"Leaving the dam in place is the status quo and requires OPUD to be responsible for the ongoing cost and liability of safely managing the dam. To date, OPUD has demonstrated the ability and provided resources to do this. Although leaving the dam in place would avoid a substantial investment in dam removal, the structure is a barrier to habitat connectivity in and along the river. This includes blocking the passage of fish, such as Upper Columbia Spring Chinook salmon and steelhead, listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Removing the dam and restoring the impacted area would return the landscape to a more natural configuration and have significant environmental benefits. However, dam removal, including managing the sediment trapped behind the dam, will require substantial funding. OPUD is not actively pursuing this option due the uncertainty about the cost of dam removal, who would be responsible for it, and who would pay for it, but it has expressed openness to considering the option."
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