Cape Horn fish ladder clogged with gravel and debris after high flows.

Cape Horn fish ladder clogged with gravel and debris after high flows.

There’s a proposal to remove the fish-blocking Scott Dam on the Eel River but looming problems still remain. Cape Horn Dam, just downstream of Scott Dam, technically allows for fish passage through its fish ladder–but that’s only when the ladder is properly functioning and the trouble is that fish often can’t use the ladder because it gets so choked with rocks and debris. So what good is the removal of Scott Dam if salmon still struggle to get past Cape Horn Dam?
Friends of the Eel River is pressing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to address persistent issues with the fish ladder and–shockingly–FERC admitted that Friends of the Eel River is right! In an important win for salmon, FERC has agreed to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service over ongoing operations and maintenance of Cape Horn Dam’s fish ladder.
Find out what this victory means for salmon and dam removal across the West Coast on this week’s EcoNews Report