Salem will speed up water system upgrades to prepare for Detroit Reservoir drawdown – Salem Reporter

Report on Salem’s Water Infrastructure and Response to Detroit Reservoir Drawdown

Executive Summary

The Salem City Council has declared a state of emergency to expedite critical water infrastructure projects. This action is a direct response to a planned deep drawdown of the Detroit Reservoir, mandated by federal agencies to support objectives related to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) by improving fish passage. However, this environmental measure poses a significant threat to the city’s drinking water supply, creating a direct conflict with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The city’s strategy involves fast-tracking infrastructure upgrades to enhance resilience, in line with SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), while exploring legal and financial avenues to mitigate the impacts.

Balancing Water Security (SDG 6) and Ecosystem Protection (SDG 14)

The current situation in Salem highlights the complex challenge of balancing competing sustainable development objectives. A federal mandate to protect aquatic ecosystems directly threatens the stable provision of safe drinking water for a major urban population.

The Mandated Reservoir Drawdown for Aquatic Ecosystem Health

The National Marine Fisheries Service has issued a biological opinion requiring the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a deep drawdown of the Detroit Reservoir in the fall of 2026. The key objective is to improve downstream survival rates for juvenile salmon and steelhead, a direct action in support of SDG 14 (Life Below Water). This operation will lower the reservoir’s water level approximately 50 feet below its typical minimum, a measure intended to facilitate safer fish migration.

Projected Impacts on Municipal Water Supply and SDG 6

The drawdown is anticipated to cause a severe disruption to Salem’s water treatment process, directly impacting the city’s ability to meet SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

• Elevated Sediment and Turbidity: The lower water levels will stir up significant amounts of fine sediment, leading to extreme turbidity in the North Santiam River, Salem’s primary water source.
• Treatment Plant Overload: The Geren Island Water Treatment Plant’s slow sand filters are not designed to handle such high sediment levels. Officials warn the filters could become “blinded” and inoperable, forcing a shutdown of water intake from the river.
• Precedent of Failure: A similar drawdown at the Green Peter Reservoir resulted in turbidity levels exceeding 200 units (compared to Salem’s operational ceiling of 10 units) and negatively impacted the water systems of three other communities, forcing an early halt to the operation.

Analysis of Salem’s Water System Resilience

Primary and Backup Water Systems

Salem’s water infrastructure relies on a multi-source system to ensure a continuous supply, a key component of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

1. Primary Source: The North Santiam River provides the majority of the city’s water, which is processed at the Geren Island Water Treatment Plant.
2. Backup Sources: The city maintains several backup systems, including reservoirs, groundwater wells, an aquifer storage and recovery system, and an interconnection with the City of Keizer’s water system.

A critical vulnerability exists in the system’s capacity. The combined backup sources can supply 21-23 million gallons per day (MGD), which falls short of the average peak winter demand of 25 MGD. This gap underscores the urgency of enhancing system resilience to avoid a water shortage.

Historical Investment in Resilient Infrastructure (SDG 9)

The city has previously invested in its water infrastructure to address environmental threats. Following a 2018 water crisis caused by toxins from algae blooms in the Detroit Reservoir, Salem undertook a $56 million overhaul of its treatment facility. This included a $40 million ozone treatment system, demonstrating a commitment to building resilient infrastructure in line with SDG 9 to safeguard public health and ensure water quality.

Strategic Response to Ensure Sustainable Water Access (SDG 6 & SDG 11)

The City Council has approved an emergency declaration running through December 2026. This allows for the circumvention of standard procurement timelines to ensure mitigation projects are completed before the scheduled drawdown.

Key Infrastructure Projects for Water Security

The city is fast-tracking several projects designed to increase water supply redundancy and treatment resilience, directly contributing to SDG 6 and SDG 11. These include:

• Development of new groundwater wells to increase backup supply.
• Upgrades to increase the resiliency of the existing slow sand filters against high sediment loads.
• Addition of a new pump station to enhance the capacity of the joint water system with Keizer.

The accelerated timeline aims for project completion by August 2026.

Financial Strategy and Resource Allocation

The initial phase of these projects is funded by an $8 million allocation from the city’s utility fund, sourced from customer water bills. These funds were previously budgeted for water supply mitigation and filter maintenance. Officials note that redirecting these resources may delay other non-critical projects and could necessitate a future utility rate increase to ensure the financial sustainability of the water system, a consideration under the “affordability” tenet of SDG 6.1.

Inter-Agency Challenges and Path Forward

Potential for Conflict and Partnership (SDG 17)

The situation underscores the challenges inherent in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), where objectives of different government bodies conflict. While proceeding with infrastructure preparations, city officials are also considering legal action against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to halt the drawdown. This dual approach aims to protect residents while acknowledging the uncertainty of litigation. Citing the tens of millions of dollars in damages incurred by other communities from the Green Peter drawdown, Salem will also work with the Corps to seek federal funding to help offset the costs of the mandated system upgrades, advocating for a partnership-based solution to a problem created by federal mandate.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The entire article focuses on the challenges and solutions related to safeguarding Salem’s drinking water supply. It discusses water sources (North Santiam River), water treatment (Geren Island Water Treatment Plant), water quality issues (sediment, turbidity, toxins from algae blooms), and the need for resilient water infrastructure to ensure a continuous supply of safe water for residents.
2. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • The primary reason for the Detroit Reservoir drawdown, which triggers the city’s water crisis, is to improve the habitat for aquatic life. The article states the drawdown is required to “give juvenile salmon and steelhead fish a better chance of surviving as they move downstream.” This directly relates to the protection and restoration of inland freshwater ecosystems and the species within them.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article details how a city is managing its critical infrastructure to ensure its resilience. The city council’s emergency declaration to fast-track projects is a measure to mitigate a potential water-related disaster. The discussion of infrastructure upgrades, backup water sources, and potential economic damages (“tens of millions of dollars in damage to local water systems”) highlights the goal of making cities safe, resilient, and sustainable.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • The core of Salem’s response involves significant investment in building and upgrading infrastructure. The article mentions a “$56 million overhaul of the water treatment facility,” including a “$40 million ozone treatment facility,” developing new groundwater wells, and adding a new pump station. This demonstrates a focus on developing quality, reliable, and resilient infrastructure using innovative technology (ozone treatment) to support human well-being.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation):
   • Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. The city’s efforts to prepare for the drawdown are aimed at preventing an interruption in the safe water supply for its residents. The discussion of potential utility rate increases relates to the affordability aspect.
   • Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution. The article mentions past problems with “toxins… caused by algae blooms” and the current threat of “very elevated sediment levels.” The installation of the ozone facility and efforts to manage high turbidity are direct actions to improve water quality.
   • Target 6.b: Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management. The Salem city council’s vote, public meetings, and decision-making process on funding and emergency declarations exemplify local governance and community participation in water management.
2. Under SDG 15 (Life on Land):
   • Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems. The drawdown of the reservoir is an action mandated specifically to restore the natural downstream passage for fish, a key function of the North Santiam River’s freshwater ecosystem.
   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats… and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The action is aimed at improving the survival rates of “juvenile salmon and steelhead fish,” which are threatened species central to the region’s biodiversity.
3. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
   • Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of people affected and decrease the direct economic losses… caused by disasters, including water-related disasters. The city is proactively implementing an emergency plan to mitigate the impacts of the drawdown, which is framed as a potential disaster that could make water systems “inoperable” and cause “tens of millions of dollars in damage.”
4. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The entire plan to fast-track projects—including new wells, filter improvements, and a pump station—is a direct effort to build resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding the shock of the reservoir drawdown.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 6 Targets:
   • Water Quality Levels: The article provides a specific, measurable indicator for water quality: turbidity. It states that for the city’s water system, a turbidity value of “10 is kind of our ceiling,” while a previous drawdown in another reservoir caused “peak turbidity values of well over 200.” This provides a clear metric for success.
   • Water Supply vs. Demand: The article quantifies the city’s water security risk. The average winter demand is “25 million gallons per day,” while the maximum backup supply is only “21 million to 23 million gallons per day.” Progress can be measured by the increase in backup supply capacity from the new projects.
2. For SDG 15 Targets:
   • Fish Survival Rates (Implied): While not providing a number, the article states the goal of the drawdown is to give fish “a better chance of surviving.” The implied indicator is the survival rate or population count of juvenile salmon and steelhead, which would be measured by the National Marine Fisheries Service or a similar body to determine the action’s effectiveness.
3. For SDG 11 & 9 Targets:
   • Financial Investment in Infrastructure: The article provides concrete financial figures that serve as indicators of investment in resilient infrastructure. These include the “$8 million in projects” being fast-tracked, the previous “$56 million overhaul,” and the “$40 million ozone treatment facility.”
   • Economic Losses Avoided: The article mentions that a similar event caused “tens of millions of dollars in damage to local water systems.” The successful mitigation of damage to Salem’s system would be measured by comparing the final cost of preventative measures against this potential economic loss.
   • Project Completion Timeline: An indicator of progress is the project schedule. The article notes that with the emergency declaration, “the projects are expected to be complete by August 2026,” a significant acceleration from the standard process.

4. Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: salemreporter.com