Savage Rapids Dam Removal

The Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River just upstream from Grants Pass is a small, old irrigation dam that is slated for removal. The schedule for this removal may be slipping. The following is from an Oct 28 editorial in the Grants Pass Daily Courier entitled "Feds Have Left GPID Treading Water Over Dam." Dead tree-only, as always.

The days seem to rush by like the Rogue River pouring over the Savage Rapids Dam. Meanwhile, money for removal of the dam, demanded by state and federal agencies, trickles in like water from a slow leak in one of the Grants Pass Irrigation District's (GPID) canals.

The difference in flows has put GPID and its patrons in a serious pinch, because they've agreed to quit using the dam in 2006, but have only $4 million of the estimated $16 million to $19 million it will cost to remove the impoundment and replace it with electric pumps.

Already, project managers say the earliest they could begin construction on the pumps is the summer of 2006.

It's clear the federal government needs to come up with the needed millions quickly, extend the deadline or leave GPID in peace. State and federal fish agencies, the Oregon Water Resources Commission and other regulators have given GPID little peace the past decade, threatening fines and loss of water rights if the 83-year-old dam isn't taken out to improve fish passage.

GPID has done its part, with patrons voting in 2000 to take out the dam, and the board signing a consent agreement with agencies and environmentalists in 2001 to do just that, provided the federal government pays the bulk of the cost.

Between environmental studies, design costs, etc., construction and demolition projects take quite a bit of time and money before a contract can be put out for bid. Providing sufficient funding in a timely manner is not something at which our government tends to excel...been there too many times as a military engineer.

So far, the federal governmnet's performance hasn't instilled much confidence that GPID will receive the money in a timely manner. While the Oregon Water Enhancement Board has provided $3 million for the work, Congress has managed to come up with only $750,000, that for preliminary planning. Even the $2 million for the project in the current proposed federal budget, which was to go into effect Oct. 1, hasn't been released yet, as lawmakers are still fighting over the spending plan.

The trickle of funding may be the result of the federal government biting off more than it can chew when it comes to dam removal nationwide.

The Associated Press reported this week that 145 aging dams have been torn down in the last five years for fish passage, safety and other reasons. And dam removal projects much more expensive than Savage Rapids Dam's are expecting federal funding. Among them are the Matilija Dam in Southern California, with a price tag of $130 million, and the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams in Washington state, with an estimate of $182 million.

The GPID project may be a minnow in comparison to these whales, but it still isn't fair for the federal government to leave patrons in a time bind it created. The feds should allocate the money in 2005, extend the deadline or, if they've decided not to pay for improved fish passage, let GPID off their hook.

Whenever the federal government battles over budgets and ends up with continuing resolutions, as has happened again this year, the funding that keeps the government running can't be used for new initiatives. Thus, funding to start designs, award new construction projects, etc. is not available. Let's hope the government doesn't penalize the users for this delay. But knowing the government, it will probably take input from our Congressional delegation to ensure that doesn't happen.

What we don't want to have happen is for the farmers who are dependent upon the dam to have their water supply cutoff before their new pumping system is ready. This situation is supposed to be win-win...the salmon get an impediment removed from their migration run and the farmers continue to get their irrigation water (oh, and the rafters get more river to raft freely).

Since Savage Rapids isn't a flood control dam, residents downstream don't have to fear tremendously destructive floods the way they would if environmental radicals had their way with the Applegate and Lost Creek Dams. But if farmers, orchards, etc. have to endure a typical hot, dry summer here without irrigation water, the financial damage will be significant and unnecessary.

Once the election is over (hopefully this Tuesday night), time for our government officials to get back to doing their jobs and fix the funding and/or deadlines for the Savage Rapids Dam removal.

Comments

[pat hayes]

Hi Folks...

Greetings from the really conservative part of JaCo.

Likely won't happen on anything more than a very relaxed timetable. One, the money just isn't there! The escalating costs of Iraq and the continuation of tax cuts are factors as is the hard R strategy [posited by Grover Norquist] of starving the federal govt. for funds. Oregon won't be high on the list. Two, the four hurricanes in Florida pushed a lotta sand around. The Corps of Engineers is already asking for multi-billions to start re-engineering the pristine beach playgrounds. Florida, even with a Kerry win, trumps Oregon.

[GA - Keith]

I lived on Fruitdale Drive in Grants Pass, not all that far from Savage Rapids Dam, and -- as a kid -- a beneficiary of the area's irrigation canals. My sister and I especially, would grab a couple of inner tubes and slowly float down the canal near our home for an hour or two picking blackberries along the way.

Now, I don't know that we were supposed to be using the canals like that, or if it was even healthy, but it sure always brings back good memories.

[RoguePundit]

Keith, I've driven past those canals on hot summer days and figured tubing them would be great fun. Now I know for sure.

[della randleman katon]

My younger bother and I used to play in the canals up Wards Creek, only by the time they got to us they were ditches. When we needed more water we just waded up stream and shut the gates. That usually got our bottoms warmed a wee bit. We also slid down the flume from on the hill down to our pasture. That really got our bottoms warmed. Lots of fond memories. Then they buried the pipe and that was a bummer. Della