In-stream work to support fish habitat improvements in Lower Deschutes

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Aug. 06, 2009

River users asked not to disturb survey markers

Warm Springs, Ore. – Survey crews from Portland General Electric will survey sections of the lower Deschutes River during the month of August to support projects aimed at improving habitat for salmon and trout. The work is part of on-going habitat restoration efforts required under the operating license for the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project, which PGE and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon co-own.

Crews are placing stakes, flagging and other markers this week at seven sites on the ten-mile segment of the river between the Reregulating Dam and Trout Creek.  They will then survey those sites over the next few weeks, essentially mapping cross sections of the river to measure the availability and use of gravel habitat where migratory fish can spawn. Part of the survey work will require use of a jet-boat on the river between August 17 and August 19, for which crews have obtained a special use permit. The same sites were previously surveyed for this purpose in 1996 and again in 2007.

Fishermen and other visitors to the area are being asked to avoid disturbing any survey markers so that the work can be completed as quickly and accurately as possible, with minimal disruption to the river.Crews will remove all stakes and other markers once the surveys are finished.

PGE and the Tribes are working with many other partners in the Deschutes basin on a long term cooperative effort to improve fish habitat on the upper and lower river and its tributaries. During the Pelton Round Butte Project’s 50 year license the co-owners will spend more than $135 million on project improvements, the vast majority going to fish-related measures.

Pelton Round Butte, the largest hydroelectric project within Oregon, generates 465 million watts capacity of electricity to serve PGE customers and the Tribes.  It is the only hydroelectric project in the nation jointly owned by a Native American tribe and a utility.  Additional details can be found online at

www.deschutespassage.com

.

News Source : In-stream work to support fish habitat improvements in Lower Deschutes