River Design Group (a firm we are partnering with during a river restoration plan development in Baker County) are working to remove the last remnants of the Gold Ray Dam. What did they find when they removed the dam? Boats, a boat dock, unmentionables, and more mosquitoes than area residents care for. State and federal permits mandate that work in the water must be finished by Oct. 15 so that spawning fish are confused or hindered by sediment plumes and so that redds aren't buried as they are created. The deadline is for practical reasons as well for work in a river that can easily transport several full size Caterpillars during moderate flow is not safe during high winter flows.
From the AP "Gold Ray is the third dam in the past two years to be removed from the Rogue River to help salmon and steelhead runs. Its removal opened 157 miles of free-flowing river below Lost Creek Dam near Trail. 'It should make for a more stable, fish-friendly area," said John Vial, roads and parks manager for Jackson County. "Frankly, I think that stretch of Bear Creek and the Rogue River will look better than anybody's memories.'"
Also from the Mail Tribune, "When Rogue River anglers such as yourself say the river is "gin clear," they're probably looking at a turbidity level of 1 NTU.
ReplyDeleteMost anglers who watch turbidity levels like it best when it's somewhere between 6 and 9 NTUs. Anything over 13 NTUs is usually too muddy for effective steelhead fishing.
Demolition crews were required to stop their in-stream work if the turbidity hit 50 NTUs"
Thanks, check out the rest of the article at "http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101011/NEWS/10110309"