CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. – Some concerned citizens in Cave Junction are holding a rally Saturday, in protest of the removal of a longstanding dam.
For some, the Pomeroy Dam in Cave Junction has been a staple in the community for years, but statewide river conservation group, Waterwatch is working to remove the dam this year. The organization’s Southern Oregon Program Director, Jim McCarthy says the dam is old and dangerous, with rebar hazards and is in violation of state code because it has no fish ladder.
“We want fish to be able to get up above this dam area to their native streams and reproduce at the time of their choosing in the best condition possible,” McCarthy said. “So that we have vibrant healthy runs of salmon that so many people in Oregon value.”
This is prompting many to protest this decision and hold a rally this weekend. Rally goers, like Noah Robinson, who is also the Republican candidate for Senate District 2, which includes the Cave Junction and Grants Pass area, argues that fish have never had an issue with the dam and said it creates a popular swimming hole,
That dam’s been there for 80 years, the people in the community love it, they really like it. It’s a great recreation spot and the dam of course is not harming the fish, it’s been there for 80 years. It’s never been a problem before.
However, McCarthy said this dam is on private property, so swimming near it is actually trespassing. He said the organization has dealt with the property owners and removals like this are common.
“It’s an entirely routine thing that we do here in the Rogue Basin, with dams that have no purpose anymore can be replaced with new technology and it’s been shown to be quite beneficial and that’s why we keep doing it,” McCarthy said.
Noah Robinson said the people of Cave Junction should have been consulted and said Waterwatch forced the landowners by threatening to sue them.
“They basically threatened everyone involved, that if they didn’t sign a contract to make a deal to get rid of it, they would sue them,” Robinson said. “Nobody can afford that. It was basically threatening them with financial ruin if they didn’t tear it out.”
The rally will be held at the old Umpqua Bank in Cave Junction, Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Stay with NBC5 News for more on this developing story.
Listen to more from NBC5 News’ interview with Waterwatch’s Jim McCarthy below:
Listen to more from NBC5 News’ interview with State Senate Candidate Noah Robinson below:
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