For years, the Bowman Dam that created Prineville Reservoir before feeding into the Crooked River was included in the BLM designation of "wild and scenic river" - but the agency has finally got around to moving the boundary a quarter of a mile away from the dam, which will finally allow the dam to be used for hydroelectric power generation (hydro isn't allowed on wild and scenic rivers).
U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, introduced legislation in Congress to change the boundary in 2011. It passed the House three times before finally passing the Senate and being signed into law in December 2014, according to a news release from Walden’s office. It took about 14 more months for the BLM to enact it.
Government agencies at work.
