Attachment 2: Butt Valley Reservoir and Upper Belden Reach (March 27, 2003 Project 2105 Licensing Group)

ECOSYSTEM AND MANAGEMENT ATTRIBUTES FOR Butt Valley Reservoir

Attributes Month Notes

Physical

Precipitation

™

Limited snowpack

Water temperature

Cold water issues

Water Quality*

™

Low dissolved oxygen (DO) in hypolimnion. Mercury concerns being evaluated through additional tissue and water column sampling.

Biological

Wetland/riparian

™

Growing season. Riparian plant management including fluctuations in lake levels

Small mouth Bass

™

Passage/migration barrier issue – species spawns in tributaries so months indicated identify critical water levels for access to tribs. Spawn along lake margins in beds of rooted and emergent aquatic plants, 60ºF.

**Rainbow trout Sac. Sucker, Pikeminnow, pond smelt migration & spawning

™

Initiation temperature dependent

Brown Trout Migration & Spawning

™

Initiation temperature dependent

Pond smelt forage base

™

Delivery of pond smelt important to reservoir fishery (from Prattville intake).

Entrainment

™

Includes all species at Caribou 1 and 2 intakes

Water associated birds and mammals

™

Breeding, rearing and escape cover

Species of Concern

Double-Crested Cormorant

Snag retention and enhancement, sensitive species

Osprey

Present in vicinity of reservoir

Peregrine Falcon

™

May forage in vicinity of reservoir

Bald Eagle

Nest and forage in vicinity of reservoir

Spotted Owl

Present in vicinity of reservoir, USFS sensitive species

Goshawk

Present in vicinity of reservoir, Forest sensitive species

Lake Level/Social

Angling

™

Prescribed season

Near shore and on water recreation

™

Pre-historic site conservation

™

Minimal fluctuation

Aesthetics

™

Reservoir fluctuation minimal

Management

Snag Management

™

Woody debris is boating hazard during June-Sept. Large amts available in reservoir. May be valuable to fish and wildlife.

Power Generation

™

™ = driver = must be considered in overall assessment of monthly flow or lake level requirement

˜ = primary driver = limiting factor in determining monthly flow or lake level requirement

* Additional water quality evaluation pending

** Other species present include carp, large mouth bass, and Sacramento perch

Other attributes considered but not included in the matrix:

· Aesthetics - not considered to be an important driver

Butt Valley Reservoir

Rationale for Selection

Ecosystem and Management Attributes

PHYSICAL

Precipitation: Storm runoff and snowmelt results in seasonal and annual streamflow to the reservoir that provides biological triggers to wildlife and fishery resources. Precipitation runoff occurring in the fall and late winter and into the spring can provide access from the reservoir into tributary streams for spawning fish (rainbow trout, brown trout, pikeminnow, and suckers).

Water Temperature: Limited cold water reserve. Warm water temperatures in reservoir can impact coldwater aquatic resources downstream through releases for power generation.

Water Quality: Low dissolved oxygen levels have been identified in hypolimnion during some months, which may affect aquatic resources in the reservoir. Mercury issues are being evaluated through additional water sampling and fish tissue analysis.

BIOLOGICAL

Wetland/Riparian: Wetland/riparian communities along the margins of the reservoir provide limited wildlife food, breeding, and escape cover. Operations can affect extent and quality of this habitat type.

Smallmouth Bass: Changes in reservoir elevation may limit access to some tributaries and affect spawning success and rearing habitat within the reservoir.

Rainbow Trout, Sac. Sucker, Pikeminnow, Pond Smelt Migration and Spawning: Fish passage may be affected in smaller tributaries by low reservoir levels during typical spawning periods during the spring.

Brown Trout Migration and Spawning: Fish passage may be affected in smaller tributaries by low reservoir levels during typical spawning periods during the fall.

Pond Smelt Forage Base: The entrainment of pond smelt from Lake Almanor is very important to the fishery of the reservoir. The reservoir provides a trophy rainbow and brown trout fishery, which is primarily the result of the entrainment of pond smelt through the Butt Valley Powerhouse from Lake Almanor.

Entrainment: All species of fish may be entrained by either of the intake towers for the Caribou 1 and 2 powerhouses, but studies indicated that over 99% of the fish found in entrainment studies were pond smelt.

Water Associated Mammals and Birds: Reservoir and surrounding lands provide habitat for water associated species.

Double Crested Cormorant: Double crested cormorant are a state species of special concern and are known to occur in the vicinity and has historically used the reservoir for nesting (in snags located in the reservoir margin) and for foraging.

Osprey: Osprey, although not a threatened or endangered species, are known to occur in the vicinity and uses the reservoir area for foraging.

Peregrine Falcon: The peregrine falcon is state endangered and Forest Service sensitive species and may forage in the vicinity; an active nest site is located in the Seneca Reach below Canyon Dam.

Bald Eagle: The bald eagle is a state endangered and federal threatened (proposed for delisting 7/6/99) species known to occur in the vicinity and uses the reservoir area for nesting and foraging.

Spotted Owl: The spotted owl is a Forest Service sensitive species that is known to occur in the vicinity; their nesting status is unknown.

Goshawk: The goshawk is a Forest Service sensitive species that is known to occur in the vicinity; their nesting status is unknown.

Angling: The reservoir provides year-round fishing (may be limited in some years by ice during some winter months), with peak fishing for rainbow trout in the spring and early summer, in the fall for brown trout, and in all months for smallmouth bass; the reservoir receives the heaviest fishing pressure during summer and fall when the adjacent campgrounds are open.

Near Shore and on Water Recreation: The reservoir provides opportunities for a variety of onshore hiking, bird watching, picnicking, and camping; and on water boating and fishing,

Pre-Historic Site Conservation: Reservoir water surface elevation may help to protect any existing pre-historic sites that were present prior to its filling.

Aesthetics: The reservoir provides a relatively natural lake-type setting with minimal development on its shoreline.

Snag Management: Snags may be boating hazards and may provide value to fish and wildlife.

Power Generation: The primary purpose of the reservoir is to provide water storage for downstream power generation at the Caribou 1 and 2 powerhouses and secondarily as storage for power production by Licensee’s other downstream powerhouses on the North Fork Feather River.

ECOSYSTEM AND MANAGEMENT ATTRIBUTES FOR Upper Belden Reach

Attributes Month Notes

Physical

Channel maintenance

Limited by presence of Belden Forebay, Quality of Alluvium – Hyporheic flows & Habitat Diversity.

Sediment transport

Limited ability to move sediment, road inundated at 2500 cfs, spawning gravels can be moved at 700 cfs. Storm runoff dependent

Precipitation runoff

™

Very limited snowpack

Water temperature

™

March/April/May trigger for amphibian and trout egg laying, incubation, and rearing

Large woody debris transport

™

Limited availability

Accretion flow

™

Negligible component of total streamflow

Water quality

™

Additional studies underway for bioaccumulation of PCBs and metals.

Biological

Wetland/riparian

™

Growing season

Non-native plant encroachment

™

Himalayan blackberry

**Rainbow trout – Sacramento Sucker migration & spawning

™

Initiation temperature dependent & Access to Tributaries

Rainbow Trout & Sacramento Sucker Passage

™

Gansner Bar Fish Migration Barrier

Rainbow Trout & Sacramento Sucker Habitat

™

Fry, Juvenile & Adult Rearing

Benthic macroinvertebrates

™

Maintain Species Diversity – Indicator of stream health

Amphibian habitat

™

Foothill yellow-legged frog

Water associated mammals and birds

™

Species of Concern

Hardhead passage, spawning and rearing habitat

™

USFS Sensitive Species, Spawning and rearing habitat

Social

Angling

™

Prescribed season

Whitewater boating

™

Flow infrequently sufficient

Management

Power generation

™

™ = driver = must be considered in overall assessment of monthly flow or lake level requirement

˜ = primary driver = limiting factor in determining monthly flow or lake level requirement

** Other Fish Species Found in Belden Reach are Sculpin (prickly & riffle) and Sacramento Pike Minnow

Other attributes considered but not included in the matrix:

· Mining/recreational dredging occurs on this reach

Upper Belden Reach (Upstream of East Branch, including Forebay)

Rationale for Selection

Ecosystem and Management Attributes

PHYSICAL

Channel Maintenance: Maintenance of fluvial process provides for balanced sediment transport, channel bed material mobilization and distribution, and channel structural stability distribution that contributes to a diverse aquatic habitat and healthy riparian habitat. Caribou Road runs adjacent to the channel, which constrains the maximum flow to 2,500 cfs, to avoid inundation. Roadway trestle at Queen Lily campground may also be a concern under high flows.

Sediment Transport: Sediment mobilization and movement is critical to proper riparian function and maintenance of fish, amphibian and other aquatic organism reproduction and rearing habitat. Flows of approximately 700 cfs are required to initiate movement of gravel-sized particles.

Precipitation Runoff: Storm and/or snowmelt runoff results in seasonal and annual streamflow variations that provide biological triggers and energy required to cause channel evolution, move sediment, and create diverse riparian stand structure. Limited snowpack at this elevation leaves stream flow dependent on occasional rapid rises in the hydrograph due to winter rainstorms.

Water Temperature: Temperature thresholds provide growth, reproductive, and migratory triggers. Fish and other aquatic organisms may be subjected to cold water in March through early June. Existing flows in July – September of above 20 degrees C may subject coldwater fish species to physiologic stress.

Large Woody Debris Transport: Large woody material provides cover for fish, substrate and nutrients for aquatic organisms, variation in aquatic habitat through stream hydraulics and scouring of the streambed and structure, and diversity to riparian corridors. Flow variations contribute to wood transport. Woody structures and input are limited in the Belden Reach.

Accretion Flow: Primarily derived from seasonal and perennial tributary inflow (Mosquito Creek and unnamed) in this reach. Provides augmentation of bypassed flows from Oak Flat Powerhouse, contributes to flow variability, and perennial tributaries may provide cold water refugia in the immediate vicinity of the stream confluence.

Water Quality: Historic mining activities and current suction dredging (??? Mike T to check with CDF&G) disturbances to sediments raise the potential risk of mercury bioaccumulation in aquatic species in this reach. A 1984 PCB spill event to Belden Forebay was followed by a clean up and stockpiling of material on land upslope of the diverted river channel. A water quality assessment is continuing. Additional study is underway for water column monitoring of trace metals and fish tissue analyses for PCBs and methyl mercury.

BIOLOGICAL

Wetland/Riparian: Properly functioning riparian systems provide shade and cover, moderate fluctuations in stream temperature, are a nutrient and energy source, temporarily store sediment and contribute to habitat diversity. Seasonal requirements for maintenance of native riparian species are focused primarily on a growing season that overlaps with spring and summer flows.

Non-Native Plant Encroachment: Encroachment of Himalayan blackberry reduces plant diversity, diminishes quality of potential FYLF habitat, impedes access to the NFFR, and is a potential hazard to anglers and on-water recreationists.

Rainbow Trout / Sacramento Sucker Migration and Spawning: Migration to suitable spawning areas and passage into and out of tributaries may be limited by NFFR base flow and the Gansner Bar barrier structure during the typical February through April spawning period. Spawning habitat characteristics are not adversely affected by lack of substrate or water velocity.

Rainbow Trout / Sacramento Sucker Passage: Passage into and out of the reach above Gansner Bar may be limited by the Gansner Bar barrier structure during the typical February through April spawning period. The presence of Belden Dam and Gansner Bar may also prevent fish and other organisms from migrating to cooler water.

Rainbow Trout / Sacramento Sucker Habitat: Riparian and aquatic conditions provide suitable adult and rearing habitat during spring and early summer, however late summer water temperatures tend to approach and occasionally exceed temperatures preferred by cold water species.

Benthic Macroinvertebrates: Diverse and healthy populations of benthic macroinvertebrates are indicators of properly functioning biological and physical aquatic systems. Reductions in LWD and gravel substrate, and elevated temperatures could alter BMI species diversity and composition.

Amphibian Habitat: Some suitable FYLF habitat available in stream reach, however no individuals observed. Vegetation encroachment limits basking sites in the area.

Water-associated Mammals & Birds: Most require multi-storied riparian corridor with healthy BMI community.

SPECIES OF CONCERN

Hardhead Spawning & Rearing Habitat: USFS Species of Concern. Gansner Bar barrier may limit upstream migration and impede out-migration, limiting usable habitat.

SOCIAL

Angling: This stream reach is popular with anglers and planted with rainbow trout during fishing season. Vegetation encroachment (e.g. Himalayan blackberries) limits access to the river and may be a risk to angler safety.

Whitewater Boating: Current operation does not provide discharges adequate for whitewater recreation. Optimum boatable flow requirements range from 600 cfs to 850 cfs in the Belden Reach. Himalayan blackberry encroachment limits access to the river, dictates the route that boaters must travel through some portions of the reach, and could act as a risk to boater safety.

MANAGEMENT

Power Generation: The existing stream discharge schedule is consistent with maximizing power generation capacity.