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Removal of century-old Brownsville Dam
August 27,2007
News media contact:
Denise Hoffert-Hay, Project Manager
541-619-5896
hofferthay@peak.org
Project started with community discussions over four-year period
Project partners today witnessed the first stage of the Brownsville Dam removal, which will help open more than 40 miles of habitat to fish after blockage for more than 100 years.
The current 1960s structure and its predecessors have created a barrier to fish passage for cutthroat trout, Pacific lamprey, winter steelhead and spring Chinook salmon. Removal of the dam, located east of Brownsville on the Calapooia River, culminates several years of community discussions and planning by numerous partners, according to Denise Hoffert-Hay, project manager for the Calapooia Watershed Council.
Although the Brownsville Dam is small in size, its removal is significant for Oregon and the Pacific Northwest for restoring fish passage and habitat for spring Chinook and winter steelhead, both listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act, Hoffert-Hay said.
During deconstruction, the swimming hole at the dam will be closed as construction crews will be in the river. The swimming hole at McKercher Park will still be available. “We urge residents to stay away from the dam site during deconstruction for their own safety,” Hoffert-Hay said. Parking is not available at the site during deconstruction.
Speakers at the morning event attended by about 100 people, included representatives of local, state and federal organizations involved in the project.
“This is the largest and most significant project that the Calapooia Watershed Council will ever undertake,” said Bud Baumgartner, council chair. “The removal is starting today because of technical support and funding from numerous partners and especially because of countless volunteer hours from the watershed council and Brownsville community,” he added.
Brownsville Canal Company President John Holbrook said local residents had mixed feelings about the dam removal. Some are sad to lose this part of local history, but others appreciate the fact that provision has been made to continue the flow of water into the Brownsville Canal for watering livestock and pastures, he said.
Barry Thom, deputy regional administrator for NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, said "We're proud to have NOAA's Open Rivers Initiative support this project. It's an excellent example of how local citizens can work together for healthy streams, restored fish populations and community benefits."
Thom noted that the Brownsville project is one of only three funded in Oregon by the new Open Rivers program to assist community-driven, small-dam and river-barrier removals in coastal states.
A community event to commemorate the Brownsville Dam will be held in September, Hoffert-Hay said. Contact the Calapooia Watershed Council for more information at 541-812-7622 or calapooia@peak.org.
The north side of the dam will be notched first, followed by removal of the south side. Removal will take two to three weeks. “We expect it will take one or two years for the Calapooia River to re-establish the natural channel and distribute the gravel that has accumulated behind the structure,” Hoffert-Hay said.
Brownsville Dam does not impound water for flood storage, fire protection, drinking water or boating. The sole purpose of the structure is to divert water to the Brownsville Canal for only three months of the year. A pump will be installed next summer to meet the existing water rights in the Brownsville Canal.
Project partners include the Calapooia Watershed Council, City of Brownsville, Brownsville Canal Company, Linn County Parks, Bella Vista Foundation, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Water Resources Department, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board provided more than $676,000 in Oregon Lottery funds for the project, which has a total estimated cost of about $860,000.
The Brownsville Dam was constructed in 1859 for the sole purpose of diverting water into the hand-dug Millrace. Water from the Millrace was used to operate several mills in Brownsville until 1955. After the wooden dam washed away in the 1960s, the Linn-Lane Soil and Water Conservation District built the present-day Brownsville Dam at the request of community members.
The Calapooia Watershed Council worked for more than four years with the Brownsville community to consider fish passage options for the dam. After many public meetings and individual conversations, the Brownsville Canal Company members in 2006 voted unanimously to remove the aged dam.
Educational features of the project include a display at the Linn County History Museum describing the benefits of returning the river to a more natural function.
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