A coalition of three county’s legislators, commissioners and city mayors has sent U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez a letter urging a modification to his 2021 order and expressing concerns of dam drawdowns in the Willamette Basin. The drawdowns across the Valley seems to vary in purpose. Some are for the future of hydropower in the Valley, and some are part of a federal injunction to try and save endangered fish, but all have related impacts.

The deep drawdown of Green Peter Dam and Lookout Reservoir has impacted communities of Lowell, Lebanon and Sweet Home with muddy waterways, dried-up wells and economic losses. Businesses in Sweet Home report declining profits due to reduced tourism, and water treatment challenges persist. Lebanon and Lowell face increased chemical use and sediment build up. Tourism-dependent Detroit struggles with reservoir management changes, impacting recovery efforts post-wildfires.

The letter to U.S. District Judge Hernandez highlights the frustrations people in these rural communities are experiencing with his order made without local input. These communities were already facing economic challenges due to the loss of timber, and now fear further loss of revenue from loss of recreational activities.

Representative Jami Cate (R-Lebanon) pushed for the coalition and says, “the letter accurately expresses growing community concerns about the management of dams, particularly Green Peter Dam and Lookout Point Dam, following deep drawdowns that have had severe and wide-ranging impacts. The drawdowns, aimed at studying hydropower elimination and promoting fish passage, have raised questions about long-term goals of the advocacy groups that promoted them, and have caused major disruptions affecting water quality, recreation, and economic stability… the letter urges a modification to the 2021 order and advocates for community involvement in dam management decisions, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts for informed and equitable solutions that consider both environmental and community needs.”

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

The 20-member coalition wrote, “We also understand that your decision was made based on the available knowledge you had at the time. However, it has become increasingly apparent that the eventual outcomes of the drawdowns were more severe than what advocates had led you to believe. The deep drawdowns in particular have left a path of destruction that has outweighed any benefits that they sought to bring.”




--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-12-09 17:52:58

Last Update: 2023-12-10 00:57:07