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1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program |
| Council document 94-55 | |
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7.9 Pursue Subbasin Water Projects
7.9A Willamette Subbasin
Corps of Engineers
7.9A.1 Complete investigation of the feasibility of installing devices to control the temperature of the water discharged from Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River by March 31, 1996. The Corps should report progress to the Council annually and should make recommendations to the Council at the conclusion of the study.
7.9A.2 Complete investigation of the feasibility of installing devices to control the temperature of water discharged from Cougar and Blue River dams in the McKenzie River Basin by March 31, 1995. The feasibility study should include an evaluation of non-structural alternatives, such as modification of existing project operating rule curves, in combination with various temperature control devices to restore downstream water temperatures to near pre-project conditions. The Corps should report progress to the Council every six months and should make recommendations to the Council at the conclusion of the study.
Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Fishery Managers
7.9A.3 Immediately begin consultations to develop a storage agreement to ensure minimum flows necessary to protect salmon and steelhead below Willamette River projects.
7.9A.4 Continue studies to establish flow guidelines for the spawning, incubation and rearing of salmon and steelhead in the Willamette Basin.
7.9A.5 Based on the results of the required studies, propose to the Council flow guidelines to be incorporated into the operation of dams in the Willamette Basin.
7.9A.6 Upon approval by the Council of flow guidelines for federal hydropower projects in the Willamette Basin, operate federal projects in accordance with those guidelines. In the meantime, meet minimum flows established annually by the state natural resource agencies in consultation with the Corps of Engineers. In setting minimum flows, consider needs for water volume in the estuary for fish and wildlife.
7.9A.7 The Corps of Engineers should annually report the results of the studies in 7.9A.4 to the Council.
Eugene Water and Electric Board
7.9A.8 Subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Council approval, fund a study of the lower McKenzie River to determine the flows required for the spawning, incubation and rearing of salmon and steelhead.
7.9B Umatilla Subbasin
Bonneville
7.9B.1 Provide power or reimbursement for power costs to Bureau of Reclamation pumping plants designed to exchange Columbia River water for Umatilla River water, so long as the exchange is administered in accordance with federal and state laws, the permit issued pursuant to Application 71293, the transfer order issued pursuant to Application T6621E, and memoranda of agreement resulting from the Contested Case Proceeding on Protested Water Applications 71293 and T6621E.
Bureau of Reclamation
7.9B.2 Use the 6,000 acre-feet of storage in McKay Reservoir, which is not contracted on a long-term basis, to enhance Umatilla River flows for anadromous fish, in cooperation with the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes.
Federal Project Operators and Regulators
7.9B.3 If new reservoirs are constructed for additional storage, the federal project operators and regulators should propose dedicating a specific portion of storage necessary for the achievement of flows to protect, mitigate and enhance fish and wildlife.
Bonneville
7.9B.4 Provide power or reimbursement for power costs to Bureau of Reclamation pumping plants designed to exchange Columbia River water for Umatilla River water.
Bureau of Reclamation
7.9B.5 Obtain consent from all affected water users and regulators, and provide assurance to the Council that water exchanged to augment streamflows will be used to meet annual flow objectives established by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation of Oregon.
Oregon Water Resources Department
7.9B.6 Report annually to the Council regarding the amount of water provided by pumping, the amount of exchanged water and the disposition of the exchanged water. In describing the disposition of exchanged water, the report should indicate how much exchanged water is: 1) lost to evaporation, ground water, and other natural causes; 2) diverted for out-of-stream uses, and of this diverted water, the extent and timing of return flows; and 3) left instream without loss or diversion. If any of this information cannot be provided because of the problems in monitoring or otherwise, the report should discuss whether and how monitoring problems could be solved. Report to the Council regarding the establishment of a water right for enhanced instream flows resulting from the pumping exchange.
Bureau of Reclamation
7.9B.7 Fund Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Umatilla tribe's quantitative monitoring and evaluation studies to determine the biological effectiveness of this measure.
Bonneville
7.9B.8 Pending installation of Bureau of Reclamation pumping plants, provide power or reimbursement for power costs associated with interim pumping for anadromous fish as proposed by the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority.
Oregon Water Resources Department
7.9B.9 Report to the Council annually on interim pumping, as in Section 7.9B.6, the long-term pumping measure.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
7.9B.10 Monitor and qualitatively evaluate the biological benefits of interim pumping, and file a report with the Council and Bonneville annually.
Bureau of Reclamation
7.9B.11 Beginning in 1989, fund state fish and wildlife agency and tribal quantitative monitoring and evaluation studies to determine the biological effectiveness of interim and long-term pumping.
Bureau of Reclamation, Bonneville, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Oregon Water Resources Department
7.9B.12 Jointly develop a monitoring and evaluation workplan that: 1) coordinates monitoring and evaluation activities; and 2) identifies administrative and funding commitments.
7.9C Grande Ronde Subbasin
Water temperature problems throughout the Columbia Basin signal the need to gain experience in solving this problem in an important area such as the Grande Ronde Subbasin.
Environmental Protection Agency and Other Entities
7.9C.1 Coordinate design of a demonstration project to evaluate and address water temperature problems in the Grande Ronde Subbasin. Work cooperatively with all relevant entities including model watershed project participants. Complete project design and submit it to the Council by April 15, 1993. After Council approval of the project design, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Council and other relevant entities secure funding through appropriate sources to implement study plan.
7.9D Lewis Subbasin
PacifiCorp
7.9D.1 Subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval, develop a flow plan in consultation with the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes and the Washington Department of Ecology for the spawning, incubation and rearing of salmon and steelhead below Merwin Dam on the north fork of the Lewis River. Upon approval by the Council and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the flow plan will become a part of this program.