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West Coast Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Licensed Hydroelectric Projects: Other Columbia River Basin

Columbia River Basin; Lake Creek, White Salmon, Deschutes, Hood, Sandy, Crooked, Similkameen, Chelan, and Cowlitz Rivers, Skamania, Klickitat, Multnomah, Jefferson, Okanogan, Chelan, Clark, Hood River, and Lewis Counties, Washington.

West Coast

Table of Contents

Condit Hydroelectric Project Removal

Columbia River Basin; White Salmon River, Skamania & Klickitat Counties, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

The 125-foot tall Condit Dam was completed in 1913 at river mile 3.3 of the White Salmon River with a maximum power production rated at 14.7 megawatts. Condit Dam blocked access to spawning and rearing habitat for ESA-listed fish, halted the transport of spawning gravel, and severely reduced flow for nearly a mile in the lower river. The parties involved reached an agreement in 1999 to decommission and remove the dam.

A breach was created at the base of the dam on Oct. 26, 2011, and the reservoir drained. Dam removal was completed in September 2012. During the summer of 2012, steelhead were observed jumping at BZ Falls roughly nine stream miles above where Condit Dam was located and wild tule fall Chinook salmon redds were observed in the former reservoir reach in October 2012.

Licensee: PacifiCorp

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

PacifiCorp filed its Final Decommissioning Report with FERC on May 10, 2019. The filing documents that all decommissioning conditions required by FERC, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the State of Washington have been fulfilled. Accordingly, the license for the Condit Development is fully surrendered and PacifiCorp has no more responsibility for the Project.

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Cowlitz Falls Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Cowlitz River, Lewis County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

This dam is 140 feet high and spans about 700 feet across the Cowlitz River. It affects ESA-listed fish by inundating their habitat, stranding and entrapping them, elevating temperatures in Lake Scanewa, and other harmful actions. Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD) and the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) cooperatively developed the Cowlitz Falls Project. While the PUD is the owner of the Project, BPA has purchased the annual output of the Project under a long-term contract.

Licensee: Lewis County Public Utility District No. 1

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

NOAA Fisheries completed its biological opinion in 2006. Lewis County PUD, the BPA, state and federal agencies in cooperation with Tacoma Power, have constructed a downstream anadromous fish collection facility at the Cowlitz Falls Dam. The fish facility has permitted the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River basin. The upper Cowlitz and Cispus River basins were blocked from migrating salmon and steelhead by Tacoma Power’s construction of the Mossyrock and Mayfield Dams in the 1960s. This collection facility came online in 2016.

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Cowlitz River Hydroelectric Projects

Columbia River Basin; Cowlitz River, Lewis County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

This project blocked passage and degraded habitat for ESA-listed fish. Improvements include the establishment of or improvements to juvenile and adult passage, habitat restoration and instream flow.

Licensee: Tacoma Power

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

FERC granted a new 35-year license in 2003. NOAA Fisheries completed a biological opinion on March 23, 2004. FERC amended the new license on July 9, 2004, to incorporate conditions of the biological opinion. Since the new license, Tacoma Power has carried out a number of actions including a hatchery complex update, Fisheries Hatchery Management Plan development, improvement of Mayfield Dam’s downstream passage system, and tested various methods to increase juvenile fish collection at Cowlitz Falls. 

Tacoma Power, in cooperation with Lewis County PUD, the Bonneville Power Administration, plus state and federal agencies, constructed a downstream anadromous fish collection facility at the Cowlitz Falls Dam. The fish facility has permitted the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead in the upper Cowlitz River basin. The upper Cowlitz and Cispus River basins were blocked from migrating salmon and steelhead by Tacoma Power’s construction of the Mossyrock and Mayfield Dams in the 1960’s. This collection facility came on line in 2016.

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Enloe Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Similkameen River, Okanogan County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

Okanogan Public Utility District (PUD) would use the existing Enloe Dam to divert water into a newly constructed powerhouse on the left bank (looking downstream) of the Similkameen River. NOAA Fisheries did not require fish passage at this project because there was little evidence that anadromous fish occurred historically above the falls located downstream of Enloe Dam.

Licensee: Public Utility District No. 1 of Okanogan County

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

In November 2018, Okanogan County PUD Board of Commissioners determined that the cost of re-energizing Enloe Dam would not be in the best interest of the PUD or its customers and decided to halt further development. To date, no alternatives regarding the future status of the dam have been developed.

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Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Chelan River, Chelan County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

The Lake Chelan Hydroelectric Project affected stream flows in the Chelan River, and blocks fish passage to the upper Chelan River, which was possibly impassable before project construction.

Licensee: Chelan County Public Utility District

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

FERC issued a new 50-year license in November 2006. The new license provides flows in the Chelan River and improved hatchery augmentation for summer and fall Chinook in the lower Chelan River.

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Lewis River Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Lewis River, Clark, Cowlitz & Skamania Counties, Washington

Project Profile & Licensees

The three dams and four powerhouses (Merwin, Yale, Swift numbers 1 and 2 hydropower projects) that comprise the Lewis River Hydroelectric Complex block passage for ESA-listed fish.

Licensees: 

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

The parties reached a settlement agreement in 2004. The agreement calls for minimum streamflows, habitat improvements, and opening up more than 170 miles of river habitat that is now blocked to migrating fish, plus numerous protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures for fisheries and other resources. NOAA Fisheries complete a biological opinion on August 27, 2007. FERC issued a new 50-year license in 2008. Fish have been reintroduced above the upper dam (Swift #1) beginning with adult transport in 2012 and juvenile collection in 2013.  For this to happen, a Swift Reservoir Floating Surface Collector to collect downstream migrants and a c upstream passage system was constructed.

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Marmot Dam FERC Project Removal

Columbia River Basin; Sandy River, Multnomah County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

Prior to removal, Marmot and Little Sandy dams delayed and injured upstream migrating ESA-listed fish. The poorly functioning fish screens drew juveniles into the intake diversion, and low flows limited rearing, spawning, and fish passage.

Licensee: Portland General Electric

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

The parties agreed to a settlement in 2002. NOAA Fisheries completed a biological opinion in 2003 for Lower Columbia River (LCR) Chinook salmon and LCR coho salmon, and a second opinion in 2007, after listing of LCR coho salmon and designation of critical habitat for LCR Chinook salmon and LCR steelhead. PGE surrendered the license and removed Marmot Dam in October 2007, and Little Sandy Dam in 2008, improving access to about 90 miles of historical habitat to salmon species. Removal of the dams is contributing to the recovery of listed species by improving habitat conditions and restoring natural water flow.

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Opal Springs Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Crooked River, Jefferson County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

The Opal Springs Hydroelectric Project blocks passage for unlisted spring Chinook salmon and ESA-listed steelhead. The six-megawatt project is located in the Crooked River Gorge about one-half mile above Lake Billy Chinook. Most of the Crooked River flow is diverted through its powerhouse.

Licensee: Deschutes Valley Water District

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

FERC issued a license in 1982. The parties agreed to a settlement in 2011. It amends the project’s license for the construction of a fish ladder that will provide both reintroduced anadromous fish and resident fish access to habitat in the Crooked River and its tributaries. The fish ladder is targeted to be completed in the Fall of 2019.

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Packwood Lake Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Cowlitz River, Lake Creek, Lewis County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

This project affects streamflow for ESA-listed fish. The licensee built a screen to exclude fish from the main portion of the power plant’s return channel.

Licensee: Energy Northwest

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

On March 22, 2018, NOAA Fisheries issued a biological opinion that concluded that issuing a license for the project, was not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of upper Cowlitz River stocks of Chinook and coho salmon and steelhead. As part of its biological opinion, NOAA Fisheries included an incidental take statement with 9 reasonable and prudent measures to minimize take of these three species, along with 9 terms and conditions to implement the measures. The project license, which was issued October 11, 2018, included the reasonable and prudent measures and implementing terms and conditions.

On November 9, 2018, NOAA Fisheries revised the incidental take statement of its March 22, 2018 biological opinion to clarify some language and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of three of the reasonable and prudent measures. The licensee and NOAA Fisheries worked together to develop the Revised Incidental Take Statement. Energy Northwest’s, November 12, 2018 request to amend the license to incorporate the Revised Incidental Take Statement, filed by the National Marine Fisheries Services was approved.

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Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project

Columbia River Basin; Deschutes River, Jefferson County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensees

The Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project blocked access to nearly 200 miles of steelhead and Chinook habitat, inundated about 35 miles of river habitat, and affected water quality for anadromous fish in the lower river. This 465-megawatt project consists of three developments: Round Butte, Pelton, and the Re-regulating facilities. The licensees collect juvenile salmonids at Round Butte Dam and move them to a point downstream of the Reregulating Dam. They collect returning adults at a trap below the Reregulating Dam, and either release them above Round Butte Dam or hold them at the Round Butte Hatchery.

Licensees: 

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

The parties agreed to a settlement in 2004, NOAA Fisheries completed a biological opinion in 2005, and FERC issued a new federal license in 2005. These actions resulted in the reintroduction of spring Chinook salmon and ESA-listed steelhead into historic habitat above the project. The licensees are actively collecting, marking and releasing juvenile sockeye, steelhead and Chinook below the project, and are conducting studies and monitoring the reintroduction effort.

Resources

Powerdale Hydroelectric Project Removal

Columbia River Basin; Hood River, Hood River County, Washington

Project Profile & Licensee

The former Powerdale Hydroelectric Project affected ESA-listed fish by impeding passage, entraining juvenile fish into an intake diversion, reducing stream flow and increasing water temperature in a four-mile reach.

Licensee: PacifiCorp

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/ Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

Multiple parties agreed to a decommissioning settlement in 2003. NOAA Fisheries completed a biological opinion in 2005, FERC issued a license surrender order in 2005, and PacifiCorp removed the dam in 2010. The company granted the associated land to Hood River County, Columbia Land Trust, and the state of Oregon for conservation and public recreation use. Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) has started the administrative process to convert the project’s hydro water rights to instream water rights, and NOAA Fisheries has protested OWRD’s proposed final order to convert only a small portion of the hydro water right to an instream right.

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More Information 

Last updated by West Coast Regional Office on 05/11/2022