Tell ODOT to Remove Kellogg Dam

Now is the time to remove the aging and dangerous Kellogg Dam! The Oregon Department of Transportation will be receiving a windfall in the form of an extra $1.2 billion thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). ODOT is requesting public input for how those extra dollars are spent, so make your voice heard to help wild fish!

What: Oregon Transportation Commission will be hosting a zoom meeting to provide information about the IIJA and will be taking public input on how that money should be spent.

When: Next Tuesday, December 7 from 9:00 to 10:30 am

Where: Sign up to testify by emailing Chloe Craft (Chloe.CRAFT@odot.state.or.us) or submit written testimony here.

Background and Talking Points:

• Kellogg Dam in Milwaukie has been identified as the #1 fish passage barrier in the state of Oregon that is owned by ODOT but hasn't yet been removed because of the high cost.
• Kellogg Dam predates statehood (built in 1858, it has served no purpose since the 1890s), but blocks passage to habitat vital for all salmon, steelhead, and lamprey.
  
• Kellogg Creek is an important thermal refugia for anadromous fish migrating through the Willamette River. If Kellogg Dam is removed, migrating fish would once again be able to take advantage of the relatively cool water in Kellogg Creek when temperatures in the Willamette are too high.
• Dam removal would allow for wetland restoration to take place, increasing habitat for numerous species, as well as increasing flood storage capacity.
• The highway 99E bridge that rests on the dam is 89 years old and earthquake vulnerable.
• The removal of Kellogg Dam would allow for bicycle and pedestrian passage under 99E, making it safer for Milwaukie residents to access the Willamette River, Milwaukie Bay Park/Trolley Trail, and MAX station.

For more information or help preparing your testimony, please contact Northern Oregon Regional Coordinator Liz Perkin (liz@nativefishsociety.org).