Removal of Marmot Dam is now complete; Sandy River flows freely again.

Experts were amazed at how quickly the Sandy River washed away the vestiges of Marmot Dam.

The final bits of concrete from Marmot Dam were removed Sept. 30, 2007. The remaining earthen coffer dam, built to give crews a dry workspace, was breached Oct. 19, restoring the Sandy to a free-flowing river for the first time in nearly a century.

Within hours of the coffer dam breaching, the Sandy River resumed the appearance of a natural river. Torrents of water carried hundreds of thousands of yards of sediment downstream, helping create natural bends, bars and logjams indicative of a free-flowing river.

To learn more, and to see dramatic video and photos, visit MarmotDam.com.

The dam removals will help improve habitat for threatened fish and wildlife, and expand public recreation opportunities. It will also eliminate expensive maintenance costs to the 95-year-old Bull Run plant and avoid the costly upgrades necessary to bring fish protection up to modern standards.

PGE is giving about 1,500 acres of Bull Run project land and other nearby holdings to the Western Rivers Conservancy without receiving a tax deduction.

This land will form the foundation of a natural resource and recreation area in the Sandy River Basin. Ultimately covering more than 9,000 acres, the area will be owned and managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management.

The hydro project removal plan was developed through a diverse collaboration of 23 environmental organizations, state and federal natural resource agencies, local governments and businesses.

Dam removal timeline