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By Tony Boom for the Mail Tribune March 14. 2015 2:00AM Jacksonville requests extension on reservoir dam-notching permit JACKSONVILLE — Concerns about water quality, work sequences and a rare plant could push back issuance of a permit to notch the town’s reservoir dam by half a year. The city requested a six-month extension to address concerns that were raised during a 30-day comment period initiated by the Department of State Lands, which issues the permits. A decision on a permit would have been made by March 15 based on submitted plans and comments without the extension request. “More than likely the largest issues on this project are some of the dewatering issues and overall site stability,” said Bob Lobdell, aquatic resource coordinator for the lands department. Notching of the 102-year-old dam, which could fail in a major flood, has been recommend to reduce the danger to property downstream. The reservoir supplied the city with water until the 1950s, when hookup was made to the Medford Water Commission supply. Sediment has filled a large portion of the reservoir. Plans call for notching the dam, constructing a stream bed, placing sediment on site and planting up to 10,000 trees and shrubs. Work is unlikely before 2016. Draining the site adequately is a worry because equipment could get buried if it is moved onto the site prematurely, said Lobdell. Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife expressed concerns about sediment stability, chronic turbidity and erosion, which could impact downstream fish resources. ODFW is seeking additional information on proposed sediment disposal sites, project timing, replanting of disturbed areas and no increase in stream turbidity during the work. “They are looking at the impact during construction and how long it is realistically going to take to become stabilized,” Lobdell said. “If it’s completed late in the year and you don’t vegetate, then you are looking at high turbidity. When you are dealing with granitic materials, they are highly mobile and they are difficult to deal with.” ODFW concerns about the impact on fish may help the city land funds for the project, which has been estimated to cost $767,000. Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board awards grants to help with projects that sustain fish habitat. “If they are worried about fish, we need to be talking about money,” City Administrator Jeff Alvis said in a presentation to City Council. ODFW has previously said the project would not impact fish, making grant money unlikely. The city has $200,000 saved toward the notching. The Oregon Department of Agriculture wants a rare plant survey done to determine the presence of Gentner’s fritillary, an endangered species, and the potential impacts of the project on the plant. At least two fields are located within a mile of the project site. Jacksonville will undertake the plant survey this spring, said Alvis. Oregon’s Water Resources Department submitted recommendations covering initial breaching, excavation and fill placement at a spillway, location of work areas and sediment storage, according to written comments by Keith Mills, state engineer with the lands department. “Mills is mainly pointing out that there is a coordination required,” said Lobdell. “There’s certain sequence of the dam removal. I’m just trying to make sure that they are aware of that.” Jacksonville is working with the Rogue Valley Council of Governments to address concerns raised in the comment period and to seek outside funding. Tony Boom is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Reach him at [email protected] http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20150314/NEWS/150319768 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->