News Release
| Release Number: | 04-213 |
| Dated: | 11/24/2004 |
| Contact: | Diana J. Fredlund, 503-808-4510 |
PORTLAND, Ore.-The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating a permit application from PacifiCorp to remove the Condit Dam located on the White Salmon River in White Salmon, Wash.
The purpose of the project is to provide fish passage to the White Salmon River and tributaries above the Condit Dam, restoring about 19 miles of river habitat for spawning steelhead and salmon, and to restore connectivity to the lower White Salmon River for bull trout.
The project would involve excavating a 12-foot by 18-foot tunnel into the downstream face of the dam. The dam would be breached by removing the remaining concrete within the tunnels with explosives. The remaining dam structure, 29,000 cubic yards (cy) of concrete and 2,500 cy of steel reinforced concrete, would also be removed in sections. The project also involves removing a portion of the powerhouse tailrace retaining wall, filling the tailrace with about 2,000 cy of rock, and removal of the upstream cofferdams. The bridge at the upstream portion of the existing lake would be reinforced to withstand riverine conditions.
The dam breach is expected to discharge 1.6 million to 2.2 million (cy) of sediment, woody debris and 240 cy of concrete. The sediment mostly would consist of sand, clay and gravel. All sediments are expected to erode during the first five years due to erosion and runoff. About 3.8 acres of wetlands associated with the lake behind Condit Dam are expected to be impacted.
As part of its permit evaluation process, the Corps is requesting public review and comment on the proposed project prior to making its permit decision.
For a copy of the Corps' Public Notice 2004-00523, which describes the proposed project in detail, please write to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CENWP-OP-GP (Kathryn Harris), P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208-2946 or call (503) 808-4387. A copy of the public notice, including photocopies of supporting drawings, is posted on the Corps' Internet site at https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/g/notices/200400523.pdf.
Written comments must reach the Corps by Dec. 8, 2004, and should be mailed to the above address. Send e-mail comments to Kathryn.L.Harris@usace.army.mil. Comments must reference the public notice number.
The Corps also is soliciting input from federal, state and local agencies and officials, Indian Tribes, and other interested parties in order to consider and evaluate the impacts of this proposed activity on endangered species, cultural resources, water quality, general environmental effects, and other public interest factors.
The Corps will evaluate the permit request under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, for work in or affecting navigable waters of the United States.
A permit will not be issued until Water Quality Certification has been issued. The Washington State Department of Ecology is currently reviewing the application for compliance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
Also, because the proposed project may affect an endangered or threatened species or its critical habitat, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has initiated consultation with NOAA Fisheries under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for effects to steelhead, chinook, coho, and chum salmon. The biological opinions issued will be conditions of the permit authorization.
The proposed project has been reviewed for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservations Act.