Huge news: Pacific Power, the utility company that owns the dam which creates Mirror Pond, is calling it quits on the leaky, 103-year-old dam.
Here is an excerpt form PacifiCorp’s press release:
PacifiCorp has determined that it would not be cost-effective for its customers to make the investments needed to continue long-term operations at the company’s Bend hydroelectric generating project.
The decision follows a thorough engineering inspection of the project dam after a leak in the dam developed in early October, the third such leak in approximately five years, which also prompted a broader analysis of the facility.
“First and foremost, the inspection confirmed what we expected; the dam remains safe and is in overall good condition for a 100-year old facility, but further investment would be required for the hydro project to operate long term,” said Mark Tallman, PacifiCorp’s vice president for renewable resources.
“After a century of producing clean, emission-free and affordable power for customers, it’s time to divest or retire our Bend hydroelectric plant,” Tallman said. “It simply isn’t cost- effective or in the best interests of all our customers throughout six western states for PacifiCorp to rebuild the facility and generate power to serve current and future generations of customers.”
The company will pursue discussions with the Bend Parks and Recreation District and the City of Bend to determine if an agreement can be reached that places the dam under local control in a way that PacifiCorp can also demonstrate to regulators that the outcome is in the best interest of PacifiCorp’s customers.
This article appears in Nov 21-27, 2013.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
So now the question has shifted: “Does the community want to preserve Mirror Pond for future generations by taking ownership of the dam (spending millions and likely having a pretty tough political and legal battle) or are we OK with Pacific Power removing the dam and restoring the river banks at their expense?”
Is it possible to keep the damn, and likewise Mirror Pond, but decommission or remove the generator?
Committees. Committees. Committees.
I so hope that they restore the river to its wild, healthy state.
Human transformation of the Deschutes has biologically bifurcated the upper and middle sections of the watershed. State law requires that any renovation of the dam include the construction of a fish passage–which, alone, would cost between $1.5 and 2 million.
The drastically fluctuating outflows from the upstream Wickiup Reservoir play havoc with the river and account for streambank erosion and phenomena such as the recent massive fish kills. I think that everything we do from now on should aim at restoring the river and making the watershed whole. If this means thwarting the plans of developers to create Themepark Bend, then so be it. Recent studies on dam demolition suggest that the channel downstream from the Pacific Power dam would NOT be suddenly inundated with sediment if it is removed. As always, and as recently editorialized by the Bulletin, I believe the question of the fate of Mirror Pond should be decided in a referendum. I have faith that the voters–particularly the younger citizens of Bend–will make the right decision.
Foster
So when, oh WHEN, is the Source going to do a piece on the actual cost to the taxpayers of preserving Mirror Pond?
Maybe I do not fully understand what is going on here, but please please please don’t take away Mirror Pond!!! Visiting Drake Park without the Pond would take away this blissful retreat for so many and for the visitors of Bend. I was so taken with Drake Park and Mirror Pond when I first moved to Bend. It is truly Bend’s Gem!