Argus Observer - Commission meets online Oct. 9 to consider fish passage waiver at Bowman Dam

This article was published on: 10/6/20 12:00 AM

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet via Zoom call on Friday, beginning at 8 am.

The meeting will be livestreamed via ODFWs YouTube page and will also be available on livestream at https://www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/commission/minutes/.

The agenda includes such topics as a fish passage waiver, wild turkeys as a nuisance and management of steelhead near the ocean.

During Friday’s meeting, the Commission will consider a fish passage waiver requested by the Ochoco Irrigation District at its proposed hydroelectric project to be located on Bowman Dam (near Prineville on the Crooked River). New hydroelectric projects require that fish passage and other fish and wildlife concerns are addressed. Fish passage waivers may be granted provided the requester undertakes other projects to provide a net benefit to fish. In this case, ODFW staff are recommending the Commission do not approve this request because the proposed mitigation does not provide a greater benefit to native migratory fish species than fish passage would.

The Commission will consider making changes to the rules for Wildlife Control Operators (WCOs) which would add wild turkeys to the list of species these private businesses can address. Turkeys can cause damage and be a nuisance in urban and suburban areas. Under the proposed rules, WCOs would be able to address wild turkey complaints under certain constraints. For example, WCOs would be able to remove turkeys causing property damage or being aggressive and salvage the meat for donation, or potentially release turkeys to ODFW-approved locations.

During the Director’s report at the beginning of the meeting, the Commission will be briefed on monitoring and management of wild steelhead on the Oregon coast, the Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program and wildlife connectivity issues in the state. No public testimony is taken during this portion of the meeting.