By Ron Brown & Associated Press
February 2, 2010
NEAR GRANTS PASS, Ore. - The deadline is nearing for Jackson County commissioners to give final approval on whether to remove Gold Ray Dam from the Rogue River.
Jackson County owns the 100-year-old dam, which was decommissioned as a hydropower facility in 1972 and given to Jackson County by Pacific Power for a proposed park facility. However, the county has never had the money to develop or maintain the site. Some want the dam removed to protect fish runs while others want it left alone to protect wetland areas.
$5 million in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association grant money through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, along with funds from the State Water Enhancement Board, are being held out to pay for removal if commissioners give the go-ahead. However, the county must use the NOAA grant by the end of October or lose the money. In September of last year, Stayton-based Slayden Construction signed a $5.5 million notice of intent with Jackson County to remove the dam. The tentative contract included all necessary environmental studies, permits, public involvement, demolition designs and the actual removal of the dam and its powerhouse structures.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife considers Gold Ray Dam one of the 10 worst dams for fish-passage in the state. The dam is last concrete impediment over 157 miles of the Rogue between Cole Rivers Hatchery and the Pacific.
Jackson County Public Works Director John Vial updated commissioners Tuesday morning about ongoing studies being done concerning possible removal.
"In the environmental assessment we've asked the consultant to study a dam rehabilitation alternative to see what it would cost to rehabilitate the dam. So the county's considering both. Are they leaning towards removal? They are, because of the cost and liability issues that the county's facing. But that's not a final decision yet, and it can be changed," Vial said.
Vial says he will be looking for a decision from the board by late March or early April on whether to move forward with removal.
