Oregon
Fishing, environmental groups sue over Umpqua River dam
A coalition of environmental and fishing groups are suing a water district in southern Oregon over an aging, privately owned dam that they say hinders the passage of struggling salmon populations in the pristine North Umpqua River.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, asks a judge to order the Winchester Water Control District to build a new fish ladder and make major repairs to Winchester Dam, which dates to 1890 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The dam is also one of the oldest in Oregon.
The aging fish ladder on the 130-year-old dam blocks the progress of migrating Oregon Coast Coho salmon — a federally protected species — as well as spring and fall chinook, summer and winter steelhead, cutthroat trout and Pacific Lamprey, according to the lawsuit. There’s also no record that the water district has rights to hold and store water behind the dam under state law, the lawsuit said.
Dominic M. Carollo, the water district’s attorney, did not return a call for comment Tuesday.
The North Umpqua River is pristine fish habitat and is cherished by environmentalists and anglers alike, said Jim McCarthy, with WaterWatch of Oregon, one of the plaintiffs.
The 167 miles (268 kilometers) of river above the dam are some of the highest-quality fish habitat in the state, he said, and are a key part of the coastal fishing industry.
-
Crime & Safety7 days agoMan became upset that the mother of two he was seeing ‘was not foIIowing his reIationship ruIes and was also invoIved with other men and their reIationship was not excIusive’ before he Iured her to a ruraI area where he kiIIed her, then spread her remains across several areas: DA
-
Crime & Safety4 days agoFather, who had consumed aIcohoI before he struck his 6-month-old baby in the head while attempting to hit the chiId’s mother as she was hoIding the chiId, then attempted to assauIt poIice officers and hospitaI staff after being handcuffed to a bed, is charged
-
Crime & Safety1 week agoWoman told reIative she became upset with the 3-year-old and 5-year-old she was taking care of when they asked for more to eat, despite having already eaten, before intentionaIIy pIacing both of the chiIdren’s paIms on a hot griddIe and hoIding them down, causing severe injuries: police
-
Crime & Safety1 week agoMan who told poIice he had a moraI obIigation to kiII his parent because the older man had purportedIy abused him as a chiId, a cIaim doctors reportedly found to be without basis and dismissed as deIusionaI, is charged
-
Eugene6 days agoEugene Police Department arrests suspect in downtown stabbing
-
Eugene6 days agoCity of Eugene highlights Public Space Team efforts to address homelessness and community impacts
-
Eugene6 days agoEugene Springfield Fire trains firefighters ahead of shift schedule changes
-
Crime & Safety13 hours ago
Woman pIaced her daughter’s newborn in a cooIer after a faiIed CPR attempt to revive the chiId shortly after she and her spouse Iured the expectant mom, then forced her to Iie on the ground, stabed her and forcibIy extracted the baby while she Iay on the ground, kiIIing both: DA
