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Condit Dam Removal Condit Dam Removal - Access Washington

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<strong>Condit</strong> <strong>Dam</strong> Hydroelectric Project<br />

Final Supplemental EIS<br />

Cumulative effects are impacts on the environment that result from the incremental<br />

consequences of a project when added to other past or reasonably foreseeable future actions<br />

(regardless of who would take the future action). The cumulative effects may be undetectable<br />

when viewed individually, but add to other disturbances and eventually lead to a measurable<br />

change. Examples are changes to land use, the loss of wetland areas, the elimination of wildlife<br />

habitats, changes in traffic and transportation, or increased noise levels.<br />

The removal of <strong>Condit</strong> <strong>Dam</strong> would have direct impacts on a number of elements of the<br />

environment during the pre-dam, dam breaching and removal, and post-removal management.<br />

Secondary and cumulative effects would primarily be limited to aquatic resources,<br />

transportation, and land use.<br />

Aquatic Resources<br />

The primary consideration for cumulative effects on aquatic resources is concern whether<br />

anadromous salmonid stocks that are already depressed by the effects of dams and reservoirs on<br />

the Columbia River and other influences will have the ability to recover from additional impacts<br />

of the sediment released from Northwestern Lake from the breaching of <strong>Condit</strong> <strong>Dam</strong>. The<br />

mitigation proposed to protect the fall Chinook salmon is trapping and hatchery rearing one yearclass<br />

appears to address the concern for that species. Another species of potential concern is the<br />

Columbia River chum salmon. It is probably not feasible to trap them for hatchery rearing, and<br />

it may not be possible to restore suitability in the following year to their spawning gravel unless<br />

storm flows in the White Salmon River are particularly favorable. However, long-term effects<br />

are viewed as beneficial.<br />

Transportation<br />

The proposed project would create approximately 25 full-time jobs and an estimated 200 vehicle<br />

trips per day from the dam removal site. With the majority of trips being located on-site<br />

(removal of debris to areas a few thousand feet upstream of the dam), the small increase in trips<br />

on local roads associated with the proposed project is not anticipated to create traffic congestion<br />

or a diminution of the level of service (LOS) at any affected intersection.<br />

Other approved projects in the area are not anticipated to have overlapping construction and/or<br />

demolition periods. It is anticipated that construction/demolition vehicles for these overlapping<br />

projects traveling into or out of <strong>Washington</strong> State would be via State Route (SR) 14 and not<br />

result in cumulative impacts on SR 141 or Powerhouse Road.<br />

Land Use/Critical Areas<br />

The change from a dam and lake to a free-flowing stream will likely change the long term land<br />

use characteristics around the stream. Future land use will be controlled by the comprehensive<br />

plan and zoning designations of the respective counties.<br />

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