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See unique fish enhancements and spawning salmon at Soda Springs Dam

TOKETEE, Ore. (SEPTEMBER 17, 2024) —Pacific Power, along with federal and state natural resource agencies, will host a public tour of environmental enhancement projects at the North Umpqua Hydroelectric Project, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024. The annual tour will highlight state-of-the-art fish passage facilities and recent spawning habitat improvements at Soda Springs Dam and other locations on the North Umpqua River within the Umpqua National Forest, approximately 60 miles east of Roseburg.

These enhancements are part of Pacific Power's 194-megawatt hydroelectric project that produces enough renewable, emission-free electricity to supply approximately 80,000 average homes each year. The project was built in the 1940s and 50s but has undergone many substantial improvements since 2003 to balance efficient energy production with fish, wildlife, recreation, and other values.

"The river is dynamic, and so are we: constantly operating, maintaining, and improving the facilities for fish passage and protection and the habitat for fish spawning and rearing," said Rich Grost, principal aquatic scientist with Pacific Power. "It's especially satisfying to see hundreds of wild Chinook salmon spawning upstream and downstream of the dam and to share that experience on tours like this."

The tour begins at 2 p.m. and is expected to conclude by 5 p.m. It starts with a presentation at the North Umpqua Implementation Center, about an hour east of Roseburg on Highway 138. Turn left at Milepost 57 (at the green "Control Center" sign) onto Toketee School Road and proceed down the paved road one-quarter mile to the parking lot in front of the gray and blue buildings. 

After the presentation, guests will be transported to the project sites on buses. Carpooling is encouraged due to limited parking space. Please wear sturdy boots or shoes, and bring a hard hat if you have one. Hard hats are required to access the dam and will be provided to those who don't have their own. 

Space is limited and must be reserved by contacting Rich Grost (Pacific Power) at 541-498-2617 or Rich.Grost@PacifiCorp.com by October 11, 2024, and providing the names of everyone in your party. Last-minute requests will be accommodated on a space-available basis.

The Resource Coordination Committee sponsors the tour for the North Umpqua Hydroelectric Project. Members include PacifiCorp, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Oregon Department of Water Resources. Representatives of several of these agencies will be participating in the tour.

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About Pacific Power 

Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, natural gas, coal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net. 

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Pacific Power Celebrates National Drive Electric Week 

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Pacific Power Foundation grants to support education and STEM programs 

YREKA, Calif. (Aug 28, 2024) — The Pacific Power Foundation is pleased to provide over $240,000 in grant awards to nonprofits and community organizations in Oregon, Washington and California that promote education and enhance science, technology, engineering and math learning opportunities. 

Through this funding, the foundation seeks to create opportunities both now and in the future by investing in programs that empower and support young people through education and skill development for an ever-changing world. 

"We are privileged to support our local organizations in preparing both children and adults to thrive and succeed on their own terms through these educational, STEM and workforce development opportunities," said Ryan Flynn, director of the Pacific Power Foundation and president of Pacific Power. "We are truly inspired by the innovative approaches our communities are taking to nurture young minds for the future." 

These education and STEM grants are made through one of four grant cycles offered by the Pacific Power Foundation each year. The foundation supports a wide range of organizations within the communities served by Pacific Power. 

The following grants were given to local organizations supporting communities in California:

Kamome Foundation to cover travel expenses for high school students to visit Rikuzentakata, Japan, as the culminating event of the school year. This trip will facilitate a meaningful exchange of ideas between students about their schools and communities.  

Siskiyou Food Assistance to support implementation of courses in the financial literacy curriculum of Weed High School. 

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About the Pacific Power Foundation:  

The Pacific Power Foundation is part of the PacifiCorp Foundation, one of the largest utility-endowed foundations in the United States. The foundation was created by PacifiCorp, an energy company that serves over 2 million customers across a diverse six-state region in the West as Pacific Power (Oregon, Washington and California) and Rocky Mountain Power (Utah, Wyoming and Idaho). The foundation’s mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of the communities served by Pacific Power and Rocky Mountain Power. Since it started in 1988, the PacifiCorp Foundation has awarded more than $60 million to nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit PacificPower.net/Foundation. 

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Higher flow releases begin after Labor Day from Merwin Dam

COUGAR, WA. (AUGUST 26, 2024) – Beginning Tuesday, September 3, 2024, PacifiCorp will be drawing down the Swift Reservoir for dam safety work that begins after Labor Day weekend. To reach the needed reservoir elevation for the work, water needs to pass downstream resulting in increased flows out of the Merwin Project. Flows will go from approximately 2,000 cubic feet per second up to approximately 5,000 cubic feet per second. The higher flow is expected to last until mid-September.

The boat ramp at Swift Forest Camp on the Lewis River in southwest Washington will be out of service starting late Labor Day for the remainder of the recreation season. PacifiCorp, which operates the ramp as part of an extensive array of recreational facilities on the Lewis River, needs to lower the reservoir level to complete activities that will make it possible to perform future spillway work on Swift Dam without affecting the reservoir level. The result is part of PacifiCorp's ongoing commitment to safe operations. The boat ramp will reopen when the recreation site opens next spring. 

PacifiCorp has notified recreationists and private property owners along the reservoir's shores about the Swift Forest Camp and boat ramp closures. For more detailed information on PacifiCorp's Lewis River recreation sites and opportunities, please visit PacifiCorp.com/Camp.

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