By Susan Hollingsworth

With the the upcoming hydropower removal right here on our very own White Salmon River (Condit Dam, in case you’ve been out of the loop for the last decade or so), it is more important than ever that we learn from previous hydropower removal projects.

This Saturday, join Hood River Watershed Group for a tour of the Powerdale Lands.  Removed just last year, Powerdale Dam was located 4.3 miles upstream from the confluece of the Hood and Columbia Rivers.  Today, water flows freely from Mt Hood glaciers and down all 25 miles to the confluence.

The Hood River Watershed Group’s purpose is to sustain and improve the Hood River Watershed through education, cooperation and stewardship.

Saturday’s event will be led by a representative from PacifiCorp as well as the Columbia Land Trust.  This opportunity to learn about the decomissioning process and transfer of lands may provide keen insight into the process.  For those local to the White Salmon, the event may even prove to make the upcoming removal of Condit Dam smoother.

When: Saturday, June 4, 2011 from 10:00am – 12:00pm

Where: Meet at Park & Ride across from China Gorge

Cost: $10

Don’t forget to register prior to the event either online with Hood River Community Education, or by calling (541) 386-2055.

Powerdale Lands Tour hosted by Hood River Watershed Group