Okanogan PUD proceeds with dewatering of Enloe Dam

OKANOGAN – Okanogan County PUD staff members have been meeting with various federal and state agencies concerning the dewatering and inspection of Enloe Dam as part of the structure’s decommissioning process, wrote Community Relations Coordinator Sheila Corson. At its regular meeting March 25, the PUD board approved contracts for safety and inspection work toward that end.

Jeri Timm, Director of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs reported that PUD staff has met with representatives of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state agencies including Ecology, Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colville Confederated Tribes, and Fish and Wildlife, among others.

Once FERC terminates the license for Enloe Dam after July 9 of this year, Ecology will assume jurisdiction for dam safety as part of its priorities of dewatering and inspection. Provided that engineering and permitting can be completed in time, Timm said inspection could occur by this fall, with fall 2020 as the next option.

BLM representatives are discussing the process of right-of-way issues between that agency, the PUD and the district, a process that could take months to years to resolve, Timm said. In the interim the PUD board has decided to defer actions regarding the dam’s future until the district has a full understanding of the requisite regulatory parameters involved.

The board approved a change order with Max J. Kuney Contractors of Spokane in an amount not to exceed $200,000 for safety inspection planning at Enloe Dam. The board also approved a budget amendment not to exceed $238,900 authorizing a 2019 contract for Owners Advisory Services McMillen Jacobs Associates to oversee dam safety work.