Draft EIS_072312.pdf - Middle Fork American River Project ...

20120723-4002 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 07/23/2012
• Implement the Visual Resource Management Plan.
Alternatives Considered
This draft EIS considers the following alternatives: (1) PCWA’s proposal, as
outlined above; (2) PCWA’s proposal with staff modifications (staff alternative);
(3) Alternative 1, filed by PCWA, which includes most of the agency environmental
measures; and (4) no action, meaning that PCWA would continue to operate the project
with no changes.
Alternative 1 was developed by PCWA and filed November 30, 2011, after
submittal of the final license application. Alternative 1 incorporates: (1) revised
instream flows, reservoir minimum pool elevations, and additional recreation
enhancements included in the resource agencies’ preliminary conditions and
recommendations; (2) a Streamflow and Reservoir Elevation Gaging Plan filed by
PCWA on September 6, 2011; and (3) three revised management plans (Vegetation and
Integrated Pest Management Plan, Transportation System Management Plan, and Draft
Final Historic Properties Management Plan) based on consensus among PCWA and the
resource agencies. PCWA indicated that it supports the conditions and recommendations
included in Alternative 1 but stated that it did not replace its licensing proposal.
Alternative 1 does not include all of the Forest Service preliminary 4(e) conditions.
Under the staff alternative, the project would include most of PCWA’s proposed
measures, as outlined above, with the exception of the following revisions or additional
measures:
• Develop and implement a plan to identify optimal water release points when
project flow conduits need to be drained and protocols that would be used to
drain the conduits to minimize erosion and sedimentation.
• Develop and implement a large woody debris (LWD) management plan.
• Implement the Alternative 1 minimum flows shown in table 5-2 of this EIS.
• Implement the Alternative 1 pulse flows shown in table 5-4 of this EIS.
• After the first two downramping events at French Meadows and Hell Hole
dams, provide a report to the agencies and Commission documenting PCWA’s
ability to manage spill flows to provide the specified ramping rates and, if
appropriate, make recommendations for ramping rate modifications.
• Release the peaking reach minimum flows specified in table 5-2 during
planned annual outages and concurrent unplanned outages at Middle Fork and
Ralston powerhouses during May through September and peaking reach
minimum flows shown in table 5-3 of this EIS when only Ralston powerhouse
experiences an unplanned outage from June through September.
• Implement the Alternative 1 whitewater boating flows shown in tables 5-5 and
5-6 of this EIS.
xxiii