Condit Dam Removal Condit Dam Removal - Access Washington

Condit Dam Hydroelectric Project
Final Supplemental EIS
1.4 FOCUS OF SEPA SEIS
The focus of this SEPA SEIS will primarily be on the “Settlement Agreement with
Modifications” Alternative since it was the FERC staff-recommended alternative in their
FSFEIS. The issues identified by Ecology for additional assessment as part of the SEPA process
include: increased erosion, sedimentation, and turbidity in the White Salmon River from dam
breaching and removal; impacts to water quality in the White Salmon River and Columbia River;
impacts to groundwater quality; increased turbidity in stormwater runoff; effects on fish;
potential barriers to fish passage; potential effects on priority species and habitats due to clearing
vegetation or grading staging areas; loss of wetlands; sedimentation or scour of wetlands;
impacts to local roadways; impacts to air quality and potentially to human health from fine
particles; construction noise; land use impacts; visual impacts from reservoir and vegetation
removal; public safety; impacts to public services including temporary interruption of water
supplies and increased need for services of local police and fire personnel; and possibly local
permits. (See Section 2.4 for a complete list of issues.)
1.5 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION
The existing Condit Hydroelectric Project includes a concrete dam, an approximately 1.8-milelong
reservoir, a 13.5-foot-diameter wood-stave pipeline of approximately one mile in length, a
reinforced-concrete surge tower, two 650-foot-long penstocks (one steel and one wood), and a
powerhouse structure housing two turbines with an installed capacity of 14,700 kilowatts
(Figure 1-1).
The proposed action includes draining the reservoir through a tunnel that would be constructed
through the dam, removing the dam, removing the wood stave pipeline, the surge tower and the
two penstocks, and partial filling of the tail race at the power house. Concrete and wood from
the pipeline would be disposed of and/or staged for recycling on property near the dam. Details
of the proposed action are described in the Condit Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No.
2342, Project Description (PacifiCorp 2004). The project description includes numerous plans
designed to minimize or eliminate potential impacts related to the project. The stages of the
project are: pre-dam removal activities, dam breaching and removal, and post-removal
management. The activities associated with each of these stages and the project schedule are
summarized below.
1.5.1 Pre-Dam Removal Activities
• In order to perform the removal and associated restoration work, temporary work
areas, staging areas, and access roads would need to be established and utilized.
These staging areas and access roads are located on the east side of the White Salmon
River in proximity to the dam.
• A fueling station would be located at staging area SA-2 adjacent to the dam. Fueling
of remote equipment, such as cranes or highlines would be accomplished by tank
trucks and would use required preventative and protective measures against spills.
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