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Cascade Dam update: township installs public gauge, FERC inspection scheduled
Summary
Township officials reported the Cascade Dam was offline through late June and briefly ran June 30–July 2 at about 40% capacity; a new depth gauge is online with public data, and a FERC Part 12D inspection and follow-up dive and movement monitoring are scheduled this fall.
Township officials provided a quarterly update on the Cascade Dam, reporting that low upstream flows kept the facility largely offline through June but a rain event allowed it to operate for about two to three days around June 30 and July 1. "When it was running, it was running at approximately 40% capacity," an official said during the meeting.
The township said it has installed a new upstream depth gauge, calibrated to the dam gauge and accurate within about 0.1 foot. The monitor is linked to a public Cascade Dam webpage that updates every 10 minutes and retains six days of public readings; administrative access allows staff to review up to two years of historical levels.
Officials also described upcoming federal inspections. The presentation said the dam qualifies for a FERC Part 12D safety inspection cycle: a report will be submitted to FERC by August, a field inspection with third-party engineers is planned by September, and the agency's review and formal comments are typically returned about a year later. The presenter said a dive inspection and movement-monitoring survey are part of the inspection sequence.
Board members asked whether the recent tailrace scouring was the same site previously protected with riprap and whether STS/Eagle Creek still provides annual generation reports. The presenter said the town will follow up with Eagle Creek and that the lease requires the leasee to provide some form of annual reporting.
Officials discussed repair funding under the existing lease, describing a tiered approach: the leasee is expected to handle small repairs and carry insurance; a major-repair fund, to which both the township and the leasee contribute, is available for larger work. The presenter cautioned the specific dollar thresholds in the lease were set years ago and are adjusted for inflation in wording but may not reflect current market costs.
The township said a dive crew performed tailrace work recently to address scouring and to reattach a chain on one of the Tainter gates. Officials said they will provide further detail to the board and public as available after follow-up with the leasee and inspection teams.
