April 20, 2017 - REVISED April 21
SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife is seeking public comment on two fish passage exemptions
requests, one on an unnamed tributary to W FK Coyote Creek in Lane
County and the second on an unnamed tributary to Quedo Creek in
Josephine County. Comments are due by May 12, 2017.
The first exemption request is from Tim Payne who is
certifying a water right through the Oregon Water Resources Department
for a privately-owned existing dam in an unnamed tributary W FK Coyote
Creek, a tributary to Fern Ridge Reservoir in the Long Tom River Basin.
David Shotwell is also certifying a water right through
the OWRD for a proposed privately-owned dam to be built in an unnamed
tributary to Quedo Creek, a tributary to Lake Selmac in the Illinois
River Basin. Both of these actions have triggered Oregon’s fish passage
laws.
According to Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage Program
coordinator, ODFW may grant fish passage exemptions if there are no
benefits to native migratory fish from providing passage. Because of
the site specific habitat conditions and other complete artificial
obstructions below the two project locations, ODFW has made initial
determinations that even if fish passage was provided, the actions
would still result in no net benefit to native migratory fish. If in the
future, conditions change from which the decisions were made,
exemptions can be revoked and fish passage shall be addressed.
Therefore, unless public comment is provided that would
affect the Department's determination, the exemption requests will be
approved.
In the meantime, members of the public will have until
May 12, 2017 to submit written comments on the proposed plans. Both
fish passage exemption applications and the Department’s benefit
analyses are available online.
Members of the public can send written comments to or request
additional information from Greg Apke, ODFW Fish Passage Program
leader, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, OR 97303, e-mail, Greg.D.Apke@state.or.us, or by calling (503) 947-6228
