Technical Report No.

SRH-2009-39

Sediment Considerations for

Potential Dam Removal Projects
Conducted under Appendix No. 8 to the Agreement between
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and Taipei Economic and
Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) for Technical Assistance
and Cooperation for Water Resources

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Reclamation
Technical Service Center
Denver, Colorado

October 2009

Mission Statements
The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and
provide access to our Nations natural and cultural heritage and
honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our
commitments to island communities.

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop,

and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and
economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

Cover Figure: Looking upstream at Elwha Dam located on the Elwha River in Washington
State, USA (photo taken in June, 2009)

Sediment Considerations for

Potential Dam Removal Projects
Conducted under Appendix No. 8 to the Agreement between
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and Taipei Economic and
Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) for Technical Assistance
and Cooperation for Water Resources
Main Report Prepared by:
Jennifer Bountry, P.E., M.S., Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Technical Service Center
Blair P. Greimann, P.E., Ph.D., Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Technical Service Center

Case Studies Prepared by:

Jennifer Bountry, P.E., M.S., Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Technical Service Center
Blair P. Greimann, P.E., Ph.D., Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Technical Service Center
Timothy Randle, P.E., M.S., Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Technical Service Center
Travis Bauer, P.E., Ph.D., Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Technical Service Center

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Reclamation
Technical Service Center
Denver, Colorado

Peer Review Certification: This document has been peer reviewed per guidelines established by the Technical
Service Center and is believed to be in accordance with the service agreement and standards of the profession.
Questions concerning this report should be addressed to Timothy Randle, Group Manager of the Sedimentation
and River Hydraulics Group (86-68240) at 303-445-2557.

PREPARED BY:

_____________________________________
Jennifer Bountry, M.S., P.E.
Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group (86-68240)

DATE:________________

_____________________________________
Blair Greimann, Ph.D., P.E.
Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group (86-68240)

DATE:________________

PEER REVIEWED BY:

_____________________________________
Timothy Randle, M.S., P.E.
Hydraulic Engineer
Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group (86-68240)

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Reclamation
Technical Service Center
Denver, Colorado

DATE:________________

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Table of Contents
Page
1.0
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
2.0
Deciding on Dam Removal ............................................................................... 2
2.1
Available Guidance........................................................................................... 2
2.2
Dam Removal Options...................................................................................... 3
3.0
Sediment Management Plan ............................................................................. 4
3.1
Potential Sediment Impacts............................................................................... 4
3.2
Consideration of Contaminants......................................................................... 5
3.3
Scale of the Erodible Reservoir Sediment Volumes ......................................... 6
3.3.1
Coarse Sediment ......................................................................................... 7
3.3.2
Fine Sediment ............................................................................................. 8
3.4
Determining What Portion of Reservoir Sediment is Erodible ........................ 9
4.0
Data Collection and Analysis.......................................................................... 10
4.1
Reconnaissance ............................................................................................... 10
4.2
Reservoir Sediment Characteristics ................................................................ 11
4.3
Selecting Analysis Techniques ....................................................................... 12
5.0
References ....................................................................................................... 12
Appendix A: Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams................................................................. 14
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 14
Reservoir Sedimentation ............................................................................................... 15
Elwha River Restoration Plan ....................................................................................... 18
Reservoir Sediment Erosion ......................................................................................... 18
Downstream Sediment Transport and Geomorphic Effects ......................................... 20
Adaptive Management .................................................................................................. 21
Study References .......................................................................................................... 22
Appendix B: Matilija Dam................................................................................................ 23
Introduction ................................................................................................................... 23
Hydrology ..................................................................................................................... 23
River Characteristics ..................................................................................................... 23
Reservoir Sedimentation ............................................................................................... 24
Sediment Impact Concerns ........................................................................................... 24
Dam Removal Plans...................................................................................................... 24
Study References .......................................................................................................... 32
Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam..................................................................................... 33
History........................................................................................................................... 33
Setting ........................................................................................................................... 35
Reason for Removal ...................................................................................................... 37
Project Challenges ........................................................................................................ 37
Reservoir Sediment Characteristics .............................................................................. 37
Pre-Removal Evaluation ............................................................................................... 39
Dam Removal Plan ....................................................................................................... 42
Monitoring Accomplished ............................................................................................ 43
Lessons Learned............................................................................................................ 43
Study References .......................................................................................................... 44
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Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam ............................................................................................. 45
History........................................................................................................................... 45
Setting ........................................................................................................................... 46
Reason for Removal ...................................................................................................... 48
Project Challenges ........................................................................................................ 48
Reservoir Sediment Characteristics .............................................................................. 48
Pre-Removal Evaluation ............................................................................................... 49
Dam Removal Plan ....................................................................................................... 50
Monitoring Accomplished ............................................................................................ 51
Lessons Learned............................................................................................................ 52
Study References .......................................................................................................... 53
Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam ............................................................................................ 54
History........................................................................................................................... 54
Setting ........................................................................................................................... 54
Reason for Removal ...................................................................................................... 55
Project Challenges ........................................................................................................ 55
Reservoir Sediment Characteristics .............................................................................. 55
Pre-Removal Evaluation ............................................................................................... 56
Dam Removal Plan ....................................................................................................... 56
Monitoring Accomplished ............................................................................................ 56
Lessons Learned............................................................................................................ 57
Study References .......................................................................................................... 59

ii

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Index of Figures
Page
Figure 1. The Elwha River is located within the United States of America. .................... 14
Figure 2. Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams are located on the Elwha River near Port
Angeles, Washington, U.S.A.. .......................................................................................... 15
Figure 3. Photograph looking downstream at Lake Mills, behind Glines Canyon Dam,
and the reservoir delta composed of sand, gravel, and large woody debris...................... 17
Figure 4. Photograph looking downstream at Lake Aldwell, behind Elwha Dam, and the
reservoir delta composed of sand, gravel, and large woody debris. ................................. 17
Figure 5. Photographs of Lake Mills during the 1994 drawdown experiment: Eroded
delta sediments re-deposited across the width of the receded reservoir (a) and sediment
terraces were deposited along the margins of the reservoir (b). ....................................... 19
Figure 6. Physical Model Experiments of Lake Mills sediment erosion by Chris Bromley
without a pilot channel (a) and with a pilot channel (b). .................................................. 21
Figure 7. Overview of Ventura Watershed. ...................................................................... 26
Figure 8. Peak Discharge at USGS gage 11115500, downstream of Matilija Dam on
Matilija Creek. Flows between Oct 1 1988 and Sept 30 1990 were not available at this
gage. .................................................................................................................................. 27
Figure 9. Comparison of 15-minute instantaneous hydrographs and daily average
hydrographs for the 1992 flood at Foster Park gage on the Ventura River (USGS gage
11118500). ........................................................................................................................ 28
Figure 10. Annual flow volume at USGS gage 11115500, downstream of Matilija Dam
on Matilija Creek. ............................................................................................................. 28
Figure 11. Overview of site. ............................................................................................. 29
Figure 12. River profile downstream of Matilija Dam. Matilija Dam is at RM 16.3. ...... 30
Figure 13. Surface bed material in Ventura River. ........................................................... 31
Figure 14. Picture of sediment trapped behind Matilija Dam while the reservoir was
drawn down. Picture was taken in July 2003 by Paul Jenkin of the Surfrider Foundation.
........................................................................................................................................... 31
Figure 15. View of Savage Rapids Dam, located on the Rogue River in southwestern
Oregon, U.S.A. on February 23, 1999 when the mean-daily flow was 7400 ft3/s (210
cms). .................................................................................................................................. 33
Figure 16. Illustration of pre-dam and existing reservoir bottom and elevation influence
of stop logs. ....................................................................................................................... 34
Figure 17. Looking upstream at Savage Rapids reservoir in upstream areas during
riverine conditions in the non-irrigation season................................................................ 35
Figure 18. Upstream face of Savage Rapids Dam - During a reservoir drawdown in May
1999, gravel-sized sediment was observed on the crest of the dam, indicating that
sediment is transported past the dam during spillway releases......................................... 39
Figure 19. View downstream showing Reclamations custom built, floating drilling
platform in operation on drill hole AP-99-10. The spillway and pumping plant portions of
Savage Rapids Dam are present in the background of this photograph. (Reclamation
photograph by Richard Link; September 30, 1999.)......................................................... 40
Figure 20. View of survey boat configuration equipped with global positioning software
(GPS) equipment, depth sounder, and laptop to document channel bathymetry. ............. 41
iii

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Figure 21. Longitudinal profile showing downstream pool-riffle morphology. ............... 42
Figure 22. Looking upstream at Gold Hill Dam on the Rogue River in Oregon, U.S.A..45
Figure 23. Longitudinal profile of Gold Hill resevoir and downstream river channel. ... 46
Figure 24. Historical river flows at a U.S. Geological Survey stream gage located
slightly upstream of the Gold Hill Dam. ........................................................................... 47
Figure 25. Looking at Gold Hill Dam in August 2009 after removal from an upstream
view (left photo) and a downstream view (right photo). .................................................. 52
Figure 26. Looking upstream at Chiloquin Dam prior to removal. ................................. 54
Figure 27. Looking at time-lapse photography setup utilized on Chiloquin Dam removal
project. .............................................................................................................................. 57
Figure 28. Looking at Chiloquin reservoir following removal showing the large number
of logs that were uncovered. ............................................................................................. 58

iv

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Index of Tables
Page
Table 1. Reservoir Sedimentation Volumes and Size ....................................................... 16
Table 2. Reservoir Sediment Erosion Summary ............................................................... 20
Table 3. Flow rate at various return periods on Matilija Creek and Ventura River. ........ 27
Table 4. Gradations and Sediment Volume Determined from Drill Data. ....................... 32

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide planning level guidance to determine the types
and level of sediment data collection and analysis needed for potential dam removal
projects. This report documents work accomplished in 2009 by Reclamation under the
Appendix 8 agreement for Task 5, dam removal consultation. The agreement is part of
the technical assistance and cooperation for water resources program between the
American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office (TECRO).
Case studies on sediment analysis are also provided where Reclamations Sedimentation
and River Hydraulics Group at the Technical Service Center was significantly involved in
the sediment impact analyses of dam removal. The following case studies are presented:

Negligible sediment scale

o Gold Hill Dam, Oregon
Small sediment scales
o Chiloquin Dam, Oregon
o Savage Rapids Dam, Oregon
Medium to large sediment scales
o Matilija Dam, California
o Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams, Washington

In these case studies, the Bureau of Reclamation was not the owner or manager of the
dam, but was hired to provide technical assistance because of our extensive experience
dealing with reservoir and river sedimentation issues. In the cases discussed in this
report, dam removal was selected as the management alternative for river ecological
restoration purposes for the following reasons:

Continued licensing of the dam would require extensive modifications to

accommodate fish passage needs that are not economically viable, relative to the
benefits of operating the dam;
The dam no longer provides water supply storage or flood control benefits
because the reservoir has filled with sediment; or
Fish passage and ecological impacts from the dams presence outweigh the
benefits of the dam.

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

2.0 Deciding on Dam Removal

The total number of dams in the United States is not known. The U.S. National
Inventory of Dams has identified slightly more than 80,000 dams that are at least 25 feet
(7.6 m) high, store at least 50 acre-feet (64,000 m3), or are considered a significant hazard
if they fail. U.S. National Inventory of Dams website is hosted by U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers for 2007 data. Of the dams in the inventory, less than 2 percent are over 100 ft
(30 m) high and about half are less than 25 ft (7.6 m). The most common uses of dams
and reservoirs are the management of water for industrial and municipal supply,
agricultural, flood control, recreation, and power generation purposes. Dams and
reservoirs also provide benefits for wildlife and fishery enhancement. In the last 2 to 3
decades, dam decommissioning has become an option for dam owners to consider when
the dam no longer meets its original purpose, or the benefits of dam removal outweigh
the benefits and costs to maintain the dams operations. For example, the decision to
remove a dam may be focused on eliminating risk associated with the dams structural
integrity, or may be geared toward ecological restoration of river processes and aquatic
habitat.

2.1

Available Guidance

The decision to remove a dam is an iterative process that involves establishing and
evaluating alternatives in a collaborative framework with several entities. The H. John
Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment has produced some
guidelines to help in the decision making process of whether to remove a dam. This
information can be found at www.heinzctr.org. The Aspen Institute has also published a
document that provides guidance on dam removal which can be found at
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/dam-removal-new-option-new-century-2002.
The United States Society of Dams is in the process of developing guidelines to help with
determination of construction and engineering considerations for dam removal. The
document is expected to be completed in 2010 and more information can be found at
http://www.ussdams.org/c_decom.html. Another reference that has been produced is by
the American Society of Civil Engineers and can be found at
http://cedb.asce.org/cgi/WWWdisplay.cgi?9705367.
In addition, the U.S. Subcommittee on Sedimentation is in the process of developing dam
removal sediment analysis guidelines, which are expected to be published in 2010 or
2011.

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

2.2

Dam Removal Options

When a decision has been made to decommission a dam, structural alternatives range
from leaving the dam in place, partial dam removal, complete dam removal, or staged
breaching (Morris and Fan, 1997). Partial dam removal could mean leaving a lower
portion of the dam in place to retain coarse sediments or leaving portions of the dam near
the abutments to retain sediments along the reservoir margins. The selection of which
dam removal option is appropriate is usually an iterative process that is not determined
until project objectives are defined and alternatives are evaluated, including cost and
impacts to people and the environment.
Another important consideration is the timing of dam removal construction that is usually
coordinated between sediment management planning and logistical and safety needs
associated with construction activities. The rate and magnitude of sediment erosion is
closely tied to the rate of reservoir drawdown and the stream discharge available to erode
and transport the reservoir sediment. Many dam are removed during low-flow periods,
which may have limited erosion immediately following dam removal, but increased
sediment erosion and transport during subsequent floods. However, in some cases dam
removal is specifically timed to coincide with a high streamflow discharge to maximize
the river erosion potential of reservoir sediment and transport the reservoir sediment
through the downstream channel over in a shorter timeframe. Downstream impacts may
be reduced by removing the dam when there is less risk to water supply and aquatic
organisms and their habitat. In systems with multiple reservoirs, it may be possible to
coordinate sediment flushing with flow release and sediment sluicing operations of
upstream or downstream reservoirs to maximize or limit potential sediment transport and
deposition.
The potential for erosion resistant materials within the reservoir should also be
considered when selecting a dam removal alternative. Either native or man-made erosion
resistant materials could create fish or boat passage problems after dam removal and
prevent the erosion of reservoir sediments. For example, investigations may discover that
remnants of an older dam or other infrastructure exist in the reservoir impoundment. If
field investigations and reconnaissance results indicate a potential for erosion resistant
materials, it may be useful to evaluate whether this material is likely to erode through
natural river processes. If it is not expected to be eroded, decision makers can consider
whether it is desirable to mechanically remove the obstructions as part of the dam
removal plan.

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

3.0 Sediment Management Plan

Management of sediment stored in the reservoir is an inherent component that needs to be
considered in any dam removal project. The selection of a sediment management plan is
typically determined by weighing the costs with the potential benefits and consequences
of allowing reservoir sediment to erode. Sediment management alternatives for dam
removal projects can be listed as follows (Reclamation 2006, Morris and Fan 1997):

River erosion of all or a portion of reservoir sediments

Bypass river channel around reservoir sediments
Excavation of sediments
Hydraulic or mechanical dredging
Stabilization of sediments (temporary or permanent)
Staged release of reservoir sediment
Partial release of reservoir sediment
Develop a plan that includes capture of released sediment in downstream features
such as reservoirs, sediment traps, or other in-stream structures

A sediment management plan can also consist of a combination of these categories. For
example, fine sediments could be mechanically removed from the downstream portion of
the reservoir to reduce the impacts on water quality. At the same time, the river could be
allowed to erode coarse sediments from the reservoir delta to resupply gravel for fish
spawning in the downstream river channel. A good reference that provides more
information on sediment excavation and dredging methods is Chapter 16 of the Reservoir
Sedimentation Handbook (Morris and Fan 1997).
The higher the risk and the more uncertainty associated with sediment impacts, the
greater the need for an adaptive management plan that includes monitoring of predicted
outcomes. The adaptive management plan should clearly specify initial predictions on
sediment processes including rate, duration, and volume of reservoir erosion, sediment
transport deposition locations of downstream river changes, and other key areas of
concern. Potential monitoring ideas are included in several of the case studies listed at
the end of this report.

3.1

Potential Sediment Impacts

The potential impacts from the erosion and subsequent downstream transport and
deposition of reservoir sediment should be considered in all dam removal studies. In
many cases, there are benefits from the release of reservoir sediment such as the
introduction of gravel, woody debris, and nutrients for the restoration of downstream
channel morphology (degradation) and aquatic habitats. Alternatively, short-term acute
or long-term chronic impacts could result depending on the volume, extent, and particle
grain size of reservoir sediment erosion and the duration and timing of the erosion.

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

The consequence of a dam removal sediment impact could be economic, biological,
ecological, or social. Example consequences that could occur are listed below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

Partial to no restoration of natural reservoir topography and vegetation

Increase in water treatment costs for downstream water users
Increased flood stage due to aggradation of the downstream channel
Plugging of downstream water intake structures
Burial of downstream aquatic habitats
Impairment of fish passage or feeding due to increased turbidity
Reduction in water table for wells and wetlands in the vicinity of the former
reservoir
Reduction in the yield of downstream wells to the intrusion of fine reservoir
sediments in the upper aquifer.
Change in downstream channel migration and bank erosion due to restoration
of natural sediment supply or large sediment releases during dam removal
Release of contaminants into downstream water supply
Downstream reservoir sedimentation

Specifically for river systems with high upstream sediment loads, example consequences
of dam removal might include increased sedimentation in downstream reservoir(s)
causing a reduction in reservoir life or functionality. In this scenario, it may be desirable
to consider reservoir sediment excavation or stabilization prior to dam removal.

3.2

Consideration of Contaminants

In watersheds with industrial histories there is a potential for contaminants to be present

in the reservoir sediment that could pose harm if the sediments are released downstream.
Impacts from exposure and release of contaminants can affect drinking water, aquatic
species in the downstream river, reservoir, or estuary, and potentially terrestrial species.
A review of the potential for contaminants in the reservoir sediments should be done in
the early phases of dam removal analysis to determine if there is a cause for concern and
to help determine what, if any, testing may be needed. The level of the watershed
investigation depends on the size of the reservoir and the degree of historical disturbance.
Potential questions that can be asked are listed below:

Were there any historical land use activities (e.g. industrial, urban, and
agricultural, etc), in the watershed upstream from the dam, that would have
potentially contributed to contaminants within the reservoir?
What are the most likely contaminants that might be discovered?
When did reservoir sedimentation occur?
Have reservoir sediments been periodically flushed from the reservoir?
Is there a present upstream source of contaminants?
Is there a substantial (greater than 10%) volume of silt and clay-sized reservoir
sediments that would increase the potential for presence of contaminants?

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

If there is a cause for concern, a sampling plan should be implemented to evaluate
reservoir sediment contamination along with upstream and downstream channel
sediments to provide present background conditions for comparison. The number of
locations of sampling should adequately represent the range of reservoir sediment
conditions and take into account any local contamination sources if applicable.
If contaminants are present in the reservoir sediment, it is appropriate to determine what
happens to contaminants associated with the fine sediment after dam removal in order to
evaluate which sediment management plan is necessary. If the consequences of releasing
contaminated sediment to the downstream channel cannot be tolerated, the sediment
management plan will need to be focused on stabilizing or excavating the contaminated
sediment. Possible contaminant analyses are listed below:

3.3

Predict the concentration and duration of contaminants in the downstream channel

and determine whether it will be a acute or chronic source following dam removal
Compare reservoir sediment contaminant concentrations with background
concentrations in the upstream and downstream streambed sediments
Identify downstream water uses and determine the potential effects of
contaminant release water use, aquatic habitat, or other water needs
Determine the fate and potential consequences of contaminants that are not
mobilized following dam removal and remain in the reservoir.

Scale of the Erodible Reservoir Sediment Volumes

If the reservoir sediment mass that could be eroded following dam removal is large
relative to the downstream sediment transport capacity, then alternative dam removal and
sediment management strategies should include staged dam removal, partial dam
removal, partial sediment stabilization or excavation. Items that may be useful to
consider when determining the scale of the reservoir sediment volume include the
following concepts (Reclamation, 2008):

The reservoir sediment trap efficiency, which may be estimated from the original
reservoir storage capacity (at the normal pool elevation) relative to the mean
annual volume of river flow. The smaller the ratio, the smaller the reservoir
sediment trap efficiency and the volume of reservoir sediment.
The reservoir sediment mass relative to the mean annual sediment transport
capacity of the river or the capacity during a flow or flood hydrograph likely to
occur during or following dam removal. This can be accomplished for each of the
particle size gradations of the reservoir sediment or for the typical reservoir
sediment size if the reservoir sediment is fairly uniform.

One potential method for scaling the reservoir sediment is being developed by the U.S.
Subcommittee on Sediment, which has been convening workshops of individuals with
technical background and experience in sediment processes associated with dam removal
in the United States. This information is planned to be published in 2010 in a guidelines
to assist with determining the level of sediment data collection and analysis needed based
6

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

on the scale of the sediment. The Subcommittee on Sedimentation is composed of
representatives from U.S. federal agencies, some universities, and other organizations
concerned with sediment. The scale of sediment has a separate approach for coarse
sediment (sand and larger) and fine sediment (silt and clay) portions of the estimated
reservoir volume.

3.3.1 Coarse Sediment

The sediment transport capacity of the downstream channel can be computed for certain
discharge frequencies to classify the significance of the coarse reservoir sediment mass:

Median discharge at time of dam removal (upper limit for negligible mass),
2-year flood hydrograph (upper limit for small mass),
10-year flood hydrograph (upper limit for medium mass), and
50-year flood hydrograph (upper limit for large mass and lower limit for very
large mass).

The sediment transport capacity does not have to be computed for all of the above
discharge frequencies, only the frequencies that bracket the coarse reservoir sediment
mass. The first step is to estimate (using best judgment) the significance of the coarse
reservoir sediment mass: Negligible, small, medium, large, or very large.
For coarse sediment (sand and larger), scale the reservoir sediment mass by comparing
the reservoir sedimentation mass of sand and gravel to the downstream sediment
transport capacity 1 :

Reservoir sediment mass is less than the transport capacity of the median
discharge during the estimated month or season of dam removal [Negligible
coarse sediment mass]
Reservoir sediment mass is greater than the transport capacity of the median
discharge, during the estimated month or season of dam removal, but less than the
sediment transport capacity of the 2-year flood hydrograph [Small coarse
sediment mass]; if no dam removal timing has been determined, consider a range
of months in the computation
Reservoir sediment mass is between the transport capacity of the 2-year and 10year flood hydrographs [Medium coarse sediment mass]
Reservoir sediment mass is greater than the transport capacity of the 10-year flood
hydrograph [Large coarse sediment mass]
Reservoir sediment mass is greater than the transport capacity of the 50-year flood
hydrograph [Very large coarse sediment mass]

Sediment transport capacity calculated at a downstream river cross section that

represents typical capacity to move sediment through the downstream reach.

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Analysis Tips:
If hourly data are available for the 2-, 10-, and 50-year floods, then compute the
sediment load for each hour and sum the results to compute the sediment load for
the hydrograph.
If hourly data are not available, then use the mean daily flow for each day of the
respective flood hydrograph and sum the results to compute the sediment load for
the hydrograph.
If no discharge data are available for the dam site use regional equations, data
from a nearby drainage and scale based on drainage area.

3.3.2 Fine Sediment

For fine (silt and clay) sediment, scale the reservoir sediment using one of two methods,
depending on whether suspended sediment data is readily available.
If no suspended sediment load data are available, accomplish the following steps.

Compute the ratio of the original reservoir storage capacity to the mean annual
inflow.
o Ratio is less than or equal to 0.001 (or 0.1%) and the percent of silt and
clay in the total reservoir volume is less than 5 % [Negligible fine
sediment mass]
Compute the average annual fine sediment load (see analysis steps below)
o Average annual fine sediment load less than or equal to 1 year [Small fine
sediment mass]
o Average annual fine sediment load between 1 and 5 years [Medium fine
sediment mass]
o Average annual fine sediment load greater than 5 years [Large fine
sediment mass]

Analysis tips:
Determine the trap efficiency of the reservoir using the Brune trap efficiency
curve (see Morris and Fan, 2001)
Compute the total fine sediment load (Qs) over the period of reservoir
sedimentation by dividing the fine reservoir sediment volume(Vfine) by the trap
efficiency of the reservoir
Determine the total years to fill (T) based on the number of years where sediment
trapping occurred (e.g. no flushing, excavation, or other removal); include all
years regardless of flow magnitude (e.g. dry and wet years);
o If not sure and the reservoir is still filling with sediment, estimate the total
years of sediment as the age of the reservoir
o If not sure and the reservoir filled long ago, estimate the total years of
sediment conservatively as 1 year
Compute the average annual fine sediment load (Qs avg) by dividing the total
sediment load (Qs) by the total years to fill (T)

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

If fine suspended sediment load data are available, compare the fine reservoir sediment
mass of clay and silt to the 2- and 10-year floods.
Reservoir fine sediment mass is less than the fine sediment load of the median
discharge during the estimated month or season of dam removal [Negligible fine
sediment mass]
Reservoir sediment mass is greater than the fine sediment load of the median
discharge during the estimated month or season of dam removal but less than the
sediment load of the 2-year flood hydrograph [Small fine sediment mass]; if no
dam removal timing has been determined, consider a range of months in the
computation
Reservoir sediment mass is greater than the fine sediment load of the 2-year flood
hydrograph [Medium fine sediment mass]
Reservoir sediment mass is greater than the fine sediment load of the 10-year
flood hydrograph [Large fine sediment mass]

3.4 Determining What Portion of Reservoir Sediment is

Erodible
Although a large scale of reservoir sediment volume may initially cause concern
regarding sediment impacts, the actual volume of reservoir sediment that may erode may
be less depending on the reservoir configuration and dam removal option selected. The
amount of reservoir sediment that will erode is partially dependent on the inundation area
of the reservoir relative to the predicted post-dam removal river channel conditions. In
instances where the reservoir width is much wider than the typical river channel width, a
significant portion of the reservoir sediment is likely to remain in the reservoir over the
long term.
Sediment management plans should also consider the potential for downstream channel
degradation to migrate upstream past the dam and reservoir after dam removal, which
could alter final reservoir conditions and the amount of sediment introduced to the
downstream river system. If there is a moderate to high probability for downstream
degradation to progress upstream of the dam and reservoir, then it may be appropriate to
consider including some sort of grade control structure in the dam removal and sediment
management plan.

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

4.0 Data Collection and Analysis

This section provides some guidance on questions to ask and considerations for
determining what data collection and analysis is needed for sediment assessment
associated with dam removal.

4.1

Reconnaissance

The following reconnaissance questions should be answered to help guide the initial data
collection for a dam removal study. These questions can be initially answered using
relatively low-cost methods including literature review, interviews with dam operators
and local residents, field visit and observations, and gathering of easy to obtain data
available from public sources.
Dam history and watershed context questions:
When was the reservoir constructed and by who?
Who is the present owner of the dam?
What were the original and present purposes of the dam and reservoir?
What is the hydraulic height and crest length of the dam?
Has the dam been raised or lowered?
Where is reservoir located within the watershed?
What are the upstream and downstream channel slopes?
What is the controlling geology at the dam site?
What is the hydrologic regime, particularly when do floods occur?
Are there any upstream or downstream storage reservoirs?
What and where are the major coarse and fine sediment sources and sinks in the
watershed where the dam is located? (e.g. tributaries, debris flows, landslides, etc)
Where are the significant tributaries that affect the downstream reach?
What is the bed material size of the upstream and downstream channels (e.g.,
clay, silt, sand, gravel, cobble, D50, D90)
Local impact concern questions:
Why is the dam being considered for removal?
Who are the local stakeholders?
What are the key impact concerns?
o Flooding?
o Water quality?
o Infrastructure (e.g. water diversion)?
o Water supply?
o Aquatic habitat?
o Fish passage?
o Recreation?
o Cultural resources?
o Downstream estuary or reservoir sedimentation?
10

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

4.2

What is the downstream reach of interest?

What are the administrative jurisdictions that encompass the reservoir and
downstream reach of interest?
What, if any, endangered species utilize aquatic habitats within the reservoir or
downstream channel?
Where surface water diversions are located downstream of the dam?
What critical infrastructure is located near the reservoir or downstream channel?

Reservoir Sediment Characteristics

Determining the reservoir sediment volume, size gradation, and spatial distribution is a
critical step in assessing the potential impacts from release of reservoir sediment during
dam removal. Errors in these estimates can result in drastic under or over estimations of
impacts that can potentially negatively alter dam removal planning and decision making.
Answers to the following questions are useful to estimate the reservoir sediment volume.
Data collection methods to determine the reservoir sediment volume and mass may
include dive inspections, drill holes and sediment cores, estimation of the pre-dam
thalweg profile (based on upstream and downstream thalweg profiles), and comparison of
bathymetric contour maps of present and pre-dam conditions. The level of investigation
should be greater for larger reservoirs than smaller reservoirs. Sediment samples should
be taken from representative locations within the reservoir to measure the various types
of sediment deposits (tributary deltas, lakebed, and margin deposits).
Reservoir sediment volume questions:
What is the ratio of the original maximum reservoir depth to maximum natural
river pool depth?
What are the normal operations of the reservoir pool?
o Run of the river for river diversion or hydropower
o Moderate to considerable drawdown and refilling for water supply
o Normally empty for flood control
Is sediment periodically sluiced from the dam?
Is there periodic flushing of reservoir sediment due to floods or reservoir
drawdown operations?
What is the ratio of the original reservoir storage volume (at the normal pool
elevation) to the mean annual river flow?
What is the reservoir sediment trap efficiency for fine sediment?
What was the pre-dam river and floodplain morphology and how would it be
expected to influence the magnitude and locations of reservoir sediment
deposition? (e.g. is it a riffle-pool morphology, braided, meandering, etc)
What is the volume of the reservoir sediment?
What is the ratio of reservoir sediment volume to the original reservoir storage
capacity?
If the reservoir is already filled with sediment, over what period of time did the
filling take place?

11

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Reservoir sediment size and spatial distribution questions:

What is the particle size gradation of reservoir sediment?
o Delta (typically sand, gravel, and cobble sized-sediment)
o Lake bed deposit (typically silt and clay sized sediment)
What is the spatial distribution of reservoir sediment?
o Is there a distinguishable delta at the upstream end of the reservoir?
o Has coarse reservoir sediment reached the dam?
What is the longitudinal profile of the reservoir sediment?
What is the ratio of the delta length to the original reservoir length?

4.3

Selecting Analysis Techniques

Key questions to be answered are listed below:

What portion of the reservoir sediment is expected to be eroded past the dam
within a few weeks after dam removal, a few months after dam removal, one year
after dam removal, and several years to decades after dam removal?
How quickly will the sediment erode past the dam?
What will be the fate of the eroded reservoir sediments after they enter the
downstream river channel?

The level of analysis completed is dependent on the scale of reservoir sediment volume
and the potential consequences associated with release of reservoir sediment. Analysis
techniques should at a minimum include a conceptual model of how the reservoir
sediment will be eroded. One such conceptual model is available from Doyle et al
(2003). Special consideration in the conceptual model is necessary when there is a
substantial portion of cohesive sediment or potential for vegetation recruitment in the
reservoir that may slow or stop the erosion process following dam removal.
As the scale of the reservoir sediment and potential risk of consequences increases,
analysis techniques may be expanded to include analytical tools, physical models, and
numerical modeling techniques. Several tools are available and sample techniques are
provided in a recently published Erosion and Sedimentation Manual (Reclamation 2006).

5.0 References
American Society of Civil Engineers (1997). Guidelines for Retirement of Dams and
Hydroelectric Facilities, New York, 222 p.
Aspen Institute (2002). Dam Removal, A New Option for a New Century, Aspen Institute
Program on Energy, the Environment, and the Economy, Queenstown, Maryland, 66 p.

Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), 2006, Erosion and Sedimentation Manual.

12

Sediment Considerations for Potential Dam Removal Projects

Doyle, M., Stanley, E.H., Harbor, J.M. (2003). Channel Adjustments Following Two Dam
Removals in Wisconsin, Water Resources Research, Vol. 39, No. 1, 2003.
H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment (2002). Dam Removal
Science and Decision Making, Washington D.C., 221 pages. Report, October.
Morris, G.L. and J. Fan (1997). Reservoir Sedimentation Handbook, Design and Management of
Dams, Reservoirs, and Watersheds for Sustainable Use, McGraw-Hill, New York.

13

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Appendix A: Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams

Written by Timothy Randle and Jennifer Bountry, Sedimentation and River Hydraulics
Group, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.

Introduction
The U.S. Department of the Interior has purchased, and plans to remove, two large
hydroelectric dams on the Elwha River, near Port Angeles, Washington, U.S.A. (Figure
1) to restore the ecosystem and native anadromous fisheries (U.S. Department of the
Interior, National Park Service, 1996, 2004, and 2005). Elwha Dam is a 32-m high
concrete gravity dam that was constructed 7.9 km upstream from the river mouth in 1913
(U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1996). Glines Canyon Dam is a
64-m high concrete arch dam that was constructed 21.7 km upstream from the river
mouth in 1927 (Figure 2). Neither dam has provisions for fish passage and there have
been significant impacts to native Chinook salmon (spring and summer/fall), steelhead
(winter and summer), Coho, chum, pink, and sockeye salmon, coastal cutthroat trout,
native char, and forage fish (U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service,
1996). After dam removal these fish will have access to more than 100 km of mainstem
and tributary-stream habitat.
The headwaters of the Elwha River begin within Olympic National Park and flow
northward to the sea in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Figure 2). The river flows through a
series of alluvial valleys and bedrock canyons. Pools, riffles, and rapids are common.
Alluvial bars are common upstream from the reservoirs, but the channel bed is
characterized by cobbles, boulders, and bed rock in the lower reach that is downstream
from the reservoirs. Average river slope in the lower 8 km is 0.4 percent.

Figure 1. The Elwha River is located within the United States of America.

14

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Figure 2. Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams are located on the Elwha River near Port Angeles,
Washington, U.S.A..
Lake Aldwell is formed behind Elwha Dam and has a storage capacity of 10 million m3.
Lake Mills is formed behind Glines Canyon Dam and has a storage capacity of 50 million
m3, which is 3.7 percent of the mean annual river flow of 1,300 million m3/yr (average
flow rate of 42 m3/s). Both dams are operated to keep the reservoir elevations constant
(within 15 cm) over time, so flood peaks and durations have not been significantly
altered.

Reservoir Sedimentation
The reservoirs behind the two dams have trapped the entire upstream load of sand and
gravel (67-year average of 82,000 m3/yr) and are estimated to have trapped 70 percent of
the silt and clay load (Randle et al., 1996).
Reservoir sediment volumes were last measured in 1994 (U.S. Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Reclamation, 1996a). By 2012, when dam removal may begin, the two
reservoirs are predicted to contain 8.4 million m3 of silt and clay-sized sediments and 8.0

15

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

million m3 of sand and gravel-sized sediments. Sand and gravel-sized sediment have
deposited as reservoir deltas while silt and clay-sized sediments have deposited along the
lakebeds. The sediment sizes for the two reservoirs are summarized in Table 1.
The total sediment volume of 16 million m3 for the two reservoirs will be the largest
volume of reservoir sediment associated with any prior dam removal and, therefore,
offers a unique learning opportunity. Of the original reservoir storage capacity, reservoir
sedimentation occupies 27 percent of Lake Mills and 30 percent of Lake Aldwell. The
deltas of each reservoir are about 3,000 m upstream from each dam (Figure 3 and Figure
4).
Table 1. Reservoir Sedimentation Volumes and Size
Distribution in Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell.
1994
2012
Lake Mills Sedimentation Volumes
since 1927
Silt and Clay
Sand and Gravel Totals

100%

Lake Aldwell Sedimentation Volumes

since 1913
Silt and Clay
Sand and Gravel Totals
100%

Total Sedimentation within

Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell
Silt and Clay
Sand and Gravel Totals
100%
Total Reservoir Sedimentation

16

Vol (m3)
5,060,000
5,510,000

Vol (m3)
6,420,000
6,990,000

1994

2012

Vol (m3)
1,980,000
990,000

Vol (m3)
1,980,000
990,000

1994

2012

Vol (m3)
Vol (m3)
7,040,000 8,400,000
6,500,000 7,980,000
13,540,000 16,380,000

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Figure 3. Photograph looking downstream at Lake Mills, behind Glines Canyon Dam, and the
reservoir delta composed of sand, gravel, and large woody debris.

Figure 4. Photograph looking downstream at Lake Aldwell, behind Elwha Dam, and the
reservoir delta composed of sand, gravel, and large woody debris.

17

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Elwha River Restoration Plan

The restoration plan is to remove both dams and allow the river to erode a portion
of the reservoir sediments for transport to the sea. Downstream water users will be
protected by the construction of three new water treatment plants, new wells, and a new
water diversion facility with improved fish passage. Downstream landowners will be
protected by raising the height of existing levees and the construction of new levees (U.S.
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2004 and 2005).
The sediment management plan is to concurrently remove both dams in controlled
increments over a two to three-year period and allow the Elwha River to erode and
redistribute the reservoir sediments. Concurrent removal over a two to three-year period
is considered fast enough to limit the sediment impacts to only a few year classes of fish,
but slow enough that impacts to downstream water users and landowners can be tolerated
(U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1996).
Neither dam has a low-level outlet that can drain the reservoir. Each reservoir
will be drawn down to the extent possible using the existing spillways and penstocks
(U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, 1996b). A series of notches
will be cut into Glines Canyon Dam to drain the remaining portion of the reservoir. For
Elwha Dam, a river diversion channel will be cut below the existing spillway channel to
drain about one-half of the reservoir head. A series of notches then will be cut into the
remaining portion of Elwha Dam to fully drain the reservoir.

Reservoir Sediment Erosion

Predictions of the sediment impacts associated with dam removal are based on the
1994 drawdown experiment of Lake Mills (Childers et al., 2000), a mass-balance
numerical model (Randle et al., 1996), and physical modelling of the reservoir sediment
erosion (Bromley et al., 2005).
During dam removal, the reservoir water surface elevation would be held at a
constant elevation between drawdown increments of 2 to 3 m to induce lateral erosion of
the reservoir sediments (Figure 5). The optimum increment of reservoir drawdown
would cause just enough delta erosion to re-deposit a new delta completely across the
width of the receded reservoir. The reservoir drawdown increments are expected to
create a series of sediment terraces along the reservoir margins until the eroding delta
sediments have reached each dam (Randle, et al., 1996).

18

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

a.
b.
Figure 5. Photographs of Lake Mills during the 1994 drawdown experiment: Eroded delta
sediments re-deposited across the width of the receded reservoir (a) and sediment terraces
were deposited along the margins of the reservoir (b).
The predicted reservoir sediment erosion volumes are presented in table 2 under four
separate hydrologic scenarios (Randle, et al., 1996). Between one-quarter and one-third
of the sand and gravel-sized sediments (1.7 million to 2.4 million m3) are expected to
erode from the reservoirs and be transported downstream to the sea as bed-material load.
Between one-half and two-thirds of the silt and clay-sized sediments (4.1 million to 5.0
million m3) are expected to erode from the reservoirs and be transported downstream to
the sea as suspended load (Randle et al., 1996). The remaining reservoir sediments are
expected to stabilize and become covered with woody vegetation over the long term.
The reservoir sediment erosion model results are based on the simulation of four historic
hydrologic periods:
(1) 1950 to 1963 begins with one year of relatively high annual peak discharge,
followed a year of relatively low peak discharge, and then a year of moderate peak
discharge.
(2) 1968 to 1981 begins with the lowest peak discharge for any three consecutive
water years of record.
(3) 1971 to 1984 begins with progressively higher annual peak discharges in each
of the three years.
(4) 1989 to 2002 begins with the highest peak discharge for any three consecutive
water years of record.
Reservoir drawdown and Elwha River flows are expected to be the primary causes of
reservoir sediment erosion, but tributary streams that enter the reservoirs are also
expected to erode gullies through the reservoir sediments. In addition, rainfall runoff is
expected to cause some additional erosion of sediment deposits along the reservoir
margins.

19

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Table 2. Reservoir Sediment Erosion Summary
Sediment erosion volumes (m3) under four
historic hydrologic periods
Reservoir Sediment Volumes expected
by the year 2012 (m3)
Lake Mills Sediment
13,400,000
Silt and Clay
6,420,000
Sand
4,980,000
Gravel
2,020,000
Lake Aldwell Sediment
2,970,000
Silt and Clay
1,980,000
Sand
837,000
Gravel
149,000
Total Reservoir Sediment 16,400,000
Silt and Clay
8,400,000
Sand
5,810,000
Gravel
2,170,000

1950 to
1963
4,700,000
3,700,000
700,000
280,000
1,900,000
1,200,000
590,000
110,000
6,600,000
4,900,000
1,300,000
390,000

1968 to
1981
5,300,000
3,900,000
1,000,000
400,000
1,900,000
1,200,000
590,000
110,000
7,100,000
5,000,000
1,600,000
510,000

1971 to
1984
5,000,000
3,900,000
800,000
320,000
1,900,000
1,200,000
600,000
110,000
6,900,000
5,000,000
1,400,000
430,000

1989 to
2002
4,600,000
3,000,000
1,100,000
460,000
1,900,000
1,200,000
610,000
110,000
6,500,000
4,100,000
1,800,000
570,000

Downstream Sediment Transport and Geomorphic Effects

Depending on the hydrologic regime and the rate of reservoir sediment erosion, turbidity
is expected to exceed water quality standards (greater than 5 NTUs or 10 percent of the
natural turbidity upstream from the reservoirs) during three-quarters of the three-year
dam removal period. Peak suspended sediment concentrations during dam removal are
predicted to be between 10,000 and 40,000 ppm. General riverbed aggradation could
increase the 100-year flood stage by up to 1 m in response to reservoir sediment erosion
and by allowing the natural sediment supply from the upstream watershed to reach the
lower river (Randle et al., 1996).
The erosion and release of coarse sediment from the reservoirs is expected to
successively aggrade river pools in a downstream progression over the short term. The
water surface profile would only significantly increase if there were significant
aggradation on the riffles, which have steeper slope, higher river velocity, and higher
sediment transport capacity than river pools. If coarse sediment did aggrade the riffles,
then river flows would begin to enter and widen secondary river channels. Thus, the
river channel would tend to migrate laterally by occupying and eroding the banks and
vegetation of old river channels. This means that the river channel would move laterally
if the amount of aggradation became too much in any one location. As the sediment
loads increase and the channel bed aggrades, the river channel would tend to flow in a
straighter and more braided pattern. Over the long-term, the Elwha River would likely
reach a new equilibrium similar to that of the pre-dam river.

20

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Adaptive Management
An adaptive management monitoring plan will be used to determine if actual sediment
impacts agree with predictions and if the new water treatment plants and flood control
levees can accommodate the increases in suspended sediment concentration and river-bed
aggradation. Initially, monitoring will focus on the erosion and redistribution of reservoir
sediments. Once sediments are released from the reservoirs, downstream monitoring will
focus on turbidity and suspended sediment concentration and on aggradation of the
channel bed. Early detection of significant channel-bed aggradation will trigger
additional monitoring. Detection of system-wide aggradation or high sediment
concentrations that begin to approach flood-control or water-treatment capacities will
trigger a slower rate of dam removal or a temporarily halt to dam removal. If localized
problems are identified through monitoring, then attempts will be made to treat the
problem locally.
Physical modeling (Bromley, et al., 2005) and field evidence suggest that the reservoir
deltas are most like to naturally erode along their reservoir margins. Even though
multiple channels may initially erode the deltas, a single erosion channel in each reservoir
may eventually capture Elwha River flow from other erosion channels. If a single
erosion channel incises the delta along the reservoir margin, then a substantial portion of
the delta could be left in place immediately after dam removal (Figure 6a). These delta
sediments would be vulnerable to uncontrolled erosion after dam removal is complete.
Physical modeling has demonstrated that the initial formation of a pilot channel along the
delta centre was effective at eventually eroding and redistributing a substantial portion of
the reservoir delta (Figure 6b).

b.

a.
Figure 6. Physical Model Experiments of Lake Mills sediment erosion by Chris Bromley
without a pilot channel (a) and with a pilot channel (b).

21

Appendix A: Glines Canyon and Elwha Dams, Elwha River, Washington

Study References
Bromley, C. Randle, T., Grant, G., Thorne, C. (2005), Physical modeling of the removal
of Glines Canyon Dam and Lake Mills from the Elwha River, WA. in Proceedings of
the 2005 Watershed Management Conference, July 19-22, 2005, Williamsburg, VA.,
ASCE.
Childers, D.; Kresch, D.L.; Gustafson, A.S.; Randle, T.J.; Melena, J.T.; Cluer, B. (2000),
Hydrologic Data Collected During the 1994 Lake Mills Drawdown Experiment,
Elwha River, Washington, Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4215, U.S.
Geological Survey, Tacoma, Washington, 115 pages.
Randle, T.J.; Young, C.A.; Melena, J.T.; and Ouellette, E. M. (1996), Sediment Analysis
and Modeling of the River Erosion Alternative, Elwha Technical Series PN-95-9, U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Service Center, Denver, 136 p.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (1996a), Alluvium Distribution in
Lake Mills, Glines Canyon Project and Lake Aldwell, Elwha Project, Washington,
Elwha Technical Series PN-95-4, Pacific Northwest Region, Boise, ID, 60 p.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (1996b), Removal of Elwha and
Glines Canyon Dams, Elwha Technical Series PN-95-7, Pacific Northwest Region,
Boise, ID, 90 p.
U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (1996), Final Elwha River
Ecosystem Restoration Implementation Environmental Impact Statement, Olympic
National Park, Port Angeles, Washington.
U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (2004), Draft Supplement to the
Final Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration Implementation Environmental Impact
Statement, Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, Washington.
U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (2005), Record of Decision,
Elwha River Ecosystem Restoration Implementation, Final Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statement, Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, Washington.

22

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

Appendix B: Matilija Dam

Written by Blair Greimann, Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Bureau of
Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.

Introduction
Matilija Dam was built in 1947 with an initial reservoir capacity of 7,018 ac-ft. It is
located on Matilija Creek, which joins with North Fork Matilija Creek approximately 0.6
miles downstream to form the Ventura River (Figure 7). It was original constructed as a
160 ft sill height, but a 30 foot notch was cut in 1965 in the dam and approximately 2600
ac-ft was lost. The upper part of the dam had alkali-aggregate reaction that caused the
concrete in the upper section of the dam to be weakened. The original purpose of the dam
was water storage for the local community. However, the dam is now practically full of
sediment and its usefulness is lost. The dam is an impediment to southern steelhead trout
passage, and the trout is an endangered species. Under the authority of the Endangered
Species Act, the US Army Corp of Engineers and the County of Ventura are now funding
studies to design the removal of the dam.

Hydrology
The flows in the Ventura River basin are highly variable. The historic peak flows are
shown in Figure 8. The annual peak flow has varied between essentially zero and 20,000
ft3/s. The flows with a specific return period are given in Table 3. The large flows events
are very short lived and the flow can quickly recede after the rain stops (Figure 9). The
annual flow volumes at Matilija Dam are shown in Figure 10. The average annual flow is
about 30,000 ac-ft, but is highly variable from year to year and the average flow is not a
good indicator of an average year. It is more likely that the flow at the dam will be
significantly higher or lower than this value.

River Characteristics
Just downstream of the dam, Matilija Creek is confined in a canyon for approximately 1
mile. The river has then joined with North Fork Matilija Creek and is called the Ventura
River. The Ventura River is primarily a braided river channel downstream (see Figure
11). The river slope is approximately 1.5% at its beginning and gradually decreases to
about 0.5 % just upstream from its mouth (Figure 12). The river width varies between
about 150 feet for the first 2 miles downstream of the dam, to about 350 feet in the flatter
downstream sections. Because of its steep slope and high flow rates, it has a high
sediment transport capacity during flood events. The suspended sediment loads are very
high during floods and commonly exceed 10,000 mg/l. The representative surface bed
material in the river is given in Figure 13.

23

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

Reservoir Sedimentation
Sedimentation in the Matilija Reservoir has been a concern since its construction and a
photograph of the current reservoir is shown in Figure 14. Matilija Reservoir currently
has less than 500 ac-ft of capacity remaining and its usefulness as a water storage facility
is significantly decreased. There is currently about 6 million yd3 of sediment deposited
behind the dam, at a maximum depth of about 80 ft against the face of the dam. The dam
currently traps all sand-sized and larger material. It is estimated that most of the silts and
clays pass over the dam during flood flows. An extensive drilling program was performed
on the reservoir sediment and the physical properties of the sediment are given in Table
4. Eighteen drill holes were collected in the reservoir deposit. The sediment collected
from these holes was analyzed for its physical and chemical properties. No significant
contamination was found in the reservoir sediment.
The sediment deposit was broken in to three sections. The reservoir area is the area
currently still under water and it primarily silts and clays. The delta region is above water
and is dominated by sands, but has silts, clays, and some gravels. The upstream channel
area is just upstream of the delta and has few fines and is a mixture of sands, gravels, and
cobbles. The reservoir width is approximately 3 times greater than the river width. The
reservoir delta extends about 7,000 ft upstream from the dam.

Sediment Impact Concerns

There is considerable development adjacent to the Ventura River. The aggradation that
will result from the release of the stored sediment and resupply of the natural sediment
load will increase the flood risk to several residences downstream of the dam. These
residences must be purchased or protected as part of the project. There is also a major
diversion approximately 2 miles downstream of the dam (Robles Diversion). Robles
Diversion feeds the only major water storage facility in the Ventura Basin and the water
supply needs to be protected.

Dam Removal Plans

The dam removal study is currently in the design phase. There are several mitigation
measures that will be constructed as part of the dam removal. The general are to mitigate
the impacts caused by the release of the sediment to the downstream reach. They are:
1. One new levee is being constructed and another is being raised.
2. Additional radial gates are being constructed at Robles Diversion downstream
of the dam. This will allow more sediment to be sluiced downstream and not
deposit behind the diversion dam.
3. Several private properties that cannot be protected from the increase in flood
risk will be purchased.
4. A desilting basin will be constructed on the canal leading from the diversion.

24

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

5. A smaller surface water diversion approximately 10 miles downstream of the
dam is being replace with a groundwater well. This will allow the water
treatment plant to withdraw cleaner water.
To remove the dam and prevent sediment from overwhelming Robles Diversion, much of
the fine sediment in the reservoir area will be excavated or transported by slurry line from
behind the dam. It is estimated that up to 2.1million yd3 of material will be moved. The
disposal site for this material is still being discussed. Because of the development and
steep environment, there is little available space for a disposal site. One likely alternative
is that most of the fine material will be stabilized in place upstream of the dam. The
coarse sediment in the delta and upstream channel areas will be naturally transported
downstream.

25

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

Figure 7. Overview of Ventura Watershed.

26

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

Table 3. Flow rate at various return periods on Matilija Creek and Ventura River.

Return
Period
(yr)
2
5
10
20
50
100
500

Upstream of
Confluence
with N. Fork
Matilija Creek
3,060
7,090
12,500
15,200
18,800
21,600
27,900

Flood Flows at Selected Locations (ft3/s)

Downstream of
Confluence
Casitas
with N. Fork
Baldwin
Casitas
Road
Matilija Creek
Rd.
Springs
Bridge
3,250
3,380
4,130
4,520
7,580
7,910
9,820
11,060
15,000
16,000
35,200
36,400
18,800
19,800
44,400
46,400
24,000
24,800
56,600
59,700
27,100
28,300
66,600
69,700
35,200
36,700
89,000
93,100

Shell
Chemical
Plant
5,080
12,250
41,300
52,700
67,900
78,900
105,500

25000
peak discharge (cfs)
15-yr moving average

Discharge (cfs)

20000

15000

10000

5000

0
1933

1943

1953

1963

1973

1983

1993

Year

Figure 8. Peak Discharge at USGS gage 11115500, downstream of Matilija Dam on Matilija
Creek. Flows between Oct 1 1988 and Sept 30 1990 were not available at this gage.

27

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

50000
45000

15 min flows

40000

daily average

Flow (cfs)

35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
2/8

2/10

2/12

2/14

2/16

2/18

2/20

Day

Figure 9. Comparison of 15-minute instantaneous hydrographs and daily average hydrographs

for the 1992 flood at Foster Park gage on the Ventura River (USGS gage 11118500).

140000
annual flow volume (ac-ft)

15 year moving average

Annual Volume (ac-ft)

120000
100000

80000
60000

40000
20000

0
1927 1932 1937 1942 1947 1952 1957 1962 1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997
Year

Figure 10. Annual flow volume at USGS gage 11115500, downstream of Matilija Dam on
Matilija Creek.

28

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

Matilija Dam

Figure 11. Overview of site.

29

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

7a

7b
0.03

1200
2

6a 6b

1000

0.025

800

0.02

600

0.015

400

0.01

200

0.005

0
0

10

12

14

16

18

River Mile
thalweg elevation

average river slope

reach breaks

Figure 12. River profile downstream of Matilija Dam. Matilija Dam is at RM 16.3.

30

20

Slope (-)

Elevation (ft

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

1000

Representative Diameter (mm)

#7

100

10

# 15
# 12

1
d16

d50

d84

#3
0.1
0

10

15

20

River Mile

Figure 13. Surface bed material in Ventura River.

Figure 14. Picture of sediment trapped behind Matilija Dam while the reservoir was drawn down.
Picture was taken in July 2003 by Paul Jenkin of the Surfrider Foundation.

31

Appendix B: Matilija Dam, Ventura River, California

Table 4. Gradations and Sediment Volume Determined from Drill Data.
% finer than
Grain Diameter
(mm)
512
256
128
64
32
16
8
4
2
1
0.5
0.25
0.125
0.0625
0.031
0.016
0.008
0.004
0.002
Total Volume
(yd3)

Reservoir
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.9
99.8
99.7
99.7
99.5
99.0
97.2
92.2
82.8
70.9
57.3
43.1
30.1
18.0
2,100,000

Delta
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
98.4
95.1
92.5
89.9
87.3
83.7
77.5
66.5
50.8
33.2
21.9
14.5
9.7
5.3
0.0
2,800,000

Upstream
Channel
100.0
87.9
75.9
60.9
48.9
36.9
29.9
24.9
21.9
18.4
15.0
12.0
9.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
0.0
1,000,000

Study References
Reclamation, 2006, "Hydrology, Hydraulics, and Sediment Studies for the Matilija Dam
Ecosystem Restoration Project, Ventura, CA DRAFT Report" Technical Service
Center, Denver, CO.

32

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam

Written by Jennifer Bountry, Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Bureau of
Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.

History
When was the reservoir constructed and by who?
Savage Rapids Dam was built in 1921 to divert river flows for irrigation (Figure 15). The
dam is operated by the Grants Pass Irrigation District (GPID). Modifications were made
to the dam in the 1950s that included installation of two radial gates and excavation of a
channel in bedrock that allow the reservoir to be partially drawn down and sluice
sediment for purposes of installing or removing stop logs.

Figure 15. View of Savage Rapids Dam, located on the Rogue River in southwestern Oregon,
U.S.A. on February 23, 1999 when the mean-daily flow was 7400 ft3/s (210 cms).
What is the purpose of the dam and reservoir?
The dam is utilized to divert water for irrigation customers during the months of April
through October. The reservoir is also utilized for recreational boating and fishing,
mostly during the irrigation season when the pool is extended from mile to 2 miles
(0.8 to 4.0 km).
What is the size of the dam?
The dam is a combination gravity and multiple arch concrete dam with a crest length of
464 feet (141 m) and a structural height (total height of the dam from the foundation to
the top of the crest, including the stop logs) of 39 feet (12 m) (Reclamation, 1997). The
33

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

hydraulic height of the dam (height of the structure from the original channel bed
elevation to the crest of the dam) is 30 feet (9 m). The crest elevation of the dam is 957.6
feet (291.9 m) in the 1988 North American Vertical Datum (NAVD) (elevation 953.0 feet
(290.5 m) in the 1929 National Geodetic Vertical Datum [NGVD]). Fish ladders are
present on both ends of the structure, with the north ladder located on the right abutment
of the dam and the south ladder located on the left, adjacent to the headworks for the
Gravity Canal.
What are the reservoir pool normal operations?
The dam creates a backwater pool that extends mile (0.8 km) upstream during the nonirrigation season (November through April) and 2- miles (4.0 km) upstream during the
irrigation season (May through October) (Figure 16). The upstream 2-miles are largely
riverine conditions during non-irrigation periods (Figure 17).
Comparison of Existing Reservoir Channel Bottom
to After Dam Removal Conditions
980

Measured Water Surface (2800 cfs)

After Removal Channel Bottom
Existing Channel Bottom

970
Dam Crest With Stoplogs
960
Elevation (feet)

Dam Crest Without Stoplogs

950
Radial Gate Outlets
940

930

920

910
107

107.2

107.4

107.6

107.8

108

108.2

River Mile

Figure 16. Illustration of pre-dam and existing reservoir bottom and elevation influence of
stop logs.

34

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Figure 17. Looking upstream at Savage Rapids reservoir in upstream areas during riverine
conditions in the non-irrigation season.
Does the dam have a sediment sluiceway and, if so, has it been used?
The river outlet for the dam consists of two 7- by-16- foot (2.1 by 4.9 m) radial gates with
a combined capacity of 6,000 ft3/s (169 m3/s). The radial gates are used in the spring and
fall to lower the reservoir and either place or remove stop logs that raise the reservoir 11
feet (3.4 m). The radial gate operation causes a partial sluicing of sediment during the
multi-day operation twice a year.

Setting
Where is reservoir located within watershed?

Savage Rapids Dam is located in southwestern Oregon at approximately river

mile (RM) 107.6 on the Rogue River, just 5 miles upstream from the town of
Grants Pass.
Savage Rapids Dam and the GPID service area are within the lower part of the
middle Rogue River basin, which includes most of Josephine County and a large
part of Jackson County.
The middle Rogue is surrounded by mountains, and more than three-fourths of the
basin is forest or timberland.
35

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

The Rogue River is a designated wild and scenic waterway from its junction with
the Applegate River, just west of Grants Pass, Oregon, downstream to Lobster
Creek Bridge, about 10 miles upstream from the mouth of the river.

What is the controlling geology?

Surficial deposits at Savage Rapids Dam and upstream along the reservoir consist of
several distinct units of alluvium that are Quaternary in age. The alluvium is dominated
by older terraces that flank both sides of the reservoir and underlie the north end of the
dam. Younger alluvium within the channel of the Rogue River is largely submerged by
the reservoir impounded by Savage Rapids Dam. Included in the surficial deposits are the
reservoir sediments that have accumulated behind the dam since completion of
construction in 1922. Bedrock is present at the dam site.
What is the dominant hydrology?

The annual mean flow of the Rogue River is 3,372 cubic feet per second (ft3/s).
The total drainage area is 2,459 square miles.
The mean annual runoff is 19 inches, the highest recorded peak flow was 152,000
ft3/s on December 23, 1962, and the lowest mean-daily flow recorded was 744
ft3/s.
Flood peaks on the Rogue River typically occur from November to March, with
most occurring in December and January. Rainstorms occur during spring and
summer months that also result in higher flows.

Are there any upstream or downstream tributaries and dams that impact sediment
storage?

Of the total drainage area upstream from Savage Rapids Dam, 30 percent (686
square miles) is regulated by Lost Creek Reservoir, primarily a flood control
reservoir built and maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Lost
Creek Dam also traps virtually all of the sediment transported into the reservoir
by the Rogue River during these peak flows.
A few other reservoirs, such as Emigrant Lake, may also trap a small amount of
sediment that would otherwise be delivered to the Rogue River. However, these
drainage areas are small relative to that of the Rogue River, and they were not
within the scope of this study. Lost Creek Reservoir, which began storage in
February 1977, reduces flood peaks at Savage Rapids Dam by storing water
during high flood peaks.
The Applegate River enters the Rogue River 12.5 miles downstream from Savage
Rapids Dam. This tributary contributes large quantities of sediment (sand and
gravel) to the Rogue River.
Just downstream from the confluence with the Applegate River, the Rogue River
enters Hellgate Canyon, a steep, narrow, bedrock canyon that is 65 miles long.
The Rogue River exits the canyon approximately 30 miles from the ocean, and the
slope of the river flattens out.

36

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

The Illinois River enters the Rogue River just downstream from the canyon mouth
and contributes additional water and sediment to the river.

Reason for Removal

Although the dam has fish ladders, these ladders are old, do not meet current fisheries
criteria, and allow only limited fish passage. Dam removal is occurring to restore fish
passage to natural conditions. The dam would be replaced with two pumping plants that
would deliver water to the irrigation canals to continue to meet water delivery needs.

Project Challenges
What were the main concerns from stakeholders and/or managers?
Among the many significant concerns with this project are the volume, particle size
gradation, and spatial distribution of sediment accumulated within the reservoir, the
chemical composition of the reservoir sediment, and the rate at which the reservoir
sediment would be eroded if the dam is removed. Specifically, stakeholders identified
the following sediment issues that needed to be addressed before dam removal could be
considered:
1. The sediment may contain hazardous contaminants from upstream mining and
other human activities.
2. The sediment might plug pumps or cause elevated maintenance costs for pumps
proposed for construction immediately downstream from the dam to supply water
to the GPID.
3. Release of the sediment could affect fisheries and fish habitat downstream from
the dam.
4. Release of sediment might possibly affect the municipal water supply system of
the City of Grants Pass, which is located 5 miles downstream from the dam.
5. Release of the sediment could cause barriers to safe navigation of the Rogue
River downstream from the dam.
6. Landowners along the reservoir shoreline were concerned regarding how the new
riverine conditions would change the property value and aesthetics at their homes.

Reservoir Sediment Characteristics

What is the distribution of reservoir sediment?
The majority of sediment is deposited in the permanent reservoir pool upstream from
Savage Rapids Dam in the reach extending about 3,000 feet upstream from the dam to
just above Savage Rapids Park, near RM 107.95. The maximum sediment thickness
occurs just upstream of the dam and is about 25 ft in height.
What is the volume of the reservoir sediment?

37

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Initially, the volume of reservoir sediment was estimated to range between half a million
yds3 up to perhaps as much as 1,000,000 yds3. These estimates were based on the
assumption that sediments had deposited along the entire 2.5-mile-long reservoir. Predam topographic maps of the reservoir basin do not exist, and the original estimates did
not have the benefit of any measured sediment thicknesses to determine the elevation of
the pre-dam river bed. Another limitation was that sediment sampling was only done at
five locations along the rim of the reservoir. Therefore, the original estimates assumed a
pre-dam river bottom by making a constant slope through the entire reservoir (2.5 miles)
based solely on the lowest elevations among 17 surveyed cross sections. The original
methods did not account for the pool and riffle complex that existed before the reservoir
filling. Assuming a constant slope for the original river bottom overestimated sediment
deposition in areas that are actually bedrock or riffles and underestimated areas, which
were actually pools that had filled with sediment. Additionally, because the reservoir has
actually only trapped sediments in the -mile reach upstream from the dam, the original
volume estimate within the upper portion of the reservoir overestimated the actual
sediment volume.
To refine the estimate, a bathymetric survey of the reservoir was conducted and dive
inspections were performed to determine where the reservoir sediment had deposited
(downstream portion of the reservoir, 3,000 feet upstream from the dam). A drill rig
from a barge was used to measure the actual reservoir sediment thickness. Based on
these new data, the volume of reservoir sediments was computed to be 200,000 yds3.
This sediment volume is also roughly equivalent to one or two years of sediment load
transported by the Rogue River at Grants Pass, Oregon.
What is the size gradation of reservoir sediment?
In 1999, 32 reservoir sediment samples were collected and 25 of these were deemed
acceptable and utilized. Reservoir sediment consists mostly of sand and gravel.
Increases in turbidity are primarily caused by silt and clay-sized sediments that make up a
very small portion (2 percent) of the reservoir sediment volume. Cobbles ranging in size
from 3 to 5 inches in diameter and composing an estimated 5 to 20 percent by volume of
the deposit were observed during geologic mapping of sediment exposures along the
north shore of the reservoir.
Are there any contaminants in the reservoir sediment?
Historical mining activities occurred upstream in the Rogue River Basin that could
potentially have resulted in contaminated reservoir sediments. However, a large amount
of contamination was not expected in Savage Rapids Reservoir sediment because
contaminants typically attach to finer-sized sediments, and these make up only 2 percent
of the sediment behind the dam. Testing of reservoir sediment showed that there were no
contaminants found with concentrations significantly higher than naturally occurring
background levels. The chemical composition of reservoir sediment would not pose any
hazard to water quality, fish and wildlife, or human uses if released from the reservoir.

38

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Sediment samples were tested for arsenic, cadmium, mercury, copper, lead, mercury,
iron, and zinc.
What is the ratio of reservoir volume to mean annual river flow?
0.01 percent
What is the ratio of reservoir width to river width?
The reservoir is relatively narrow, only two to three times wider than the river.
What is the ratio of maximum reservoir depth to maximum river pool depth?
River pool depths generally range from 10 to 20 ft; the maximum original
reservoir depth is approximately 20 to 25 ft. Therefore, the ratio is between 1 to
2.
What is the reservoir sediment size gradation relative to the upstream river channel?
The upstream channel is armored with gravels and cobbles. The reservoir
sediment is finer grained sand and gravel with limited cobbles.
If the reservoir is already filled with sediment, over what period of time did the filling
take place?
The reservoir is full with sediment and this likely occurred within the first few
floods following construction in the 1920s (Figure 18).

Figure 18. Upstream face of Savage Rapids Dam - During a reservoir drawdown in May
1999, gravel-sized sediment was observed on the crest of the dam, indicating that sediment is
transported past the dam during spillway releases.

Pre-Removal Evaluation

39

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

What data was collected?
Reservoir Sediment Sampling
Exploratory drilling was conducted using an Ingersoll-Rand A200 skid-mounted drill,
operating from a custom-built drilling platform floating on pontoons (Figure 19). The
assembled platform measured approximately 21 feet wide by 20 feet long by 3.5 feet
high. Field samples were evaluated on the basis of percent recovery and mass of retained
material in the sample tube. Then, 25 samples were submitted for laboratory testing to
determine standard physical and engineering properties. Included in the laboratory testing
program were (1) particle size distribution, including hydrometer for the minus No. 200
sieve fraction (0.075 mm); (2) soil plasticity, or Atterberg limits; (3) fall diameter of
sand-size and finer material; and (4) specific gravity of the minus No. 4 fraction (4.75
mm). Initial testing of the sediment samples showed extremely low concentrations of the
silt and clay fractions, and the requirement for the hydrometer, Atterberg limits, and fall
diameter were canceled because sample mass was insufficient to perform these tests.

Figure 19. View downstream showing Reclamations custom built, floating drilling platform
in operation on drill hole AP-99-10. The spillway and pumping plant portions of Savage
Rapids Dam are present in the background of this photograph. (Reclamation photograph by
Richard Link; September 30, 1999.)
Channel and Reservoir Surveys
A 2-foot contour map of Savage Rapids Reservoir was developed based on a sonar
survey of the reservoir completed in July 1999 by Reclamation. The survey was
performed from a raft equipped with a high precision global positioning system and
depth-sounding equipment (Figure 20). Using the same equipment, data were also
collected along the river bottom downstream from the dam to the confluence with the
Applegate River, approximately 12 miles downstream. These data were used to develop
river cross sections for computer modeling purposes.

40

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Figure 20. View of survey boat configuration equipped with global positioning software
(GPS) equipment, depth sounder, and laptop to document channel bathymetry.
What modeling of sediment transport was accomplished?
To address flooding, water quality, fish passage, and infrastructure concerns a
one-dimensional hydraulic and sediment transport model was utilized.

What were the sediment predictions?

An initial flushing of reservoir sediment would occur immediately following removal of
the dam. This flushing occurs because, as the dam is removed, the river would seek a
lower base level and begin incising through the sediment deposits behind the dam. This
incision process and sediment flushing would continue until a stable longitudinal slope is
reached upstream from the dam site. This flushing would cause sediment concentrations
downstream from the dam site to significantly increase for a hours to a few days
immediately following dam removal. After the initial flushing, successively higher flows
would be required to erode more sediment from the reservoir deposits immediately
upstream from the dam and again increase the sediment load to the downstream river
channel. Sediment concentrations will be much higher than natural conditions during the
first flood following dam removal. These high concentrations will tend to decrease
toward natural levels with each subsequent flood. Between floods, sediment
concentrations will be relatively low.
Nearly all reservoir sediment is expected to be eroded from the reservoir over time, but
some sediment may remain along the reservoir margins. About three-fourths of the
sediment would be eroded from the area immediately upstream of the dam within the first
year. The reservoir sediment would be transported past the Applegate River (12 miles
41

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

downstream) within a 1- to 10-year period depending on the magnitude and frequency of
high-flow events following dam removal. Sediment would temporarily deposit
downstream in pools if the dam is removed during low-flow (Figure 21). The sediment
would then be expected to be flushed during floods as occurs now. No flooding is
expected to occur in the downstream river channel due to deposition in river pools. No
deposition is expected to occur on riffles, which provide the hydraulic controls of the
water surface profile.

Profile of Rogue River for a discharge of 8,000 cfs

Savage Rapids Park
and Boat Ramp

980

Evans
Creek

Temporary Reservoir Pool (near Evans Creek)

Permanent Reservoir Pool and Water Surface Elevation at 8,000 cfs

960

Channel Bottom (1999 measurements)

Pierce Riffle &

Boat Ramp

Predicted Channel Bottom Following Dam Removal

Elevation (feet)

940
920
Grants Pass

Savage Rapids
Dam

900
Applegate River
confluence

880

Pool 1
Pool 4
Pool 2
Pool 5

Pool 3

Pool 6

860
Pool 7
Pool 8

840
95

96

97

98

99

100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111
River Miles

Figure 21. Longitudinal profile showing downstream pool-riffle morphology.

Dam Removal Plan

A partial dam removal plan was selected and is planned for October 2009 during a
low-flow period. October was recommended because this will be just after the
end of the irrigation season so the new pumping plant located downstream will
not need to be operating. Additionally, this will provide an entire winter flood
season to erode and transport reservoir sediments before the next irrigation season
in the following spring.
The portion of the dam extending across the pre-dam river channel will be
entirely removed. The remaining dam section is located on top of bedrock that
will cause a small amount of ponding at the 5-year flood but be largely drowned
out during the 100-year flood.
The dam will be removed in two phases. The portion of the dam on the pre-dam
river bed will be blocked off with a cofferdam and removed in the dry. During
this period all flow will be passed over the left (south) side of the dam to maintain

42

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

fish passage. The new pumping plant intake located downstream of the dam will
be operational during this period.
A small pilot channel is planned to be excavated in the sediment deposit upstream
of Savage Rapids Dam to initiate the breaching of the sediment and help speed up
the reservoir sediment erosion process. This is desired to ensure the river is
restored as fast as possible to its original pre-dam location to limit impacts to fish
migration through the former dam site.

Monitoring Accomplished
What monitoring questions were important to study team?
Ensuring that the river was restored to its pre-dam position, fish passage was
adequately restored, and sediment impacts did not exceed predictions.
What data was collected and over what time period?
Turbidity data upstream and downstream of the dam site before, during, and after
dam removal.
Time-lapse photography of dam removal construction and post-dam removal river
changes.
Topographic survey of pre-dam removal and planned post-dam removal reservoir
topography to verify volume and locations of reservoir sediment erosion.
Topographic survey of pre-dam downstream river channel elevations and planned
post-dam survey to validate deposition locations and magnitude from release of
reservoir sediment.

Lessons Learned
What were the most valuable data and analysis that helped guide the dam removal
process?

Getting additional reservoir sediment data to improve the volume estimate was very
helpful and improved predictions and reduced potential estimates of sediment
impacts.
Hydraulic modeling and geologic investigations of bedrock at the site were very
useful to determine how much of the dam needed to be removed in order to provide
the most benefit for restoring fish passage balanced with cost.
Two-dimensional hydraulic modeling was very helpful to determine how to construct
cofferdams during dam removal and to meet fish passage requirements during and
post-dam removal.
Unique to this project, several iterations of the two-dimension model were important
to assist with design of a new, downstream pumping plant intake to replace the dams
diversion capabilities.

What steps would be done differently in future projects?

For initial modeling, previously collected cross-section data in the downstream river
channel for a flood insurance study were made available, but these cross-section data
were not adequate. A longitudinal profile was measured by Reclamation and had to

43

Appendix C: Savage Rapids Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

be post-processed to generate cross-sections for modeling. In the future, it would be
recommended that new cross sections and a longitudinal profile be measured to
more accurately determine locations of hydraulic controls (riffles and rapids) and
areas of potential sediment storage (eddies and pools).

Study References
Bureau of Reclamation, 2001, Savage Rapids Dam Sediment Evaluation Study, prepared
by the Pacific Northwest Regional Office and the Denver Technical Service Center.

44

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam

Written by Jennifer Bountry, Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Bureau of
Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.

History
When was the reservoir constructed and by who?
The Gold Hill Diversion Dam has existed in various forms for over 80 years. The Pacific
Oregon Power Company originally built the dam and used stop logs to divert water into
the canal. In the mid-1940s, the left dam crest was built perpendicular to the rivers flow
and all stop logs were replaced with concrete (Figure 22). The power plant, canal, and
diversion facilities were transferred to various owners, mostly cement companies, until
the city of Gold Hill took title in 1968.

Figure 22. Looking upstream at Gold Hill Dam on the Rogue River in Oregon, U.S.A..
What is the purpose of the dam and reservoir?
The Pacific Oregon Power Company built the dam to provide a water diversion to a
power plant located approximately 2,000 feet downstream from the head works. Though
the power plant is not operational, the City uses the diversion canal as its municipal and
industrial water supply intake.
What is the size of the dam and how is it operated?
45

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

The existing diversion dam is a 1,000-foot-long L-shaped concrete gravity structure. The
dams crest varies in elevation from 1 to 8 feet above the downstream water surface
elevation. The dams uncontrolled crest elevation is approximately 1077.0 feet, and the
depth of flow over the crest for low to normal flows (1,500 cfs to 3,000 cfs) is 3 to 6
inches. The diversion dam backs water approximately 1 mile upstream near the base of
Gold Nugget Rapids. The backwater effect from the dam does not extend past the base of
this rapid. The dam is located at the top of a bedrock rapid.
The Gold Hill Diversion Dam diverts water from the Rogue River into a 2,000-foot-long
canal where the city of Gold Hill draws its municipal and industrial water supply.

Setting
Where is the reservoir located within the watershed?
The Gold Hill Diversion Dam is 121 river miles (RM) upstream from the mouth of the
Rogue River at the Pacific Ocean. The Rogue River is a relatively steep gravel and
cobble-bed river with several pools, riffles, and rapids (Figure 23). In the vicinity of
Gold Hill the river channel slope has a 0.0040 gradient.

Water Surface Profile

Channel Bottom Profile
1100
Gold Hill Dam

Gold
Nugget
Rapids

1080
Bridge
Elevation (feet)

1060
Bridge

1040
1020

Powerhouse
Rapids:
25-foot drop

Valley of the
Rogue State Park

1000
980
960
114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

River Miles from Pacific Ocean

Figure 23. Longitudinal profile of Gold Hill resevoir and downstream river channel.

46

123

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

What is the controlling geology?
As flow approaches the dam, several large bedrock outcrops constrict the river channel
width to approximately 100 feet at low flow. The average channel width in the Rogue
River upstream from the influence of Gold Hill Diversion Dam ranges from 150 to 400
feet, depending on the magnitude of flow. This upstream constriction causes high
velocities and very minimal sediment deposition.
What is the dominant hydrology?
Major floods occur during winter months with occasional rain storms throughout the rest
of the year (Figure 24).
Flows Prior to Lost Creek Reservoir Construction
Flows After Lost Creek Reservoir Construction
Annual Instaneous Peaks Above 2-year flood
12/23/64
131,000 cfs
Lost Creek Reservoir Storage Began

140,000

Mean Daily Discharge (cfs)

120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000

1/1/97
70,500 cfs

0
'05

'18

'32

'46

'59

'73

'87

'01

Date

Figure 24. Historical river flows at a U.S. Geological Survey stream gage located slightly
upstream of the Gold Hill Dam.
Are there any upstream or downstream dams?
Savage Rapids Dam is located downstream of Gold Hill Dam. Gold Ray Dam and Lost
Creek Dam are located upstream of Gold Hill Dam. The United States Geological
Survey Rogue River at Raygold gage, located 5 miles upstream from Gold Hill Diversion
Dam, has measured river flow since 1905. The rivers peak flows substantially changed
in 1977 when the Army Corps of Engineers built Lost Creek Dam and began regulating
flow out of Lost Creek Lake. Though flooding peaks have decreased, the additional

47

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

regulation did not affect the average daily flow of 2,927 cfs. Gold Ray Dam is a runofthe river dam that is no longer operational and is being considered for potential removal.

Reason for Removal

The diversion dam does not meet National Marine Fisheries Service criteria for effective
fish passage and protection because it impedes migration of anadromous fish listed under
the Endangered Species Act. The existing diversion dam and associated facilities impact
migration for adult and juvenile spring and fall chinook salmon, coho salmon, and
summer and winter steelhead. The large drop at the diversion dam does not meet current
fish passage criteria and can delay upstream fish migration. The dams fish ladder is
overgrown with vegetation and blocked by debris. Because fish passage criteria have
changed since the fish ladders construction, additional maintenance will not put the
ladder in compliance with current National Marine Fisheries Service criteria. Further, the
140 cubic feet per second (cfs) of diverted water reduces the main stem flows over the
dam and delays upstream fish migration. The facilities also pose significant entrapment
and descaling dangers for fish.
Past water diversions have also exceeded the Citys legal water right. In 1999, the City
expressed a willingness to modify its municipal water intake system to correct fish
passage problems by relocating the pump intake structure, adding compliant fish screens
to the intake facilities, and modifying the diversion dam. Because these modifications
will impact the Citys current bike path and greenbelt area, the City also took measures to
preserve the areas aesthetic, recreational, and historical nature.

Project Challenges
What were main concerns from stakeholders and/or managers?
The stakeholders identified the following objectives to be addressed:
Identify a pump intake location to give the City a reliable municipal water supply
Provide adequate and permanent fish passage and protection to adult and juvenile
anadromous fish
Reduce the Citys water diversion to their legal water right of 3 cfs
Keep all formerly-diverted water in the Rogue River main stem
Retain or mitigate, as much as possible, the aesthetic, historic, and recreational
values associated with the site

Reservoir Sediment Characteristics

General characteristics
What is the distribution, volume, and size gradation of reservoir sediment?

48

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

In March 2001, divers from Reclamations Pacific Northwest Region dive team visually
inspected the stored sediment upstream from the diversion dam. The divers cataloged the
locations of accumulated sediment and provided volume estimates. A very small volume
of fine-grained sediments, estimated at approximately 456 cubic yards, lines the river
bottom immediately upstream of the dam. This sediment consists of mostly sands and
gravels, deposited primarily along the right channel margins downstream of the elbow in
the dam crest alignment and against the dam and headgate. The remaining reservoir does
not contain any significant sediment deposits.
Are there any contaminants in the reservoir sediment above background levels?
The divers also collected two sediment samples from the upstream side of the diversion
dam and two samples from the diversion canal. The sediment samples were tested for
major and trace element concentrations to determine if the sediment had been
contaminated by upstream activities such as mining. The sediments were also evaluated
using existing information, grain size, and total volatile solids. Existing information
includes historic mining activities in southwestern Oregon and within the Rogue River
basin. The grain size and total volatile solids analyses tested if any metals present in the
sediments exceeded screening levels. These tests confirmed that if the diversion dam is
removed and sediments along the channel margins are eroded, the discharge of the
sediments is not expected to have any secondary toxic effects on aquatic life in the Rogue
River.
Relative characteristics
What is the ratio of reservoir volume to mean annual river flow?
o 0.005 percent
What is the ratio of reservoir width to river width?
o 2.3
What is the ratio of maximum reservoir depth to maximum river pool depth?
o Maximum reservoir depth is 18 ft and downstream pools can typically
range between 8 to 10 ft but can be as deep as a few tens of feet in areas
confined by bedrock; this provides a ratio of about 2 for typical river pools
but less than or equal to 1 for larger pools
Does the reservoir have a sediment delta?
o No reservoir delta is present
What is the estimated sediment trap efficiency of the reservoir for both fine and
coarse sediment?
o The reservoir does not trap fine or coarse sediment
What is the reservoir sediment size gradation relative to the upstream river
channel?
o The very small amount of reservoir sediment is of similar material size
present in upstream gravel and cobble bars

Pre-Removal Evaluation
Evaluation was done in three phases as follows:
49

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Phase 1 appraisal-level review developed from October 6, 1999, through May 17, 2000.
This review included identifying specific fish passage problems and examining concepts
for resolving these problems. After reviewing the options, the City of Gold Hill and the a
group of local stakeholders agreed to relocate the water pump intake outside of the canal.
Phase II, feasibility-level evaluation included analysis of removing all or parts of the
diversion dam and relocating and screening the pump intake structure. Major tasks of this
evaluation are listed below:
Data Collection and Analysis
Engineering and Design
City and Committee Review
Study Documentation
Canal Area Enhancement Concepts
Phase III activities included preparing final engineering drawings and specifications
suitable for bidding, constructing, screening the pump intake structure, and breaching the
diversion dam.
Data used in determining the feasibility of dam removal include bathymetric surveys,
hydraulic modeling, geologic investigations, underwater inspections, and a sediment
contamination analysis.
The one-dimensional hydraulic model indicated that a pool about 150 feet upstream from
the dam would have sufficient depths at a minimum design flow of 662 ft3/s for a pump
intake structure. This area has sufficient sweeping velocities to prevent sediment from
depositing around the pump intake structure.
If the diversion dam did not exist, the high bedrock elevations at the top of the
Powerhouse Rapids (where the dam is located) would still have a backwater influence
upstream. Without the dam in place, small pools would form upstream of each currently
submerged riffle and rapid, rather than one large reservoir pool as now exists.
A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers river hydraulics model, HEC-RAS 3.0, was applied to
the study reach. HEC-RAS is a one-dimensional, steady flow backwater model that
computes hydraulic parameters for any given cross section at any discharge. The model
was calibrated to measured water surface elevation data to accurately predict hydraulic
parameters. Model results were used to compare water surface elevation, average
velocity, and water depth for existing river and reservoir conditions for various dam
removal options.
An additional 6 miles of river downstream were evaluated with a conceptual model to
determine the available sediment storage capacity.

Dam Removal Plan

50

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

The various dam removal options were evaluated and are listed below:
Removing the entire dam
Removing the left dam crest
Removing all or portions of the right dam crest
The entire Gold Hill Dam was removed in summer 2008. Total dam removal costs were
not significantly more than removing the right diversion crest. Further, total removal
eliminated aesthetic and safety concerns associated with leaving a portion of the dam
within the river channel.
The one-third and two-thirds right dam crest removal options were eliminated because
they could not guarantee satisfactory fish passage velocities. These notching options also
leave significant amounts of concrete within the river channel that present aesthetic and
safety issues. Evaluations recommended removing the entire dam, relocating the pump
intake structure 150 feet upstream from the alignment of the main dam, installing a drum
screen, and closing the diversion canal.
Because of the limited sediment deposited in the reservoir, no sediment management was
necessary.

Monitoring Accomplished
Time lapse photography was collected during the construction period of July to
September 2008 to visually document day to day river responses during construction
activities and post-dam removal (Figure 25). Four pictures were taken per day, or once
every 6 hours.
Turbidity measurements were collected upstream and downstream of Gold Hill Dam to
measure and document sediment impacts related to construction activities during July to
September 2008. No turbidity impacts were detected during the dam removal above
upstream (background) levels.

51

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Figure 25. Looking at Gold Hill Dam in August 2009 after removal from an upstream view
(left photo) and a downstream view (right photo).

Lessons Learned
What management or collaboration steps were helpful in navigating the dam removal
discussion?
Collaboration throughout the project among technical staff, resource managers,
landowners, and stakeholders helped make the dam removal a success. Parties involved
included the following:
City of Gold Hill
Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District
Little Butte Creek and Bear Creek Watershed Councils
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD)
Rogue Valley Council of Governments (RVCOG)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
Several local irrigation districts

52

Appendix D: Gold Hill Dam, Rogue River, Oregon, U.S.A.

What was most valuable data and analysis done up front that helped guide dam removal
process?
Bathymetric surveys and hydraulic modeling results were used to eliminate several
potential pump intake locations and identified the preferred location along the banks
right side (looking downstream) upstream from the alignment of the main dam. The
modeling analysis also showed that because the rivers thalweg travels along the right
bank, sufficient water flow and depths near this location would occur if the right dam
crest or the entire dam were removed. Modeling indicated that full dam removal would
guarantee successful fish passage. Project cost comparisons concluded that removing the
entire dam versus only a portion increased total project costs by only 4%.
Any surprises from dam removal that resulted in new needs for construction, analysis, or
monitoring?
No
Did reservoir sediment and river conditions behave as expected from predictions?
Yes

Study References
Bureau of Reclamation, September 2001, City of Gold Hill Fish Passage Improvements
at the Municipal Water Supply Diversion: Phase II, prepared for Rogue River Basin Fish
Passage Technical Committee.

53

Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam, Sprague River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam

Written by Travis Bauer, Sedimentation and River Hydraulics Group, Bureau of
Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.

History

When was the reservoir constructed and by who?

o The dam was constructed in 1914 by the United States Indian Service
(Figure 26).
What is the purpose of the dam and reservoir?
o Irrigation diversion
What is the size of the dam?
o 11 feet high and 220 feet long with a reservoir of 60 acre-feet
What are the reservoir pool normal operations?
o Run of the river (constant pool elevation) for river diversion or
hydropower
Does the dam have a sediment sluiceway and, if so, has it been used?
o No

Figure 26. Looking upstream at Chiloquin Dam prior to removal.

Setting

Where is reservoir located within watershed?

o The dam was located on the Sprague River about 0.87 miles upstream
from the confluence with the Williamson River. Downstream from this
point the Williamson River enters Upper Klamath Lake
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Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam, Sprague River, Oregon, U.S.A.

What is the controlling geology?

o The dam was located in a bedrock canyon with volcanically derived rock
What is the dominant hydrology?
Are there any upstream or downstream dams?
o There are no upstream dams but Upper Klamath Lake has been raised by a
dam and the further downstream on the Klamath River there are 4 more
dams.

Reason for Removal

Note reason (objectives) and timing (if known) of removal decision

o The purpose of the project is to improve fish passage at Chiloquin Dam on
the Sprague River and contribute to recovery of endangered shortnose and
Lost River suckers while continuing to deliver water to the Modoc Point
Irrigation District.
o The quality of the concrete used in the dam was also questionable so there
were some safety concerns.

Project Challenges

What were main concerns from stakeholders and/or managers?

o Fish mortality during and after the dam removal was the greatest concern.
Many of the biologists involved in the project were concerned that any
disturbance to spawning areas even for a short time would push the
suckers even closer to extinction.

Reservoir Sediment Characteristics

General characteristics
What is the distribution of reservoir sediment?
o Delta
There isnt a delta
o Lake bed deposit
There are deposits along the channel margins and there is more
sediment and thicker deposits closer to the dam. The upper part of
the reservoir is river gravel and boulders.
What is the volume of the reservoir sediment?
o The reservoir sediment was estimated between 49,000 and 61,000 tons
What is the size gradation of reservoir sediment?
o 39% silt and clay, 52% sand, and 9% gravel
Are there any contaminants in the reservoir sediment above background levels?
o No
Relative characteristics
What is the ratio of reservoir volume to mean annual river flow?
o 0.000142
What is the ratio of reservoir width to river width?
o 315/170 (1.8) at the widest location

55

Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam, Sprague River, Oregon, U.S.A.

What is the ratio of maximum reservoir depth to maximum river pool depth?
o They are about the same
Does the reservoir have a sediment delta?
o No
What is the reservoir sediment size gradation relative to the upstream river
channel?
o 0.145mm / 78mm (0.00186)
If the reservoir is already filled with sediment, over what period of time did the
filling take place?
o The reservoir most likely filled with sediment to the extent possible within
one or two years of operation.

Pre-Removal Evaluation

Reason for evaluation

o Permitting and concerns about burial of spawning areas were the primary
reasons for evaluation.
Predictions
o We predicted that all the sand and silt sized sediment in the reservoir
would move downstream very quickly (in as little as a single flood) if
flows were large enough, but we also predicted that after 2 years there
would only be a trace amount of reservoir sand left in the Williamson
River if large flows did not occur. We also predicted that there would not
be deposition in sucker spawning areas as these locations have fast
moving water with higher sediment transport capacity.

Dam Removal Plan

The dam was completely removed.

Monitoring Accomplished
What monitoring questions were important to study team?
How would reservoir sediment be redistributed downstream and how long would
it take?
What data was collected and over what time period?
Time-lapse photography was collected during the dam removal period using two
solar powered cameras in weather proof boxes (note that one camera was stolen
during monitoring) (Figure 27).
Profiles and cross sections and bed material samples were collected in 2006 and
2007 before the dam was removed and again in 2008 and 2009 following dam
removal.
Low elevation aerial photography was also collected in 2008 and 2009 following
dam removal to address issues with large amounts of timber in the reservoir.

56

Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam, Sprague River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Figure 27. Looking at time-lapse photography setup utilized on Chiloquin Dam removal
project.
Was monitoring adequate to address questions or were there limitations due to funding,
access, logistics, etc?
Overall the level of monitoring was appropriate and maybe even excessive. One of the
difficulties on this project was that much of the river downstream from the dam is either
very swift with boulders or deep making wading difficult if not impossible. In steeper
and faster sections sediment deposition would likely be limited to the channel margins
where a boat based survey was not possible due to shallow depths and fast moving water.
In the pools the challenge is that small amounts of deposition may not be detectable due
to limitations in the accuracy of survey equipment. Deposition amounts of 6 inches or
less may be difficult to separate from equipment noise while larger amounts of deposition
are easily detectable.

Lessons Learned
What was the most valuable data and analysis done up front that helped guide the dam
removal process?
Sediment samples from the reservoir showed that there were a large percentage of fines
in the bed. We also used a probabilistic approach with the sediment transport analysis to
consider different hydrologic scenarios. This approach prepared us for the possibility of
a longer adjustment period if water levels were low following dam removal.
Any surprises from dam removal that resulted in new needs for construction, analysis, or
monitoring?
There were reports of logs in the reservoir, but when the dam was removed in August
2008, we were surprised by the large number of logs. Initial log counts showed that there
57

Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam, Sprague River, Oregon, U.S.A.

were well over 1,000 logs (historically cut for timber) in the reservoir pool (Figure 28).
After aerial photography was conducted in October 2008 and July 2009 the number of
logs has been estimated at over 1,600 in the first half mile upstream from the dam.

Figure 28. Looking at Chiloquin reservoir following removal showing the large number of
logs that were uncovered.
Did reservoir sediment and river conditions behave as expected from predictions?
Except for all the logs in the reservoir pool, the reservoir sediment and river response has
been predictable. The largest factor in the response has been the lack of high flows to
mobilize and redistribute reservoir sediment. It is taking longer to move sediment
downstream and it is only moving short distances. High flows should quickly remove
any remaining sediment in the reservoir and move it from the Sprague River to the
Williamson River.
Another important consideration for this project is that the data collected in 2007 prior to
dam removal showed that there might only be a small amount of sediment in the reservoir
and that the original estimate of sediment might be very high. Surveys of the reservoir
pool in 2007 showed that the water was nearly as deep as the dam was high. Visual
inspection of the reservoir bottom showed that there was only a small section of the
reservoir actually covered with fine grained sediment. Further upstream in the reservoir
much of the bed was covered with cobbles and boulders. Much of the fine grained
sediments were confined to areas on the inside of bends. After the dam was removed this
was confirmed as much of the riverbed was filled with boulders and cobble and a pool
riffle sequence was clearly present in the reservoir pool. In addition, the areas on the
inside of the bends were identified as point bars that had additional fine grained sediment
deposits on them. There were cut stumps on these surfaces clearly identifying them as
surfaces prior to dam construction.

58

Appendix E: Chiloquin Dam, Sprague River, Oregon, U.S.A.

Study References
Randle, Timothy and Joseph Daraio, March 2003, Sediment And Geomorphic
Assessment For The Potential Removal Of Chiloquin Dam, prepared by Technical
Service Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.
Bauer, Travis, and Timothy Randle, February 2005, Computation of Sediment Transport
Rates Downstream from Chiloquin Diversion Dam, prepared by Technical Service
Center, Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.
Bauer, Travis, January 2005, Computation of Sediment Transport Rates in Riffles
Downstream from Chiloquin Diversion Dam, prepared by Technical Service Center,
Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, Colorado.

59