Welcome! We’re Getting Bigger! We have changed our name to include more folks! We are Friends of Row River, (FORR)

Thank you for taking the time to examine the issues surrounding the proposed hydroelectric project at Dorena Dam.

Our concern is about the environment we live in, our kids, their kids and the communities within the Cottage Grove/Creswell area and all those downstream.

This is about quality of life, a way of life we need to protect and improve. It is about understanding the truth and getting the attention of our political leaders to protect our future.

UPDATES AND ISSUES:

8/22/12  As you can see from the previous entry, I have not updated our website in quite awhile!  My apologies.

On 8/20/12, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the Dorena Dam Hydroelectric project.  At least two news organizations came away with the idea that upstream fish passage was going to be included in this project.  I called the project’s contact person, Spencer Uminski  (208-360-4642), to verify that story and unfortunately upstream fish passage is not included in the final plans.  In our conversation, Mr. Uminski talked about how comments describing potential improvement in downstream passage could have caused some folks to make the conclusion of including upstream passage.  Again, there is no upstream fish passage planned for this project.

One positive result from ground breaking activity was being interviewed by KMTR Channel 16 news.  And unfortunately I was introduced as one who is ‘against’ the project.  I would have rather been identified as one who is against the fact that there is no upstream fish passage.  As you know, I am not against the project itself.   Oh well, this is not a perfect world….

You can probably find the video news clip by searching KMTR news for the title; “Turning water into power near Cottage Grove.”

more later.  john

11/9/11  Through legal consultation, Friends of Row River (FORR) have made a formal request for a public hearing regarding the 404 Dredge and Fill permit to be issued by the Corps of Engineers (USACE).  Once again, we have three main issues:  Fish Passage, Downstream water temperatures, and movement of mercury downstream.   We believe that all of these issues can be addressed in this proposed hydroelectric project.

     First some legal background:  Based upon legal history, individual State Governments can legally require stricter standards compared to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency’s standards when it comes to Water Quality Issues.  In a case where the state of Colorado wanted stricter water quality standards; it went all the way to the Supreme Court and won.  This ruling along with all the data from the individuals in our community and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, keeps us getting closer and closer to fish passage.

We will post the meeting time/location as soon as we are notified.  We encourage everyone to participate in these meetings because our ‘attendance’ is taken under consideration as to how important this issue is to our community.  FORR’s goal is to have state agencies to follow the steps in the law to determine the fate of fish passage at Dorena Dam.

10/16/11  FORR is now a non-profit organization and can offer any donation the status of a legal tax deduction.  Make your donations out to Another way Enterprises and mail it to P.O.Box 853, Cottage Grove, Or. 97424.  Place our name of ‘FORR’ in the memo or note line of the check and we will send you our tax ID number for your deduction on your taxes.  {We thank Bob and Peggy, Bill, & Cathy for their thoughtful contributions.  We appreciate your support.}

LEGAL EFFORTS AND UPDATES:

9/29/11  FORR files a petition in Lane County Circuit Court for review of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s decision regarding the 401 Certification of Construction Permit.

11/9/2010:  We filed a request in Circuit Court of Appeals for a judicial review of the decision made by the Oregon Water Resource Dept. for granting a water permit to Symbiotics (Utah company who plans to build the hydro facility).  Our concern is with the process of granting a water permit without following Oregon Laws and subsequent fish management plans.  It is from these fish management plans, fish passage will be determined.  They need to follow the law!  This court proceeding is still in process.  We expect a legal decision by late February or March of 2012.

What is the purpose of the construction permit?

CONSTRUCTION ISSUES:

The ODEQ’s 410 construction permit is supposed to ensure that all water quality standards are carefully followed during the construction phase of HEP.Yet Oregon Administrative Rules say that ODEQ must consider other parameters including “…existing and potential designated beneficial uses of surface water or groundwater that might be affected by the activity…”(OAR 340-048-0042(2)(b). The potential beneficial use ignored by ODEQ is the re-establishment of native salmon in the Row River.

We believe that Symbiotics, the HEP owner/builder, has recently changed the HEP design and data. Such design changes necessitate that ODEQ undertake further examination of the necessity of fish passage and temperature selection gates for the proposed project.

Who doesn’t think fish passage is important?

FISH PASSAGE ISSUE:

The proposed hydroelectric project (HEP) at Dorena Dam in Cottage Grove underestimates the importance of providing fish passage to re-establish the native salmon population in the Row River Watershed as well as improving the overall water quality of the Willamette River – including drinking water in Cottage Grove and other communities along the Willamette River.  And as predicted on the Rogue River, providing a diversified economy for our communities by re-establishing the native salmon populations.

Other Oregon rivers have received funding for fish passage, temperature selection gates, and water quality remediation; now it is time for the Row River.We believe that ODEQ’s inaccurate and minimal mercury, temperature and water depth measurements underestimate the importance of reestablishing the natural fisheries of the Row River Watershed and improving the overall water quality of the Willamette River.

Ken Homolka from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said: “Objective 1 of the Spring Chinook Chapters of the Willamette Basin Fish Management Plan is to achieve full mitigation for populations reduced or extirpated due to dam construction and operations.Construction of a fish ladder would allow for the potential reintroduction of anadromous fish in Dorena Lake and access to approximately 80 miles of the subbasin’s better spawning and rearing habitat, eliminated by construction of the Dam in1949.”

12/24/2008

Why is the river temperature in question?

TEMPERATURE ISSUE:

ODEQ  classifies the Row River as “impaired” due to abnormal water temperature, but based on our data, temperature and lake depth measurements collected by ODEQ are flawed. As a result of ODEQ’s faulty data, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decided that there wasn’t enough cold water in Dorena Lake during the fall months to warrant the construction of a temperature selection gate which could help regulate the “impaired” Row River temperature.And without river temperature regulation, re-establishment of native salmon is almost impossible (see Oregon Field Guide show Hot Fish, Cold Fish at http://www.opb.org/programs/ofg/segments/view/1783 .)

According to our data, there is an abundance of cold water in the reservoir to mix the correct temperature for optimal downstream conditions. Also, from our data, the current design of the project will change the downstream temperature of the water in an unpredictable manner which could lead to greater problems.This clearly conflicts with the antidegradation law regarding impaired water bodies.  See Oregon’s temperature standard, OAR 340-041-0028, subsection 12.

MERCURY ISSUES:

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) has identified the Row River below Dorena Dam as “impaired” because of its abnormal concentrations of mercury.But based on our data, we believe that ODEQ has significantly underestimated the amount of mercury flowing from Dorena Lake.In fact, Dorena moves more mercury downstream than Cottage Grove Lake – even though Cottage Grove Lake has more mercury in its sediment!

It is in the best interest of the HEP builder and owner to know the correct measurements of mercury coming through Dorena Dam and the public deserves to know what is coming through the dam since the Cottage Grove water purification plant is 5 miles downstream.One Evaluation and Findings report shows 50% of the mercury coming downstream is in a dissolved form that is not ‘filtered’ out by the local water system.In addition, the city of Harrisburg is currently applying for a water permit to draw water directly from the Willamette River and citizens deserve to know if they are drinking mercury.

8/15/2010:  Water samples taken in March of this year show that the amount of mercury coming from beneath Dorena Dam is greater than the amount of mercury coming from beneath Cottage Grove Lake dam!  This is very surprising given that the mercury concentration in the lake sediment is 10 times higher in Cottage Grove Lake compared to Dorena Lake.  This information has been shared with Ore. Dept. of Environmental Quality.  The water samples taken followed the same collection and analysis procedure used by ODEQ, even the same company performing the analysis.

From our samples (taken in Dec. 2008) we have determined mercury is coming through Dorena Dam at a rate higher than expected by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, (ODEQ). The amount of mercury that the ODEQ says is coming through Dorena Dam in one year is actually occurring in approximately 3.5 days during average high flow events.  This data has been provided to ODEQ.  Note: Row River mercury levels are below the federal requirement of safe drinking water limits.  My question is, “Is that really safe enough and why doesn’t ODEQ have better data?”

MONEY ISSUES:

Originally, the estimated cost was $8.8 to $8.3 million, see page 82 of the Draft Environmental Assessment, 2006. Even though this was going to produce a loss, they were going to proceed with the project.  In the beginning when asked about fish passage their response was, “we can not afford it because we are losing money at an estimated rate of $16.44 per Megawatthour”, see page 84 of the Draft Environmental Assessment.  Since then, with homeowner electrical rates increasing over 40% and a $3.2 million tax credit, the cost of fish passage and a temperature selection valve become a non-issue in terms of cost.

3/5/2011:  We learned that Symbiotics, the builder of this project, has been preliminarily approved to receive $3.2 million tax credit (from Oregon tax payers) for constructing this project.    See,  Oregon Department of Energy’s (“ODOE”) Business Energy Tax Credit (“BETC”) program. The BETC program offers significant tax incentives to businesses who invest in energy conservation, renewable enegy resources, and the like.

MORE INFORMATION:

If you want to learn more about mercury, or water quality in general, go to the link at the top of the page labeled ‘Environmental Issues‘ and we will answer your questions as best we can. Note: As more information is collected, we will do our best to update the ‘Environmental Issues‘ pages as needed.

Thanks again for visiting this web site…… together we can get the attention of the people who are in charge to ‘play by their own rules’ and stop leaving us, the fish, our quality of life, and our community out of the picture.    Please note:  We will not sell your name to any advertiser or profit in any way by your visit to this web page or by your opinion expressed on this website.  We have kept this promise to those individuals who have shared their thoughts and opinions.  We appreciate your input.  If you would like to help support this effort, or have questions, please contact John Steele at 541-942-3415 or email;  nonstopchange@gmail.com  .     All donations are tax deductible and go directly to legal fees.  thanks!