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This Website is Dedicated to Alvin Alexander Cheyne January 10, 1921 - June 17, 2005 |
Pacific
Power would get more land
*
That could be a big motivation for removal
By Caleb Maplesden
Pioneer Press Staff Writer
Page W1
"The
land underwater is currently zoned for 40 acre parcels," said
Mallory.
If the
dams were removed, PacifiCorp would add 1,825 acres of riverfront
property to the 16,212 acres they already own in the area.
However,
this land may be totally unusable for many years according to Mallory.
"The
sedimentation is a big issue," said Mallory.
Since you can't build on sediment, most of the land cannot support construction of any kind.
The
majority of the sediment is small enough to be carried down the river by
natural erosion processes according to the California Coastal
Conservancy.
"It
seems crazy that they think that sedimentation issue would be solved by
washing it down the river. It seems like that would just ruin the river
down the river," Mallory said.
"There
has never been a dam removal of this magnitude, ever," Mallory told
the Pioneer Press.
There
are over a thousand properties that would be affected by the removal of
the lakes according to Mallory.
Lakefront
properties would face the most drastic drop in property value followed
by properties with a view of the lake. Properties whose access passes
the lake would have the lowest drop in value.
Irongate
Lake Estates would probably face a drop in values because of the loss of
recreational opportunities provided by the lake.
"If
they (the dams) went away, I think there would be lawsuit after lawsuit
for the people that live there," Mallory told the Pioneer Press.
"I
don't know if they would go after FERC or who they would go after."
Mallory said.
The
county wants the dams to remain in place according to Mallory.
(Permission to post from the publisher.)