PGE breaches Marmot Dam on the Sandy River

[jpak]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/10/pge_breaches_marmot_dam_on_the.html

For the first time in a century, the Sandy River is flowing free after a temporary earthen dam built behind the Marmot Dam was breached early Friday evening.

The Marmot was removed in July, but the temporary dam continued to hold up the river. The dam removal -- the largest ever in Oregon -- is the result of PGE's decision about 10 years ago to decommission the hydroelectric project that includes Marmot, the Little
Sandy Dam and man-made Roslyn Lake reservoir.

The move will promote better habitat for threatened wild fish. Although the project generated enough power for about 12,000 homes, rules to protect migratory fish were becoming more strict and meeting them would be costly, and analyses showed those costs exceeded the value of the project's power.

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