By KDRV Staff
 
April 8, 2009
 
NEAR GRANTS PASS, Ore. -- A dam known for decades as 'the fish killer' is now on the endangered species list.
 
The demolition of the Savage Rapids Dam is underway.
 
Water is draining from the reservoir behind the dam, in preparation for the first stage of removal. Contractors also began dumping loads of rock on the north bank of the river. The rock will create a coffer dam around the north end of the dam. It will keep fish from swimming over the dam for the next three weeks, but after that, salmon and steelhead will be able to swim freely past the site, as they did before the dam was built in 1921.
 
"It's exciting to get in here and finally get the last piece of work started in order to get the dam removed and get the river running through instead of over it," says Bureau of Reclamation Field Engineer Alan Scherzinger.
 
The dam was constructed to divert water for the Grants Pass Irrigation District. Now that water will be run through a pump system, making the dam obsolete.
 
Dam removal on the downstream side is expected to begin in early May.
 
The entire project should be complete by December.