In this video, Alex Worth ties a couple variations on a cone head wooly bugger that he uses on his local waters in the front range of Colorado, as well as some streams in south and central Wyoming. These two colors are extremely effective in the fall, but don’t stop there! Using the framework of this pattern and tying a few of your favorite colors is a great way to fill a small to mid-sized streamer box with confidence.
Alex demonstrates some solid tying techniques for the beginning and advance fly tyer.
Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) General Manager Frank Lawson recommends the Board of Commissioners should vote to “permanently discontinue electricity generation at the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project.”
Lawson’s recommendation represents the collective expertise of EWEB staff and consultants, following two years of in-depth analyses and an extensive public outreach process.
Internal erosion and seismically vulnerable soils among portions of the Leaburg Canal forced EWEB to shut down the hydroelectric project in 2018 and evaluate whether heavy investments into repairing the canal would be cost-effective, or if it is time for EWEB to decommission the 90-year-old project and cease generation.
The Leaburg project has historically generated about 4% of Eugene’s electricity needs. If EWEB were to continue generating, staff calculated the project would produce electricity at least three times more expensive than other carbon-free options.
EWEB will petition the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which already provides EWEB with about 80% of its energy, to replace the energy that would be lost by decommissioning Leaburg. EWEB will ask BPA to provide that additional energy at the low-cost, Tier 1 rate reserved for public power utilities across the region.
In addition to economic considerations, Lawson points to the benefits that decommissioning Leaburg would yield to McKenzie River water quality and fisheries, as well as alignment with the utility’s core mission and customer-owner priorities to reduce costs.
“Permanently discontinuing electricity generation at the Leaburg Hydroelectric Project will result in the removal of the dam, restoring the McKenzie River to unobstructed flow and eliminating the human-made Leaburg Lake behind the dam,” Lawson writes. “EWEB’s mission does not directly prioritize creating or managing recreational facilities, transportation assets, or other non-electricity or drinking water activities,” Lawson states.
To maintain access to the south side of the river, Lawson recommends developing alternative access via Goodpasture Bridge.
All of the alternatives EWEB has studied would require capital investments tallying more than $150 million and would result in substantial rate increases over time. The recommended direction is the lowest-cost alternative. EWEB forecasts that this alternative might require the utility to raise electricity rates by 9-10% between 2023 and 2040.
“As a publicly owned utility, it’s our responsibility to make the best decision for our customer-owners while also being good stewards of the McKenzie River,” said Generation Manager Lisa Krentz. “This has been a difficult decision that includes significant trade-offs and impacts to our community. We look forward to continuing to work with our customers and upriver neighbors as we plan for the next steps of this project.”
Next steps:Lawson and staff will present their recommendation to Commissioners at today’s (Dec. 6) Board Meeting. All community members are invited to attend at the EWEB Roosevelt Operations Center, 4200 Roosevelt Blvd. at 5:45 p.m.
You can view the live stream at https://tinyurl.com/EWEB-Board-Meeting-12-06-22. The Board will determine a future date to vote on a Record of Decision to endorse or decline the proposal, which will set in motion an implementation and action plan towards decommissioning.If approved, EWEB anticipates several years of planning and settlement negotiations prior to construction commencing likely in the 2030s.Work on near-term risk reduction measure projects will start as soon as next year but the potential work to remove the dam and lake will likely not begin for 10 years or more.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Implications of Decommissioning Leaburg
1.What does this recommendation mean for the Leaburg Project?a. Dam Removal: This direction includes removing the Leaburg Dam, restoring the human-made Leaburg Lake to an unobstructed river, and building a road to connect properties that have used the dam as a bridge to the Goodpasture Bridge a few miles upstream.b. Canal Repairs: EWEB would reinforce the Leaburg Canal to act as a stormwater conveyance facility, taking the tributary creeks that flow into the canal back to the McKenzie River. EWEB would modify sections of the canal to reconnect certain creeks directly to the river.
2.Without the dam, will flooding be an issue? a. The Leaburg Dam is a run-of-the-river facility, meaning it doesn’t play a role in reducing the impact of floods. The dam serves to direct water into the canal, rather than impounding water to store it for hydropower generation. When in operation, the dam would divert only a maximum of 2,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water into the canal and the rest of the McKenzie River would flow through the dam’s rollgates. Because the Leaburg Project is run-of-the-river, its generation potential is directly influenced by water availability – a further risk consideration as climate change threatens to reduce summer flows and therefore would likely reduce the amount of energy the project could produce.
3.When will construction begin? a. If approved, we anticipate several years of planning and settlement negotiations prior to any construction related to decommissioning. Major decommissioning work is not anticipated to commence until the beginning of the 2030s, at the earliest. Work on near-term risk reduction measure projects will start as soon as next year (i.e. canal plugs for directing stormwater and an outfall gate at Johnson Creek), but the work to remove the dam and lake will likely not begin for 10 years or more.
4.How will this decision impact customer electricity rates?a. We estimate the costs to carry out this decision would require EWEB to raise electric rates by 9-10% between 2023 and 2040.
5.What about Irrigators and properties with water access? a. EWEB will work to mitigate water rights and water access issues where legally obligated and facilitate water access where possible, specifically for fish hatcheries.
6.How did EWEB communicate with the public about this decision?a. We’ve held a dozen meetings with the Eugene and upriver communities this year and have presented at community meetings like the Springfield Lions, the Santa Clara Neighborhood Association, and the Eugene Chamber of Commerce. We’ve also reached out to 23 other neighborhood associations, worked with local media outlets to cover the project, and communicated the project to all customers on the September bill message. We received over 420 responses to a public comment form that was open from June through October, and have compiled thousands of comments as part of assessing the social impacts of the Triple Bottom Line Assessment.
UV Badger Flexi Squishenille has a black badge core that gives it a look like no other chenille available on the market.
UV Ice dub is interlaced in the UV badger Flexi Squishenille fibers. The chenille is squashy and fish chew it. Sub UV Badger Flexi Squishenille for any pattern that calls for standard chenille and hang on. Available in three sizes, Small, Medium and Large.
We will once again be meeting at Ninkasi’s Better Living Room, 155 Blair Blvd on November 30 at 5:30 pm. McKenzie River Steward Dave Thomas will be on hand to catch us all up on what is happening with EWEB’s decision to either decommission or rebuild the Leaburg Dam and Canal. We will then discuss potential actions the Chapter might take to support the decommissioning and removal of the dam.
I hope to see you all there! As always, feel free to bring friends!
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me,
Awesome mix of goods this season – filled with things you don’t need, things you want and things you should have. That about sums up your fly fishing arsenal, right?
One item we’re particularly excited about is the new Patagonia Swiftcurrent wading jacket. Perfect length for wading or wearing in the boot, with the addition of adjustable cuffs that you see in the whitewater paddling community. Not to mention, this actually keeps you dry.
The new rods from Echo, the Trout X and Boost Fresh, continue to exceed our expectations while maintaining an affordable option for a quality rod. Fishpond continues to impress with their line of backpacks – the Ridgeline and Firehole backpacks cover the board for simple day trips and long outings where you might prefer to carry more in.
Next up is the classic Renzetti Traveler Series vise, available in matte silver, black, red or blue. These things have stood the test of time while continuing to get more and more beautiful.
Below, we’ve linked the complete list of what we’re liking this season ranging from new, innovative tying tools to comfortable hoodies, hats and socks.
Recent drops in temperature and fluctuations in flow have trout acting more like their winter selves. You’ll find them holding in deep pools or softer water conserving energy for the colder months to come. Due to this change in their behavior, a different approach and smaller flies are often required to get fish to eat. The warmest part of the day and into the evening will be the most productive, so getting out super early isn’t necessary.
Nymphing will be productive, as most fish are holding deep with our recent weather. This time of year, we are fishing smaller nymphs; most of the nymphs are in the 14-18 size range except for the larger, more mature stoneflies. Pairing a small nymph with a larger, heavier one can help get your flies deeper where fish are holding this time of year. “Jigged Berry’s PCP” #16, “Jigged Rainbow Warrior” #16, ”, “Jigged Sassi’s Solution” #16, or “BH Lighting Bug #16 all make great options for smaller nymphs. For larger nymphs imitating stoneflies, “Streb’s Lazy J Stone” #10, ” #8, “Jigged D-Rib Stonefly” #10, or a “Pat’s Rubber Legs” #8-12 work great. A size 16 “Split Case BWO” paired with a small green soft hackle can be productive when swung during the warmer parts of the day.
Fishing dry flies can still work this time of year, but you have to time it right, and have the right conditions. During the middle of the day, there’s a good chance of a blue wing olive hatch. There is a greater chance of this on particularly warm days. When these small mayflies are coming off, a size 16-18 mayfly pattern will be appropriate. “Morrish May Day” #17-19, “Almost Dun” #18, and the “Hatchmaster BWO” #16-18 are great options. If these are too small to see, consider tagging one 14-18 inches behind a larger fly. There are lingering October caddis, so using a large October caddis imitation to help you locate your smaller blue winged olive can be helpful when its too small to spot. An “Orange Stimulator” #12, “J’s October Hi-Tie Caddis” #10-12, or “Morrish’s October Caddis” #8 are all great October caddis imitations. These can produce big eats closer to dusk.
Both of our local rivers, the Mckenzie and the Middle Fork Willamette are in good shape to fish. The Mckenzie is low and the Willamette is stabilizing after high water, but is still fishable. Both systems will produce fish this time of year, you might just have to take a different approach with this colder weather. Have fun out there!
My family and I are lucky enough to get to fish at Playa Blanca Lodge Mexico November-20-26, 2022. This is the first of 6 photo journal posts for OregonFlyFishingBlog. Day ONE, arrival via charter from Cancun.
They say the only constant is change and that seems to hold true here in the shop. With this tie, we’re adding a twist to a classic with some modern materials. The Cahill pattern stands the test of time, as it was initially tied by Dan Cahill over 100 years ago. The original Cahill dry pattern Dan tied imitated a Pale Morning or Evening Dun. This one imitates October Caddis and while there still may be a few kicking around into November, don’t fear throwing these all fall and winter long.
Anyhow, we enjoy this simple beauty and think you might, too.
From FlyLords Magazine and written by Patrick Perry.
Check out this article on fishing the Northern Oregon Coast with Captain Rob Perkin.
The fog stuck low to the ground, and the tops of the Douglas Firs could be seen over the inversion of clouds. The beach felt warm and with each step, the humid salty air filled the lung cavities. read the rest here: Doryland
