Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has received a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through their “Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal” program. Part of this grant is being used to conduct a preliminary feasibility study of Keno Dam that will evaluate alternatives for fish passage while retaining the other services provided by Keno Dam. ODFW is looking to contract engineering services to evaluate fish passage alternatives for feasibility and maintenance of key services provided by the dam. Keno Dam is located on the Klamath River at river mile 236 (42.1347, -121.9484), Services provided by the dam extend upstream to Link River Dam and include flood control; assuring health and human safety; maintaining appropriate water surface elevation in Lake Ewauna for both private and Reclamation operated irrigation diversions and the waterfront for the City of Klamath Falls. The fish passage ladder at Keno Dam does not meet current State of Oregon regulation ((OAR 635-412-0035 (2)) or Federal passage criteria for native migratory fish. Some modifications to the existing structure could improve the passage efficiency and this project would examine those modifications, as well as alternatives involving a new structure or facility through a collaborative, multi-party process. Alternatives to be evaluated could range from retaining the existing dam structure with improvements to provide a new fish passage facility, to removal of Keno Dam with construction of a new roughened channel style structure that provides open fish passage as well as the irrigation and flood control requirements of the community. Improved passage will contribute to the recovery and reintroduction of native migratory fish species, including steelhead, lamprey, Chinook salmon, Redband trout and native suckers. This project will benefit long term conservation and recovery of native fish, which in turn will provide cultural, ecological, recreational, and economic benefits to many communities including basin tribes, irrigation interests, fishing interests and others.
