opportunities should cheer.”
Western Rivers Conservancy
“This is a great day for the Sandy River and for all of the people of this region,” said Sue Doroff, Western Rivers Conservancy vice president. “Making the Sandy River free flowing, combined with our work to acquire and protect riverside lands, will keep the Sandy healthy and wild for all time.”
For the full list of partner organizations, see www.marmotdam.com, or the official “Fact Sheet.”
Contact: Mark Fryburg, PGE, 503-464-8481
Marmot Dam Demolition
FACT SHEET
Portland General Electric (PGE) begins demolition of Marmot Dam on the Sandy River on July 24, 2007. It will be the largest dam removal in Oregon to date, and the largest in the Pacific Northwest in 40 years. Removing the Marmot Dam, and the Little Sandy Dam next summer, will make the Sandy and Little Sandy free-flowing rivers from glacier to gorge and onward to the Pacific Ocean. The removal of the entire Bull Run Hydroelectric Project will provide multiple benefits to fish, wildlife and public recreation. PGE's contractor is using a series of explosive charges to soften the dam’s concrete, followed by conventional demolition. The dam will be removed in sections, working from the top downward.
Demolition Facts
• Explosives, first blast: About 650 pounds of ammonium nitrate.
• 68 holes will be drilled in the concrete dam to place explosives, drilled vertically into the top of the dam and its upriver face.
• Explosive charges will detonate 25 milliseconds apart.
• The blast will crack and expand the concrete, loosening it for demolition.
• Detonation could raise the dam’s face by four feet. It should then settle to one-foot higher than before.
• A “blast blanket” will be placed over the charge for safety.
• Due to the “1,000 foot clear zone” rule, visitors will hear more of the blast than they'll see. Remote news cameras will provide the “close up” view.
• The remainder of the dam will be removed using heavy equipment. Eventually, pneumatic hammers connected to front-end loaders will chip away the concrete.
• The concrete will be chipped to rubble and used on PGE roads.
• Marmot Dam demolition should finish near end of September 2007.
Fast facts:
• Marmot Dam is 47 feet high and 345 feet long, along entire top of “L” shape. It’s 55 feet thick at base, front to back.
• Location: about 40 miles east of Portland, Ore.
• Construction completed 1913
• Power capacity of entire Bull Run project: 22 megawatts (could supply about 10,500 homes)
• About 100 stream miles of habitat opened to unimpeded fish migration above Marmot Dam
• Fish species benefiting: winter steelhead, spring Chinook salmon and coho salmon, all listed as threatened under federal law. The State of Oregon lists coho as an endangered species.
• Cost of decommissioning entire Bull Run project: $17 million (estimated)
Project Background
In 2002, PGE formed a decommissioning work group, a diverse collaboration of 23 environmental organizations, state and federal natural resource agencies, local governments and businesses. They created a consensus agreement that minimizes the environmental impact of project removal, satisfies Endangered Species Act requirements, provides for the release of sediments stored above the project’s dams, restores the site to a condition suitable for mixed use and donates the PGE lands in the Sandy River Basin for environmental protection and public access.
Contractors
Demolition general contractor: Natt McDougall Co., Tualatin, Ore.
Blasting contractor: Superior Blasting, Inc., Nampa, Idaho
Agreement signatories
Portland General Electric NW Steelheaders
Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association State of Oregon
U.S. Forest Service City of Sandy, Oregon
National Marine Fisheries Service Alder Creek Kayak Supply, Inc.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service American Whitewater
U.S. Bureau of Land Management WaterWatch of Oregon
Oregon Dept. of Environmental Quality American Rivers
Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Oregon Trout
Oregon Water Resources Dept. Native Fish Society
Oregon Department of State Lands Trout Unlimited
Western Rivers Conservancy Oregon Council of Trout Unlimited
Sandy River Basin Watershed Council
For additional information please visit www.marmotdam.com or contact Mark Fryburg, PGE,
503-464-8481,
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Marmot Dam Demolition Event Agenda
Welcome! For your safety, no guests may go outside the assembly area without an escort before the blasting. There is a 1,000 foot blast clear zone around the dam.
At today’s event a small explosive charge will soften the concrete of Marmot Dam on its upstream face. Shortly thereafter, guests will be able to walk the 1,000 feet to the dam to watch demolition equipment at work. Please notify a PGE employee wearing a blue volunteer hat and orange vest if you need transportation to the dam or have other needs.
The 23 diverse organizations that created the Bull Run Hydroelectric Project “decommissioning” plan thank you for attending. We hope you’ll ask the representatives of those groups about the process, their roles and the outcomes for the Sandy River Basin.
11:00 Event officially opens
• Viewing of displays in Assembly Area.
• Limited escorted trips to see dam, pre-blast. (Join at garage near assembly area.)
11:40 Clear Zone evacuation. Final escorted trip to dam returns to Assembly Area.
11:45 Fifteen minute blast warning horn
11:55 All guests seated in Assembly Area (overflow standing nearby)
11:58 Remarks and countdown on behalf of all organizations that created the dam removal plan: PGE CEO and President Peggy Fowler.
12:03 Blasting (See enclosed Fact Sheet.)
“All clear” horn sounds: Guests may walk to dam for viewing
• Limit 30 persons on arched bridge
1:00 Event ends
|
