Terra Firma- Winchester Dam 2023

In August 2023, repair work at the 133-year-old Winchester Dam on Oregon’s North Umpqua River was carried out under the oversight of the Winchester Water Control District. The work involved a foundation contractor specializing in structural repair and concrete leveling contractor responsible for reinforcing and stabilizing the dam with concrete.

During the project, the reservoir was drawn down without sufficient fish rescue efforts. Wet concrete and heavy mats made from truck tires entered the river, contaminating the water and violating state environmental rules. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) estimated that roughly 550,000 juvenile Pacific lamprey were killed, far beyond the permitted incidental take limit.