Pacificorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project Interim Operations Habitat Conservation Plan for Coho Salmon
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PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project Interim Operations Habitat Conservation Plan for Coho Salmon February 16, 2012 PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project Interim Operations Habitat Conservation Plan February 16, 2012 Recommended Citation: PacifiCorp. 2012. PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project Interim Operations Habitat Conservation Plan for Coho Salmon. Prepared by PacifiCorp Energy, Inc, Portland, OR. Submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service, Arcata Area Office, Arcata, CA. February 16, 2012. PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project Interim Operations Habitat Conservation Plan February 16, 2012 Table of Contents I. Introduction and Background ................................................................................................ 1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 3 Permit Holder/Permit Duration .................................................................................... 6 Covered Lands .................................................................................................................. 6 Regulatory Framework .................................................................................................... 7 Endangered Species Act ..................................................................................... 7 National Environmental Policy Act .................................................................. 9 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act .............. 10 Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................. 10 II. Description of Covered Activities ...................................................................................... 11 III. Covered Species ................................................................................................................... 15 Legal Status ........................................................................................................ 15 Range and Distribution .................................................................................... 15 Life History and Habitat Requirements ......................................................... 16 IV. Current Conditions .............................................................................................................. 19 Existing Project Facilities ............................................................................................... 19 East and West Side Developments .................................................................. 19 Keno Development ............................................................................................ 21 J.C. Boyle Development .................................................................................... 21 Copco No. 1 Development ............................................................................... 22 Copco No. 2 Development ............................................................................... 23 Fall Creek Development ................................................................................... 23 Iron Gate Development .................................................................................... 23 Climate ............................................................................................................................. 24 Hydrology and River Flow Management ................................................................... 25 Hydrology .......................................................................................................... 25 Reservoir and Lake Elevations ........................................................................ 26 Release Flows ..................................................................................................... 27 Ramping Rates ................................................................................................... 30 Water Quality .................................................................................................................. 31 Upper Klamath Lake ......................................................................................... 32 Link River ........................................................................................................... 33 Keno Reservoir ................................................................................................... 34 Keno Reach—Keno Dam to J.C. Boyle Reservoir .......................................... 39 J.C. Boyle Reservoir ........................................................................................... 41 Bypass Reach—J.C. Boyle Dam to J.C. Boyle Powerhouse .......................... 43 Peaking Reach—J.C. Boyle Powerhouse to Copco Reservoir ..................... 45 Copco Reservoir Complex ................................................................................ 47 Iron Gate Reservoir ........................................................................................... 49 Klamath River from Iron Gate Dam to Turwar ............................................ 52 Klamath River Estuary ..................................................................................... 54 Coho Salmon Habitat ..................................................................................................... 55 V. Project Effects on Coho Salmon ......................................................................................... 65 I PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project Interim Operations Habitat Conservation Plan February 16, 2012 Degradation and Loss of Habitat .................................................................... 73 Water Quality ..................................................................................................... 74 Disease ................................................................................................................ 77 VI. Conservation Program ........................................................................................................ 81 Coho Salmon Conservation Strategy ........................................................................... 81 Goals and Objectives ......................................................................................... 82 Goal I: Offset the biological effects of blocked habitat upstream of Iron Gate dam by enhancing the viability of the Upper Klamath coho salmon population .......................................................................................................... 83 Goal II: Enhance coho salmon spawning habitat downstream from Iron Gate dam ...................................................................................................................... 87 Goal III: Improve instream flow conditions for coho salmon downstream of Iron Gate dam .................................................................................................... 89 Goal IV: Improve water quality for coho salmon downstream of Iron Gate dam ...................................................................................................................... 92 Goal V: Reduce disease incidence and mortality in juvenile coho salmon downstream of Iron Gate dam ........................................................................ 94 Goal VI: Enhance migratory and rearing habitat for coho salmon in the Klamath River mainstem corridor .................................................................. 97 Goal VII: Enhance and expand rearing habitat for coho salmon in key tributaries .......................................................................................................... 101 Effects of the Coho Salmon Conservation Strategy ................................................. 105 Habitat Access .................................................................................................. 108 Habitat Conditions .......................................................................................... 109 Fish Disease Research and Studies ............................................................... 117 Hatchery Production Improvements ............................................................ 117 VII. Compliance with Authorized Level of Take ............................................................... 119 Monitoring of Habitat-Based Surrogates .................................................................. 119 Water Temperature ......................................................................................... 120 Dissolved Oxygen ........................................................................................... 121 VIII. Monitoring and Adaptive Management..................................................................... 123 Compliance Monitoring .............................................................................................. 123 Effectiveness Monitoring ............................................................................................. 132 Adaptive Management ................................................................................................ 133 Technical Review Team .................................................................................. 133 Adaptive Responses Process .......................................................................... 134 IX. Changed and Unforeseen Circumstances ...................................................................... 137 Changed Circumstances Identified in the Plan .......................................................