DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AMENDMENT OF PROJECT LICENSE TO RECONSTRUCT THE LAKE OROVILLE MAIN SPILLWAY, MODIFY THE EMERGENCY SPILLWAY, AND TO RELOCATE A PROJECT TRANSMISSION LINE FEATHER RIVER HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT FERC No. 2100 California Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of Energy Projects Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance 888 First Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20426 November 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................... v ACRONYMS ...................................................................................................................... vi 1.0. APPLICATION ......................................................................................................... 1 2.0 PURPOSE OF ACTION ........................................................................................... 1 3.0. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................... 2 3.1 Feather River Project Description .......................................................................... 3 3.3 Initial Response Actions ........................................................................................ 6 4.0 PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ...................................................... 9 4.1 Action Alternatives ................................................................................................ 9 4.2 Proposed Action ................................................................................................... 10 4.2.1 Initial Response Actions ............................................................................... 10 4.2.2 Recovery Actions .......................................................................................... 16 4.2.3 Supporting Facilities ..................................................................................... 21 4.2.4 Schedule ........................................................................................................ 25 4.3 No-Action Alternative ......................................................................................... 25 5.0 STATUTORY COMPLIANCE AND CONSULTATION .................................... 25 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ......................................................................... 31 6.1. Scope of the Analysis ........................................................................................... 31 6.2 General Description of the Project Area .............................................................. 32 6.3 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................ 33 6.3.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 33 6.3.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 33 6.3.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 36 6.4 Water Quantity and Flow ..................................................................................... 36 6.4.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 36 6.4.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 38 6.4.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 41 6.5 Water Quality ....................................................................................................... 41 ii 6.5.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 41 6.5.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 43 6.5.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 51 6.6 Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ......................................................................... 51 6.6.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 51 6.6.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 54 6.6.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 63 6.7 Terrestrial Resources ............................................................................................ 64 6.7.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 64 6.7.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 69 6.7.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 71 6.8 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................... 73 6.8.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 73 6.8.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 77 6.8.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 81 6.9 Cultural and Historic Resources .......................................................................... 83 6.9.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 83 6.9.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................... 88 6.9.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................ 97 6.10 Recreation ............................................................................................................ 97 6.10.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................... 97 6.10.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................. 101 6.10.3 Staff Recommendations .............................................................................. 107 6.11 Aesthetics ........................................................................................................... 109 6.11.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................. 109 6.11.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................. 109 6.11.3 Staff Recommendations ................................................................................. 110 6.12 Air Quality ......................................................................................................... 111 6.12.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................. 111 iii 6.12.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................. 111 6.12.3 Staff Recommendations .............................................................................. 113 6.13 Transportation .................................................................................................... 114 6.13.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................. 114 6.13.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................. 114 6.13.3 Staff Recommendations .............................................................................. 119 6.14 Noise .................................................................................................................. 119 6.14.1 Affected Environment ................................................................................. 119 6.14.2 Environmental Effects ................................................................................. 120 6.14.3 Staff Recommendations .............................................................................. 121 6.15 Cumulative Impacts ........................................................................................... 121 7.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................ 123 7.1 Comprehensive Development and Staff-Recommended Measures ................... 123 7.1.1 Staff-Recommended Measures ................................................................... 123 7.2 Consistency with Comprehensive Plans ............................................................ 127 8.0 FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ....................................................... 128 9.0 LITERATURE CITED .......................................................................................... 129 10.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ......................................................................................... 132 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location Map of the Feather River Hydroelectric Project (source: FERC 2007) ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Figure 2. Transmission lines in the vicinity of Oroville Dam and spillways (source: Commission staff) .............................................................................................................