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

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20120723-4002 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 07/23/2012 Table 5-6. Staff-recommended flow schedule to support class II boating opportunities on the Confluence Run (Source: Forest Service, 2011a, as modified by staff). Water Year Type Flow a (cfs) Duration (Time of day) Wet 800 5 hours (3 a.m.–8 a.m.) Above normal Below normal 800 5 hours (3 a.m.– 8 a.m.) 800 4 hours (4 a.m.– 8 a.m.) 1,000 3 hours (4 a.m.– 7 a.m.) Dry 1,000 3 hours (4 a.m.– 7 a.m.) Critical 1,000 3 hours (4 a.m.– 7 a.m.) Extremely critical 1,000 3 hours (4 a.m.– 7 a.m.) Weekdays Weekends Memorial Day–Labor Day 330 Saturday before Memorial Day–June 30 July 1– Labor Day After Labor Day–Sept 30 -- -- Saturdays 2 Saturdays per month -- -- Saturdays 2 Saturdays per month -- 2 Saturdays per month -- Western States 100 date Memorial Day and F before Labor Day Memorial Day Western States 100 date Western States 100 date -- Western States 100 date 2 Saturdays per month Tevis Cup date 1 Sunday in July and Tevis Cup date 1 Sunday in July and Tevis Cup date Tevis Cup date a As measured below the confluence of Middle and North Forks of the American River (USGS gage no. 11433300). 1 Saturday per month -- -- -- --
20120723-4002 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 07/23/2012 PCWA proposes to formalize its Oxbow powerhouse release schedule to provide 800 to 1,000 cfs for 3 to 4 hours a day on various weekends and weekdays between June and September. Operating the project under PCWA’s flow schedule would maintain existing commercial and private boating opportunities on the peaking reach in the reach immediately downstream of Oxbow powerhouse and maintain or increase boating opportunities for private boaters on the Confluence Run in areas that have lower difficulty in wet and above normal water years. Under PCWA’s proposal, beginning on the first Saturday before Memorial Day through Labor Day in wet and above normal years, an 800 cfs flow at the confluence of the North Fork American River would be released at the Oxbow powerhouse 3 hours earlier than under existing conditions. This early release would provide flow at the downstream runs earlier in the day, which would increase whitewater boating opportunities overall. The greatest improvement would be the certainty created by the formalization of the flow schedule as a condition of a new license. Flows included in Alternative 1 and recommended by staff would be, in general, higher than PCWA’s proposed flows, and the schedule is more detailed to maintain trail crossing opportunities and accommodate commercial and private boating use. Similar to PCWA’s proposal, our recommended boating flow regime would release water earlier in the day and increase boating opportunities. Because we specify more days of providing early-day releases of a longer duration, however, there would be more class II boating opportunities provided under our recommended flow regime than under PCWA’s proposed flow schedule. Because the flow-dependent recreational uses in the peaking reach have different suitable flow ranges, there could be user conflicts among whitewater boating, angling, and crossing the river by trails. PCWA’s proposed flow schedule attempts tradeoffs between user groups while maintaining or improving opportunities for whitewater boating. Our recommended flow schedule refines PCWA’s flow schedule to provide flows in the optimal boating range, as opposed to flows in the suitable range, and increases the number of boating days, while creating suitable conditions for trail crossings at key times (i.e., races and special events) and locations. Our recommended flows also give greater consideration to the non-commercial boating opportunities in the peaking reach. The Alternative 1flow schedule was developed in consultation with commercial and private boaters, and it reflects flows (magnitude and schedule) that would minimize user conflicts while providing higher quality whitewater boating and suitable flows for a wider variety of recreational uses as compared to PCWA’s flow proposal. The estimated levelized annual cost for this measure is included in the costs presented for minimum flows. We consider the benefits of increased recreational boating opportunities to be worth the additional costs associated with this measure. 331
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41 Table 3.3.1-1. Average number of
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43 Site/Release Location Gravel Ini
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45 a Q 1 - TSR, Table G-1 (PCWA, 20
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69 Table 3.3.2-3. Hydrology for sel
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91 Figure 3.3.2-6. Fish passage bar
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105 Location American River below M
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135 Species Name Status a Butte Cou
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145 Table 3.3.3-5. Special-status w
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195 Figure 3.3.5-1. French Meadows
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253 Table 3.3.6-1. Archaeological a
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255 Resource Number Type a Descript
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275 Table 4-2. Summary of annual co
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