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  Hydrokinetic News

Permit granted for dam removal project in Washington

The Condit Dam was completed in 1913, but PacifiCorp does not believe investment to renew its license would be worthwhile

State officials in Washington have given the go-ahead to Utah energy company PacifiCorp for one of the largest dam removal projects in the United States.

The energy company based in Salt Lake City has decided to remove the Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, rather than apply for an extension to the hydropower facility’s license from FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

PacifiCorp has now been granted the water quality permit it needs for the removal project to move forward with the project.

The permit was granted by the Washington Department of Ecology, setting out the steps the utility must take to protect water quality during the multi-year dam removal and habitat restoration.

Polly Zehm, deputy director for Ecology at the Department, said: “The issuance of the 401 certification makes it possible to remove the dam and meet the objectives of the Clean Water Act to restore and maintain the nation’s waters. Removal of the dam will allow the river to return to its natural free-flowing state.”

Condit

The Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, the border between Klickitat and Skamania counties, was built in 1913 to provide power for a local papermill, and acquired by PacifiCorp in 1947.

The 14.7MW facility failed its license renewal application in 1993, and has been operating on annual license extensions ever since, awaiting approval of plans for its decommissioning.

In 1996 its operators were ordered to install fish passage upgrades in order to renew its FERC license, but PacifiCorp has determined that the investment required would not be worthwhile.

There has been opposition to the dam removal locally, particularly with respect to impacts on lake-front property around the facility’s reservoir.

Securing the state water quality permit frees up PacifiCorp to seek approval from FERC before going ahead with the project.

The Department of Ecology said removing the dam would allow salmon to regain unrestricted access to about 14 miles of historic habitat.