Rogue Basin Dam Removals

We have been working in the Rogue Basin for over 10 years removing fish passage barriers that include the Gold Hill, Gold Ray, Fielder, and Wimer dams.

Gold Hill Dam was a 10 ft high concrete diversion dam spanning over 900 ft along and across the Rogue River to create a diversion for water and power. The dam was removed as it wasn’t creating power anymore and was a significant fish passage hindrance. A Design-Build approach was used with RDG and Slayden Construction Group and the project was delivered on budget and ahead of schedule.

Gold Ray Dam was initially built as a log crib structure in 1904 and rebuilt as a concrete dam in 1941 which consisted of a 38 foot high structure spanning 368 feet across the Rogue River and included a powerhouse with ancillary structures.  RDG was the engineer of record and technical design leader for the Design-Build team (RDG, HDR, and Slayden Construction Group) that included coordination of public meetings, facilitating permits, development of construction drawings and phasing with the contractor, and quality assurance. RDG was on-site during all phases of construction to ensure fish passage and salvage actions were undertaken according to approved plans. The entire project was completed within budget and on schedule in a paramount undertaking to open the Rogue River for 157 miles of unhindered fish passage.

Fielder and Wimer dams on Evans Creek, a major tributary to the Rogue River, were both concrete structures that stood over 20 ft high with large amounts of stored sediment consisting primarily of gravels.  RDG provided engineering design, construction administration, and monitoring for the removal of both dams in the same summer.