Hemlock Dam Removal Recommended
in Environmental Study
VANCOUVER, WA ––A newly released environmental
impact statement identifies removal of Hemlock Dam as the preferred alternative
for restoring steelhead fish runs in the Wind River drainage. Hemlock
Dam is located on Trout Creek, a tributary to the Wind River approximately
10 miles northwest of Carson Washington. The dam has been identified as
an impediment to the migration and survival of Lower Columbia River steelhead,
a fish that is listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
A final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), issued this week by the
Mount Adams Ranger District of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, recommends
removing the 70-year-old dam and dredging out a majority of the sediment
that has built up behind the dam over the past several decades. The “preferred
alternative” best meets the need to improve fish passage, water
quality and habitat conditions in lower Trout Creek.
A final decision on the project -- formally a “Record of Decision”
-- is expected in about 30 days. A public notice announcing the decision
will be issued at that time. The FEIS is the culmination of several years
of study, which included numerous public comments.
“This has been a thorough and detailed study of a complex situation,”
said Mount Adams District Ranger Nancy Ryke. “I understand the concerns
of those who do not wish to lose some recreation opportunities. However,
we are charged with finding answers for threatened species such as the
steelhead.”
The FEIS analyzed a total of four action alternatives. Two of the alternatives
would have kept the dam in place and invested in repairs or upgrades to
the existing structure. The other action alternative would have removed
the dam, but would have allowed the sediment behind the dam to erode downstream.
The preferred alternative proposes to remove the dam and to remove a majority
of the sediment from behind the dam to prevent that material from affecting
fish and water quality downstream of the project.
The dam was built in 1935 by the CCC to supply electricity for the Wind
River Ranger District. A fish ladder was added the next year. The dam
later was converted to provide irrigation water for the Wind River Nursery,
which closed in 1996. Currently the dam’s chief function is providing
a shallow reservoir for recreation.
Trout Creek is thought to have historically produced 20% of the steelhead
population in the Wind River. In 1998, the Lower Columbia River steelhead,
including the Trout Creek run, were listed as Threatened under the Endangered
Species Act. Currently the dam forms a bottleneck to both upstream and
downstream swimming fish, and is a barrier to downstream movement of sediment
and organic debris. During the summer months, the reservoir behind the
dam helps to elevate temperatures in Trout Creek to levels that can be
lethal to steelhead.
View the FEIS at: http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/04projects/hemlock-dam/index.shtml
or at local libraries.
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