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    A 2008 Kilarc Reconstruction Alternative

The following is an ongoing brief discussion of where we are in putting together the Reconstruction Alternative for the Kilarc Hydropower and Fish Production Facility.  This plan is in opposition to PG&E demolition alternative decommissioning plan.  The Reconstruction Alternative is described in detail here.  PG&E's demolition alternative is currently distributed for comment.  It is called the Draft License Surrender Application (DSLA), and is available here.  Many supplemental documents are available in the documents section of this site. What follows here is a simplified discussion of the Davis Hydro Reconstruction alternative.

In Licensing, the construction of a project is evaluated as a balance between environmental and power goals, with certain of the agencies, in this case National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) having over-riding "4-E" authority to impose any conditions they desire. In license surrender - here called by PG&E, "Decommissioning", the choice is

  • to abandon the project facilities leaving the facilities as they are for another entity to use, or
  • removing or demolishing some or all of the project facilities.

The FERC responsibility under NEPA is the evaluation process to choose between various alternative plans.  In this case, there are presently two plans.

PG&E has earlier chosen an alternative to demolish the facilities, and the Davis Hydro (DH) has recently proposed an alternative to Reconstruct the Kilarc part of the facilities as a joint green power steehhead production-spawning facility.  The choice between the Demolition and the Reconstruction alternatives has to be driven by the same considerations that would be used in licensing the same facilities.

The Kilarc Reconstruction

Under the DH reconstruction plan the facility will be operated differently, so that the headrace - also called the Kilarc Canal will be modified into a fish spawning ground.  The DH plan suggests that unless another operator comes forward, it may be necessary to abandon the generation at the South Cow powerhouse and focus on just the Kilarc facility for reconstruction.  Unless someone comes forward to focus on the South Cow, PG&E's demolition plan is unopposed there. The remainder of this Web Page focuses on DH's Kilarc Reconstruction Plan. 

The Reconstruction Alternative Objective

  • "To generate green power in a sustainable way that enhances the salmonids in the area - focusing on steelhead, and helps their numbers to recover?"

The basic reconstruction plan is based on the idea that about a third of the Kilarc canal can be turned into a natural steelhead spawning ground with appropriate design and management.  This site will produce a large number of juvenile fish which will be released via a fish by-pass conduit down to the Old Cow.

Upstream migration will not be encouraged because the habitat available in the bypassed Old Cow Creek area is generally unsuitable for expansion of fish spawning or juvenile rearing.  This difficulty is compounded by the difficulty upstream migration due to the many barriers to upstream migration in the Old Cow and a large resident population of non-migratory rainbow.

There are a number of changes that have to be made in the fish spawning habitat areas of the Kilarc canal.  The major engineering and management features include:

  • 6-8" of mixed pea/marble stream gravel over existing gravel-sand substrate
  • Channel modifications including pools/groins/boulders placed to provide habitat and energy variation within the channel.
  • Substrate monitoring an grooming to provide proper Oxygen and flow conditions. 
  • Woody debris controlled to prevent erosion,
  • Food production  - Primarily indirect via induced local production
  • Overhanging vegetative cover along with some rock.
  • Netting screen at the downstream trash rack end of the canal to shuttle juvenile fish into the fish bypass and to reduce predation from resident fish in the forebay.
  • Flow modifications at night to permit upstream migration through conduits
  • Active genetic control to concentrate fish from a anadromous rich gene pool.
  • Disease and predator management

These are the main features.  Using the canal as a spawning ground, The DH plan will produce and emit more naturally raised juvenile rainbow downstream from our nature-like spawning facility that would be produced from the bypass reach with more water it it.   

The best use of the Kilarc facility is to produce green power and steelhead.  The primary reasons for this include:

  • Upstream migration is very difficult leaving the greatest contribution to anadromy that can be made is the production and downstream emission of pure strains of anadromous fish.
  • the bypassed section has almost no spawning ground irrespective of flow
  • the bypassed section has poor habitat expansion capabilities
  • The bypassed section has mostly rock bottom and little food production or habitat.
  • Taking the hydropower water out of the canal and having it run further down the bypassed creek section, it is warmer below the powerhouse.  This has a negative effect on the extensive habitat lower in the Cow where habitat is limited by temperature.
  • External reasons to promote green power including reducing acid rains and delaying global warming.

Engineering and Operation problems

  • Predation of juveniles by resident rainbows and brown trout,
  • Net screen management and cleaning,
  • Nature-like food maximization,
  • Optimal release point if we do a store and release variation, and
  • Source of real steelhead genotypes.

These are our current work.

Discussion

This KC Web site will track DH progress in building this alternative plan.  This site will be used to the extent there is interest as a communications tool for all parties to communicate on this project. The intent at this point is to put copies of all relevant documents and communications on this site so all will have access to the review process as it goes along.  There are several ways the public can be heard.  The following are listed in increasing effectiveness and difficulty:

    • Contact us and forward any information and concerns in writing.
    • Attend the meetings and let the agencies know how you feel on your issues. 
    • Be proactive within the FERC constrained timeline.
    • Contact your representatives and let them know your feelings.
    • Write the FERC and express in your own way your opinion.
    • Write us and the fisheries agency letters discussing how we can enhance the fish habitat. 

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