Libby Dam Information Brief Columbia Basin Regional Advisory Committee and CRT Local Governments’ Committee Kootenay System Workshop
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Libby Dam Information Brief Columbia Basin Regional Advisory Committee and CRT Local Governments’ Committee Kootenay System Workshop Kristian Mickelson, PE Seattle District 09 March 2016 US Army Corps of Engineers BUILDING STRONG® Executive Summary . Purpose: Inform the Kootenay Basin stakeholders about multi- purpose Libby Dam operations in the context of an interstate & international watershed . BLUF: Libby Dam & Koocanusa Reservoir fulfill 5-purposes (hydro, flood risk, fish/wildlife, recreation, navigation) purposes while meeting environmental requirements in the international Kootenai River watershed of the upper Columbia Basin . Key points: 1. Complex – only Corps dam w/upstream & downstream international impacts 2. CRT & IJC framework drive international interaction 3. Significant Endangered Species Act considerations (NOAA BiOp = salmon & steelhead; USFWS BiOp = sturgeon & bull trout) 2 BUILDING STRONG® Columbia Basin Map Libby Dam 3 BUILDING STRONG® International Interests & Concerns Upstream/Lake Koocanusa Downstream/Border & . US Kootenay Lake ► Lake Recreation . US • Access for boats – Lake is too low ► Flood Control (Bonners Ferry, • Marina Beaches inundated if ID) reservoir is too high (2459 ft) ► Fishery – ESA listed species ► Air Quality – Dust if lake is low ► Levee sloughing and saturation . Canada ► Seepage of farmlands in ► Lake Recreation Kootenai Flats (Northern Idaho) • Max elevation of Libby Dam is 2459 ft per Columbia River Treaty . Canada • Access for boats – Lake is too low ► Kootenay Lake Lake does not reach Canada until • Elevation (1755 ft) – Flood Control elevation 2420 ft • Beaches inundates if reservoir is at • Power generation – Flows in winter 2459 ft ► Levee slough and saturation ► Air Quality – Dust if lake is low ► Farmland Seepage 4 BUILDING STRONG® Libby Dam Regulation - General Governing Statutes, Treaties, Executive Orders, guidance: . Libby Dam’s Enabling Legislation . Columbia River Treaty ► Libby Coordination Agreement • Libby Operating Plan Bonners Ferry Idaho-1948 . Endangered Species Act (ESA) ► 2006 USFWS BiOp, as clarified ► 2008/2010 NOAA FCRPS BiOp . The Northwest Power Act . The Clean Water Act . International Joint Commission (IJC) 1938 Order on Kootenay Lake 5 BUILDING STRONG® Libby Dam Water Management in Kootenai Watershed Basin Characteristic – Variability . Large: 9K mi^2 above & 10K mi^2 below dam . Elevation from 2,500 to 12,000 ft . Large monsoonal events in June/July . Kootenay Lake creates a backwater into Northern Idaho Libby provides local & system control . Max flood control draft = 4.98 MAF (El 2287 ft) . Koocanusa full pool is El 2459 ft . Local Flood Control Point is Bonners Ferry, ID . System Flood Control for Portland & Lower Columbia developed areas 6 BUILDING STRONG® Libby Flood Control Operations . VARQ FC (Variable Flow Flood Control) is the preferred flood control procedure, operated to the “Standard” FC pre-2003 ► Improves the chances of refill ► Provides more normative flow . Draws the reservoir down less in the winter and requires more water out in the springtime . Adopted as the permanent flood control procedure - June 2008 Libby Dam Outflows - comparison of VARQ and Standard Lake Koocanusa Elev - comparison of VARQ and Standard 30,000 2,460 2,440 25,000 2,420 VARQ 20,000 VARQ ) ) 2,400 15,000 elev (feetelev 2,380 Outflow (cfs Outflow 10,000 2,360 5,000 2,340 Standard Standard 2,320 0 BUILDING STRONG® 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul Kootenay Lake and International Joint Commission (IJC) . Kootenay Lake Order relates to Corra Linn Dam, owned by FortisBC . Board of Control provides oversight of Corra Linn Dam ► Board Members from both the US and Canada . Compensates Idaho farmers for effects of higher groundwater . The Order allows FortisBC to store water in the lake, but specifies a “lowering” formula for the freshet. Kootenay Lake Hydrograph 2005 International Kootenay Lake Board of Control . Libby Dam reduced releases in 1,749 both 2011 and 2012 to help with 1,747 Queens Bay stage on Kootenay 1,745 Lake 1,743 Stage (feet) 1,741 1,739 Rule Curve Queens Bay Commencement of spring rise 2005-04-23 Nelson 8 1,737 BUILDING STRONG® JFMAMJJASOND Month Libby Dam Regulation – BiOp Biological Opinions . 2006 USFWS BiOp, as clarified . 2008/2010 NOAA FCRPS BiOp Operational Requirements . Bull trout minimum flows ► Provides higher required minimum flows from May 15th- Sept 30th . Sturgeon operations ► Dedicated release to proved a pulse in the later spring - early summer . Salmon target ► 10 – 20 ft from full by 30 September ► Required target to help with fish passage on the mainstem of the Columbia River 9 BUILDING STRONG® “Average” Libby Water Year, 5.885 MAF Apr-Aug Volume 80000 2460.0 Draw dow n Period 2450.0 from Nov through SoR 2440.0 70000 Draft to 2449 ft 2430.0 Sept 30th 2420.0 60000 2410.0 2400.0 2390.0 50000 2380.0 2370.0 2360.0 40000 2350.0 Flow (cfs) 2340.0 Elevation (ft) 30000 2330.0 2320.0 2310.0 20000 2300.0 2290.0 2280.0 10000 2270.0 VarQ Sturgeon 2260.0 0 2250.0 1-Oct 31-Oct 30-Nov 30-Dec 29-Jan 28-Feb 30-Mar 29-Apr 29-May 28-Jun 28-Jul 27-Aug 26-Sep Date Inflow Regulated Outflow URC Elev Regulated Elevation BUILDING STRONG® Large Water Year (2012), 9.195 MAF Apr-Aug Volume 11 BUILDING STRONG® Small Water Year (2015), 4.225 MAF Apr-Aug Volume 130 2460 120 Max Elevation of 2444.07 ft. 2450 on 7/16 110 2440 100 9/30 Elevation 2430 of 2440.24 ft. 90 2420 80 2410 70 2400 Observed Outflow Min Elevation 60 of 2409.71 ft. on Feb 4 2390 Flow (kcfs) Elevation (ft) Elevation Observed Inflow 50 2380 40 Observed Forebay 2370 30 2360 20 2350 10 2340 0 2330 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec 1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep Date 12 BUILDING STRONG® Pre- and Post-Libby Dam Hydrograph Reversed Hydrograph Pre- and Post-Libby Dam Thermograph Kootenai River Temperatures Pre- and Post-Libby Dam 20 Warmer ) Winter 15 Temperatures 10 Cooler Spring Temperature (C Temperature 5 Temperatures 0 Libby Dam Effects on 1 1 / /1 /1 /1 1/1 2/1 3/1 4 5 6/1 7/1 8/1 9 1 2/ 10/1 1 1 Date Kootenai River Copeland '67-'72 Bonners Ferry '93-'03 Ecosystem 13 BUILDING STRONG® River and Lake Regulation Effects in Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry, Idaho High Gradient / Scour / Coarse Sediments Low Gradient / Deposition / Fine Sediments Regulation of the Kootenai River at Libby Dam and of Kootenay Lake at Corra Linn Dam alters depth and location of Kootenay Lake / Kootenai River backwater interface at Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Sturgeon now spawn in deep water over sand and silty substrates – no survival of eggs. 14 BUILDING STRONG® Kootenai River White Sturgeon Recovery Team 15 BUILDING STRONG® Sturgeon / Ecosystem Habitat Enhancement Center for Biological Diversity Lawsuit Settlement Agreement Clarified USFWS BiOp RPA’s Corps and BPA to fully support KTOI Ecosystem Habitat Restoration Projects 16 BUILDING STRONG® Conclusion . Take Aways: ► Libby Dam provides flood control, hydropower, and recreation for the mutual benefit of the USA and Canada ► Endangered Species Act considerations complicate Libby Dam’s operation ► Libby Dam is a key component in the Columbia River Treaty and operates within the framework of the International Joint Commission Order for Kootenay Lake . Questions: ??? 17 BUILDING STRONG® Trivia . Does Libby change operations of Kootenay Lake? ► Yes, the Corps worked closely with BC Hydro in both 2011 and 2012 to minimize lake levels where possible . Questions: ??? 18 BUILDING STRONG® Questions: ??? Photo y Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit) - Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1107740 19 BUILDING STRONG®.