Savage Rapids Dam deconstruction takes break for fish
Associated Press
June 22, 2009
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – Workers taking apart a dam on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon say they’re at the end of the first part of the work.
Now, they will give the spring and fall chinook salmon a chance to get past the Savage Rapids Dam before resuming work in October.
The 88-year-old dam is being removed at a cost of $39 million to improve fish runs. Most of the money came from the federal government.
About 6,700 customers who used to get water from the dam will now be served by electric-powered pumps.
Workers have been using jackhammers on the north side of the dam. Come fall, they will go to work on the south side. The job is expected to be finished this year.