Field Report: Oregon Public Utility Commissioners Approve Decommissioning Mainstem McKenzie River Hydroelectric Project in Oregon

The elected commissioners of the Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) unanimously approved a recommendation in early January to decommission the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project. Their decision will trigger the following outcomes in the next 10 to 15 years: gPermanently discontinuing electricity generation at the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project gRemoving Leaburg Dam and restoring the McKenzie to a free-flowing river in the project area gDeveloping access to Leaburg Dam Road on the south side of the river, if possible gMaking the Leaburg Canal safe enough to handle stream and stormwater flows in the near-term while aiming for full restoration to pre-project conditions reconnecting tributaries to the McKenzie, gAssessing and mitigating the dewatering of the existing Leaburg Canal which will essentially dewater the troubled and partially closed Leaburg and McKenzie fish hatcheries, and gConducting a similar decommissioning assessment of the Walterville Hydroelectric Project downstream of the Leaburg site.

By Dave Moskowitz

The decommissioning the project is a regulatory-driven process sparked by risks of a canal failure that could be triggered by an earthquake. The canal, built 100 years ago, hasn’t conveyed enough water to generate power since 2018 due to concerns of a catastrophic failure from structural deficiencies, and EWEB cannot leave it in place due to federal requirements. Planning, decommissioning and removal will likely take a more than a decade.

EWEB will conduct numerous studies and negotiations with settlement parties before actual decommissioning construction activities will begin. Leaburg de-construction by 2033 is aspirational as decommissioning often takes longer so that costs are spread over time for business purposes although EWEB staff will embark on near-term risk-reduction measures on the Leaburg Canal.

EWEB staff will consult with parties interested in participating in the negotiations with EWEB to develop a final settlement agreement after which EWEB will petition the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for approval and then begin design and permitting required before beginning the full decommissioning.

The thought of the McKenzie River having one and possibly two fewer manmade obstacles for its Cascades-clear water and many native fish to navigate is a cherished one. EWEB should be applauded for thinking beyond merely electrical power capacity. Many organizations and private parties are working to restore the McKenzie River to improve riparian and floodplain habitat quality and processes that will help restore the assemblages of native fish species — species that will respond to restored river conditions and fewer hatchery fish in their midst. There is also much value in more natural floodplains and their ability to buffer flooding. Full decommissioning will help restore and maintain natural flood control processes in the McKenzie River watershed that will enhance the river’s ability to absorb water and be beneficial throughout the entire Willamette Valley.

The EWEB board is taking strong and responsible action by confronting this ecological and fiscal challenge. While the nation is burdened by old dams and other fish barriers whose former owners have simply abandoned them, the environmental impacts become more evident - and the need for restoration more pressing — yet there is rarely the ability to establish and hold accountable a responsible party. EWEB appears to be facing its broader obligations head on through proactive action that may signal the start of a new trend taking greater responsibility.

Full decommissioning is estimated to cost $252.5 million — a sum that will nearly be decimal dust in the rearview mirror once the multiple benefits of a renewed and free-flowing river resulting from the decommissioning begin to be felt in the community, the calculations of the massive, deferred maintenance backlog are fully accounted for, and EWEB and its customers begin realizing the future benefits of discarding an expensive and risky asset from their diversifying portfolio while allowing one of Oregon’s critical rivers to run more freely.

To receive updates on this restoration effort, follow the link for the Leaburg Canal Updates Newsletter at: https://www.eweb.org/about-us/powersupply/mckenzie-river-hydroprojects/future-of-the-leaburg-canal/lea burg-newsletter-sign-up

Dave Moskowitz is Executive Director of The Conservation Angler, one of The Osprey’s supporting partner organizations. Learn more at: www.theconservationangler.org