Frequently Asked Questions We answer some common questions you may have regarding removal of the Pilchuck River .

Where is the dam, who owns it, and what How can the Pilchuck Dam Removal was the purpose of the dam? Restoration Project be supported?

The Pilchuck River Diversion Dam is located Great question! Projects like this require public southeast of the city of Granite Falls and is and elected official support to provide the will owned by the City of Snohomish. The dam and funding to proceed. Please sign up to our previously provided drinking water to the City email list by visiting pilchuckriverdam.com of Snohomish. The city now uses water from and come to our public events to express the more reliable and less costly City of Everett support. Also, please feel free to contact your water source in the Sultan River watershed. local elected officials to request prioritization of salmon recovery efforts and funding in your What services does the dam currently backyard so that we can all enjoy salmon and provide? orcas for current and future generations!

This dam has no current or proposed future use and is an environmental, safety, and Why is Tulalip conducting this project? financial risk. Removal of this dam will be a The Tulalip Tribes work to protect and benefit to all parties. perpetuate the salmon and other resources their people have depended on for thousands What are the benefits of removing the of years. This includes both on the reservation, Pilchuck River Dam? and within historic territories such as the Pilchuck River watershed where Tulalip retains Dam removal will restore full-unimpeded fishing, hunting and other rights along with access to over 37 miles and over 1/3 of the deep cultural connections. The Pilchuck River mainstem channel habitat in the Pilchuck River is a culturally and environmentally important for salmon and steelhead. This includes large watershed for salmon and other species. This habitat gains for Endangered Species Act listed project is a collaboration between the Tulalip chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. Dam Tribes and the City of Snohomish. Both Tulalip removal will also increase safety in the area and the city want to achieve restoration and by removing a potentially dangerous structure enhancement of the shared, once abundant that poses a risk to downstream landowners. resources provided by the Pilchuck River such Finally, dam removal will be a cost savings to as clean water and salmon runs. the City of Snohomish, and has already led to a strong relationship between the Tulalip Tribes and the city.

~ 1~ Is the dam currently passable to fish? it is actually a very cost-effective project. This is especially true given the length of habitat Fish do currently pass the dam—but not all fish that is above the dam, and the fact that the species, not all fish within a species, and not dam currently inhibits access to listed species. all life stages. Chinook, pink and chum salmon Other dam removals cost substantially more are not known to pass the dam. In addition, when additional infrastructure construction fish are known to be injured or killed while is required and removal is typically more attempting to jump the spillway (see our video cost efficient and cheaper than dam repair/ on pilchuckriverdam.com for some examples). maintenance over the long term.

If there is an existing , why can’t What will the site look like post it just be fixed? dam removal?

The location, access for required maintenance, The restored channel will closely mimic and variable water flows are just a few of the the pre-dam channel, allowing complete factors which limit the functionality of a fish restoration to a fully natural condition. The ladder. However, one of the primary reasons site will look very similar to the existing that we are proposing to remove the dam is conditions up and downstream of the dam. that it currently provides no function while limiting upstream fish access, costing money to the city, and presenting a safety risk. For Will dam removal cause flooding? these reasons, it is best environmentally, Since this is a run of the river diversion dam, economically and from a safety perspective to there is no functional reservoir that would remove the dam. alleviate flooding. The amount of water flowing above the dam is the amount of water flowing When will dam removal be conducted and below the dam. We will be doing dam removal how long will it take? during low flow periods to make sure that there is no sudden pulse of water during dam We anticipate dam removal to be conducted removal, and we will be conducting careful in summer/fall of 2020. We anticipate water management. deconstruction to take approximately one month.

How much sediment is behind the dam? How much will dam removal cost? Analyses have shown the total amount of The full project cost is approximately $2,000,000 sediment behind the dam to be approximately including all work for analyses, designs, 6,500 cubic yards. This is a relatively small permitting, outreach, and deconstruction. amount of sediment—less than what the river typically moves through this location on an annual basis. This sediment will likely distribute What is the cost relative to the benefit of shallowly and will mostly be transported out this dam removal project? of the immediate vicinity. For this and other Because this dam can be fully removed reasons, sediment upstream of the dam will without the need for additional infrastructure, not negatively affect downstream properties.

~2~ Will dam removal cause flooding through Will the project comply with all regulations, downstream deposition of sediment? and will all necessary permits be obtained?

We have conducted analyses that indicate this Yes. Tulalip will be applying for all necessary will not occur. The amount of sediment that permits as part of the current planning was behind the dam is small compared to the effort. This will ensure that all environmental amount of sediment that the river moves in and safety considerations are addressed any given year. Therefore, we do not anticipate through rigorous and extensive permitting significant sediment deposition following requirements. dam removal. However, we will be conducting thorough analyses to make sure that this project Will stakeholders have an opportunity for will not cause any increased flooding or other project input? damage downstream from sediment deposition. Yes. We would like to hear stakeholders thoughts, concerns, and questions. We will Will dam removal increase risks to consider this input as we develop plans downstream properties? for dam removal. We will be conducting a As removal is not changing the quantity of significant amount of community outreach water or significantly altering the sediment and engagement through outreach materials, load, risks will not be increased or decreased meetings, and other methods. to downstream properties. However, there are inherent risks in living adjacent to a river as Are there safety concerns with truck traffic/ dynamic as the Pilchuck River. Current hazards construction equipment? (current flooding frequency and duration, etc.) will remain the same before and after We will require safety standards to be dam removal. maintained, and we will follow all applicable safety laws, standards and best management practices. Every reasonable effort will be made How will dam removal be conducted? to reduce impacts to adjacent landowners The current project consists of demolition during deconstruction. of the existing concrete and buried crib dam structures, intake, and fish ladder all in a Who is paying for dam removal? single year work season. This will be followed by natural channel formation and sediment Dam removal funding is coming from several transport of the remaining reservoir sediment sources including the Tulalip Tribes, the City to establish connectivity and natural process of Snohomish, the State of , and restoration. The restored channel will closely Federal sources. State sources currently mimic the pre-dam channel. include the Washington State Recreation Conservation Office Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the Puget Sound Partnership, and the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Fund. The current federal source is the Environmental Protection Agency. We continue

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