FERC Project No. 2079 - PCWA Middle Fork American River Project ...

Application for New License Middle Fork American River Project (FERC Project No. 2079)
boaters and to improve conditions for other day use visitors. This enhancement
includes installing an additional accessible vault toilet or modifying the existing
vault toilet to accommodate peak use, installing powered ventilation systems in
the existing toilets, reconstructing the existing boat ramp and installing a
supplemental slide ramp downstream of the existing ramp, and installing a
changing pavilion.
4.2.2 Project Boundary Modifications
The FERC Project boundary will be modified under the Proposed Action as follows:
• Increase the boundary to include:
o New Project facilities constructed as part of the Proposed Action
o Existing facilities added to the MFP that are necessary for operation and
maintenance of the Project
o Footprint of all Project recreation facilities
• Decrease the boundary to remove excess lands currently within the existing
FERC Project boundary that are not necessary for operation and maintenance of
the MFP (particularly around Project reservoirs).
These revisions are depicted on Exhibit E – Section 4.0, Map 4-3 (includes Maps 4-3a–
o). Detailed maps and specific parcel and acreage information is available in Exhibits A
and G of Exhibit E in this License Application.
Under the No-Action Alternative, the FERC Project boundary encompasses 4,554 acres
of land including 1,883 acres within TNF and 1,385 acres within ENF. The remainder of
the MFP is located on PCWA-owned land or private land.
Under the Proposed Action, the revised FERC Project boundary will encompass
4,150 acres of land including 1,746 acres within the TNF and 1,306 acres within the
ENF. The remainder of the MFP will be located on PCWA-owned land, private land, or
land owned by the Bureau of Land Management.
4.2.3 Project Operations
Overall, the Proposed Action has relatively minor modifications to Project operations.
Under the Proposed Action, Project operations will be modified to comply with the
Instream Flow and Reservoir Minimum Pool Measure (IFRM) (PCWA 2011g; SD A).
This measure modifies Project operations compared to the No-Action Alternative by
requiring:
• Higher MIF releases in the bypass and peaking reaches
• Spring pulse flows in the bypass reaches
February 2011 4-51