September 30 – On Monday, October 5, at 6 pm, the Okanogan PUD  will hold a Special Meeting to discuss a recent review of the Enloe Dam Removal Feasibility Study. The Enloe Dam has a long history, including changes in ownership and use.  

• In 1906, it was constructed as a wooden dam to produce hydropower  

• In 1942, the Okanogan PUD acquired the Enloe Dam  

• The Enloe Dam stopped producing power in 1956  

• In 2018, a PUD study determined that reusing the Enloe Dam for energy production was not economically feasible  

• In 2023, Trout Unlimited (TU), Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CTCR), and other partners hired Stantec Consulting Services Inc. to conduct a removal Feasibility Assessment  

• The Feasibility Assessment was completed in 2026 and identifies removal options distinguished by different approaches to address sediment stored behind the dam 

• Project partners, PUD, and the public are discussing dam removal plans, which are planned in phases to monitor sediment and water quality 

For many years, removing the Enloe Dam was considered cost-prohibitive, in part because the amount and composition of sediment behind the dam was unknown. Past mining activities in the region are thought to have contributed arsenic and other heavy metals to the sediment above the dam, leading to contamination concerns. While many studies have been completed over the years, a complete assessment of river conditions and dam removal options was needed to inform decisions about the future of the dam. In 2023, Trout Unlimited, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and agency partners, with consent from Okanogan PUD, formed a Project Team and hired Stantech to investigate the feasibility and implications of dam removal on sediment, water quality, and sensitive species. The Feasibility Assessment concluded in 2026 and determined that dam removal is feasible. The Assessment presents several alternatives that will be narrowed down for further evaluation as the project progresses toward a complete design for removal. 

Irrigators in the Okanogan basin have expressed concern about potential removal plans, as sediment release from dam removal may impact their lands, pumps, and other important infrastructure. The OPUD requested Tetra Tech, an environmental and sustainable development consulting firm, to identify gaps in Stantech’s study. On October 5, Tetra Tech will present its findings, and the public can provide their comments.   

Removing Enloe Dam will open around 130 miles of salmon and steelhead habitat in the Similkameen River headwaters, which originate in the Pasayten Wilderness above the Methow Valley. The future of these species relies on improving their habitat and opening access to cold headwater streams. Enloe Dam blocks fish passage into the cold-water habitat of the upper Similkameen River. Restoring continued water flow for these species while considering human concerns is important for our county’s future. Methow communities have a direct interest in supporting a swift dam removal with PUD leadership, while fully protecting farmers and neighbors who also rely on the river upstream and downstream of the dam.   

Removing the Enloe Dam will also have economic benefits. The OPUD could save up to $52 million over 50 years. The removal may also bring up to 260 project-related jobs over a five-year removal timeline. Restoring fisheries can generate billions of dollars in non-market benefits in Washington State. We urge our citizens to act to fully protect the future of our fisheries and our upstream and downstream water users by supporting good removal designs and mitigation.