On October 31 2008, Conservation Partners American Rivers, American Whitewater, the Center for Environmental Law and Policy, the North Cascades Conservation Council, and the Columbia River BioRegionalal Education Project requested that FERC require the PUD#1 of Okanogan County (WA) to perform additional studies before the final application for a new Enloe Dam License (Project No. 12569) can be issued.  Enloe is an existing dam on the Similkameen River that was decommissioned in the 1950's. 

These conservation groups (and their members) have an interest in protecting the environmental, recreational, and other values of a fully connected and continuously flowing Similkameen River system. Among other impacts, the proposed project would totally dewater nearly 400 ft of this river, including Similkameen Falls, for most of the year (July through March).  Additional interests include adequate assessment of the historic range of anadromous salmonids; fish passage;sufficient year-round flow necessary to protect aquatic resources and other designated beneficial use; water quality; the need for power and value of generation; and aesthetic and recreational values. While the PUD has attempted unsuccessfully to license this project three times in the past, the information presented in its final license application is insufficient to allow for a comprehensive assessment of the proposed project.

Examples include the final applications ignoring all discussion of historic range of anadromous fish in the Similikameen River, fish passage, and potential habitat values above Enloe Dam by simply stating that “consensus” exists among agencies and stakeholders on this issue.  However, this statement is not accurate as the Yakama Nation and ConfederatedTribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, as well as Conservation Groups have repeatedly requested additional studies and information on these issues. In addition, while agency, tribal, environmental and local stakeholders have commented that dewatering Similkameen Falls is unacceptable, the final application offers no discussion or option for providing adequate instream flows, and no useful information on which to discuss alternative flow scenarios. The final completely disregards aesthetic impacts from dewatering the Falls. The PUD also has failed to adequately address recreational issues by requesting an unacceptable post-licensing Recreation Management Plan.   The final application provides little new or additional information on the need for power and no review of how flow changes from predicted climate change, climate change impacts on fishery populations, or required passage or minimum flows would impact this already marginally economic project. Finally, the final application once again avoids discussion of the proposed upstream Shankers Bend project, which, if built, would dramatically change production capabilities, economic worth, and the operations of the proposed Enloe Project.