Feasibility of Fish Passage at Alameda Creek Diversion Dam

1.0 Introduction1 INTRODUCTION1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATIONThe San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has been working with other stakeholders sincethe late 1980s to restore steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to the Alameda Creek Watershed (TAC, 1989).In conjunction with other fisheries enhancement actions, the SFPUC removed Niles and Sunol dams fromAlameda Creek in 2006 and is completing a Habitat Conservation Plan that includes steelhead as acovered species (SFPUC, 2009a). The SFPUC is also a member of the Alameda Creek FisheriesRestoration Workgroup, which is working to restore steelhead to the Alameda Creek Watershed. TheAlameda Creek Fisheries Restoration Workgroup is composed of a broad range of stakeholders, includingrepresentatives from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the California Department of Fishand Game (CDFG).Steelhead entry into the Alameda Creek Watershed from the ocean via San Francisco Bay is currentlyblocked by various water development and other projects in lower Alameda Creek (TAC, 1989; ETJVand ESA-Orion Joint Venture, 2008; SFPUC, 2008a). When migrating from the ocean to spawn infreshwater, adult steelhead, which are listed as threatened 1 under the federal Endangered Species Act,are sometimes present in low numbers below the Alameda County Flood Control and WaterConservation District (ACFCWCD) grade control structure (known as the BART weir), the firstcomplete barrier to upstream fish migration in Alameda Creek (Figure 1-1). Efforts are underway tocreate passage for steelhead at the BART weir and other barriers to migration.The SFPUC operations are located within the Upper Alameda Creek Sub-Watershed (Figure 1-1),where the SFPUC operates San Antonio and Calaveras reservoirs and associated water deliveryfacilities. Construction of the Alameda Creek Diversion Dam and Tunnel began in 1925 to secureadditional sources of water from the Upper Alameda Creek Sub-Watershed for impoundment inCalaveras Reservoir. The SFPUC began diverting water from the Upper Alameda Creek Basin withthe completion of the diversion dam and tunnel in 1931 (SFPUC, 2004).Ongoing operation of SFPUC facilities influences fish access to stream channel habitats within theUpper Alameda Creek Sub-Watershed. Once steelhead regain access to the watershed through theconstruction of fish passage facilities in the Lower Alameda Creek Sub-Watershed (ACFCWCD andACWD, 2007) and re-enter the upper sub-watersheds, the Alameda Creek Diversion Dam (ACDD)will present any steelhead that successfully immigrate past Little Yosemite with an impassable barrierto upstream migration. This memorandum, in conjunction with three other studies (URS and HDR,2009a, 2009b, and 2009c), provides information regarding upstream migration conditions in theUpper Alameda Creek Sub-Watershed.1.2 PURPOSEThe SFPUC has retained URS Corporation and HDR (including both HDR|SWRI and HDR|FishPro’sFishery Design Center) to provide professional fisheries and engineering services to evaluate thefeasibility of providing fish passage and screening for anadromous steelhead at the ACDD. Inconjunction with ongoing efforts to remedy the barriers to passage, it is anticipated that a run ofanadromous steelhead will be restored to the Alameda Creek Watershed (ETJV and ESA-Orion JointVenture, 2008). This technical memorandum describes the general design criteria, evaluates1 Below natural and manmade impassable barriers, Central California Coast distinct population segment naturallyspawned anadromous steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered SpeciesAct (NMFS, 2006).ACDD Passage June 2009 Page 1-1