Transcript Slide 1

Hydrosystem Operations and
Fish Recovery in the
Columbia River Basin
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Northwestern Division
June 19, 2008
1
Today’s Discussion



Federal Columbia River Power
System (FCRPS) Remand Process
The Columbia Basin Fish Accords
Key Biological Opinion Actions
2008 FCRPS Remand Process


Product of two years of collaboration among four
federal agencies, four Northwest states and seven
Northwest tribes.
Comprehensive biological analysis for each listed stock
and “population”
 Historical trends
 Current condition
 Benefits of proposed actions in all Hs
 Goal is trend to recovery
4
2008 FCRPS Remand Process
(continued)


Juvenile in-river survival is nearly three
times higher than it was in the mid-to-late
1970s.
Adult migration rate and travel time are
similar to levels before the Snake River
dams were completed.
5
Bonneville Dam
1995–1999 Route of Passage Survival Estimates
for Yearling Chinook
Bonneville 2
B2 survival = 90%
Corner Collector
Survival = N/A
Spillway survival = 98%
B1 survival = 90%
Estimated
Dam Survival
91.7%
Spring Spill Operations:
75 kcfs day/ 120 kcfs (Gas Cap) night
Route Specific
Survival Estimates
from PATH Report
and 2000 BiOp 6
Bonneville Dam
2004 & 2005 Route of Passage Survival Estimates
for Yearling Chinook
Bonneville 2
B2 Bypass survival =
98.9%
B2 Turbine survival = 95.8%
Corner Collector Survival =
100.0%
Spillway survival =
92.0%
Combined Turbine &
Sluiceway survival =
93.1%
Estimated
Dam Survival
95.9%
Spring Spill Operations:
100 kcfs 24 hrs/day
Counihan et al. Final
7
report by USGS
2008 FCRPS Remand Process
(continued)





All H approach (Hydro, Habitat, Hatcheries, Harvest)
with significant actions on predation management
Reasonable and Prudent Alternative that includes 73
Actions
Includes Adaptive Management provisions including
extensive RM&E program
Annual progress reports and check-ins at 2013 and
2016 will contain diagnostic analyses
Continued collaboration with states and tribes
8
Columbia Basin Fish Accords
Signed May 2, 2008
9
Columbia Basin Fish Accords
Signed Accords with







Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
Yakama Indian Nation
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
Montana
Idaho
Costs over 10 years


$900 million incurred by the Bonneville Power Administration
$50 million from the Corps of Engineers for Pacific lamprey
Significant Benefit


Hundreds of “on the ground” habitat projects based on recovery plans
with demonstrated biological benefits
New hatchery actions to promote recovery and regional fisheries,
without impeding recovery of listed fish.
10
2008 FCRPS Biological Opinion






Flows
Spill and transport operations timed to the
needs of individual species
Expanded habitat program
Expanded predation-management program
Timetable and commitments for site-specific
hatchery reforms
Specific mainstem hydro improvements
11
Flows





Flow augmentation
similar to 2000 BiOp,
except for:
Implementation of
summer operations at
Libby and Hungry Horse
dams recommended by
the State of Montana
Work on dry water year
strategy for Grand
Coulee Dam
John Day – Operate John Day pool at the lowest elevation that continues to
allow irrigation from April 10 through September 30.
Lower Snake – Operate at minimum operating pool (MOP) elevation from
April 3 until small numbers of juvenile migrants are present unless adjusted to
meet authorized project purposes.
12
Spill Operations
Spring




24-hour spill at all projects
Lower Snake collector
projects–spill ceases for two
weeks in May for transport
of steelhead
Continue testing of spill as
new surface collectors come
online
Earlier transition from
spring to summer spill
Summer


Similar spill levels as in 2006–2008
Snake River projects–Cessation of spill in August when few fish are present (300–500)
13
Juvenile Fish Transportation Program




Spring Chinook
typically benefit from
transportation after
approximately April
20
Steelhead typically
benefit from transport
throughout the season
Fall Chinook research
is in progress
Sockeye has too little
data to tell
14
Future Hydro Improvements
$500 million over 10 years



Commitment to higher dam passage performance
standards:
 96% average or better survival for spring migrants
 93% average for summer migrants
Scheduled commitments to additional surface collectors
(RSWs/TSWs)
Improvements to juvenile bypass systems
15
Lower Columbia and
Snake River Dams
Juvenile Surface
Passage Improvements
Pacific Ocean
The Dalles
Spillway Improvements 2004,
New spill wall 2010
Washington
Lower Monumental
2008
Idaho
Little Goose
2009
Ice Harbor
2005
Lower Granite
2001
McNary 20092012
Bonneville 2004
John Day 2008-2012
Oregon
= Transport Facilities
(all dates subject to change)
16
Surface Collection Advantages





Fish pass at normal vertical distribution
Reduce forebay delay
Improved efficiency for passage
Potential improvement in total dissolved gas
Kelt passage
17
Surface Bypass
Spillway Weirs
18
Spillway Weirs
McNary Dam
19
Litigation: NWF v. NMFS, Corps,
& Reclamation






Remand completed with issuance of 2008 BiOp on May 5
Court-ordered hydro operations remain in effect until
Aug 31, 2008
NWF et al. filed complaint against NMFS with U.S.
District Court of Oregon, challenging new BiOp
Plans to sue Corps and Reclamation challenging
compliance with ESA and CWA
Briefing on the merits will begin mid-summer; schedule is
being set to allow time for preliminary injunction hearing
before the end of calendar year
Anticipate PI to be broader in scope than mainstem spill
operation
20
Questions ?
21
Initial Spill Operations under the new BiOp
Project
Spring Operations
Summer Operations
Planning
Dates
Volume
(Day/Night)
Planning
Dates
Volume
(Day/Night)
Lower Granite
4/3-5/6
5/21-5/30
20 kcfs
6/1-8/31
18 kcfs
Little Goose
4/5-5/6
5/21-5/30
30%
6/1-8/31
30%
L. Monumental
4/7-5/6
5/21-5/30
27 kcfs
6/1-8/31
17 kcfs
Ice Harbor
4/7-5/6
5/21-5/30
30% vs
(45kcfs/gas cap)
6/16-8/31
30% vs
(45kcfs/gas cap)
McNary
4/10-6/15
40%
6/16-8/31
40% vs 60%
John Day
4/10-6/15
30% vs 40%
6/16-8/31
30% vs 40%
The Dalles
4/10-6/15
40%
6/16-8/31
40%
Bonneville
4/10-6/15
100 kcfs
6/16-8/31
(85kcfs/gas cap)
22
Resulting Transport Operations

Spring Operations
 Spill and Bypass April 3 – April 20
 Spill and Transport April 21 – May 6
 Maximized Transport May 7 – 20
 Resume Spill and Transport May 21 ~ June 1 or until Fall Chinook
predominate

Summer Operations
 Spill and Transport (~June 1 ~ Aug 31)
 In August, spill will be curtailed after Aug 1 when fewer than 300
juvenile fall Chinook per day are collected
23