Project 2105 License Group (2105LG) Draft Meeting Summary
June 21, 2004
Call to order: Patti Kroen, Facilitator at 9:00 a.m.
Attendees: See Attachment 1 for list of attendees. The 2105LG approved the draft agenda for the meeting without change. New participants to the collaborative were encouraged to become familiar with the 2105LG collaborative’s adopted protocols. Copies were available at the meeting.
LAWLAF Update: Noted remaining task of subcommittee is preparation of the rationale document. Currently in rough draft form, the document will explain the reasoning for the decisions contained within the settlement agreement language. There is no firm deadline for completion of this document however it should be provided to FERC before the end of their environmental review period. LAWLAF expects to complete the task in the next few months.
Public Meeting Presentation and De-Brief: Tom Jereb provided a quick review of slides he presented at a public meeting in Chester on May 24, 2004 focused on water temperature and the Prattville modification alternatives. Over 70 questions or comments were made at the public meeting and PG&E intends to answer all of the questions asked. The following points were noted and/or discussed by the 2105LG:
· Many comments and questions at the public meeting focused on the definition of ‘reasonable’ as applied to measures to be undertaken by PG&E to achieve cold water ‘targets’.
· All data related to the decisions made during the Rock Creek-Cresta settlement negotiations need to be available to Plumas County to understand fishery alternatives, enhancements and decisions.
· Meeting locations away from Lake Almanor may preclude local involvement on a regular basis.
· Opposition from the local community and landowners to the Prattville modifications will be enormous and could cost PG&E millions to pursue.
· There is insufficient room in the project area for the footprint needed to construct cooling towers sized to meet the need.
· The 1-2º Centigrade (C) temperature reduction estimated at Rock Creek-Crests was determined using the first and second, 5-year flow values from the Rock Creek-Cresta 1962 settlement agreement.
· PG&E is keeping local legislators’ offices updated on studies and additional information.
· Lake Almanor lake levels are included in the 2105 Settlement Agreement and are not expected to change through additional cold water investigations. SWRCB confirmed that in theory it could happen however no reason to change collaborative direction. Competing beneficial uses may make compromises necessary.
· PG&E has provided SWRCB staff with water temperature modeling presentation from previous 2105LG meeting.
· Regarding CEQA for 401 Certification, PG&E will contract via an MOU for a third-party contractor to prepare the CEQA document for SWRCB. FERC document may not have level of detail necessary for SWRCB action on the 401 Certification; SWRCB anticipates a complete CEQA analysis with full review periods.
The 2105LG collaborative agreed to continue meeting in Chico with additional regularly scheduled public meetings conducted by PG&E and the facilitator in Chester to update the local stakeholders. Public meetings will also be scheduled for evenings in Chico. SWRCB noted the CEQA process would include meetings in the project locale.
Next Public Water Temperature Meetings:
July 27, 2004 Chester 6-9pm
July 28, 2004 Chico 6-9pm
Water Temperature: PG&E presented same water temperature presentation provided to SWRCB on June 7, 2004. See Attachment 2 for details of presentation. The following points were noted and/or discussed by the 2105LG:
· Curtain 4 with the levees removed modeled a 5ºC reduction in August.
· Options under consideration at Butt Valley reservoir include downstream curtain to pull cold water into both Caribou 1 and 2 intakes and an upstream curtain to force cold water deeper into the reservoir.
· Results of 33-year simulation with curtains in Butt Valley show 0.7ºC improvement for the downstream curtain and 0.4ºC improvement with the upstream curtain for a total improvement of just over 1ºC.
· With 19ºC target release temperature for Butt Valley Reservoir: current conditions meet that target in August 0% of the time; modeling with Almanor curtain (Prattville) indicates 19ºC is met 40% of the time; with both Almanor and Butt Valley curtains, 19ºC is met 70% of the time.
· Curtains cost approximately $10 million/curtain. To address additional dissolved oxygen (DO) question, other costs may be involved.
· At approximately 4480’, the Prattville curtain looses effectiveness because the thermocline would be down to the level of the intake.
· Difficult to compare the Upper North Fork to the Middle Fork reach because while water temperatures are warmer in the Middle Fork, the fish there have the ability to move unimpeded by barriers to seek cooler temperature water.
· Benefits and impacts to both the downstream fishery and the upstream and lake fishery need to be disclosed.
· PG&E noted that adjustment for Butt Valley temperatures upward of 1ºC is needed when using the SNTEMP model and curves.
· Next steps: conduct field measurements to quantify inflow mixing at the head of Butt Valley Reservoir to improve calibration of MITEMP model. Also evaluate the effectiveness of using Caribou 1 on a preferential basis.
Fisheries Update: PG&E provided hard copies of the Interim Report, Prattville Intake Modification and Potential Impacts to Lake Almanor Fishery Study (hard copy available on request) and provided a presentation to describe the study results. See Attachment 3 for details of presentation. The following points were noted and/or discussed by the 2105LG:
· Study objectives included impact on lake salmonids from changes in lake temperature and DO; impacts to mayfly; impacts to pond smelt; and impacts predicted or reported at other reservoirs with temperature control devices.
· 0.5ºC increase in surface temperature does not appear to be a significant issue due to the wide variation of temperatures from year to year
· Predicted reduction in salmonid habitat in Lake Almanor in August is 25-30%. Future study would be necessary to determine if this would result in reduction of future fish populations.
· 0.5ºC increase in surface temperature is not expected to significantly alter or increase algal blooms. Noted that 2003 experienced algal problems with warmer than average water surface temperatures approaching 25ºC.
· Mayfly hatch and habitat does not appear to be significantly impacted. Concern is that trout population has decreased.
· Unknown what quantity of pond smelt need be delivered to Butt Valley to maintain current fishery. Could be significant reduction in pond smelt entrainment through Prattville with the curtain and levee modifications.
· Information from other reservoirs with temperature control devices does not appear to be useful for Lake Almanor circumstances.
· Dredging impacts need to be evaluated; water quality questions.
· Further investigations suggested include summertime telemetry study to determine habitat utilization by salmonids, hydro-acoustic survey for pond smelt, application of bioenergetics techniques, and an evaluation of effects on aquatic habitat downstream of Lake Almanor from cooler water temperatures during the summer months.
PG&E provided a draft study proposal for a Temperature-Conditioned Relative Suitability Index for PG&E’s North Fork Feather River Hydroelectric Projects (copies available on request), designed to better understand how the thermal curtain might affect downstream riverine habitat. The 2105LG agreed to review the proposal and provide comments to PG&E. The contractor is expected to need a few weeks to complete the effort and could have results by the end of July 2004.
Shoreline Management Plan Comments: Both Plumas County and Forest Service will provide comments to PG&E. Plumas County is primarily interested in the language describing the Bailey Creek area.
Next Steps - Focus for Next Meeting:
The 2105LG noted that the next meeting should include discussion of exactly what the agencies need in order to make their decision regarding the water temperature issue and the Prattville modification in particular. Also, the 2105LG should develop a decision-making process, using the recent ERC outline as a model. PG&E will provide a summary of what information is currently available relative to the temperature modifications. Where the fish are in Lake Almanor remains an unknown. The 2105LG agreed to the following upcoming meeting dates and locations:
Date Location Time
August 2 2105LG Chico (TBD) 9am – 4pm
Attachment 1: List of Attendees
Kent Ahlswede Property owner
Marvin Alexander 2105 Committee
Dawn Alvarez USFS
Carson Cox (phone) CDFG
Fred Davis Property owner
Bill Dennison Plumas County Supervisor
Dale Dawson (phone) Anglers Committee
Wayne Dyok MWH
Mac Hinman Property owner
Robert Hughes CDFG
Tom Jereb PG&E
C. William Johnson Property owner
Patti Kroen Kroen
Bob Lambert 2105 Committee
Pat Lynch Property owner
Patty Lynch Property owner
Pete Mannerino Property owner
Dick Marskey Property owner
Bruce McGurk PG&E
Cade Miller Property owner
Paris Moore Property owner
T. Motta Property owner
Philip Price Property owner
Lisa Randle PG&E
Aaron Seandel 2105 Committee
Ron Selkirk Property owner
Fred Shanks Property owner
Terri Simon-Jackson USFS
Don Spring Property owner
Sharon Stohrer SWRCB
Mike Taylor USFS
Scott Tu PG&E
Daryl Vanella Property owner
Vance Vanella Property owner
Janet Walther PG&E
Mike Wilhoit 2105 Committee
Ed Wing Property owner
Bill Zemke PG&E
Jerry Zimmers Property owner
Attachment
2 - Scott Tu Water
Temperature Presentation (
1,395)
Attachment 3 - Interim Report, Prattville Intake Modification and Potential Impacts to Lake Almanor Fishery Study