Electrical Power for Valdez and the Copper River Basin-1981

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCENational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationNational Marine Fisheries Se1"'JiceP.o. Box 1668Junea~, Alaska· 99802OateNovember :;, 1980Reply to A 1::n. at:ToFromSubiect:PP/EC - ;,et::~ ff b-,~y/AKR i./Ir;w. McVeyReview of :casibi1ity Report and DEIS No. 8010.0S - Electrical Power forValdez anc the Copper River Basin Southcentral Railbelt Area, AKWe have re7iewed the sUbject document and offer the following comments:Feasibil ~:->ReportThe inter~ feasibility report appears to have adequately investigatedthe vario~ alternatives for energy production in the Valdez area and tohave reac~2d a logical conclusion. We have no additional comments tooffer on :iis·report.Draft Env::onmental Impact StatementGENERAL C~ENTS1. a)2. b)It is apF~rent from reviewing the DEIS that additional data are neededon Allis,,:: Creek before sound decisions can be made.Allio0n Creek does not have a gauging station so flows have beencalc~~ated for the drainage basin using meteorological data. Itmay :e beneficial to p.stablish a gauging station on the stream toobtc~"1 some recorded streamflow data. Even if data would becol:'~cte.d for only a few years prior to project construction, theywoc:: provide a basis of comparison for determining the accuracy ofthe ::eteorological data for the area.Add::ional temperature data should be collected prior to project,:ono:ruction. Table lA in Appendix E provides temperature data forAllioon Creek from June 26, 1979 through February 27, 1980. Temperaturedat~ from Allison Lake have been collected on only one occasion.Th"~,, data provide an inadequate base from which to draw soundcon::"J.sions.SPECIFIC :OMMENTS1. A recording stream gage was established in Allison Creek in March 1981 andwill continue to operate through project construction.2. The temperature data from Allison Creek has been updated (refer toAppendix E, Table 1). Two additional thermographs are proposed forAllison Creek, one to record intergravel temperatures within the stream,and the second to be placed in the intertidal area to record intergraveltemperatures and the changes due to tidal influence. The theromographswill be installed prior to the 1981 spawning season. During the AdvancedEngineering and Design (AE&D) phase, numerous temperature profiles ofAllison Lake would be accomplished during all seasons.Section :, Subsection Ib, page EIS-9, paragraph 3It is st~:ed that ..... the natural flushing process will be eliminatedand poss::le sedimentation of spawning gravels may occur. During highwater yE~:3, it may be necessary to spill quantities of water, this may