Fish Passage Improvement Project at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam
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Fish Passage Improvement Project at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam February 2009 September 2008 Introduction Interim Operations Almost from the start of operations at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam (RBDD), concerns The four-month gates-in period at RBDD has been reduced for arose regarding the impact of the dam on upstream and downstream fish migration the 2009 irrigation season. A memo submitted with the request because a significant portion of the Sacramento River spawning habitat for endangered salmon and steelhead occurs upstream of the dam. Due to these concerns, the gates-in for a 90-day extension on the BO requires that the RBDD gates be For More Information: lowered no earlier than June 15. An interim operations plan, for period at RBDD has been significantly reduced and it currently operates on a four-month the period beginning spring 2009 until completion of the RBPP, gates-in period. This allows gravity diversion to the Tehama-Colusa and Corning Canals is being developed. The interim operations plan faces significant Jeff Sutton/TCCA during the irrigation season and provides unimpeded fish passage during the remainder of the year. hurdles in regards to timing and obtaining environmental permits. P.O. Box 1025 Development of a defensible interim operations plan is a high Willows, CA 95988 The current gates-in schedule may be subject to further reduction to avoid jeopardy to 530.934.2125 priority effort for the TCCA. species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) or the California Endangered [email protected] Species Act (CESA). The main species of concern are winter- and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, and green sturgeon. Project Funding Jason Larrabee/JLV, LLC P.O. Box 188440 An additional reduction of the gates-in period would further reduce the ability to divert All parties agree that design and construction of the Red Bluff Sacramento, CA 95818 irrigation water to the 150,000 acres of agriculture in the Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority Pumping Plant should proceed as expeditiously as possible. With 530.570.1620 (TCCA) service area. Although environmental review for a solution to this problem is [email protected] a price tag of $195 million, project funding is a top priority. complete, the TCCA continues to face challenges due to Red Bluff Diversion Dam. Fiscal year 2008 funding for the project included $5.5 million to finalize environmental documents, begin facility design, and Mike Urkov/NewFields purchase land adjacent to the project site. In fiscal year 2009, the 304 S Street, Suite 101 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation requested $0.5 million. The House Sacramento, CA 95811 Who is the Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority? and Senate figures exceed that amount, but they are not final. The 916.329.3116 State has committed to fund its 25 percent cost share requirement, [email protected] Crop Type in the TCCA Service Area TCCA is a Joint Powers Authority comprised of 17 irrigation districts and in 2009, the State is funding $5.5 million. The fiscal year 2010 in Tehama, Glenn, Colusa, and 80,000 request is $109 million. Without adequate funding to continue Yolo Counties. the project, the agricultural water supply for the TCCA irrigation TCCA operates and maintains districts is at tremendous risk. The cooperative effort of the 60,000 the 140-mile Tehama-Colusa and TCCA, Reclamation, and the State to assure adequate funding for Corning Canal agricultural water Acres supply systems. the project is of paramount importance. 40,000 TCCA provides irrigation to 150,000 acres of agricultural land, over half Project Background: Red Bluff Diversion Dam was completed in 1964 as a part of the Sacramento Canals Unit of the Central 20,000 of which is permanent crops, such as 0 10 20 almonds, olives, and grapes. Valley Project (CVP). The fish passage problem at RBDD was acknowledged in the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of Miles 1992 - Public Law 102-575, Title 32 (CVPIA). Specifically, Section 3406(b)(10) authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior 0 Crops grown in the service area to develop and implement measures to minimize fish passage problems for adult and juvenile anadromous fish at the Red Bluff 1992 1997 2002 2007 produce over $250 million in crops Diversion Dam. The Fish Passage Improvement Project at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam was developed to respond effectively to this Permanent Annuals Fallow/Idle and contribute over $1 billion to CVPIA direction. The RBDD is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and operated and maintained by the TCCA. the regional economy annually. Fish Screen Site Plan for the Red Bluff Pumping Plant T h e P r o b l e m Previous restrictions on dam operations have improved When the RBDD gates are raised, the TCCA continues to Forebay fish passage, most notably for winter-run Chinook deliver irrigation water through seasonal pumps at the Pumping Plant salmon, but concerns remain regarding the dam’s effect canal headworks or by forcing water backward into the SACRAMENTO RIVER on spring-run Chinook salmon and green sturgeon. Tehama-Colusa Canal at Stony Creek from Black Butte Reservoir. Existing pumping capacity is not enough to Red Bluff Diversion Dam During gates-in operation, fish passage is impeded meet agricultural demand and any further reduction of because the existing fish ladders are inefficient. Adult the gates-in period -- without a compensating increase Siphon Chinook salmon fail to readily locate the ladders and in pumping capacity -- would cause an environmental their passage is delayed an average of three weeks. In and economic disaster in the heart of the Sacramento Bridge May, June, and July it’s estimated over 70 percent of River watershed. spring-run salmon are delayed or blocked at the dam. Red Bank Creek Additionally, because green sturgeon cannot use fish ladders, about half of the upstream migrating adults are blocked under current gate operations. The Challenges Select Gate Operations at Red Bluff Diversion Dam 1966 Through 2009 The Solution The project is faced with many challenges including: JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC The Fish Passage Improvement Project is the Central Valley Project Operations Criteria and Plan (CVP-OCAP) Litigation. A coalition of nine national and Gates initially lowered into the Sacramento River culmination of over 40 years of efforts by various 1966 entities to find a balanced solution that improves fish local environmental organizations and a Native American tribe, challenged and won a claim on the inadequacy of the Federal Endangered Species Act passage and the reliability of irrigation water deliveries. 2004 Biological Opinion prepared by the National Marine 1972 Recent milestones include: Fisheries Service (NMFS) for CVP-OCAP. The plaintiffs Ten-Point Winter-Run Chinook Salmon Restoration Plan implemented • Selection of a Project: The selected project requested major reductions in RBDD operations, and 1988 includes construction of a pumping plant near the although their emergency remedies were denied, the Judge USBR operated RBDD for protection of winter-run Chinook salmon existing canal headworks with an initial installed did order an early gate opening on September 2, 2008, to 1992 capacity of 2,180 cfs and a footprint that will allow benefit the outmigration of winter-run Chinook salmon. USBR continued to operate RBDD for protection of winter-run Chinook salmon expansion to 2,500 cfs. The Judge also ordered that the new CVP-OCAP BO be 1993 • Completion of Environmental Review: TCCA completed by March 2, 2009. The federal defendants recently Operations under 1993 Biological Opinion for winter-run Chinook salmon requested a 90-day extension for completion of the BO. In 1994 - 2008 certified the Environmental Impact Report under CEQA on June 4, 2008, and Reclamation their submittal to the court, the defendants stated that RBDD signed the Record of Decision under NEPA on gates would be lowered no earlier than June 15. Dra CVP-OCAP BO July 16, 2008. City of Red Bluff Litigation. The City has also filed suit in Gates Out federal court challenging the adequacy of the Environmental Gates In Design of the pumping plant and fish screen structures is approaching 30 percent and design of the bridge, Impact Statement (EIS) and the Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The City is opposed to any additional gates- Agricultural Demand Compared to Gate Operations and Pumping Capacity at RBDD siphon, utility relocations, cofferdams, and pumps is approaching 65 percent. Under an accelerated out period due to the corresponding loss of Lake Red Bluff. FEB MAY JUL OCT JAN MAR APR JUN AUG SEP NOV DEC schedule, design is expected to be complete in 8 This lawsuit could delay implementation of the project, and Pumping Gates In Pumping months. Construction will take an additional 18 further jeopardize regional agriculture. months and the aggressive goal is to be operational by Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the Green spring of 2012. Sturgeon. The National Marine Fisheries Service recently proposed designating areas of the Sacramento River as critical habitat for the green sturgeon. Regulations surrounding this PUMPING CAPACITY designation will likely impact current operations at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam. In June 2007, at least 10 adult green sturgeon were killed at the dam. TCCA commented on the Agricultural Demand critical habitat designation. Copies are available at the TCCA website: www.tccanal.com. Fish Screen Site Plan for the Red Bluff Pumping Plant T h e P r o b l e m Previous restrictions on dam operations have improved When the RBDD gates are raised, the TCCA continues to Forebay fish passage, most notably for winter-run Chinook deliver irrigation water through seasonal pumps at the Pumping Plant salmon, but concerns remain regarding the dam’s effect canal headworks or by forcing water backward into the SACRAMENTO RIVER on spring-run Chinook salmon and green sturgeon.