"Proposed Yuba River Hydroelectric Dam Raises Concerns Over Fish"

"A Canadian company's surprise proposal to build a hydroelectric generation facility on the Yuba River has raised alarm among government agencies and nonprofits working to restore salmon runs on the river."



"Archon Energy of Calgary, in a July 18 application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, proposes to build a 3-megawatt energy generation facility adjacent to Daguerre Point Dam. The company seeks an expedited approval process, and its 18-page application states that no new studies of environmental effects are needed.

The National Marine Fisheries Service "strongly disagrees with this view" in an early comment letter submitted on the project. It notes, among other things, that the project could divert nearly 90 percent of the river's flow around the dam, potentially dewatering the riverbed in places and disrupting plans for new fish ladders."

Matt Weiser reports for the Sacramento Bee August 16, 2012.
 

Source: Sacramento Bee, 08/17/2012