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September 26, 2019
SALEM, Ore. –ODFW seeks public comment on a request to exempt fish passage requirements on four tributary streams to Silvies River located in Grant County, Oregon.
Silvies Valley Ranch, LLC has requested exemptions to providing fish passage on four streams; Paine Creek, Jack Andy Creek, Flat Creek, and Jump Creek. The exemption requests are being filed in connection with a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) that Silvies Valley Ranch (SVR) has completed with the State of Oregon Department of State Lands and ODFW. The enforcement action required SVR to develop a remedial action plan (RAP) that would address fish passage in waters containing or historically containing native migratory fish, and address unpermitted wetland impacts through mitigation. Silvies Valley Ranch and the State of Oregon have identified four streams as candidates for fish passage exemptions due to the lack of appreciable benefit if fish passage were restored.
Fish Passage exemptions are being sought based on a ten-year period where artificial beaver dams (ABD’s) were constructed by Silvies Valley Ranch personnel. A total of 160 ABD’s have been constructed which include Paine Creek (26 ABDs), Jack Andy Creek (33 ABDs), Flat Creek (91 ABDs), and Jump Creek (10 ABDs). All are presently proposed for fish passage exemptions. These Four creeks were identified as streams that historically contained native migratory fish, but currently do not support redband trout or other native migratory fish populations. Silvies Valley Ranch is pursuing 160 fish passage exemptions at these sites and ODFW is currently working through the exemption process and plans to have that process reviewed and discussed at the Fish Passage Task Force Meeting on Oct. 18, 2019 in Salem, Oregon.
Members of the public have until Oct. 14, 2019 to submit written comments on the proposed plans. Both fish passage exemption applications and the Department’s benefit analyses are available at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/passage/
Members of the public can send written comments to or request additional information from Kregg Smith, ODFW Fish Passage Coordinator, 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, OR 97302, e-mail, Kregg.M.Smith@state.or.us or by calling (503) 947-6217.
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