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Home My WebLink About03.12.20 Email from FERC - Supplemental_Additional Information submitted in FERC P-2107-000 by California State Water Resources Control Board,et al. From:Schuman, Amy To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra;McCracken, Shari;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug Subject:FW: Supplemental/Additional Information submitted in FERC P-2107-000 by California State Water Resources Control Board,et al. Date:Thursday, March 12, 2020 4:03:28 PM Good afternoon, Please see the following email from FERC. Amy Schuman Associate Clerk of the Board Butte County Administration 25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965 T: 530.552.3308 | F: 530.538.7120 Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest -----Original Message----- From: 'FERC eSubscription' <eSubscription@ferc.gov> Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 8:41 AM Subject: Supplemental/Additional Information submitted in FERC P-2107-000 by California State Water Resources Control Board,et al. .ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening attachments, clicking on links, or replying.. On 3/10/2020, the following Filing was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Washington D.C.: Filer: California State Water Resources Control Board State Water Resources Control Board (CA) (as Agent) Docket(s): P-2107-000 Lead Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company Filing Type: Supplemental/Additional Information Description: Supplemental Information of California State Water Resources Control Board under P-2107. To view the document for this Filing, click here https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://elibrary.FERC.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?accession_num=20200310- 5052__;!!KNMwiTCp4spf!U3v3RBLsBAq3YdkaM0PGH_FGKfwYcP0IpzAdLJ6vw2eqdHskCbhSoRuN5I-QruDkJ-nOux3aveg$ To modify your subscriptions, click here: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ferconline.ferc.gov/eSubscription.aspx__;!!KNMwiTCp4spf!U3v3RBLsBAq3YdkaM0PGH_FGKfwYcP0IpzAdLJ6vw2eqdHskCbhSoRuN5I- QruDkJ-nOy8b641U$ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please do not respond to this email. Online help is available here: https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.ferc.gov/efiling-help.asp__;!!KNMwiTCp4spf!U3v3RBLsBAq3YdkaM0PGH_FGKfwYcP0IpzAdLJ6vw2eqdHskCbhSoRuN5I- QruDkJ-nO1P8iVBk$ or for phone support, call 866-208-3676. State Water Resources Control Board MAR 06, 2020 Mr. Steven Bauman, P.E. Senior Relicensing Project Manager Mail Code N11D P.O. Box 770000 San Francisco, CA 94177 sjb2@pge.com Poe Hydroelectric Project Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 2107 Butte County North Fork Feather River SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF RECREATION TECHNICAL REVIEW GROUP MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, STREAMFLOW GAGING PLAN, FISH AND BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATE MONITORING PLAN, RIPARIAN MONITORING PLAN, AND TRIBUTARY ACCESS PLAN Dear Mr. Bauman, On December 29, 2017, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) issued a water quality certification (certification) for the Pacific Gas and Electric PG&E to develop a memorandum of understanding and management plans for review and approval by the Deputy Director of the Division of Water Rights (Deputy Director). PG&E submitted the following documents for Deputy Director review and approval, as noted below (listed in order of applicable condition number): 1) Recreation Technical Review Group Memorandum of Understanding (Condition 6, Recreational Flows; submitted November 5, 2019); 2) Gaging Plan (Condition 7, Gaging Maintenance; submitted November 22, 2019); 3) Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Plan (Condition 9, Poe Bypass Reach Biological Monitoring; submitted November 5, 2019); 4) Riparian Monitoring Plan (Condition 11, Riparian Monitoring; submitted December 19, 2019); and 5) Tributary Access Plan (Condition 13, Tributary Access; submitted December 18, 2019). Mr. Steven Bauman-2-MAR 06, 2020 Recreation Technical Review Group Memorandum of Understanding Condition 6 requires PG&E to establish a Recreation Technical Review Group (RTRG) and develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between United States Forest Service (Forest Service), United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), American Whitewater, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Butte County, Plumas County, and PG&E. The goal of the RTRG is to develop a schedule for releasing 6,000 acre-feet of recreation flows in the Poe bypass reach in normal and wet water years when biological monitoring indicates flows will not impact foothill yellow-legged frogs. The MOU establishes the participant roles and a process for dispute resolution. PG&E circulated the MOU for signature on July 25, 2019; all signatory parties signed the MOU by October 23, 2019. Gaging Plan Condition 7 requires PG&E to develop a Gaging Plan. The purpose of the Gaging Plan is to outline how PG&E will document compliance with streamflow requirements and provide streamflow data to the public. The Gaging Plan includes Project gage information, streamflow data quality assurance and quality control methods, and streamflow data storage and availability. PG&E received concurrence on the Gaging Plan from the Forest Service and CDFW on November 20, 2019. Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Plan Condition 9 requires PG&E to develop a biological monitoring plan for fish, benthic macroinvertebrates, and amphibians in consultation with State Water Board staff, Forest Service, CDFW, and USFWS. During early consultation, PG&E and the consulting agencies agreed to develop two plans to meet this requirement: a Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring Plan (Fish and BMI Plan); and an Amphibian Monitoring Plan. The Fish and BMI Plan includes survey methods, reporting requirements, and procedures for updating the Fish and BMI Plan, if necessary. PG&E received concurrence from USFWS and CDFW on October 15, 2019, and Forest Service approval on December 6, 2019. Riparian Monitoring Plan Condition 11 requires PG&E to develop the Riparian Monitoring Plan in consultation with State Water Board staff and the Forest Service. The purpose of the Riparian Monitoring Plan is to determine how minimum instream flows in the new license affect riparian vegetation in the Poe bypass reach. The Riparian Monitoring Plan includes survey methods, methods to analyze riparian vegetation data in the context of recent and historic flow regimes, and procedures for updating the Riparian Monitoring Plan, if necessary. PG&E received concurrence from the Forest Service on December 4, 2019. Mr. Steven Bauman-3-MAR 06, 2020 PG&E plans to conduct baseline riparian monitoring no later than October of 2020 if it receives timely approval of the plan by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Tributary Access Plan Condition 13 requires PG&E to develop a Tributary Access Plan in consultation with State Water Board staff, the Forest Service, CDFW, and USFWS. The purpose of the Tributary Access Plan is to determine if minimum instream flows in the new license affect rainbow trout access to Flea Valley Creek and Mill Creek. The Tributary Access Plan includes methods to analyze connectivity, reporting to agencies, and development of long-term monitoring protocols, if necessary. PG&E received concurrence from CDFW on December 5, 2019, and USFWS on December 10, 2019. Forest Service review and approval of the Tributary Access Plan is pending. Memorandum of Understanding and Management Plans Approval State Water Board staff reviewed the RTRG MOU, Gaging Plan, Fish and BMI Plan, Riparian Monitoring Plan, and Tributary Access Plan and find that they comply with Condition 6, Condition 7, Condition 9, Condition 11, and Condition 13, respectively, of the certification. The RTRG MOU, Gaging Plan, Fish and BMI Plan, Riparian Monitoring Plan, and Tributary Access Plan are hereby approved. PG&E shall implement the approved RTRG MOU, Gaging Plan, Fish and BMI Plan, Riparian Monitoring Plan, and Tributary Access Plan throughout the term of the FERC license and any extensions. Any revisions to the RTRG MOU, Gaging Plan, Fish and BMI Plan, Riparian Monitoring Plan, or Tributary Access Plan must be approved by the Deputy Director and filed with FERC prior to implementation. If you have questions regarding this letter please contact Savannah Downey, Project Manager, by email at Savannah.Downey@waterboards.ca.gov or by phone at (916) 322-1585. Written correspondence should be directed to: State Water Resources Control Board Division of Water Rights Water Quality Certification Program Attn: Savannah Downey P.O. Box 2000 Sacramento, CA 95812-2000 Sincerely, ORIGINAL SIGNED BY Erik Ekdahl, Deputy Director Division of Water Rights cc: On next page. Mr. Steven Bauman-4-MAR 06, 2020 cc: Mr. Patrick Pulupa, Executive Officer Mr. Paul Gosselin, Director Central Valley Regional Water Quality Butte County Department of Water and Control Board Resource Conservation 11020 Sun Center Drive, #200 308 Nelson Avenue Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 Oroville, CA 95965 Mr. Randy Wilson, Planning Director Plumas County Planning and Building Services 555 Main Street Quincy, CA 95971 ec: Ms. Amy Lind, Forest Service Ms. Sarah Lose, CDFW Amy.Lind@usda.gov Sarah.Lose@wildlife.ca.gov Ms. Beth Lawson, CDFW Ms. Leigh Bartoo, USFWS Beth.Lawson@wildlife.gov Aondrea_Bartoo@fws.gov Mr. Dave Steindorf, American Mr. Chris Shutes, California Sportfishing Whitewater Protection Alliance Dave@americanwhitewater.org blancapaloma@msn.com