Dorena Dam is located in western Oregon on the Row River, a tributary of the Coast Fork Willamette River. The dam is approximately six miles east of the town of Cottage Grove in Lane County. Completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1949, the dam currently provides flood control, irrigation, recreation opportunities and improved downstream navigation.
In 2002, Symbiotics began state and federal licensing for a run-of-river hydroelectric project on Dorena Dam. The project will have an installed capacity of 7.5 MW from two turbine/generator units, with an average production of 17.6 GWh annually. Licensing was completed in 2008 and construction is scheduled to begin in 2011.
One component of the state and federal license is a Resource Protection and Mitigation Agreement to ensure that the project will be a net benefit for local fish and wildlife. Our Resource Protection and Mitigation Agreement for the Dorena project includes:
1. Construction of tailrace barrier to prevent fish injury and mortality caused by the operation of the powerhouse and tailrace. Construction is to proceed as a joint effort with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
2. A fish habitat restoration and enhancement fund to finance salmonid projects on the Coastal Fork Willamette River. Designed by the local watershed council in conjunction with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the aim of these projects will be to improve salmonid habitat in the upper and lower Row River.