Deschutes Basin Dam Removals

RDG has been instrumental in providing project management, design, permitting, and construction administration in removal of multiple dams in the Deschutes River Basin.

Working with the Crooked River Watershed Council, we removed the Stearns dam on the Crooked River that was a concrete structure originally in the early 1900s and replaced by a concrete structure in 1934.  The dam was a low-head irrigation diversion structure (150 feet long by 6 feet high) that was no longer used to divert water and was located on Bureau of Land Management property.   RDG provided strong leadership to help facilitate stakeholders and regulatory personnel to develop a plan for removal and stabilization of the reservoir sediments to minimize downstream impacts to irrigators. RDG developed the dam removal plan, hydraulic modeling, engineering design and construction drawings and specifications necessary to remove the dam and reconstruct the channel.  RDG provided project management during project implementation to ensure contractor compliance with the design intent and fish salvage plans.  The dam was removed in 2013 and a sediment management plan for over 10,000 cubic yards of stored sediment was developed to ensure long-term stability and fish passage.

Working with the Central Oregon Irrigation District, we provided design, permitting and construction administration to remove the Cline Falls Dam & Powerhouse on the Deschutes River.

We worked with the Upper Deschutes River Watershed Council to provide fish passage over an existing diversion dam on Whychus Creek near Sisters, Oregon.