The Gold Ray Dam Removal Project Has Been Successfully Completed 
Waters now flow freely past the former site of the 38-foot high, 360-foot long Gold Ray Dam, capping an unprecedented wave of dam removals on Oregon’s famous Rogue River. The historic event marked the 4th significant dam removal in 3 years on this storied salmon stream, the beneficiary of the most substantial dam removal efforts yet undertaken in the western U.S. With the removal of Gold Ray, the Rogue River now flows freely from the Lost Creek Project to the Pacific Ocean for the first time in 106 years – a distance of 157 miles.
Over the past four years WaterWatch worked to build political support and secure funding for the removal of Gold Ray Dam, which was ranked 5th in priority for removal and/or fish passage improvement by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Waters now flow freely past the former site of the 38-foot high, 360-foot long Gold Ray Dam, capping an unprecedented wave of dam removals on Oregon’s famous Rogue River. The historic event marked the 4th significant dam removal in 3 years on this storied salmon stream, the beneficiary of the most substantial dam removal efforts yet undertaken in the western U.S. With the removal of Gold Ray, the Rogue River now flows freely from the Lost Creek Project to the Pacific Ocean for the first time in 106 years – a distance of 157 miles.
Over the past four years WaterWatch worked to build political support and secure funding for the removal of Gold Ray Dam, which was ranked 5th in priority for removal and/or fish passage improvement by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
WaterWatch put together and built support for the $5 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant that was awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to Jackson County for removal of the dam.
PLEASE JOIN US TO CELEBRATE!
When: Thursday, October 14, 2:00pm
Ceremony: At former Gold Ray Dam site (north side off John Day Drive) in Jackson County, OR.
Since there is limited parking at the site, carpooling to the site is highly recommended.
Please meet at 1:30pm at the post office in Gold Hill (375 2nd Avenue) to shuttle to the site.
Reception: After the ceremony at 3:30pm, food, refreshments, and music will be sponsored by WaterWatch at the Madrone Hill Mobile Home Park Community Center (8401 Old Stage Road, Central Point)Click here to view a map of the location of carpool area, ceremony and reception.
Speakers at Ceremony (Emceed by WaterWatch):
TBD, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Tom Byler, Executive Director, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
John Vial, Roads and Parks Director, Jackson County
Darren Funk, Project Manager, Slayden Construction Group
Scott Wright, Senior Water Resources Engineer, River Design Group
Representative from Jackson County Board of Commissioners
Please RSVP by October 11th to Bob Hunter at: http://us.mc552.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=bob@waterwatch.org&subject=GRD%20Celebration%20RSVP.
