Home / Environment / Dam Removal Unlocks 30 Years of Fish Passage
Dam Removal Unlocks 30 Years of Fish Passage
29 Oct
Summary
- A 1989 Oregon dam blocking fish for 30 years was removed in August 2020.
- A pump replaced the dam's diversion, preserving landowner water rights.
- Coho salmon DNA detected upstream confirms restored fish passage success.
A dam constructed on Oregon's Kelley Creek in 1989, which impeded fish migration for thirty years, was successfully removed in August 2020. The six-foot-tall structure, located near Portland, had prevented coho salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey from accessing upstream habitat within the Johnson Creek watershed. Planning for its removal began in 2015, with funding secured in 2017. The landowner's suggestion to remove the dam entirely, rather than building a bypass, streamlined the project.
A new pump system was installed to replace the dam's gravity-fed water diversion, preserving the landowner's established water rights. This modification was approved by the Oregon Water Resources Department. Following the dam's demolition, an engineered streambed was created to stabilize the channel. Additionally, a riffle and a screened intake were installed to manage water withdrawal while preventing fish from entering the diversion.
Restoration efforts extended beyond the dam site to include measures like fencing to keep livestock out of the creek and plans for riparian revegetation. These actions aim to enhance streambank stability and overall aquatic habitat health. The project's success is evidenced by the detection of coho salmon DNA upstream of the former barrier, confirming that approximately 1.8 miles of habitat have been made accessible.
