Bear River dam clears first hurdle

POCATELLO, Idaho — A proposal to dam the Bear River at the Oneida Narrows near Preston has cleared its first hurdle.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Feb. 2 granted the Twin Lakes Canal Co. three years to study how it would build an 85-foot high, 700-foot long embankment dam just below an existing PacifiCorp dam. The new dam would contain about 6,800 acre-feet of water to generate 7 megawatts of power.

The dam would hold the company shareholders' water rights, which now flow to Utah, said company spokesman Clair Bosen.

"It's not good just for the Twin Lakes Canal Company. It's something that's good for the entire county," Bosen said.

At least 11 groups, companies or individuals have filed opposition to the project, including PacifiCorp, Trout Unlimited, Idaho Rivers United, the State of Idaho and several local residents.

PacifiCorp is concerned that its only access to its Oneida Narrows dam, built in 1916, would be flooded by Twin Lakes' new reservoir, spokesman Monte Garrett said. The proposed dam would also flood recreation areas PacifiCorp maintains as part of a license requirement.

Garrett also said the proposed dam could complicate its attempts to bring back populations of Bonneville cutthroat trout, which the company agreed to restore as part of a settlement agreement with state and federal agencies and conservation groups.

"Until we can resolve our issues, our opposition to the project will remain," Garrett said. The company plans to meet with Twin Lakes officials in the next 30 days.

Idaho Rivers United Conservation Director Kevin Lewis said dams have a definite impact on the environment, and the river below the Oneida Narrows dam is one of the few pieces of the Bear River that is free-flowing.

"This is the only place on the Bear that is left to dam, really," he said.

The river is also used for recreational opportunities, and is valuable to local residents, Lewis said.

"I think the value of the resource is greater than the value of a project like this," Lewis said.

But Bosen said the new dam could provide recreational opportunities to the area as well. The river below the dam will still be good fishing, he said.

Bosen said the canal company will be hosting public meetings soon to get input on the project.