Yesterday, the Washington Department of Ecology issued the water quality permit needed to remove Condit Dam on the White Salmon River. The permit is a major milestone and is the final step before issuance of a dam removal order by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is expected later this year.
In partnership with several organizations including the locally-based Friends of the White Salmon River, American Whitewater has advocated for the removal of Condit Dam for more than a decade. Removing the dam will restore several miles of whitewater and reconnect the White Salmon River which is already considered one of the nation's top whitewater resources. A significant percentage of American Whitewater members reside in the Columbia River Gorge and paddlers from around the globe know this area as a world-class destination.
Tom O'Keefe of American Whitewater said: "We believe that removal of Condit Dam will have a positive benefit on fishery resources, recreational opportunities, and cultural resources of the White Salmon River and we are thrilled with today's issuance by the State Department of Ecology that was essential to moving this process forward."