August 2005 Chelan County PUD RELICENSING UPDATE IN THIS ISSUE: Settlement discussions for Rocky Reach relicensing ..........1 Lake Chelan Dam still awaits biological opinion..............4 Lake Chelan Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project Hydroelectric Project Settlement discussions for Rocky Reach relicensing flow into summer The Federal Energy project operations or make Regulatory Commission recommendations about (FERC) is currently preparing how Chelan County PUD a draft environmental should protect, mitigate or assessment of the license enhance resources affected application Chelan County by the project. Tribal PUD submitted in June, representatives, local agencies, 2004. In the meantime, the the City of Entiat and local utility continues to meet interested parties are also with a “Settlement Group” active Settlement Group of stakeholders who hope members. to propose a comprehensive The purpose of the settlement agreement to settlement process is to FERC before the end of this more effectively address year. issues which otherwise may During relicensing, a project result in legal challenge. Chelan PUD biologists Jeff Osborn (left) and Steve Hays is evaluated by FERC on the Resolving issues directly with (right) discuss the Bull Trout Management Plan with U.S. basis of how power and non- stakeholders allows local Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Steve Lewis (center). power uses of the affected solutions to prevail, rather water resource (i.e. the Rocky than awaiting decisions PMEs will be used by (for details on water quality Reach Reservoir) will be from Washington, D.C. FERC to develop license issues, see the March, 2005 managed for the next 30-50 Ultimately, a comprehensive articles, which will become Relicensing Update on years. Since licenses are settlement package would a compliance requirement Chelan PUD’s Web site). long, the relicensing process include “protection, for operating the dam in Please note that negotiations can also require significant mitigation and enhancement the future. The settlement are still underway and all time before agreement can measures” or “PMEs” to must be signed and FERC agreements are tentative until be reached with parties that address ongoing project- must approve the new license a final package is signed. have an interest in river related impacts to shoreline before any measures can be Under the current proposal, management. erosion, water quality, bull implemented. Chelan County PUD would The Settlement Group trout, pacific lamprey, white What follows are highlights do the following: includes federal and state sturgeon, resident fish, from the draft PMEs that agencies that can impose wildlife, cultural resources are currently being discussed mandatory conditions on and recreation. by the Settlement Group continued on page 2 SETTLEMENT DISCUSSION FOR ROCKY REACH continued from page 1 2 Erosion (proposed) and habitat utilization. to facilitate lamprey passage; control program; • Demonstrate erosion Bull Trout (proposed) • Conduct radio telemetry • Implement a noxious control techniques at four • Continue operating monitoring; weed control program to erosion sites accessible to the existing upstream fishway • Monitor juvenile lamprey protect Ute ladies’ tresses; public; and downstream passage impingement; • Funding for regular • Distribute information facilities; • Participate in regional Spiranthes surveys and on erosion repair methods • Continue bull trout ladder research efforts; potential conservation to assist the public’s efforts counts; • Determine juvenile easements; to control shoreline erosion • Monitor upstream and lamprey abundance in the • Continued wildlife around the Reservoir; downstream bull trout Reservoir. surveys. • Monitor future shoreline passage using telemetry Resident Fish (proposed) Cultural Resources erosion. studies; • Continue to fund a fish (proposed) White Sturgeon (proposed) • Identify and implement rearing program to stock • Adhere to consulting and • Prepare a brood stock reasonable and feasible rainbow trout or other fish permitting requirements in collection plan and, if options to modify passage species; cultural resources laws and feasible, begin brood stock facilities or operations to • Provide funding for regulations; collection in year two of the reduce any identified impacts habitat enhancement • Resurvey the area New License; on bull trout passage; projects; potentially affected by the • Implement a white • Participate in the U.S. • Conduct periodic Project for cultural resources sturgeon supplementation Fish and Wildlife Service Bull resident fish monitoring and every 15 years; program by releasing up Trout Recovery Plan; evaluation studies; • Follow protocols for to 6,500 yearling white • Consider collection of • Continue avian predator protecting inadvertently sturgeon into the Reservoir woody debris at Rocky Reach control and northern discovered cultural resources; each year for three years, with Dam for use in tributary pikeminnow control, • Evaluate new sites for subsequent annual release enhancements; including the annual fishing possible inclusion in the levels based on monitoring • Fund collection of bull derby; National Register of Historic results; trout tissue samples for • Implement reasonable and Places; • By year seven of the genetic analysis; feasible protection measures • Conduct site protection New License, determine • Participate in information to address adverse changes, measures for Historic a long-term source of exchanges with other entities if any, to resident fish species Properties; fish to continue the conducting bull trout attributable to Project • Maintain current supplementation; research. operations. information on site • Conduct index Pacific Lamprey (proposed) Wildlife (proposed) conditions through a monitoring to determine age- • Continue to provide • Provide funds for monitoring plan; class structure, survival rates, passage for adult and juvenile restoration, operation and • Develop a management growth rates, and identify Pacific lamprey through the maintenance of Chelan document for Traditional distribution and habitat existing upstream fishway Wildlife Area lands, Cultural Properties; selection of juvenile sturgeon; and downstream bypass; particularly lands formerly • Arrange for curation • Conduct tracking surveys • Conduct adult Pacific cultivated for agricultural use; to preserve the Project’s of juvenile white sturgeon to lamprey passage counts; • Provide funds, on a archaeological materials; determine emigration rates • Complete a literature matching basis, for habitat • Develop an integrated from the Reservoir; review of the effectiveness of improvements on US Bureau cultural resource information • Compile information upstream lamprey passage of Land Management and management system; on other white sturgeon measures implemented at USDA Forest Service lands; • Develop interpretive and supplementation programs in other Columbia River Basin • Protect riparian habitat public education programs; the region; and dams; with an easement on PUD • Appoint a Cultural • Track reproductively • Investigate, implement property in Sun Cove; Resources Coordinator. viable adult white sturgeon and evaluate reasonable and • Continue implementing to evaluate spawning activity feasible fishway modifications an integrated noxious weed continued on page 3 SETTLEMENT DISCUSSION FOR ROCKY REACH continued from page 2 3 Recreation (proposed) • Ensure continued operation and maintenance of the Rocky Reach Visitor Center and Park, Entiat Park, Chelan Falls/Powerhouse Parks, Beebe Bridge Park, Daroga State Park, Lincoln Rock State Park and the portion of Orondo Park owned by Chelan PUD; • Renovate and enhance Lincoln Rock State Park and Daroga State Park; • Complete a paved one mile trail from Lincoln Rock State Park to a fish by-pass viewing station approximately 300 feet downstream of Rocky Reach Dam; • Design and implement an irrigation system in Orondo A sampling of the documents that will make up the Rocky Reach Comprehensive Park; Settlement Agreement. • Design and implement operation and maintenance Program. posted to Chelan PUD’s web upgrades to Entiat Park; at Entiat Park; and convene Habitat Conservation Plan site as they are updated by upgrade the Entiat annual meetings with the • Continue implementing the Settlement Group during wastewater treatment plant community of Entiat; the Habitat Conservation negotiations. to accommodate usage of • Establish and implement Plan for the Rocky Reach For more information Park facilities; develop an a Recreation Enhancement Project under the new license on this proposal, see offsite ballfield; design and Fund; Further details on these the draft management construct Entiatqua Trail; • Complete a Recreation PMEs can be found in the plans for each resource trade-lease/purchase 17.85 Use Study in year 23 of the resource management plans at www.chelanpud. shoreline acres currently New License; which will be incorporated org/rr_relicense/rdocs/ owned by Chelan PUD • Develop and implement into the comprehensive mgmtplans/mgmt- to city of Entiat; partner a Recreation Resources settlement agreement. Drafts plans.htm. with the city of Entiat for Monitoring and Evaluation of these plans are being Lake Chelan Dam still awaits federal biological opinion Despite completing a Regulatory Commission’s submitted a license application Service, NOAA Fisheries, comprehensive settlement (FERC) licensing decision to FERC in 2002, parties to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agreement for a new long- remains