20160531-5268 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 5/31/2016 7:51:12 AM McKay Dam Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 14546 Preliminary Application Document (PAD) Houtama Hydropower LLC May, 2016 20160531-5268 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 5/31/2016 7:51:12 AM Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 PROPOSED PROJECT FACILITIES AND BOUNDARY ................................................. 1-2 1.3 AGENTS FOR THE LICENSEE .......................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 PRELIMINARY APPLICATION DOCUMENT (“PAD”) CONTENT .............................. 1-4 2.0 PROCESS PLAN AND SCHEDULE 2.1 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 2-1 3.0 PROPOSED COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOLS 3.1 GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS ...................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 TELEPHONE ............................................................................................................... 3-1 3.3 EMAIL AND WEBSITES .................................................................................................... 3-1 3.4 MEETINGS ............................................................................................................... 3-1 3.5 DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................... 3-2 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT LOCATION, FACILITIES AND OPERATION 4.1 PROJECT LOCATION ........................................................................................................ 4-1 4.2 PROJECT BOUNDARY ...................................................................................................... 4-1 4.3 PROJECT FACILITIES ........................................................................................................ 4-3 4.4 ENERGY PRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 4-6 4.5 POWER TRANSMISSION LINE ........................................................................................ 4-7 4.6 PROJECT OPERATION AND SAFETY PROCEDURES .................................................. 4-7 4.7 OTHER PROJECT INFORMATION ................................................................................... 4-7 4.8 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 4-12 5.0 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE EFFECTS ......................... 5-1 5.1 RIVER BASIN ............................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 GEOLOGY & SOILS ........................................................................................................... 5-5 5.3 WATER RESOURCES ......................................................................................................... 5-6 5.4 FISH AND AQUATIC RESOURCES................................................................................ 5-14 5.5 WILDLIFE RESOURCES .................................................................................................. 5-21 5.6 BOTANICAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................. 5-22 5.7 WETLANDS, RIPARIAN, AND LITTORAL HABITAT ................................................ 5-24 5.8 THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES ......................... 5-25 5.9 RECREATION AND LAND USE ..................................................................................... 5-39 5.10 AESTHETIC RESOURCES ............................................................................................... 5-39 5.11 CULTURAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................... 5-40 5.12 SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESOURCES .................................................................................. 5-40 6.0 ISSUES, INFORMATION NEEDS, AND MITIGATION ............................................................... 6-1 6.1 PRELIMINARY ISSUES AND INFORMATION NEEDS BY RESOURCE ..................... 6-1 6.2 GEOLOGY AND SOILS ...................................................................................................... 6-1 6.3 WATER RESOURCES ......................................................................................................... 6-2 6.4 FISH AND AQUATIC RESOURCES.................................................................................. 6-2 6.5 WILDLIFE RESOURCES .................................................................................................... 6-4 McKay Dam Project Number 14546 Houtama Hydropower LLC May, 2016 Page i 20160531-5268 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 5/31/2016 7:51:12 AM 6.6 BOTANICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 6-4 6.7 WETLANDS, RIPARIAN AND LITTORAL HABITAT ................................................... 6-4 6.8 THREATENED, ENDANGERED, AND SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES ........................... 6-5 6.9 RECREATION AND LAND USE ....................................................................................... 6-5 6.10 AESTHETIC RESOURCES AND IMPACT TO NEIGHBORS ......................................... 6-5 6.11 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................. 6-6 6.12 SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESOURCES .................................................................................... 6-6 Appendices Appendix A contains an agency and stakeholder distribution list [18 CFR § 5.6(d)(5)] and the documentation of agency and stakeholder consultation [18 CFR § 5.6(d)(5)]. Appendix B contains the process plan and schedule for application for an original license for the proposed Project [18 CFR §5.6.(d)(1)]. Appendix C contains the electrical one-line diagram and engineering drawings depicting the facilities of the proposed Project. The proposed project boundary map [18 CFR 5.6 (d)(2)] and the Flow Duration Curves [18 CFR § 5.6 (d)(3)] are in Section 4. Appendix D contains a list of the literature, information, and data sources cited in the descriptions and summaries of existing resource data in the PAD [18 CFR § 5.6 (c)(2)]. List of Figures Figure 1-1 Project Location ...................................................................................................... 1-3 Figure 2-1 Traditional Licensing Process ................................................................................. 2-2 Figure 4-1 McKay Dam-Image Courtesy Of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ............................ 4-2 Figure 4-2 Project Boundary and Layout ................................................................................. 4-3 Figure 4-3 Project Layout, Pubic Land Survey System ........................................................... 4-8 Figure 4-4 Project Boundary Map ............................................................................................ 4-9 Figure 4-5 Average Daily Flow in McKay Creek Below McKay Dam & Average Daily Elevations of McKay Reservoir ......................................................................... 4-10 Figure 4-6 Flow Exceedance Curve-McKay Creek Below McKay Dam (1970-2014) ......... 4-11 Figure 5-1 Diversion Dams on the Lower Umatilla River ...................................................... 5-4 Figure 5-2 Soil Map in the Project Vicinity ............................................................................. 5-7 Figure 5-3 McKay Reservoir Watershed .................................................................................. 5-9 Figure 5-4 USGS Streamstats Basin Characteristics .............................................................. 5-11 McKay Dam Project Number 14546 Houtama Hydropower LLC May, 2016 Page ii 20160531-5268 FERC PDF (Unofficial) 5/31/2016 7:51:12 AM List of Tables Table 4-1 Existing Hydrologic and Physical Data for McKay Dam and Reservoir ............... 4-4 Table 4-2 Specifications for the Proposed Single Turbine/Generator Unit ............................ 4-6 Table 4-3 Average Annual Energy and Dependable Capacity ................................................ 4-6 Table 4-4 Summary of Physical Characteristics and Hydrology of McKay Reservoir .......... 4-7 Table 5-1 Flows (CFS) From McKay Dam, Average Data 1974-2015 ................................ 5-10 Table 5-2 Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen Standards Applicable to the Project Reach of McKay Creek 5-13 Table 5-3 Turbine Related Fish Mortality: Review & Evaluation of Studies ....................... 5-16 Table 5-4 McKay Creek Habitat Characterization ................................................................ 5-19 Table 5-5 Federally Listed Threatened, Endangered or Candidate Species That May Occur In The Project Vicinity .......................................................................................... 5-26 Table 5-6 Migratory Bird Species of Conservation Concern That May Occur in the Project Vicinity .................................................................................................... 5-32 Table 5-7 Summary On-Going McKay Reservoir and Fish Barrier Effects on Mid-Columbia Steelhead .................................................................................................... 5-37 McKay Dam Project Number 14546 Houtama Hydropower LLC May, 2016