Five environmental groups say the state Department of Ecology didn't consider water quality standards when when it approved plans to rebuild Enloe Dam near Oroville.

The Wenatchee World ( http://is.gd/R1ufUt) reports the five groups have filed an appeal with the state Pollution Control Hearings Board.

Water quality is one of many considerations in a proposal by the Okanogan County PUD to rebuild the Enloe Dam to generate electricity.

The PUD has been working for seven years toward restarting operations at the dam. The dam was built in 1920 but stopped producing power in 1959 when it became cheaper to buy from the Bonneville Power Administration.

The environmental groups claim that if the dam is rebuilt, it will nearly dry up the Similkameen (sim-IL'-ka-MEEN') River.

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Information from: The Wenatchee World, http://www.wenatcheeworld.com