PRE-APPLICATION DOCUMENT NUYAKUK RIVER HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT FERC NO. 14873 Submitted by: Nushagak Electric & Telephone Cooperative, Inc. P.O. Box 350 Dillingham, AK 99576 September 2019 Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 14873 Pre-Application Document TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... ix 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 2.0 PROCESS PLAN AND SCHEDULE (18 CFR §5.6 (D)(1)) ............................................. 5 2.1 Integrated Licensing Process .................................................................................. 5 2.2 Authorized Agent .................................................................................................... 5 2.3 Proposed Communications Protocol ....................................................................... 7 2.3.1 Contact Lists ............................................................................................... 7 2.3.2 Document Distribution................................................................................ 7 2.3.3 Sensitive Information .................................................................................. 8 2.3.4 Meetings ...................................................................................................... 8 3.0 PROJECT LOCATION, FACILITIES, AND OPERATION (18 CFR §5.6 (D)(2)) ......... 9 3.1 Project Location ...................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Project Lands .......................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Project Facilities.................................................................................................... 23 3.3.1 Summary of Project Features .................................................................... 24 3.3.2 Nuyakuk Falls Diversion & Intake ........................................................... 26 3.3.3 Conveyance Tunnels to Powerhouse ........................................................ 27 3.3.4 Trifurcation to Turbine Units .................................................................... 27 3.3.5 Powerhouse ............................................................................................... 28 3.3.6 Tailrace ..................................................................................................... 28 3.3.7 Switchyard / Transmission Line/Switchyard ............................................ 28 3.3.8 Proposed Construction and Development Schedule ........................ 29 3.4 Project Operation .................................................................................................. 29 3.4.1 Proposed Project Operations ..................................................................... 29 3.4.2 Project Capacity and Production ............................................................... 31 4.0 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE IMPACTS (18 CFR §5.6 (D)(3)) .............................................................................................................. 32 4.1 General Description of the River Basin ................................................................ 32 4.1.1 Topography ............................................................................................... 32 4.1.2 Climate ...................................................................................................... 34 Nushagak Cooperative, Inc. i September 2019 Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 14873 Pre-Application Document 4.2 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................. 34 4.2.1 Geology ..................................................................................................... 34 4.2.2 Soils........................................................................................................... 35 4.2.3 Seismicity .................................................................................................. 39 4.2.4 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 41 4.3 Water Resources ................................................................................................... 41 4.3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................... 41 4.3.2 Drainage Basin Hydrology ....................................................................... 41 4.3.3 Water Uses ................................................................................................ 42 4.3.4 Historical Water Quality Data .................................................................. 43 4.3.5 Current Water Quality Data ...................................................................... 47 4.3.6 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 48 4.4 Fish and Aquatic Resources .................................................................................. 49 4.4.1 Fish and Aquatic Resources Overview ..................................................... 49 4.4.2 Invasive Fish and Aquatic Species ........................................................... 53 4.4.3 Federal and State Designated Habitats ..................................................... 54 4.4.4 Aquatic, Fish, and Riparian Habitat .......................................................... 54 4.4.5 Instream Flows .......................................................................................... 56 4.4.6 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 57 4.5 Wildlife and Botanical Resources ......................................................................... 58 4.5.1 Wildlife Resources .................................................................................... 58 4.5.2 Botanical Resources and Habitat Types ................................................... 77 4.5.3 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 81 4.6 Wetlands, Riparian and Littoral Habitat ............................................................... 82 4.6.1 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 84 4.7 Threatened, and Endangered Species ................................................................... 85 4.7.1 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 85 4.8 Recreation and Land Use ...................................................................................... 85 4.8.1 Current Recreational Use of the Project Vicinity and Region .................. 87 4.8.2 Recreation Needs and Management Goals ............................................... 89 4.8.3 Non-Recreational Land Use and Management ......................................... 92 4.8.4 Protected River Segments ......................................................................... 93 Nushagak Cooperative, Inc. ii September 2019 Nuyakuk River Hydroelectric Project FERC No. 14873 Pre-Application Document 4.8.5 National Trails System and Wilderness Areas.......................................... 93 4.8.6 Shoreline Buffer Zones ............................................................................. 93 4.8.7 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 93 4.9 Aesthetics and Visual Resources .......................................................................... 94 4.9.1 Potential Adverse Effects .......................................................................... 94 4.10 Cultural and Tribal Resources .............................................................................. 95 4.10.1 Applicable Laws and Regulations ............................................................ 97 4.10.2 Ethnographic and Historical Overview ..................................................... 98 4.10.3 Cultural Resources in the Project Vicinity.............................................. 101 4.10.4 Potential Adverse Effects ........................................................................ 102 4.11 Socioeconomic Resources .................................................................................. 102 4.11.1 General Land Use Patterns...................................................................... 102 4.11.2 Demographics ......................................................................................... 105 4.11.3 Industry and Employment ....................................................................... 106 4.11.4 Electricity ................................................................................................ 108 4.11.5 Potential Adverse Effects ........................................................................ 108 5.0 PRELIMINARY ISSUES AND STUDIES LIST (18 CFR § 5.6 (D)(4)) ...................... 108 5.1 Issues Pertaining to the Identified Resources ..................................................... 109 5.2 Potential Studies or