PROPOSED DAMS IN THE SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY
Two dams are being considered on the Similkameen River in the U.S. close to the Canadian border: Shanker's Bend Dam and Enloe Dam.
Shanker's Bend Hydropower Project is an 80 metre high, $260 million US water storage and hydroelectric project. The dam would be located eight km northwest of Oroville, WA.
The dam would flood 10-15 miles into Canada, inundating Palmer Lake (photo above right), the town of Nighthawk, and the entire midrange of the Similkameen Valley.
- The B.C. government, Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen, and Okanagan Nation Alliance publicly oppose this dam.
- The federal government has done nothing to stop it.
Our Society does not believe this dam would necessarily directly impact Osoyoos Lake, but we are deeply concerned that important ecosystems in our part of Canada could be negatively affected. The area is home to the third most endangered ecosystem in Canada.
We strongly recommend viewing these two excellent PDF files
T
he Case against Shanker's Bend Dam by Canadian Parks & Wilderness Society, BC Chapter (PDF)
Useful background information (newspaper article)
Article by the Columbia Institute
The Enloe Dam
Built in 1920 to provide power for mines near the community of Nighthawk, it ceased operation in 1959 because the equipment had become obsolete.
Since 1981 the current owner, Okanogan County PUD No. 1 has applied several times to restore the dam, but issues regarding the passage of fish have never been resolved so the applications were refused.
In August 2008 the Okanogan County PUD put in a completed a final license application to restore the dam. which is expected to be approved. The project will entail developing a small hydropower plant just below the existing dam, about 3.5 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Oroville.
More info:
Fact sheet from Okonogan County PUD No. 1
Article & photos from the Columbia Institite
