The Similkameen River collects in the mountains of the North Cascades in Washington and British Columbia. Entering the Okanogan River at Oroville, it actually contributes ¾ of the two rivers’ combined water. A mountain river, much like the Methow and Wenatchee, the Similkameen would flow freely to the Okanogan, but for Enloe Dam.
Enloe Dam. Photo at https://www.okanoganpud.org/environmental/enloe-dam-project
A few miles upstream from its confluence with the Okanogan, Enloe Dam blocks the river. The dam stands about 54 feet tall and spans 290 feet. Built initially as a wooden dam in 1906 to produce hydropower for nearby mine operations, power generation ended in 1958. Given its design, the dam has no flood control value. The Okanogan PUD acquired Enloe Dam in 1942 and generated power until 1958. Hopes continued that it could eventually again produce power, but finally in 2018 it was determined that reenergizing the dam is not economically feasible. The hydropower license from FERC was terminated in 2019. Maintaining dam safety continues to be the responsibility of the PUD and its cost is not insignificant.
Upper Columbia River Steelhead are a federally Threatened species and a Species of Greatest Conservation Need under the State Wildlife Action Plan. But Enloe Dam completely blocks access to more than 300 miles of its habitat upstream, a significant handicap to this fish population’s survival. The dam’s removal is considered the best prospect for saving it. Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook salmon, federally Endangered, have also been documented leaping at the toe of the dam.
Why should bird enthusiasts, North Central Washington Audubon Society, and Audubon Washington, support removal of Enloe Dam? It just makes sense to remove a structure that has been functionally and economically obsolete for more than 60 years yet continues to interrupt riverine processes, harming our ecosystem and Threatened and Endangered fish populations. Its removal will help restore the river’s shorelines, floodplains and riparian vegetation we know are so important for birds, other wildlife and water quality.
No less important, Enloe’s removal would allow restoration of Similkameen Falls (Coyote, Falls), a landscape feature of high cultural value to Native Americans and First Nations peoples of the Okanogan and Similkameen River basin. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state and Lower and Upper Similkameen Bands of Indians in British Columbia have all formally called for removal of the dam and restoration of the falls.
In February 2022, NCW Audubon and Audubon Washington signed on to a letter addressed to U.S. Interior Secretary Haaland, stressing the importance of removing the dam (located on Bureau of Land Management lands) and restoration of the Similkameen River. The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Similkameen Indian Bands have and continue to lead the process in support of removal, and various preliminary studies including upstream habitat assessments, consideration of fish pathways through the original rapids at the site, and analysis of sediment contamination are underway.
NCW Audubon is involved and following the process closely. Though the final outcome is uncertain, we believe the dam will ultimately come down. As it moves forward, opportunities to submit comments to the process will arise as removal alternatives and environmental assessments are released.