Map, above, showing the original course of the Sandy River before it was diverted to the channel of the Little Sandy River in the 1930s. The dam was removed in 2012.

October 08, 2012: Originally Posted on Rubble

Took a quick stroll on Sunday with the big one, a friend of his, and the dog out to “Dog Beach” on the Sandy River. Nothing much to report. Very busy, many dogs, great weather. The river is very low right now and warm enough in the shallows for some wading and swimming.

One thing I might note is that it looks like they will be removing the old dam along the Thousand Acres Road, permanently re-routing the Sandy to its historic channel, turning Sundial Island back into an island, and eliminating foot access to that part of the park.

According to the Friends of the Sandy River Delta, while the comment period is still open on the dam removal, it looks like it is pretty much “a done deal.”

April 9, 2020

After the dam was removed, we went out to check what was done. I should have photos from that hike to post eventually, but I want to finish the site rebuild first.

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area - News & Events:

…flow will be restored to the historic main channel of the Sandy River at the delta to provide year-round access for fish to this channel while eliminating stranding potential by providing continuous flow. This will be done by removing a dam built in the 1930’s and excavating a pilot channel within the historic main channel. The Corps and the Portland Water Bureau will fund Dam removal. Upon project completion, Sandy River water will flow year round through the historic main channel and the present-day main channel.

The Oregonian / OregonLive: Agencies to remove Sandy River dike to improve salmon, steelhead habitat

To help funnel smelt up the Sandy River each spring, the Oregon Game Commission in 1938 finished a huge rock and wood dike to close off one of two river channels. The result was a single channel to the west of a large delta of low-lying land where the Sandy flows into the Columbia River.

And it appeared to work. Commercial and recreational fishing for smelt prospered for years.

But now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with help from the Portland Water Bureau, wants to remove the dike and reopen more than 1.4 miles of the old channel through the delta to restore habitat for endangered salmon and steelhead.

SRD_MUD : Message: Re: Road Building at the Delta - possibly starting Monday 9/10:

The dam removal is likely a done deal, despite public comments, and our deep desires to somehow preserve access to the island. We do expect to hear from the Army Corp regarding the public comments they received and their final plans by the end of the year, but the feedback we've received so far from the Forest Service, is that the plans are likely to move ahead. Needless to say, we still are advocating for some means of continued access.

Links

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the highway