E4.0 FISH RESOURCES This Chapter of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project
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E4.0 FISH RESOURCES This chapter of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project (Project) (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC] Project No. 2082) Exhibit E provides a report on the fish resources potentially affected by the Project as stipulated in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations: Title 18 Section 4.51(f)(3). The report must discuss fish, wildlife, and botanical resources in the vicinity of the Project and the impact of the Project on those resources. The report must be prepared in consultation with any state agency with responsibility for fish, wildlife, and botanical resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service (if the Project may affect anadromous fish resources subject to that agency’s jurisdiction), and any other state or federal agency with managerial authority over any part of the Project lands. Consultation must be documented by appending to the report a letter from each agency consulted that indicates the nature, extent, and results of the consultation. The report must include: (i) A description of the fish, wildlife, and botanical resources of the project and its vicinity, and of downstream areas affected by the project, including identification of any species listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (See 50 CFR 17.11 and 17.12) (ii) A description of any measures or facilities recommended by the agencies consulted for the mitigation of impacts on fish, wildlife, and botanical resources, or for the protection or improvement of those resources (iii) A statement of any existing measures or facilities to be continued or maintained and any measures or facilities proposed by the applicant for the mitigation of impacts on fish, wildlife, and botanical resources, or for the protection or improvement of such resources, including an explanation of why the applicant has rejected any measures or facilities recommended by an agency and described under paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section (iv) A description of any anticipated continuing impact on fish, wildlife, and botanical resources of continued operation of the project, and the incremental impact of proposed new development of project works or changes in project operation, and (v) The following materials and information regarding the measures and facilities identified under paragraph (f)(3)(iii) of this section: (A) Functional design drawings of any fish passage and collection facilities, indicating whether the facilities depicted are existing or proposed (these drawings must conform to the specifications of Sec. 4.39 regarding dimensions of full-sized prints, scale, and legibility) (B) A description of operation and maintenance procedures for any existing or proposed measures or facilities © February 2004 PacifiCorp Exhibit E Fish Resources.DOC Exhibit E Page 4-1 PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 2082 (C) An implementation or construction schedule for any proposed measures or facilities, showing the intervals following issuance of a license when implementation of the measures or construction of the facilities would be commenced and completed (D) An estimate of the costs of construction, operation, and maintenance, of any proposed facilities, and of implementation of any proposed measures, including a statement of the sources and extent of financing; and (E) A map or drawing that conforms to the size, scale, and legibility requirements of Sec. 4.39 showing by the use of shading, cross-hatching, or other symbols the identity and location of any measures or facilities, and indicating whether each measure or facility is existing or proposed (the map or drawings in this exhibit may be consolidated). A Fish Resources Final Technical Report (FTR) has been prepared to provide the detailed analysis of the fish resources issues. The information in this chapter of Exhibit E provides an overview and summary of the information contained in the Fish Resources FTR, which is incorporated by reference. E4.1 HISTORICAL FISH RESOURCES IN THE KLAMATH RIVER BASIN This section describes historical fish resources and results of previous fisheries investigations in the Project study area. It also describes some of the general attributes of the fish assemblages that are present. The discussion begins with a general overview of the Project area and its fish assemblages, then describes the fish resources in the proposed Project river reaches, reservoirs, and major tributaries. The area of focus for this Exhibit does not include the East Side and West Side developments (Link River area) and the Keno Development (Keno reservoir and Keno reach). These developments are not part of the proposed Project. E4.1.1 Project Study Area The Project study area contains six river reaches and six reservoirs on the mainstem Klamath River, extending from river mile (RM) 282.3 at Upper Klamath Lake/Agency Lake in Oregon to the Klamath River downstream of Iron Gate dam at RM 190.1 in California. Table E4.1-1 lists and briefly describes the six river reaches and six reservoirs, proceeding downstream from Upper Klamath Lake/Agency Lake, as well as important tributaries in the study area upstream and downstream of Iron Gate dam. Upper Klamath Lake/Agency Lake and the Klamath River downstream of Iron Gate dam represent the upper and lower bounds of the Project study area. Their inclusion in the study area is important because of the interconnected nature of fisheries and the effects upstream and downstream factors can have on fisheries in the study area. Historical fisheries descriptions and assessments presented in the following text address the 38.2-mile-long segment of the Klamath River and important tributaries (Spencer, Shovel, and Fall creeks) between the top of the J.C. Boyle reservoir at RM 228.3 and Iron Gate dam at RM 190.1 (the proposed Project area). This segment consists of 23 miles of river reaches and 15.2 miles of reservoirs. It contains four of the five generating facilities associated with PacifiCorp’s proposed Project. The fifth generating facility is located on Fall Creek, a tributary entering the Klamath River at RM 196.3. Historical fisheries descriptions also include, as relevant to the Project, the 190-mile-long reach of the Klamath River downstream of Iron Gate dam and its major tributaries (Shasta, Scott, © February 2004 PacifiCorp Exhibit E Page 4-2 Exhibit E Fish Resources.DOC PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 2082 Salmon, and Trinity rivers). This portion of the study area is of particular interest because of the effects flow regimes, water quality, and fish passage barriers associated with the Project may have on downstream fisheries and aquatic habitat. Table E4.1-1. River reaches, reservoirs, and major tributaries proceeding downstream within the Klamath Hydroelectric Project study area. River Reach (RR), Reservoir Approximate (R), or Tributary (T) River Mile (RM) Description and Location Upper Klamath Lake/Agency RM 254.3 – 282.3 Approximately 28 miles from upper end of Agency Lake Lake (R) to Link River dam on Upper Klamath Lake Wood River (T) RM 282.3 Tributary to Agency Lake at RM 282.3 Williamson River (T) RM 272.3 Tributary to Upper Klamath Lake at RM 272.3 Link River (RR) RM 254.3 – 253.1 1.2 miles long, connecting Upper Klamath Lake to Lake Ewauna on Klamath River Keno Reservoir (Lake Ewauna) RM 253.1 – 233.0 20.1 miles long from headwaters of Lake Ewauna to Keno (R) dam Klamath River – Keno Reach RM 233.0 – 228.3 4.7 miles long, between Keno dam and headwaters of (RR) J.C. Boyle reservoir J.C. Boyle Reservoir (R) RM 228.3 – 224.7 3.6 miles from headwaters to J.C. Boyle dam Spencer Creek (T) RM 227.6 Tributary to J.C. Boyle reservoir at RM 227.6 Klamath River – J.C. Boyle RM 224.7 – 220.4 4.3 miles long, between J.C. Boyle dam and J.C. Boyle Bypass Reach (RR) powerhouse Klamath River – J.C. Boyle RM 220.4 – 203.1 17.3 miles long, between J.C. Boyle powerhouse and Peaking Reach (RR) Copco No. 1 reservoir Oregon/California Border RM 209.3 State line in J.C. Boyle peaking reach at RM 209.3 Shovel Creek (T) RM 206.5 Tributary to J.C. Boyle peaking reach at RM 206.5 Long Prairie Creek (T) RM 203.3 Tributary to J.C. Boyle peaking reach at RM 203.3 Copco No. 1 Reservoir (R) RM 203.1 – 198.6 4.5 miles from headwaters to Copco No. 1 dam and powerhouse Copco No. 2 Reservoir (R) RM 198.6 – 198.3 0.3 mile from Copco No. 1 dam and Powerhouse to Copco No. 2 dam Klamath River – Copco No. 2 RM 198.3 – 196.9 1.4 miles long, between Copco No. 2 dam and Copco No. Bypass Reach (RR) 2 powerhouse Iron Gate Reservoir (R) RM 196.9 – 190.1 6.8 miles from headwaters and Copco No. 2 powerhouse to Iron Gate dam Fall Creek (T) RM 196.3 Tributary to Iron Gate reservoir at RM 196.3 Jenny Creek (T) RM 194.0 Tributary to Iron Gate reservoir at RM 194.0 Klamath River (RR) RM 190.1 – 0.0 190.1 miles from Iron Gate dam to Klamath River mouth Shasta River (T) RM 176.6 Tributary to Klamath River at RM 176.6 Scott River (T) RM 143.0 Tributary to Klamath River at RM 143.0 Salmon River (T) RM 66.0 Tributary to Klamath River at RM 66.0 Trinity River (T) RM 40 Tributary to Klamath River at approximately RM 40 © February 2004 PacifiCorp Exhibit E Fish Resources.DOC Exhibit E Page 4-3 PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 2082 E4.1.2 Overview Table E4.1-2 lists fish species reported to occur in the Klamath River and reservoirs upstream of Iron Gate dam (City of Klamath Falls, 1986; PacifiCorp, 2000).