Switch off the mind and let the heart decide
      Who you were meant to be
Windpower!

Flick to remote and let the body glide
     There is no enemy
Windpower!

Etch out a future of your own design
      Well tailored to your needs, Yeah
Windpower!

Thomas Dolby - from his song Windpower 1982.

Such is the beginning of Thomas Dolby’s song in a dystopian Britain following years of authoritarian rule following an alternate Axis victory in WWII. Just like the countries of the North Sea, Oregon has seen the development of wind farms over the last quarter century as nations develop new energy sources. In this post, I am talking about the wind farms in Sherman County and Gilliam County. Further to the east, Morrow County, also is the site of wind farms, but everything gets more complicated here.

OREGON POWER RESOURCES

Oregon does not have coal, oil or gas naturally occurring on any large scale within the State. Hydropower is the main factor in power generation with the dams of the Columbia River basin producing enough power to meet the needs not only of the Pacific Northwest, but for export mainly to the behemoth to the south, California.

Other sources have been and are being investigated and tried – nuclear (discarded for now in Oregon), geothermal, biomass and wind. The last category has changed the landscape of the desert region of the Columbia River along the Oregon and Washington border much like the giant wind turbines change the landscape elsewhere whether it be the North Sea, the Midwest, or the mountain passes of Southern California.

tHAR SHE BLOWS!

A study by the National Renewal Energy Laboratory stated Oregon had the potential to capture 27 GW from on-shore wind sources. Much of that power is from either the Cascade mountain tops or other peaks in southeastern Oregon, both areas off grid and not economically feasible.

The largest potential is off shore where an estimated 62 GW potential exists. Some of the most constant and powerful winds are found along the Oregon Coast, especially south of Coos Bay and beyond into northwestern California. Here, there is an electrical grid present to plug turbines into. The gigantic cost and engineering difficulties have kept wind farms off the coast, as well. But with the costs involved in generating electricity from the wind plummeting, plans are afoot to build floating wind farms tethered to the ocean floor. To be determined is the effect on marine life including the annual migration of whales, and the effect on the local fishing industry.

COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE WIND FARMS

The third area where wind always seems to blow is along the Columbia River Gorge. Pressure differences between the east and west sides of the Cascade Mountains cause the winds to roar down through the Gorge, the only canyon piercing the mighty range. The region from the Deschutes River confluence in the east to the Sandy River confluence in the west is located in the Columbia Gorge Scenic Area, established in 1986 to protect the scenic, cultural and recreational aspects of the almost 300,000 acres. The corridor stretches 85 miles long and is from one to four miles wide. The political act saved the Gorge from the possibility of the wind farms to the immediate east of the Scenic Area.

Wind power has gone from almost nothing to 11.8% of power generated in the State. The gusts account for the second-largest non-carbon based power resource behind water power in the massive dams. Of the power generated, just under 5% stays in Oregon, the rest of the power exported, mainly to California. With 3,415 MW of power production, Oregon ranks ninth in the country for power generated from 46 wind farms. Additionally, another four wind farms are being constructed capable of another 894 MW and others are in the planning stage.

GEOGRAPHY and POPULATIONS

geography

Driving through the wheat fields along the plains above the southern rim of the Columbia River is amazing. Unlike the Great Plains, the ground undulates somewhat. Mountains rise in the far distance, the Blue Mountains to the south and east; Mt Adams and Mt Hood poke up in the west. Driving on most highways – US 197, US 97, Oregon 19, OR 74, OR 207 and especially OR 206 – is a visual delight. The views go on forever seemingly.

The rolling plains are indented by creek valleys which can become serious canyons in a few cases – Thirtymile Creek, Long Hollow, Buck Hollow, Grass Valley, Hay Creek, Rock Creek and Hay Creek are some of the longer and deeper canyons. Canyons become most serious where the Deschutes and John Day Rivers carve their way bisecting the plains from the south. Then there is the canyon of the Columbia to the north with many smaller canyons leading south from the gorge up onto the plains.

economy

Economically, the land, previously a sage-covered desert, is all about the cultivation of wheat. Wheat is dry farmed with the alfalfa showing up along creek beds or in isolated spots where irrigation is possible. For most of the eastern counties bordering the Columbia River – Wasco, Umatilla, but especially Morrow, Sherman and Gilliam – wheat accounts for major source of income

WHEAT HEARTLAND – SHERMAN COUNTY

Sherman County contains the four big farms on the left along with little PaTu and the Golden Hills farm presently under construction. Summit Ridge is a proposed farm for neighboring Wasco County on hold for the moment.

Looking closer at Sherman. Sherman County sits atop a plain slowly building up in elevation from north to south. Wasco is around 1,200 feet, Moro about 2,200 feet, Grass Valley 2,300 feet and Kent in the far south is 2,700 feet high. The John Day River forms the eastern boundary and the Deschutes River forms the western. Both rivers flow at the bottom of deep canyons running the entire length of Sherman County. Small canyons jut in from both these two rivers and off the Columbia on the county’s northern border. Only Grass Valley extends for any length. Grass Valley makes a big arc from the county center to its confluence deep in the John Day canyon.

On the main county plain there are three small incorporated cities – Grass Valley, Wasco and the county seat of Moro. The latter two towns have around 300-400 people with Grass Valley at not quite 200. Rufus is a fourth incorporated town for the county. Its 250 people live next to the Columbia River above I-84. Most of the wind is centered in the northern reaches of the county, strong west from the west and northwest. The wind has always been there. The towns of Wasco and Moro hunker down inside little valleys to escape the constant bluster.

WHEAT IS STILL KING

Winter wheat is king. In 2017, there were 190 farms averaging 2,762 acres in size. 63% of the farms were over 1000 acres with 86% being family farms. 353 of the producers classified by the Census Bureau as White – 3 were Native American and 1 Asian. 90 farmers labelled having new and beginning farmers. The meaning being they had not worked on a farm for at least ten years, qualifying for other government fund programs.

Even with government subsidies – the average farm in Sherman County, in 2017, received almost $60,000 a year. That is up 12% from 2012 – the net income per farm was a little over $100,000, down 44% from 2012. It is interesting to see how these numbers stack up to neighboring counties. Government payments being about the same in Gilliam, up 16%; less in Morrow – $54,000, up 11%; and in Wasco – about $28,000, up only %6. The effect on net farm income: Gilliam $120,000 +25%; Morrow $238,000 +6%; Wasco $9,000 -71%.

WIND IS THE NEW PRINCE

While wheat is, was and will be king in all of these counties, there is a new kid on the block. Wind farms began to sprout up along the landscape with the new century. The rate of growth dependent upon both technology and governmental inspiration. Today, the turbines appear to cover every ridge in sight. On closer inspection, however, there is much insight into the placement of each turbine group. Even with government help and lowering technological expense, it costs a lot to put up a wind turbine.

Although it seems to blow everywhere in the plains south of the Columbia, looking at a map of Oregon’s Wind Power potential from the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, only the northeast area of Sherman County just west above the John Day canyon lies within the “good” area for wind production. The rest of the area rates as “fair” along the ridges where most of the turbines are erected.

bottom lines improve

Property tax revenues for the counties and additional lease payments to landowners where the turbines are located have made large impacts on the bottom lines. Already, in a news story from ten years ago in the Seattle Times, Sherman County was sending out checks for $590 to its citizens annually as their share in the wind companies over $3 million in property tax payments. Another way to show the rapid increase in wind production in the county is to compare 2002 when the first wind farm began operation in the county. Property tax revenue was $310,000.

The tax payments are an attempt to equalize the boon felt by those landowners who gain directly from leasing to the wind companies. Back in 2011, payments were around five to eight thousand dollars per turbine for a landowner. Turbines are not usually solitary creatures. A telling quote on the impact of wind from the story is, “Wind is the only thing that is going to save rural Oregon,” said Judge Gary Thompson, of Sherman County Court, “especially since all the timber is gone and the sawmills and all that are closing down. I think what it is, is a breath of fresh air.”

BETTER SCHOOLS

Property taxes also go to improve government and schools. Schools hard strapped by boom and bust agricultural cycles suddenly have money to improve and build. The county courthouse in Moro was updated in a 2018 award-winning fashion, doubling the size of government offices while maintaining the old historical design. Even the old cupola on top of the courthouse damaged by an ice storm fifty plus years ago was restored.

Short term, wind farm construction brings a lot of workers to the counties. Long term jobs, considerably fewer, are also created with training courses launched at the nearby community college, Columbia Gorge Community College, in The Dalles. Wind technicians, one of the more common jobs average out to almost $53,000 a year.

THE FARMS

nORTHERN FARMS

Sherman County had some of the earliest wind farms established going back to 2001. The Klondike farms grew in four stages – 2001 (15 turbines – 24 MegaWatts capacity), 2005 (50 turbines – 75 MW), 2007 (124 turbines – 221 MW), 2008 (52 turbines – 77 MW). These turbines and the ones on the neighboring farm to the north, Biglow Canyon, are placed in the best wind areas found in the east Gorge. Klondike turbines are to the north of Oregon Highway 206, about four miles east of Moro. There is a total of 241 turbines rotating in the winds. Owned by Iberdrola, a Spanish utility company involved in several of the wind farms found in the Gorge – operated by Avangrid Renewables.

Biglow Canyon is further to the north. It was established in three phases – 2007 (76 turbines – 125 MW), 2009 (65 turbines – 150 MW), and 2010 (76 turbines – 175 MW). Portland General Electric is the owner of this 451 MW project. The power generated by these two farms shared by  Portland General Electric, Bonneville Power Administration, Eugene Water & Electric Board, and other power companies regionwide. PGE bought the development rights in 2006 just after breaking out from their former owner Enron.

SOUTHERN FARMS

South of OR 206 is the Hay Canyon wind farm erected in 2009 (48 turbines – 101 MW). Hay Canyon is also owned and operated by Iberdrola. Much of the power here goes to Snohomish County Public Utility Department, the largest PUD in Washington.

Just east of Hay Canyon on the rim of John Day Canyon, Star Point, another Iberdrola project, dates to 2010. 47 turbines rotate generating 99MW of power. Some of the electricity heads south to central California.

Another large wind farm, Golden Hills is being constructed to the west of Moro. This project is under construction. A demonstration of the big increases in wind technology, 200 MW of power forecasted from only 51 turbines. Construction comes from Avangrid Renewables, another big player in the wind game here in the Gorge. Avangrid Renewables owned by Avangrid, a part of the Iderdrola Group links two thirds of the turbines in Sherman County to the Iberian Peninsula.

SPECIAL CASE – PaTu

While large wind farms get most of the attention, two brothers from the Hilderbrand family east of Moro have six turbines installed on their own farmland. The turbines erected in 2010 have a capacity of 9 MW selling its power to PGE.

An example of power generation on a much smaller community scale, PaTu exists as a possible model for the future – wind power extracted by a local community instead of only at the level of multinational power companies.