EWEB "rewaters" spawning channel

MCKENZIE BRIDGE: The Eugene Water & Electric Board's rebuild of the salmon spawning channel just below Trail Bridge Dam is nearly complete. On Monday utility staff began releasing water into the channel.

It was expected the rewatering process would create some minor turbidity in the upper McKenzie River that some people could be concerned it could be related to the two sinkholes discovered at Trail Bridge Dam in June.

"That work has been completed and thankfully didn't result in a significant turbidity event," according to Adam Spencer, an EWEB Communications Specialist. "The team will be doing some clean-up work and demobilizing. We do not anticipate any noticeable turbidity resulting from that limited activity."

EWEB expects any turbidity event to be of short duration.

The spawning channel rebuild is one of the many habitat enhancement projects EWEB is conducting as part of the relicensing requirements for the Carmen-Smith hydroelectric project. The re-contoured channel, along with other improvements, was designed to make it easier for fish to enter the area and spawn.