USFWS PG&E's Upper North Fork Mokelumne River Project 137 June 1999

Subject: Upper North Fork Mokelumne River - Requested Studies - The One Year
Process
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 17:00:44 +0000
From: BOB BAIOCCHI <cspa@psln.com>
Organization: CSPA
To: email distribution

The relicensing of PG&E's Upper North Fork Mokelumne River Project 137
has been going on for many years and is presently very
controversial.....The river and its public trust resources darn near got
short changed because of a proposed settlement agreement between DFG,
USFWS and PG&E based on 25 year old studies.....Thanks to the
intervention of Friends of the River (Jen Carville), American Whitewater
(John Gangemi), Sierra Club Mother Lode Chapter (Warren Alford),
Foothill Conservency (R. Winston Bell, Jr.), and the CSPA (Jim
Crenshaw), and Attorney Richard Roos-Collins, who save the day, we are
now in the process of requesting additional studies (see below), an
adaptive management plan, and realistic river restoration with
meaningful flow requirements and other public trust mitigation
measures.....All the groups have until June 2000 (12 months) to have the
agencies, PG&E, and the Group reach a resolve for the river...That
verbal requirement has been mandated by FERC (J. Mark Robinson) who fly
out to California or else FERC will make the ruling and short change the
river and the public trust resources based on FERC's track record. Mr.
Robinson of FERC is not a public trust defender, but simply a Washington
D.C. breaucrat in the upper management level. The CSPA has dealt with
Mr. Robinson for many years... This is a team effort and let us hope the
team effort by the Group will help restore the river and streams
adversely affected by PG&E's hydropower operations...Time will
tell...Bob Baiocchi, Consultant, CSPA

CALIFORNIA SPORTFISHING PROTECTION ALLIANCE
P.O. BOX 357
QUINCY, CA 95971

Mr. Gary Taylor June 1, 1999
Water and Power Development Branch
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
3310 El Camino Avenue, Suite 130
Sacramento, CA 95821-6340

Re: Upper Mokelumne River; PG&E'S Upper North Fork Mokelumne River
Project No. 137; Meeting of June 3, 1999; Recommendations by California
Sportfishing Protection Alliance

Dear Mr. Taylor:

It is my understanding a meeting will be held on June 3, 1999 at the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's offices at Sacramento to discuss
proposed studies for PG&E's Upper North Fork Feather River Project No.
137.

The following are study and mitigation measure recommendations by the
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance:

Project Reservoirs and Lakes

Upper Blue Lake - Capacity 7,300 af - Blue Creek (Storage began 1901)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Upper Blue Lake to protect and maintain fish and other
aquatic resources.

Lower Blue Lake - Capacity 5,100 af - Blue Creek (Storage began 1903)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Lower Blue Lake to protect and maintain fish and other
aquatic resources.

Meadow Lake - Capacity 5.660 af - Meadow Creek tributary to Deer Creek
(Storage began 1903)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Meadow Lake to protect and maintain fish and other
aquatic resources.

Twin Lakes - Capacity 1,210 af - Meadow Creek tributary to Deer Creek
(Storage began 1901)
A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Twin Lakes to protect and maintain fish and other
aquatic resources.

Salt Springs Reservoir - Capacity 141,900 af - North Fork Mokelumne
River (Storage began 1931)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Salt Springs Reservoir to protect and maintain fish and
other aquatic resources.

Bear Reservoir - Capacity 6.760 af - Bear River (Storage began 1901)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Bear Reservoir to protect and maintain fish and other
aquatic resources.

Lower Bear Reservoir - Capacity 52,000 af - Bear River (Storage began
1952)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Lower Bear Reservoir to protect and maintain fish and
other aquatic resources.

Tiger Creek Canal and Conduit

Canal and conduit divert water from Cole Creek; Bear River; Beaver
Creek; East Panther Creek; West Panther Creek; and Tiger Creek,
including upstream reservoirs.

A study should be conducted to determine the screening of all tributary
streams which are diverted into the Tiger Creek Canal and Conduit.

Tiger Creek Afterbay - Capacity 2,610 af - North Fork Mokelumne River
(Storage began 1931)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Tiger Creek Afterbay to protect and maintain fish and
other aquatic resources.

Electra Diversion Reservoir - Capacity 65 af - North Fork Mokelumne
River (Storage began 1947)

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory minimum pool
requirement for Electra Diversion Reservoir to protect and maintain fish
and other aquatic resources.

Minimum Instream Flow Studies

Upper Blue Lake Dam - Blue Creek

A study should be conducted to determine the mandatory daily minimum
streamflow requirements from Upper Blue Lake Dam to protect and maintain
fish and aquatic species and their habitat below the dam.

Lower Blue Lake Dam - Blue Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Lower Blue Lake Dam to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the dam.

Meadow Lake Dam - Meadow Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Meadow Lake Dam to protect
and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below the dam.

Twin Lakes Dam - Meadow Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Twin Lakes Dam to protect and
maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below the dam.

Salt Spring Reservoir Dam - North Fork Mokelumne River

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Salt Spring Reservoir Dam to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the dam.
Bear River Reservoir Dam - Bear River

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Bear River Reservoir Dam to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the dam.

Lower Bear River Reservoir Dam - Bear River

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Lower Bear River Reservoir
Dam to protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat
below the dam.

Tiger Creek Afterbay - North Fork Mokelumne River

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Tiger Creek Afterbay Dam to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the dam.

Electra Diversion Dam - North Fork Mokelumne River

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements from Electra Diversion Dam to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the dam.

Tiger Creek Canal and Conduit

Cole Creek*

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements below the Cole Creek diversions to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the points of diversion.

* Two points of diversion

Beaver Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements below the Beaver Creek diversion
to protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the point of diversion.

East Panther Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements below the East Panther Creek
diversion to protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their
habitat below the point of diversion.

West Panther Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements below the West Panther Creek
diversion to protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their
habitat below the point of diversion.

Tiger Creek

An instreamflow study should be conducted to determine the mandatory
daily minimum streamflow requirements below the Tiger Creek diversion to
protect and maintain fish and aquatic species and their habitat below
the point of diversion.
Powerhouse Information and Data
With Recommendations

Powerhouses - FERC Project No. 137

Salt Springs #1 Powerhouse
Units - 1
Normal Max Gross Head (Ft) - 257
Power Flow (cfs) - 600
Normal MW Operating Capacity - 11.0
Average Energy - Rate KWH/Acre-Feet - 181 KWH per Acre-Foot of Water

The powerhouse power conduit should be screened to prevent the
entrainment of fish and aquatic species with a state of the art fish
screen. A fish screen study should be conducted for this powerhouse.

Powerhouses - FERC Project No. 137

Salt Springs #2 Powerhouse
Units - 1
Normal Max Gross Head (Ft) - 2,113
Power Flow (cfs) - 218
Normal MW Operating Capacity - 33.0
Average Energy - Rate KWH/Acre-Feet - 1,755 KWH per Acre-Foot of Water

The powerhouse power conduit should be screened to prevent the
entrainment of fish and aquatic species with a state of the art fish
screen. A fish screen study should be conducted for this powerhouse.

Tiger Creek Powerhouse
Units - 2
Normal Max Gross Head (Ft) - 1,219
Power Flow (cfs) - 750
Normal MW Operating Capacity - 58.0
Average Energy - Rate KWH/Acre-Feet - 968 KWH per Acre-Foot of Water

West Point Powerhouse
Units - 1
Normal Max Gross Head (Ft) - 312
Power Flow (cfs) - 675
Normal MW Operating Capacity - 14.5
Average Energy - Rate KWH/Acre-Feet - 250 KWH per Acre-Foot of Water

Electra Powerhouse
Units - 3
Normal Max Gross Head (Ft) - 1,270
Power Flow (cfs) - 1,130
Normal MW Operating Capacity - 92.0
Average Energy - Rate KWH/Acre-Feet - 1,020 KWH per Acre-Foot of Water

Tiger Creek Powerhouse

Water diverted into Tiger Creek powerhouse from: (a) Upper Blue Lakes;
(b) Lower Blue Lake; (c) Meadow Lake; (d) Twin Lakes; (e) Salt Spring
Reservoir; (f) Bear River Reservoir; (g) Lower Bear River Reservoir; (h)
Deer Creek; (i) North Fork Mokelumne River; (j) Cole Creek; (k) Bear
River; (l) East Panther Creek; (m) West Panther Creek; and (n) Tiger
Creek

Water Quality Study

A water quality study should be conducted to determine whether water
temperatures are affecting salmonids (all life stages). The study should
include all reaches of the river and its tributaries where PG&E either
maintains dams or diversions and effects natural flows. The water
quality study should also include studying the effects to cold water
insect species (all life stages) and their habitat. The water quality
study should assess water temperatures at various flow levels.

Recreational Boating Flows

A public boating study should be conducted to determine the flows
necessary to provide rafting in the river.

Please place the above recommendations into the records for the meeting
and further meetings. If there are any questions please call me at
530-836-1115.
Respectfully Submitted

SIGNED BU BOB BAIOCCHI
________________________________________
Robert J. Baiocchi, Consultant
For: California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
P.O. Box 357
Quincy, CA 95971
Bus Tel: 530-836-1115; Fax: 530-836-2062

cc: Mr. Jim Crenshaw, President
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
1248 East Oak Avenue, Suite D
Woodland, CA 95695

Interested Parties