Kimberly D. Bose November 9, 2017 Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street N.E
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Kimberly D. Bose November 9, 2017 Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street N.E. Washington, D.C. 20426 Subject: Wells Hydroelectric Project – FERC Project No. 2149 Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir Report Dear Secretary Bose: Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, Washington (Douglas PUD or District), licensee for the Wells Hydroelectric Project No. 2149 (Wells Project) respectfully submits the attached report detailing the results from the Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring Study at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir (Report; Exhibit A). This report is being filed in compliance with the terms and conditions found in the Biological Opinion for the Proposed Relicensing of the Wells Hydroelectric Project (Biological Opinion) issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on March 16, 2012 and as found in section 4.2.1 (Wells Study) and section 4.2.2 (Weir Study) of the Bull Trout Management Plan, which is required under the District’s Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification. Finally, the study is also a compliance measure as found in the Section 18 Fishway Prescription for the Wells Project. On October 15, 2013 FERC issued an Order deferring the Weir Study to year five of the District’s new operating license to allow the District to combine the Weir Study (Year 1 requirement) and the Wells Study (Year 5 requirement) at the request of the USFWS, the Aquatic Settlement Work Group (Aquatic SWG), and the District. Consistent with the October 15, 2013 FERC Order the attached report (Exhibit A) was carried out to meet compliance criteria for both studies. The report concluded that migratory bull trout are experiencing safe, timely, and effective upstream and downstream passage at both Wells Dam and the Twisp Weir. Specific results include bull trout passage efficiency success above 90% and 100% passage survival at both Wells Dam and the Twisp Weir. Therefore incidental take remains within the range of the Terms and Conditions of the March 16, 2012 Biological Opinion. In addition to the report, the pre-filing consultation record describing the Aquatic SWG’s review and approval of this filing is attached as Exhibit B to this letter. The draft report was submitted to the Aquatic SWG on October 11, 2017. Comments were received from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Yakama Nations and the USFWS. A revised version of the report was distributed on November 1, 2017 and was approved during the November 8, 2017 Aquatic SWG conference call. If you have any questions or require further information related to the Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir Report, please feel free to contact Andrew Gingerich at (509) 881-2323 or [email protected]. Sincerely, Shane Bickford Natural Resources Supervisor Enclosure: Exhibit A – Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir Report Exhibit B – Pre-filing Consultation Record for the Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir Report Cc: Aquatic Settlement Work Group Alicia Burtner – FERC Erich Gaedeke – FERC Andrew Gingerich – Douglas PUD Chas Kyger – Douglas PUD EXHIBIT A BULL TROUT PASSAGE AND TAKE MONITORING AT WELLS DAM AND THE TWISP RIVER WEIR REPORT EA3605-B Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir FINAL REPORT David Robichaud1 and Andrew Gingerich2 1 LGL Limited, Sidney, BC, Canada 2 Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA, USA Prepared for: Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA November 8 2017 Douglas PUD Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring EA3605-B Executive Summary Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) originating from the Methow, Entiat and Wenatchee rivers are known to interact with Wells Hydroelectric Project and the Twisp River. During relicensing studies at Wells Dam (2005- 2008), radio-tagged Bull Trout moved upstream and downstream past Wells Dam freely with no observed mortality or passage delay. The new 40-year Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Operating License for the Wells Project, owned and operated by the Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County (Douglas PUD), requires Douglas PUD to demonstrate that Bull Trout at Wells Dam and at the Twisp River Weir have survival rates greater than 95%, and passage success rates greater than or equal to 90%. This requirement is also consistent with the implementation of the Bull Trout Management Plan and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Section 18 Fishway Prescription and the terms and conditions of the Biological Opinion for the Wells Hydroelectric Project. From May to July 2016, 60 adult-sized Bull Trout were captured at Wells Dam (n=14) or at the Twisp River Weir (n = 46), double-tagged (radio + Passive Integrated Transponder), and released. These fish were tracked to assess downstream passage and survival at the Weir and Wells Dam in 2016 and upstream passage and survival in 2017. Thirty five fish moved downstream and were detected at the Twisp River Weir, 31 of which passed successfully, and four were recovered (dead) immediately upstream of the weir in an off-channel beaver pond. Two of the fish that passed the weir died within one month of passage, but neither mortality was attributed to Weir passage. Also, 18 radio-tagged Bull Trout approached the Twisp River Weir in the upstream direction, and all passed successfully and survived. Together, the observed interactions with the Twisp River Weir indicated 92.5% (49 of 53) passage success (four fish died and were recovered in an off channel beaver pond before they could attempt to pass the Weir) and 100% survival (all 48 of the fish that successfully passed the Weir survived passage). Twelve fish made downstream passages at Wells. None of the fish were detected in mortality mode in the tailrace, at the Gateway receiver site (~3 km downstream), or during mobile tracking. Ten of twelve made subsequent attempts to pass Wells Dam in an upstream direction, further confirming their survival. Also, eleven fish interacted with Wells Dam in the upstream direction. Of these, nine successfully moved through the fishways and into the Methow River; whereas two made forays into the fishway entrances but did not pass Wells Dam by the time the data collection was terminated. Together Wells Dam interactions indicated 91.3% (21 of 23) passage success and 100% survival. Together, Bull Trout passage and success rates were higher than minimum compliance targets, suggesting minimal operational impact of the Twisp River Weir and Wells Dam on Bull Trout migration, population connectivity, and survival. Results presented in this report are similar to those from the 2005-2008 studies of Bull Trout passage at Wells Dam. LGL Limited & Douglas PUD Page i On the cover: Twisp River Weir, with trap and tagging setup in the foreground. Suggested Reference: Robichaud, D. and A. Gingerich. 2017. Bull Trout passage and take monitoring at Wells Dam and the Twisp River Weir. Report for Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County, East Wenatchee, WA. Douglas PUD Bull Trout Passage and Take Monitoring EA3605-B Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 1 2 Study Area .............................................................................................................................................................. 1 2.1 Wells Hydroelectric Project Area ................................................................................................................. 1 2.1.1 Bull Trout at Wells Dam ....................................................................................................................... 1 2.2 Twisp River Weir .......................................................................................................................................... 2 2.2.1 Bull Trout at the Twisp River Weir....................................................................................................... 4 3 Regulatory Context ................................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1 Bull Trout Management Plan ....................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Twisp River Weir Study Deferral and Consolidation of Studies ................................................................... 8 4 Goals, Hypotheses and Assumptions ..................................................................................................................... 8 4.1 Goals............................................................................................................................................................. 8 4.2 Hypotheses ................................................................................................................................................... 8 4.3 Assumptions and Treatment ........................................................................................................................ 9 5 Methods ................................................................................................................................................................. 9 5.1 Sample Size .................................................................................................................................................