PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY DeSabla-Centerville Hydroelectric Project FERC Project No. 803 License Application Volume I: Executive Summary, Initial Statement and Exhibits A, B, C, D, F, G and H October 2007 © 2007, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Pacific Gas and Electric Company DeSabla-Centerville Project FERC Project No. 803 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section & Description Page VOLUME I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.0 Overview and Purpose of Executive Summary .................................................ES-1 2.0 Key Drivers in Relicensing the DeSabla-Centerville Project............................ES-2 3.0 Status of the Relicensing....................................................................................ES-4 4.0 Summary of Application....................................................................................ES-9 4.1 Initial Statement.....................................................................................ES-9 4.2 Table of Contents...................................................................................ES-9 4.3 Glossary...............................................................................................ES-10 4.4 Exhibit A – Project Description...........................................................ES-10 4.5 Exhibit B – Porject Operations and Resource Utilization ...................ES-11 4.6 Exhibit C – Proposed Construction......................................................ES-12 4.7 Exhibit D – Statement of Costs and Financing....................................ES-12 4.8 Exhibit E – Environmental Report.......................................................ES-13 4.9 Exhibit F – Design Drawings...............................................................ES-26 4.10 Exhibit G – Project Maps.....................................................................ES-26 4.11 Exhibit H – Miscellaneous Filing Material..........................................ES-26 INITIAL STATEMENT 1.0 Applicant and Requested Term of New License ................................................IS-1 2.0 Location of the Project........................................................................................IS-1 3.0 PG&E’s Business Address and Telephone Number...........................................IS-1 4.0 PG&E’s Authorized Agent .................................................................................IS-2 5.0 PG&E’s Organizational Status ...........................................................................IS-2 6.0 Pertinent California Statutory and Regulatory Requirements ............................IS-2 7.0 Brief Description of the Project ..........................................................................IS-3 8.0 United States-Owned Lands Affected by the Project .........................................IS-3 9.0 Proposed New Project Facilities .........................................................................IS-3 10.0 Counties, Cities and Indian Tribes Affected by the Project................................IS-3 11.0 Federal and State Resource Agencies Consulted................................................IS-5 12.0 Information Available to the Public....................................................................IS-6 13.0 Notice of Availability of Document ...................................................................IS-7 October 2007 License Application Table of Contents ©2007, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Page i Pacific Gas and Electric Company DeSabla-Centerville Project FERC Project No. 803 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Section & Description Page TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................... TOC-i GLOSSARY OF TERMS...................................................................................Glossary-i A. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 1.0 General Project Description................................................................................ A-1 2.0 Toadtown Development...................................................................................... A-3 2.1 Round Valley Dam and Reservoir .......................................................... A-3 2.2 Philbrook Dam and Reservoir................................................................. A-3 2.3 Philbrook Spilways ................................................................................. A-3 2.4 Hendricks Head Dam and Canal ............................................................ A-4 2.5 Toadtown Powerhouse............................................................................ A-4 3.0 DeSabla Development .......................................................................................A-4 3.1 Butte Creek Diversion Dam and Canal................................................... A-4 3.2 Toadtown Canal...................................................................................... A-5 3.3 DeSabla Forebay and Dam ..................................................................... A-5 3.4 DeSabla Powerhouse.............................................................................. A-5 4.0 Centerville Development .................................................................................... A-5 4.1 Lower Centerville Diversion Dam and Canal......................................... A-6 4.2 Upper Centerville Canal......................................................................... A-6 4.3 Centerville Powerhouse.......................................................................... A-6 5.0 Proposed Project Facilities.................................................................................. A-7 5.1 Proposed Facilities.................................................................................. A-7 5.2 Proposed changes in the FERC Project Boundary.................................. A-7 6.0 Lands of the United States .................................................................................. A-7 7.0 Project Facility Photos ........................................................................................ A-8 7.1 Toadtown Development.......................................................................... A-8 7.2 DeSabla Development ............................................................................ A-9 7.3 Centerville Development ...................................................................... A-10 B. PROJECT OPERATIONS AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION 1.0 Overview of DeSabla-Centerville Hydro Operations..........................................B-1 1.1 Historical Overview.................................................................................B-1 1.2 Current Operation....................................................................................B-1 Table of Contents License Application October 2007 Page ii ©2007, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Pacific Gas and Electric Company DeSabla-Centerville Project FERC Project No. 803 TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Section & Description Page 2.0 Hydrology............................................................................................................B-4 2.1 Butte Creek..............................................................................................B-4 2.2 West Branch Feather River......................................................................B-4 2.3 In-Basin Transfers....................................................................................B-4 2.4 Out-of-basin Transfers.............................................................................B-5 2.5 Typical Wet, Normal, Dry and Critically Dry Years...............................B-5 2.6 Hydrologic Record...................................................................................B-8 2.6.1 Project Regulated Hydrology.......................................................B-8 2.6.2 Project Unimpaired Hydrology..................................................B-15 3.0 Project Operation in Typical Seasons................................................................B-22 3.1 Reservoir Operation...............................................................................B-25 3.2 Powerhouse Operation...........................................................................B-25 3.3 Operations Planning...............................................................................B-25 3.4 Hydraulic Operation of the Project........................................................B-25 3.5 Gate Operation, Maintenance, Inspection and Access...........................B-26 3.6 Project Access ......................................................................................B-26 4.0 Project Operations in Mean, Adverse, and High Water Years ..........................B-27 5.0 Project Operations By Development .................................................................B-28 5.1 Toadtown Development.........................................................................B-28 5.2 DeSabla Development ...........................................................................B-46 5.3 Centerville Development .......................................................................B-58 6.0 Use of Project Power ......................................................................................B-69 7.0 Proposed Project Operation ...............................................................................B-70 8.0 Potential for Future Development or Enhancement...........................................B-70 C. PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION 1.0 Construction History of Existing Structures and Facilities..................................C-1