The Kilarc Project |
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The Cow Paddy - A Community BLOG
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News!!! Please hit REFRESH on your browser to get latest version of this page !!!8/21/2008 PG&E sets a public meeting to discuss the environmental impacts their Draft License Surrender Application (DLSA). 8/25/2008 Davis Hydro responds to PG&E's August 12th 2008 rejection of the Reconstruction Alternative leaving the facilities in place. 7/25/2008 Davis Hydro releases two working papers. One addresses the German Ditch as an opportunity to meet local water needs and as a venue steelhead restoration measures. The second addressing Performance Standards and which will enable resolution of which Alternative is better: PG&E's planned demolition or Davis Hydro's Reconstruction Alternative. 7/2008 Davis Hydro discusses Reconstruction Plan informally with CDFG staff in a teleconference. They does not support the Reconstruction Alternative. 7/2008 Davis Hydro requests NOAA to review the proposed Reconstruction Plan. No consultation was proficed other than that in their letter response to the FERC, available here. 6/21/2008 Davis Hydro releases the Reconstruction Alternative, a plan that focuses on building new fish habitat in the Kilarc Canal and returns fish to the bypassed section of the Old Cow. This plan will create more fish habitat and more fish while costing far less than PG&E's demolition alternative. See the Document section of this Web site complete text in several formats and separate files for all figures. 3/26/2008 Davis Hydro releases an update to Alternative I. This plan is an alternative to removing the facilities. It addresses the concerns of Salmon Restoration, Recreation, and Green Power Generation within one plan that can be implemented through the Federal process. 3/26/2008 Davis Hydro attended public Stewardship Council meeting and highlighted that hydropower can support recreation and the restoration of salmon and steelhead trout at the Kilarc Reservoir. 3/25/2008 Davis Hydro met with Shasta County staff and discussed how recreation, fisheries, and hydropower goals can be met together. Carlton Engineering assisted by reviewing the deferred maintenance and expected regular and probabilistic upcoming maintenance costs. 3/10 PG&E releases A Solicitation of Interest For Operation of Kilarc Forebay as a Recreation Facility. This letter contains information on operating the site as a recreation facility and represents an opening for an entity such as the County or the State to acquire the Kilarc Site for recreation while allowing Davis Hydro to fund maintenance through hydropower. 1/19 Davis Hydro Releases a Status Report on where we are in developing Alternatives for PG&E to study in advance of FERC's NEPA study. 1/18 Davis Hydro released their Alternative I for discussion. This is a comprehensive response to the destruction of the Kilarc Cow Creek facility by PG&E. Alternative I will save the anadromous fish, save the recreation, and create more fish habitat that will exist under the removal option proposed by PG&E. 1/6 Mr. Thomas J. ("TJ") LoVullo of the FERC visited the region January 24th of 2008. Two meetings day (at 10 at Hampton Inn ) and night (at 7 PM the Milville Grange so that all can visit with him. Davis Hydro has discussed the visit with him and emphasized the public's need to know not what is the NEPA/ESA/FERC process, but within that process what paths they or anyone can do to save Kilarc or any other hydropower facilities. Mr. LoVullo's telephone number is 202 502-8900, with an E-mail of Thomas.LoVullo@FERC.gov. BUYOUT: During that conversation, various options were discussed including Davis Hydro, or another entity, buying the project - or parts of the project from PG&E prior to its destruction; i.e. during the surrender process. We were assured that a buy-out or other similar effort is possible under existing FERC process if, and it is a big IF, the natural resource agencies, notably the fish related agencies, agree with the plan. 12/4/2007 The Stewardship Council toured the Kilarc site. The Stewardship Council is interested in and emphasizes the recreational aspects of the Project. Mr.Toby Perry (866 791-5150) represented the Stewardship Council. Ms. Walters (PG&E Communications) and Mr. Stalica (Operations) represented PG&E. Mr. Dye and Mr. Roth represented the Save Kilarc Committee and the community. Davis Hydro, unfortunately, was unable to attend. 11/16 FERC agrees to come an visit the project. The FERC has sent a letter to Representative Herger detailing a visit in January of 2008 to the area. 11/9 Davis Hydro starts investigating the idea that fish enhancement might be possible by expanding the headrace habitats of this project. We studied the Kilarc canal in some detail as a prime habitat and noted copious fish at the upstream end near the diversion trying to spawn - or at least exhibiting spawning like behaviors. It is well known that the diversion canals, are full of fish from many sources. The inlet to Kilarc is unscreened and all seaward migrating fish and juveniles are swept in much of the year. Their presence is well documented by PG&E and others. Salmon have been observed spawning in these canals. Many parts of the canals might make excellent habitat if the habitat is made suitable. and a way to connect the canals using fish bypasses back to the Creeks. This is being investigated. *** **** **** *** **** 9/26 PG&E responds with a thoughtful letter that considers alternative plans, but not wanting ratepayers to pay for unneeded studies. See Documents Page for this and related material. 9/25 NMFS indicates little need for studies based on July 30 Davis Hydro's Scoping Paper. See Documents Page 9/19/2007 Three letters (Carnley, Trevelyan, Whitmore) to the FERC from different Kilarc groups demanding studies. See Documents Page. 9/18 Davis Hydro meets informally with Shasta County staff and board. Presentation was made to Board of General ideas and questions taken. No formal discussion. 9/13 PG&E releases their Preliminary Proposed Decommissioning Plan dated 9/10/07 9/11/2007 Davis Hydro Alternatives released as A Summary "One Page". This is very similar to press release sent around earlier this week. 9/10 Davis Hydro posts Alternatives to save the Kilarc the South Cow facilities. These Alternatives address keeping the hydropower plants operating and using the revenues to enhance endangered fish and fishing. Both a PDF format and a MS Word format are available. This has been circulating among stakeholders for a week. This is the final discussion version that is being released to the public. 9/10 PG&E releases process summary. Contains discussion of pending release of outline of their removal alternative plan. 8/24 Save Kilarc Committee Sends Letter to Wally Herger and letter to the FERC challenging surrender process declaring this process not public, and in violation of NEPA. 8/27 Davis Hydro releases discussion draft set of "no built/no destroy" Alternatives to some stakeholders for discussion. 8/17 PG&E announces September Meetings. 7-31 FERC Operation Inspection Follow-up letter dated July 27, 2007 is posted on e-library. “The following project elements were inspected: the Old Cow Creek (Kilarc Main Canal) Diversion Dam, Kilarc forebay Dam, South Canyon Creek Diversion Dam, North Canyon Creek Diversion Dam, Kilarc Powerhouse, Mill Creek Diversion, South Cow Creek Main Canal, Cow Creek Forebay and Cow Creek Powerhouse.” The FERC letter also states “The project features appeared to be in good operating condition and well maintained”. Note that the photographs taken in May 2007 and posted on this web site for North Canyon show the washed out canal. Also the South Canyon flume leaving the diversion to the south has significant holes in the flume and will no longer hold water. 7-31 CDFG reminds us that information is already in the FERC record that relates to some of the topics discussed in Davis Hydro's July 2007 document, and provided the following documents (which may be found on the Documents page of this web site) from the FERC record to avoid duplication of effort and/or delay going forward.:
The PG&E web site has “Existing Studies” posted under “Relicensing related documents”. This site is expanding. 7-31 Davis Hydro letter to Shasta County Board of Supervisors regarding whether the County would consider taking over the recreation facilities associated with Kilarc Canal and Reservoir. 7-30 Davis Hydro files a discussion draft of A Scoping Paper on the Kilarc and South Cow License Surrender Study Plans, Suggested Project Surrender Alternatives and Derived Recommended Studies. Copy of Draft is e-filed to FERC and submits to the P-606 FERC Service List, Resource Agency representatives who have been actively consulting with us, and local stakeholders. 7-6 Steve Nevares of PG&E clarified today that PG&E is working on their "preliminary concrete proposal" to be presented in draft form to the agencies and public in September. The PG&E project calendar reflects meetings scheduled for
at places to be announced later. Steve Nevares affirmed that the letter & postcard circulated by Brian Frantz addresses only Water Rights concerns - not other project alternatives or associated studies. PG&E will be active in the Redding area and meeting with various Water Rights holders over the next week. 7-5 New Project Ideas page with some new ideas from recent discussions in Whitmore 7-4 New small (1-2 MB) drawings from the 1969 Adjudication Decree. 7-4 PG&E cancels July and August Meetings PG&E mailed Decommissioning Stakeholders a letter with a return-postcard to identify potentially affected water rights {not studies, contractors,or environmental issues}. The letter indicates that PG&E will present its preliminary proposed decommissioning plan to the public in a September meeting. The enclosed copy of their letter has three pages. Anyone with problems downloading it please contact us.
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