News: Ecology releases draft environmental review of options to rebuild Eightmile Lake Dam

The draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Eightmile Dam Rebuild and Restoration project has been released is available for public comment from April 19 through June 5, 2023.

We are concerned about the impact and potential new out-of-stream water use and will be making comments. We encourage you to do so as well!  See our page, Take Action: Public Comments for more about the process and what makes effective comments.

Shared from the Department of Ecology:

The Eightmile Lake Dam is one of several small dams located in the Cascade Mountains west of Leavenworth, predating the establishment of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness by several decades. Eightmile Dam provides water for agricultural irrigation and instream flows during the dry summer months.

After the Jack Creek Fire in 2017, flooding caused erosion damage to the dam. In 2018, the Eightmile Lake Dam was designated as a high hazard dam by Ecology’s Dam Safety Office, reflecting its potential threat to downstream residents and properties. Emergency repairs made in the summer of 2018 stabilized the dam. However, these repairs did not bring the dam up to current safety standards.

As the dam’s owners, the Icicle and Peshastin Irrigation Districts (IPID) have developed several alternatives for rebuilding the dam, which balance the priorities of protecting the integrity of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, ensuring public safety by meeting dam safety requirements, and providing durable solutions for water management and delivery. The alternatives also account for the likely impacts of climate change on severe weather events, irrigation needs, and fish habitat.

Ecology releases draft environmental review of options to rebuild Eightmile Lake Dam – April 19 news release

Eightmile Dam rebuild & restoration

Water Supply Solutions for the Icicle Watershed