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05.20.2024 Board Correspondence - FW_ Environmental and Recreational Compliance Report submitted in FERC P-619-000 by Pacific Gas and Electric Company,et al.
From:Clerk of the Board To:Bennett, Robin; Clerk of the Board; Connelly, Bill; Cook, Holly; Cook, Robin; Durfee, Peter; Jessee, Meegan; Kimmelshue, Tod; Kitts, Melissa; Lee, Lewis; Pickett, Andy; Ritter, Tami; Stephens, Brad J.; Sweeney, Kathleen; Teeter, Doug; Zepeda, Elizabeth; Loeser, Kamie Cc:Nevers, Dawn Subject:Board Correspondence - FW: Environmental and Recreational Compliance Report submitted in FERC P-619-000 by Pacific Gas and Electric Company,et al. Date:Tuesday, May 21, 2024 2:26:03 PM Please see Board Correspondence - -----Original Message----- From: 'FERC eSubscription' <eSubscription@ferc.gov> Sent: Monday, May 20, 2024 1:36 PM Subject: Environmental and Recreational Compliance Report submitted in FERC P-619-000 by Pacific Gas and Electric Company,et al. .ATTENTION: This message originated from outside Butte County. Please exercise judgment before opening attachments, clicking on links, or replying.. On 5/20/2024, the following Filing was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Washington D.C.: Filer: Pacific Gas and Electric Company No Organization Found (as Agent) Docket(s): P-619-000 Lead Applicant: Pacific Gas and Electric Company Filing Type: Environmental and Recreational Compliance Report Description: Pacific Gas and Electric Company submits 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report re the Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project under P-619. To view the document for this Filing, click here https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20240520- 5197__;!!KNMwiTCp4spf!DJXxgRuUMn-vbuc26OmavecaFJnJLN2qxnDRouOvNZ4nglx3db4ouaH914a- 0kCtXvI_I2PDgER_ggkAFGLIkhFjxdXZiCe-mYt3$ To modify your subscriptions, click here: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://ferconline.ferc.gov/eSubscription.aspx__;!!KNMwiTCp4spf!DJXxgRuUMn- vbuc26OmavecaFJnJLN2qxnDRouOvNZ4nglx3db4ouaH914a- 0kCtXvI_I2PDgER_ggkAFGLIkhFjxdXZiFiGtKS8$ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please do not respond to this email. Online help is available here: https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.ferc.gov/efiling-help.asp__;!!KNMwiTCp4spf!DJXxgRuUMn- vbuc26OmavecaFJnJLN2qxnDRouOvNZ4nglx3db4ouaH914a- 0kCtXvI_I2PDgER_ggkAFGLIkhFjxdXZiLOuiHVe$ or for phone support, call 866-208-3676. Power Generation 300 Lakeside Drive Oakland, CA 94612 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 28209 Oakland, CA 94604 May 20, 2024 Via Electronic Submittal (E-File) Debbie-Anne Reese , Acting Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance 888 First Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20426 RE: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 619-CA 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Plan Report Dear Secretary Reese: This letter presents the 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report (Report) for Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) No. 619. FERC issued a new license for the Bucks Creek Project on June 16, 2022. License Article 401(a) requires the licensees to implement resource protection plans required by State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) conditions and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service’s (“Forest Service”) section 4(e) conditions with the Commission. WQC Condition 17 and Forest Service section 4(e) Condition No. 44 require the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management Plan. In accordance with the approved AIS Plan, PG&E began implementing the Plan in License Year 1 (2023), the first full calendar year after license issuance. PG&E provided a Draft Aquatic Invasive Species Report to the Forest Service, SWRCB, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and United States Fish and Wildlife Service by email on February 24 , 2024 . Over 60 days was allowed for review and comment. CDFW provided comments , a comment response matrix is included at Appendix C of the Report. No other comments were received. The final Report is provided in Enclosure 1 . Documentation of agency consultation is provided in Enclosure 2. For questions, please contact Jamie Visinoni, senior license coordinator for PG&E, at (530) 215-6676. Sincerely, Matthew Joseph Supervisor, Hydro License Management Enclosure: 1. 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Report , prepared by PG&E and dated 2024 cc: See Attached List Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Debbie-Anne Reese , Acting Secretary May 20, 2024 Page 2 cc: via email w/Enclosure Bryan Muro (SWRCB) – Bryan.muro@Waterboards.ca.gov Nathan Fisch (SWRCB) – Nathan.fisch@waterboards.ca.gov Leslie Edlund (Forest Service) – Leslie.edlund@usda.gov Erika Brenzovich (Forest Service) – Erika.brenzovich@usda.gov Kurt Sable (Forest Service) – Kurt.sable@usda.gov Dawn Alvarez (Forest Service) - Dawn.alvarez@usda.gov Leigh Bartoo (USFWS) - Aondrea_Bartoo@fws.gov Michael Maher (CDFW) – Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 ENCLOSURE 1 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY AND THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Final May 2024 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 This Page Intentionally Left Blank Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page i Table of Contents Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Background............................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Project Location and Feature Description ............................................................... 1-1 1.3 Purpose ..................................................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 Aquatic Invasive Species ......................................................................................... 1-2 SECTION 2.0 METHODS ................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Focal Species Monitoring ........................................................................................ 2-1 2.1.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussel Monitoring ............................... 2-1 2.1.2 Crayfish Monitoring................................................................................. 2-3 2.1.3 Other Focal AIS Monitoring .................................................................... 2-4 2.2 Incidental Observations ............................................................................................ 2-6 2.3 Data from online AIS databases .............................................................................. 2-7 SECTION 3.0 MONITORING RESULTS ......................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Focal Species Monitoring Results ........................................................................... 3-1 3.1.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussels ................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Crayfish .................................................................................................... 3-5 3.1.3 Other Focal Species ................................................................................. 3-5 3.1.4 Incidental Observations ........................................................................... 3-5 3.1.5 Aquatic Invasive Species Database Review ............................................ 3-8 SECTION 4.0 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussels ................................................................. 4-1 4.2 Crayfish .................................................................................................................... 4-1 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Table of Contents Page ii May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara 4.3 Other Focal Species .................................................................................................. 4-1 4.4 Variances from the Monitoring Plan ....................................................................... 4-2 4.4.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussels ................................................. 4-2 4.4.2 Crayfish .................................................................................................... 4-2 4.4.3 Other Focal Species ................................................................................. 4-2 SECTION 5.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................. 5-1 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page iii Table of Contents Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara LIST OF ATTACHMENTS Attachment A CDFW email to PG&E, November 7, 2022 Attachment B PG&E February 8, 2024 email to Resources Agencies re: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project - AIS notification Attachment C Response to Comments on Agency Review Draft Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Table of Contents Page iv May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Conditions of low, marginal, and high calcium (Ca) and pH that are Unable, Potentially Able, and Able to support dreissenid mussels (from Claudi and Prescott 2011), and vulnerability assessment/level of risk for waterbodies exhibiting described water quality characteristics. ....................... 2-2 Table 2. Risk-based dreissenid mussel monitoring schedule for Licensees’ lakes and reservoirs. ................................................................................................... 2-2 Table 3. Water quality parameters collected during quagga/zebra mussel monitoring. ........................................................................................................ 2-3 Table 4. Location of Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619) stream fish/crayfish monitoring sites, 2023. ................................................................. 2-3 Table 5. Location of Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619) benthic macroinvertebrate and monitoring sites and aquatic invasive species eDNA sample sites, 2023. ................................................................................. 2-5 Table 6. Locations of Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619) Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog/aquatic invasive species eDNA monitoring sites. .................................................................................................................. 2-6 Table 7. Calcium and pH measurements at Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, and Three Lakes, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619), 2023. ................. 3-1 Table 8. Bucks Lake Water Quality Profile, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619). ........................................................................................................... 3-2 Table 9. Lower Bucks Lake Water Quality Profile, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619). ............................................................................................... 3-3 Table 10. Grizzly Forebay Water Quality Profile, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619). ............................................................................................... 3-4 Table 11. Environmental DNA samples collected, total volume filtered, and detection results for aquatic invasive species at BMI monitoring sites, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619), 2023. ....................................... 3-6 Table 12. Environmental DNA samples collected, and total volume filtered, and detection results for Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and aquatic invasive species at Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog monitoring sites, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619), 2023. ....................................... 3-7 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page v Table of Contents Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 13. Non-indigenous species documented in the Milk Ranch Creek (including Three Lakes), Bucks Creek (including Bucks Lake and Lower Bucks Lake), and Grizzly Creek (including Grizzly Forebay) watersheds, Plumas Co., CA, from the USGS Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, February 6, 2024. ................................................................... 3-9 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Table of Contents Page vi May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara This Page Intentionally Left Blank Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 1-1 Section 1.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara SECTION 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the City of Santa Clara (City) received a new license for the Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 619) (Project) on June 16, 2022. The new license establishes the conditions under which the Project must be operated. Among those conditions is Article 401 which requires PG&E and the City to implement 13 management or monitoring plans, including the Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan (Plan) which is also required by the Water Quality Certification Condition 17 and US Forest Service Condition 44. Elements of this plan were filed with PG&E’s Final License Application on December 12, 2016 pending further consultation with the stakeholders, and the final Plan was submitted to FERC in a supplemental filing on September 20, 2019. This plan was approved by FERC in the new license. In accordance with the approved Plan, PG&E began implementing the Plan in License Year 1 (2023), the first full calendar year after license issuance. This report and its attachments document the results of the 2023 monitoring. 1.2 Project Location and Feature Description The Project is located entirely within Plumas County, California in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, approximately 17 miles (27 kilometers [km]) southwest of the community of Quincy. The Project consists of two developments that combined contain four dams, four reservoirs, two powerhouses, and associated facilities. The Bucks Creek Development was completed in 1928 and includes Lower and Middle Three Lakes, Lower Bucks Lake, Bucks Lake, Grizzly Forebay, and Bucks Powerhouse. The Grizzly Development, which was completed in 1993, added the Grizzly Tunnel and Grizzly Powerhouse to the Project. Bucks Lake Dam is located on Bucks Creek and impounds Bucks Lake. From Bucks Lake, the Project’s water flow is released immediately downstream into Lower Bucks Lake, which is impounded by Lower Bucks Dam. Three Lakes Dam impounds the flow of Milk Ranch Creek at Middle Lake and Lower Lake. These water bodies, along with Upper Lake, are hydraulically connected and collectively known as Three Lakes Reservoir. Milk Ranch Conduit conveys the Project’s water flow from Three Lakes Reservoir and feeder diversions to Lower Bucks Lake. The Grizzly Powerhouse Tunnel conveys the water flow from Lower Bucks Lake to Grizzly Powerhouse. The powerhouse discharges the flow into Grizzly Forebay, which is impounded by Grizzly Forebay Dam. From Grizzly Forebay, the Project’s water flow is conveyed through the Grizzly Forebay Tunnel to Bucks Creek Powerhouse, which discharges the Project’s water flow into the North Fork Feather River (NFFR), upstream of Rock Creek Powerhouse, part of PG&E’s Rock Creek-Cresta Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 1962). Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 1.0 Page 1-2 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara 1.3 Purpose This report documents the first year of a focused AIS monitoring program (including incidental observations during coordinated monitoring efforts) under the new FERC license for the Bucks Creek Project. The monitoring program, in part, is intended to ensure early detection of AIS. Any incidental observations of AIS encountered during field surveys will also be documented in the report. 1.4 Aquatic Invasive Species The FERC-approved Bucks Creek Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan included BMPs to prevent the introduction of AIS into Project-affected waters, and to provide early detection monitoring and monitoring for focal AIS populations. Focal AIS include species that occur or have the potential to be introduced into Project-affected waters within the Bucks Creek Project include: • Whirling Disease vector (Myxobolus cerebralis), • Ceratonova shasta, • Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, • Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, • Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, • Ranavirus (Frog virus 3), • quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis), • zebra mussels (D. polymorpha), • New Zealand mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), • Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), • signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), • virile crayfish (Orconectes virilus), • American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), • curly leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), • Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), • Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), • Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa), • parrot’s feather milfoil (Myriophyllum aquaticum), • water primrose (Ludwigia spp.), and • didymo (Didymosphenia geminata). Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 2-1 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara SECTION 2.0 Methods 2.1 Focal Species Monitoring This was the first year of AIS monitoring under the new license and, as such, quagga and zebra mussel monitoring consisted of water quality monitoring to determine the scope and frequency of future monitoring during the license term. Monitoring for crayfish and other focal species was implemented in parallel with other aquatic species monitoring for efficiency. In brief, the crayfish monitoring was conducted at the stream fish population monitoring sites and other focal species monitoring was implemented in parallel with benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) and Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog monitoring. 2.1.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussel Monitoring The type, location, and intensity of monitoring at each reservoir was determined in 2023 by the vulnerability assessment completed for the Project reservoirs (PG&E et al. 2019a). Using Project and local watershed data and the water quality thresholds for supporting dreissenid mussels examined by Claudi and Prescott (2011), the assessment will determine the vulnerability of Project reservoirs to infestation and monitoring schedule (Tables 1 and 2, respectively). Calcium samples were collected from the surface, mid-water, and bottom of each Project reservoir profile and sent to a laboratory for analysis (Table 3). Water quality profiles were collected in situ using a multiparameter probe (e.g., HYDROLAB) and include water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and conductivity (Table 3). The vulnerability to infestation for Project waterbodies is assessed as “High,” “Moderate,” “Low,” or “None” using water quality parameter thresholds (i.e., calcium concentration and pH) essential to supporting the survival of quagga and zebra mussels (Claudi and Prescott 2011). Based on this vulnerability, the scope and schedule of quagga and zebra (dreissenid) mussel monitoring was determined (Table 3-3). Monitoring may consist of surface surveys, artificial substrate monitoring, and/or plankton tow sampling utilizing the most current CDFW protocols (available online at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Quagga-Mussels). The monitoring schedule can vary from annual monthly monitoring June through September (High risk; Ca > 15 ppm [15 mg/L] and pH > 7.8) to every 10 years (risk rated as None; Ca ≤ 12 ppm [12 mg/L] and pH ≤ 7.3). Monitoring will be conducted at Project reservoirs where recreational, boating, or fishing activities are permitted, which includes Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, Grizzly Forebay, and Three Lakes. As appropriate, new water quality data for the Project will be reviewed as it becomes available. The vulnerability assessment may be updated using this information and/or any new scientific findings on the biological requirements and tolerances of quagga and zebra mussels. Any updates to the vulnerability assessment and quagga and zebra mussel monitoring updates will be provided in the annual AIS report to the Resources Agencies. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 1.0 Page 2-2 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 1. Conditions of low, marginal, and high calcium (Ca) and pH that are Unable, Potentially Able, and Able to support dreissenid mussels (from Claudi and Prescott 2011), and vulnerability assessment/level of risk for waterbodies exhibiting described water quality characteristics. pH Calcium Concentration Ca ≤ 12 mg/L 12 mg/L< Ca ≤ 15 mg/L Ca > 15 mg/L pH ≤ 7.3 Unable/ None Unable/ Low Unable/ Low 7.3 < pH ≤ 7.8 Unable/ Low Potentially Able/ Moderate Potentially Able/ Moderate pH > 7.8 Unable/ Low Potentially Able/ Moderate Able/ High Table 2. Risk-based dreissenid mussel monitoring schedule for Licensees’ lakes and reservoirs. Risk Parameters1 Periodicity Frequency Timing 1. High (Able to support dreissenid mussels) • Mussel monitoring − Surface − veliger − artificial substrate • WQ monitoring annual monthly • low elevation waters (<4,500 ft): Apr - Nov • high elevation waters (>4,500 ft): May- Oct 2. Moderate (Potentially Able to support dreissenid mussels) • Mussel monitoring − surface − veliger2 − artificial substrate • WQ monitoring every 2 years monthly • low elevation waters (<4,500 ft): Apr - Nov • high elevation waters (>4,500 ft): May - Oct 3. Low (Unable to support dreissenid mussels) • Mussel monitoring − surface − veliger2 • WQ monitoring every 5 years 2x per sample year (spring and fall) Jun or Jul and Sep or Oct 4. None (Unable to support dreissenid mussels) • Mussel monitoring − surface − veliger2 • WQ monitoring every 10 years 2x per sample year (spring and fall) Jun or Jul and Sep or Oct 1 Surface monitoring will include docks, mooring lines, buoys, boat ramps, shoreline concrete structures, woody debris, etc. 2 Veliger sample collection and analysis is no longer supported from waterbodies with calcium concentrations less than 15 mg/L (Attachment A). Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 2-3 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 3. Water quality parameters collected during quagga/zebra mussel monitoring. Constituent Method Minerals Calcium EPA 200.7 In-Situ Temperature (°C) HYDROLAB Specific Conductance (µmhos) HYDROLAB pH HYDROLAB Turbidity HYDROLAB Dissolved Oxygen (% saturation) HYDROLAB Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) HYDROLAB 2.1.2 Crayfish Monitoring Crayfish monitoring in Project-affected streams was concurrent with the Aquatic Monitoring Plan’s Stream Fish Population Monitoring (see Bucks Creek Aquatic Resources Monitoring Plan for Stream Fish Population Monitoring schedule; PG&E et al. 2019b). Sample locations are shown in Table 4. Table 4. Location of Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619) stream fish/crayfish monitoring sites, 2023. Site ID Location Description Location Coordinates (decimal degrees) Upstream Downstream F-MRC-0.521 Milk Ranch Creek upstream of the NFFR confluence N/A N/A F-MRC-0.301 Milk Ranch Creek upstream of the NFFR confluence 39.958894, -121.274778 39.95951, -121.274299 F-BC-7.172 Bucks Creek downstream of Lower Bucks Lake Dam 39.903417, -121.229961 39.904215, -121.230802 F-BC-1.98 Bucks Creek accessed via Tobin Trail 39.91564, -121.299803 39.914103, -121.299950 F-GC-7.03 Grizzly Creek downstream of Grizzly Forebay Dam 39.888001, -121.295852 39.888372, -121.296392 F-GC-2.891 Grizzly Creek upstream of the Wildcat Creek confluence N/A N/A Notes: NFFR – North Fork Feather River N/A – Not applicable 1 Sites F-MRC-0.52 and F-GC-2.89 were not sampled in 2023 due to changing environmental conditions restricting access to the sites. Site F-MRC-0.52 was relocated to F-MRC-0.30. There was no alternative site located for site F-GC-2.89. 2 Site F-BC-7.17 was separated into two non-contiguous segments (upper segment and lower segment), consistent with the 2015 site boundaries, due to a deep pool and large logjam in the channel that prevented effective sampling. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 1.0 Page 2-4 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Any crayfish observed and/or captured was to be identified to species and enumerated; a subsample of captured crayfish representative of the species will be photographed. 2.1.3 Other Focal AIS Monitoring Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling for the following species was conducted within Project stream reaches concurrent with the Aquatic Monitoring Plan’s BMI Population Monitoring (PG&E et al. 2019b)(Table 5), and at tributaries to Project Bucks Lake and Grizzly Forebay concurrent with the Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog Management Plan monitoring surveys (PG&E et al. 2019c)(Table 6) using available genetic assays: • Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease; Barry et al. 2021) • Ceratonova shasta (myxosoporean parasite; Hallett et al. 2006) • Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (proliferative kidney disease [or PKD]; Hutchins et al. 2017) • Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (white spot; Hu et al. 2022) • Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd or chytrid; Boyle et al. 2004) • Iridoviridae sp. (ranavirus or frog virus 3; Leung et al. 2017) To the extent possible, BMI monitoring sites were located at or near sites used during relicensing studies. Samples at SNYLF sites were collected from each stream at a suitable location within 330 ft (100 m) from the confluence with the Project reservoir. At each BMI and SNYLF monitoring site, biologists collected at least two eDNA samples (i.e., filters) from near the water’s surface and filtered at least 1 liter of water in accordance with guidelines in the literature. Biologists used 0.45-micrometer Millipore SterivexTM filters and a peristaltic pump to collect all eDNA samples in situ (Bergman et al. 2016, Blankenship and Schumer 2022). To prevent contamination, field personnel wore single-use latex gloves and eDNA samples were collected prior to entering the river channel and were collected first from downstream sites before moving upstream. Negative controls were sampled daily by filtering 1 liter of distilled water prior to sample collection. Laboratory personnel analyzed eDNA samples following best practices for eDNA extraction and created and analyzed an extraction negative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) negative with every extraction batch and qPCR plate (Miya et al. 2016). Samples were analyzed with an internal positive control that ensured samples were not inhibited (i.e., a negative result signified DNA was not detected and not an indication of a failed qPCR reaction). Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 2-5 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 5. Location of Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619) benthic macroinvertebrate and monitoring sites and aquatic invasive species eDNA sample sites, 2023. Site ID Location Coordinates (decimal degrees) Location Description License Year 1 (2023) Sample Collection Latitude Longitude Milk Ranch Creek BMI-MRC-3.4 39.967318 -121.227413 Milk Ranch Creek downstream of Three Lakes Dam AIS eDNA BMI-MRC-0.12 39.961313 -121.273472 Milk Ranch Creek upstream of the NFFR confluence AIS eDNA Bucks Creek BMI-BC-6.9 39.904565 -121.233341° Bucks Creek downstream of Lower Bucks Lake Dam AIS eDNA BMI-BC-1.9 39.914006 -121.301389 Bucks Creek near the Tobin Trail BMI survey and AIS eDNA Grizzly Creek BMI-GC-7.1 39.888841 -121.294505 Grizzly Creek downstream of Grizzly Forebay Dam AIS eDNA BMI-GC-2.9 39.856137 -121.33499 Grizzly Creek upstream of the confluence with Wildcat Creek None1 Notes: AIS – aquatic invasive species BMI – benthic macroinvertebrates eDNA – environmental deoxyribonucleic acid NFFR – North Fork Feather River 1 AIS eDNA samples could not be collected during License Year 1 because the site was not safely accessible. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 1.0 Page 2-6 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 6. Locations of Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619) Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog/aquatic invasive species eDNA monitoring sites. General Area Site ID Location Description Location Coordinates (decimal degrees) Upstream Downstream Three Lakes Road BR-11 Bear Ravine downstream of diversion 39.91579, -121.227309 39.915273, -121.231287 BR-21 Bear Ravine upstream of diversion 39.91829, -121.22136 39.915779, -121.225963 SFGHC-1 South Fork Grouse Hollow Creek downstream and upstream of diversion 39.958996, -121.234879 39.962776, -121.239515 Grizzly Creek GC-3 Grizzly Creek downstream of Grizzly Forebay Dam 39.889801, -121.294717 39.887994, -121.296287 GC-42 Grizzly Creek upstream of Grizzly Forebay 39.890144, -121.272816 39.88883, -121.279175 Tributaries to Bucks Lake HC-11.2 Haskins Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.868135, -121.168189 39.86945, -121.175777 BC-21 Bucks Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.886062, -121.146412 39.88156, -121.154139 RBMC-11,2 Right Hand Branch Mill Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.900537, -121.167939 39.899613, -121.174128 MFMC-11,2 Middle Fork Mill Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.906854, -121.175114 39.903325, -121.177546 MC-11,2 Mill Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.919727, -121.185821 39.91521, -121.184683 1 Site is within Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog critical habitat. 2 Aquatic invasive species required monitoring site. 2.2 Incidental Observations In addition to this focal species monitoring, PG&E was to report incidental observations of other AIS that could potentially occur in the project area while conducting other work, such as periodic aquatic surveys (fish, amphibian, BMI). These species include: • New Zealand mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), • Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea), • American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), • curly leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus), • Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), • Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 2-7 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara • Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa), • parrot’s feather milfoil (Myriophyllum aquaticum), • water primrose (Ludwigia spp.), and • didymo (Didymosphenia geminata). 2.3 Data from online AIS databases PG&E accessed and download data from online AIS databases, such as the USGS Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database (https://nas.er.usgs.gov/) and iMapInvasives (http://www.imapinvasives.org/vision) to determine if new AIS have been found in the Project Area. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 1.0 Page 2-8 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara This Page Intentionally Left Blank Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 3-1 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara SECTION 3.0 Monitoring Results 3.1 Focal Species Monitoring Results 3.1.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussels Between August 2 and 3, 2023 water quality data was collected for Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, and Grizzly Forebay.1 Calcium and pH are provided in Table 7. Calcium at each of the reservoirs was very low (measuring between 2.2 and 2.8 mg/L) and pH was neutral to slightly basic (7.4 to 8.7 standard units). Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, and Grizzly Forebay water quality profiles are provided in Tables 8, 9, and 10. Table 7. Calcium and pH measurements at Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, and Three Lakes, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619), 2023. Location Bucks Lake at Intake Tower Date August 2, 2023 Position Depth (ft) Elevation (ft) Ca (mg/L) pH Vulnerability/Risk Surface 0 5,150.9 2.2 8.7 Unable/Low Middle 20 5,130.9 2.2 8.4 Unable/Low Bottom 40 5,110.9 2.3 7.7 Unable/Low Location Lower Bucks Lake near dam (old intake tower) Date August 3, 2023 Position Depth (ft) Elevation (ft) Ca (mg/L) pH Vulnerability/Risk Surface 0 5,017 2.7 7.9 Unable/Low Middle 32 4,985 2.6 7.7 Unable/Low Bottom 63 4,954 2.6 7.4 Unable/Low Location Grizzly Forebay near dam (centerline of exclusion buoy) Date August 2, 2023 Position Depth (ft) Elevation (ft) Ca (mg/L) pH Vulnerability/Risk Surface 0 4,310.3 2.8 8.6 Unable/Low Middle 25 4,285.3 2.8 7.8 Unable/Low Bottom 48 4,262.3 2.8 7.6 Unable/Low 1 Three Lakes was inaccessible due to closure of Three Lakes Road (Forest Service Road 24N24) for an ongoing logging operation subsequent to the Dixie fire. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 3.0 Page 3-2 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 8. Bucks Lake Water Quality Profile, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619). Date 08/02/23 Res. Elevation 5150.90 Depth Temp DO DO Sat(inst) DO Sat(Calc) pH EC Turbidity ft m (°C) (mg/L) (%) (%) (unitless) (mS) (NTU) 0.0 0.0 22.0 8.1 110 111 8.7 22.4 1.1 3.3 1.0 22.0 8.1 109 111 8.6 22.5 1.6 6.6 2.0 21.9 8.1 110 111 8.6 22.2 1.9 9.8 3.0 21.9 8.1 109 111 8.6 22.0 1.9 13.1 4.0 21.6 8.2 111 112 8.6 22.6 1.7 16.4 5.0 21.6 8.2 109 112 8.6 22.6 1.7 19.7 6.0 16.8 10.3 126 127 8.4 21.4 1.7 23.0 7.0 13.3 10.6 121 122 8.2 21.4 1.8 26.2 8.0 12.2 9.5 105 107 8.1 20.7 1.8 29.5 9.0 9.6 8.8 91 93 7.9 21.3 1.8 32.8 10.0 8.8 8.5 87 88 7.8 21.3 1.8 36.1 11.0 8.0 8.4 84 85 7.8 21.9 1.8 39.4 12.0 7.3 7.9 78 79 7.7 22.2 1.7 42.7 13.0 6.8 7.7 75 76 7.7 22.9 1.7 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 3-3 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 9. Lower Bucks Lake Water Quality Profile, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619). Date 08/03/23 Res. Elevation 5016.80 Depth Temp DO DO Sat(inst) DO Sat(Calc) pH EC Turbidity ft m (°C) (mg/L) (%) (%) (unitless) (mS) (NTU) 0.0 0.0 18.5 9.1 117 117 7.9 26.9 0.2 3.3 1.0 17.8 9.4 119 119 8.0 27.0 0.7 6.6 2.0 12.3 12.0 133 134 8.2 24.5 0.7 9.8 3.0 11.4 11.0 121 121 8.0 24.8 0.8 13.1 4.0 10.5 10.8 116 116 8.0 24.5 0.9 16.4 5.0 10.1 10.3 110 110 7.9 24.3 1.0 19.7 6.0 9.7 10.2 108 108 7.9 24.4 1.0 23.0 7.0 9.3 10.0 105 105 7.8 24.6 1.0 26.2 8.0 9.1 10.0 104 104 7.7 24.5 1.0 29.5 9.0 8.9 9.8 102 102 7.7 23.9 1.1 32.8 10.0 8.6 9.7 100 100 7.7 23.8 1.1 36.1 11.0 8.4 9.7 100 100 7.7 24.4 1.1 39.4 12.0 8.2 9.6 98 98 7.6 23.3 1.1 42.7 13.0 7.9 9.2 93 93 7.6 23.3 1.1 45.9 14.0 7.9 9.1 92 92 7.5 23.1 1.1 49.2 15.0 7.8 8.9 89 89 7.5 22.5 1.1 52.5 16.0 7.8 8.7 88 88 7.4 23.2 1.1 55.8 17.0 7.7 8.5 86 86 7.4 23.3 1.2 59.1 18.0 7.6 8.3 83 83 7.4 23.6 1.2 62.3 19.0 7.6 7.8 78 78 7.4 23.7 1.2 65.6 20.0 7.5 6.7 67 67 7.4 24.1 1.3 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 3.0 Page 3-4 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 10. Grizzly Forebay Water Quality Profile, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619). Date 08/02/23 Res. Elevation 4310.30 Depth Temp DO DO Sat(inst) DO Sat(Calc) pH EC Turbidity ft m (°C) (mg/L) (%) (%) (unitless) (mS) (NTU) 0.0 0.0 14.9 10.0 117 116 8.6 28.1 0.1 3.3 1.0 14.0 10.2 119 115 8.2 28.0 0.1 6.6 2.0 12.7 10.2 115 113 8.1 27.6 0.6 9.8 3.0 12.2 10.3 114 112 8.0 27.0 0.8 13.1 4.0 12.0 10.2 112 110 8.0 28.5 1.0 16.4 5.0 11.8 10.1 111 109 7.9 27.7 1.2 19.7 6.0 11.5 9.9 108 106 7.9 26.6 1.2 23.0 7.0 11.4 9.6 105 103 7.8 28.0 1.3 26.2 8.0 11.2 9.7 105 103 7.8 28.1 1.3 29.5 9.0 11.1 9.6 103 102 7.8 27.6 1.4 32.8 10.0 11.1 9.6 104 102 7.8 27.9 1.4 36.1 11.0 11.0 9.5 102 101 7.7 27.5 1.4 39.4 12.0 11.0 9.4 101 100 7.7 27.5 1.4 42.7 13.0 10.9 9.4 100 99 7.7 28.1 1.4 45.9 14.0 10.9 9.4 101 99 7.7 27.3 1.4 49.2 15.0 10.9 9.0 96 95 7.6 27.8 1.4 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 3-5 Section 2.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara 3.1.2 Crayfish Fish population surveys were completed between September 12 and 15, 2023. A partial carcass of an unidentified crayfish species was observed during fish population monitoring at Site F-GC- 7.03 (Grizzly Creek) on September 14, 2023. 3.1.3 Other Focal Species Between September 11 and 16, 2023, eDNA samples were collected at the BMI sample sites and SNYLF monitoring sites. No DNA for target AIS was detected in any of the eDNA samples (Tables 11 and 12). During laboratory analysis, none of the samples showed signs of inhibition and all the negative control samples (including extraction negative and qPCR negative) tested negative. 3.1.4 Incidental Observations During SNYLF surveys, crayfish were observed at Site HC-1 on Haskins Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake; crayfish were not captured and could not be identified to species. During fish population surveys, a large proportion of the substrate at Site F-BC-7.17 on Bucks Creek below Lower Bucks Lake was covered with the invasive algae Didymosphenia geminata (commonly referred to as “didymo” or “rock snot”) on September 14, 2023. This observation was communicated to the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and State Water Resources Control Board via an email on October 4, and further investigations were conducted in consultation with these agencies. These were documented in a memorandum dated February 8, 2024 (Attachment B). Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 5.0 Page 3-6 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 11. Environmental DNA samples collected, total volume filtered, and detection results for aquatic invasive species at BMI monitoring sites, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619), 2023. BMI Site ID eDNA Samples Collected (n) Total Volume Filtered (L) eDNA Detected (Yes/No) Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease) Ceratonova shasta (myxosoporean parasite) Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (proliferative kidney disease, or PKD) Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (white spot) Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd or chytrid) Iridovirdae sp. (ranavirus or frog virus 3) Milk Ranch Creek BMI-MRC-3.4 3 1.2 No No No No No No BMI-MRC-0.12 3 3.1 No No No No No No Bucks Creek BMI-BC-6.9 2 1.0 No No No No No No BMI-BC-1.9 3 3.9 No No No No No No Grizzly Creek BMI-GC-7.1 4 2.4 No No No No No No Notes: BMI – benthic macroinvertebrates eDNA – environmental deoxyribonucleic acid L – liter n – number of samples Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 3-7 Section 3.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 12. Environmental DNA samples collected, and total volume filtered, and detection results for Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and aquatic invasive species at Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog monitoring sites, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No. 619), 2023. Site ID eDNA Samples Collected (n) Total Volume Filtered (L) eDNA detected (Yes/No) Rana sierrae (SNYLF) Myxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease) Ceratonova shasta (myxosoporean parasite) Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (PKD) Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (white spot) Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) Iridovirdae sp. (ranavirus) BR-1 2 2.50 No No No No No No No BR-2 2 2.50 Yes No No No No No No SFGHC-1 2 2.50 No No No No No No No GC-3 4 2.40 No No No No No No No GC-4* 2 2.50 No No No No No No No HC-1* 3 2.27 No No No No No No No BC-2 2 2.50 No No No No No No No RBMC-1* 2 2.50 No No No No No No No MFMC-1* 2 2.50 No No No No No No No MC-1* 2 2.50 No No No No No No No Notes: *AIS required eDNA monitoring site eDNA – environmental deoxyribonucleic acid n – number L – Liter PKD – proliferative kidney disease SNYLF – Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 5.0 Page 3-8 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara 3.1.5 Aquatic Invasive Species Database Review To the extent available, aquatic invasive species databases were queried by Watershed Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC): • Milk Ranch Creek (including Three Lakes), HUC 12-180201210603 • Bucks Creek (including Bucks Lake and Lower Bucks Lake), HUC 12-180201210602 • Grizzly Creek (including Grizzly Forebay), HUC 12-180201210605 The USGS Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database (https://nas.er.usgs.gov/) was queried by creating polygons of the Milk Ranch Creek (including Three Lakes), Bucks Creek (including Bucks Lake and Lower Bucks Lake), and Grizzly Creek (including Grizzly Forebay) watersheds. The results of the query identified rainbow trout, Lahontan redside, brook trout, and lake trout as non-indigenous species are provided in Table 13 (USGS 2024). No relevant information could be queried from iMapInvasives (http://www.imapinvasives.org/vision), as the site does have support (data) from California. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 3-9 Section 3.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Table 13. Non-indigenous species documented in the Milk Ranch Creek (including Three Lakes), Bucks Creek (including Bucks Lake and Lower Bucks Lake), and Grizzly Creek (including Grizzly Forebay) watersheds, Plumas Co., CA, from the USGS Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database, February 6, 2024. Specimen Number Species ID Group Family Scientific Name Common Name Locality Latitude/ Longitude Accuracy Status 167680 910 Fishes Salmonidae Oncorhynchus mykiss Rainbow Trout Bucks Lake 39.88655/ -121.191 Accurate established 28852 647 Fishes Cyprinidae Richardsonius egregius Lahontan Redside Bucks Lake 39.88655/ -121.191 Accurate established 167681 939 Fishes Salmonidae Salvelinus fontinalis Brook Trout Bucks Lake 39.88655/ -121.191 Accurate established 167682 942 Fishes Salmonidae Salvelinus namaycush Lake Trout Bucks Lake 39.88655/ -121.191 Accurate established Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final Section 5.0 Page 3-10 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara This Page Intentionally Left Blank Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 4-1 Section 4.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara SECTION 4.0 Discussion 4.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussels The calcium and pH measurements at Project reservoirs were typical of waterbodies found in the predominately granitic Sierra Nevada batholith (Diggles et al. 1996). Based on the of the calcium and pH measurements recorded for the Project reservoirs and the resultant “Low” vulnerability to quagga and zebra mussel infestation, the Project’s reservoirs (Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, Grizzly Forebay, and Three Lakes) will be monitored once every five years, twice per year, beginning in 2023: Risk Parameters1 Periodicity Frequency Timing 3. Low (Unable to support dreissenid mussels) • Mussel monitoring − surface − veliger • WQ monitoring every 5 years 2x per sample year (spring and fall) Jun or Jul and Sep or Oct Monitoring will consist of surface surveys and water quality monitoring at each of the reservoirs (PG&E and City of Santa Clara 2019a). CDFW’s Bodega Marine Laboratory no longer supports veliger samples from lakes and reservoirs with very low calcium concentrations (see Attachment A). To this end, PG&E generally no longer collects samples for veliger analysis at waterbodies with calcium concentrations lower than 15 mg/L. 4.2 Crayfish Crayfish were observed at a couple locations during the 2023 SNYLF and fish population monitoring. Neither observation could be identified to species. Crayfish monitoring will continue concurrent with the remaining SNYLF and stream fish population schedule. 4.3 Other Focal Species No positive detections were found for Myxobolus cerebralis, Ceratonova shasta, Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and Ranavirus (Frog virus 3) in either the BMI or the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog eDNA sampling in 2023. The initial sighting of didymo was confirmed from a sample sent to a laboratory. Subsequently, PG&E had the eDNA samples collected from around the project area re-run for didymo. This sampling found didymo DNA in Bucks Creek below Lower Bucks Lake (the original location it was observed) and at Tobin Trail downstream, Grizzly Creek below Grizzly Forebay, and Milk Ranch Creek near the NF Feather River. It was not found in Milk Ranch Creek below Three Lakes or in any of the streams tributary to Bucks Lake or Grizzly Lake. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan - Final Section 5.0 Page 4-2 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara There is no known way to control or eradicate didymo once it is established in a watershed. PG&E is working with the agencies to develop a plan to contain didymo and prevent its spread to other areas. This includes PG&E and contractor personnel following CDFW decontamination procedures when moving between water bodies, installation of public signage to be posted at boat ramps and public kiosks advising the public of the presence of didymo and on measures to avoid spreading it. To ensure early detection for AIS in the future, eDNA sampling for the aforementioned species will continue to be conducted at the BMI and SNYLF monitoring sites concurrent with the monitoring schedules for those programs (PG&E and City of Santa Clara 2019b, 2019c). 4.4 Variances from the Monitoring Plan 4.4.1 Quagga and Zebra (Dreissenid) Mussels Water quality could not be collected at Three Lakes in 2023 due to the closure of Three Lakes Road (Forest Service Road 24N24) at the time of the survey. 4.4.2 Crayfish The crayfish observed during the fish population monitoring could not be identified to species as the specimen was inadvertently trampled underfoot during fish capture. No other crayfish were captured. 4.4.3 Other Focal Species Environmental DNA samples for other focal AIS were not collected at BMI Site BMI-GC-2.9 (Grizzly Creek upstream of the confluence with Wildcat Creek) in 2023 because the site could not be safely accessed. Access issues were the result of the changing landscape and environmental conditions following the North Complex Fire in 2020. Due to the steep canyon and limited access within lower Grizzly Creek, moving the site to an alternate location was not feasible. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Page 5-1 Section 5.0 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara SECTION 5.0 References Barry, D.E., M. Veillard, C.T. James, L. Brummelhuis, E.A. Pila, A. Turnbull, A. Oddy-van Oploo, X. Han, and P.C. Hanington. 2021. qPCR-based environmental monitoring of Myxobolus cerebralis and phylogenetic analysis of its tubificid hosts in Alberta, Canada. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 145: 119-137. Bedwell, M.E. and C.S. Goldberg. 2020. Spatial and temporal patterns of environmental DNA detection to inform sampling protocols in lentic and lotic systems. Ecology and Evolution 10(3): 1602–1612 Bergman, P.S., G. Schumer, S. Blankenship, E. Campbell. 2016. Detection of Adult Green Sturgeon Using Environmental DNA Analysis. PLOS ONE. Apr 20;114:e0153500. Blankenship, S., and G. Schumer. 2022. Field collection procedure for aquatic environmental DNA sample collection and analysis. Cramer Fish Sciences - Genidaqs, West Sacramento, California. Boyle, D.G., D.B. Boyle, V. Olsen, J.A.T. Morgan, and A.D. Hyatt. 2004. Rapid quantitative detection of chytridiomycosis (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in amphibian samples using real-time Taqman PCR assay. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 60(2): 141–148. Claudi, R. and K. Prescott. 2011. Examination of Calcium and pH as predictors of Dreissenid Mussel Survival in the California State Water Project. Prepared for the California Department of Water Resources, Division of Operations and Maintenance, Aquatic Nuisance Species Program. Diggles, M.F., J.R. Rytuba, B.C. Moring, C.T. Wrucke, D.P. Cox, S. Ludington, R.P. Ashley, W.J. Pickthorn, C.T. Hillman, and R.J. Miller. 1996. Geology and Minerals Issues in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. Davis: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, 1996. Hallett, S.L. and J.L. Bartholomew. 2006. Application of a real-time PCR assay to detect and quantify the myxozoan parasite Ceratomyxa shasta in river water samples. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 71: 109-118. Hu, G., K. Huang, W. Zhou, R. Wang, W. Zhao, H. Zou, W. Li, S. Wu, M. Li, and G. Wang. 2022. Comparison of droplet digital PCR and real-time quantitative PCR for quantitative detection of the parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in the water environment. Journal of Fish Diseases 46: 357-367. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan - Final Section 5.0 Page 5-2 May 2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Hutchins, P.R., A.J. Sepulveda, R.M. Martin, and L.R. Hopper. 2017. A probe-based quantitative PCR assay for detecting Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae in fish tissue and environmental DNA water samples. Conservation Genetics Resource 10: 317-319. Leung, W.T.M., L. Thomas-Walters, T.W.J. Garner, F. Balloux, C. Durrant, and S.J. Price. 2017. A quantitative-PCR based method to estimate ranavirus viral load following normalisation by reference to an ultraconserved vertebrate target. Journal of Virological Methods 249: 147-155. Miya, M., T. Minamoto, H. Yamanaka, S.I. Oka, K. Sato, S. Yamamoto, T. Sado, and H. Doi. 2016. Use of a filter cartridge for filtration of water samples and extraction of environmental DNA. Journal of Visualized Experiments 117, p.e54741. PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) and the City of Santa Clara. 2016. Final License Application. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619. December. PG&E and the City of Santa Clara. 2019a. Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619. September. PG&E and City of Santa Clara. 2019b. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 619) Aquatic Resources Monitoring Plan. September. PG&E and the City of Santa Clara. 2019c. Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog Management Plan. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619. September. United States Geological Survey (USGS). 2024. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species point map viewer. Available online: https://nas.er.usgs.gov/ Accessed February 6, 2024. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final March 2024 Attachment A Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara ATTACHMENT A CDFW EMAIL TO PG&E, NOVEMBER 7, 2022 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan - Final Attachment A September 2019 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2019, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 1 Fransz, Matthew From:Fisher, John Sent:Tuesday, November 08, 2022 9:35 AM To:Snider, James@Wildlife Cc:Fransz, Matthew Subject:RE: Sample shipping Attachments:TORRENT Calicum Report Quagga Mussels June 2021.pdf; TORRENT Calicum Report Quagga Mussels April 2021.pdf; TORRENT Calicum Report Quagga Mussels May 2021.pdf; PGE_QZM_Calcium_2021.pdf Classification: Public Jim, Attached is our calcium numbers from last year. It has data on all the sites you mentioned below. Also attached is pages from last years QZM report with these numbers complied in a table. Most of the Feather River sites are right on the edge. We will have some fresh calcium numbers on the Feather River sites in the next week or so from our last sample run. For today, I have samples from these Feather River sites. I can drop these off if you want or wait until we have the latest numbers. John From: Snider, James@Wildlife <James.Snider@wildlife.ca.gov> Sent: Monday, November 7, 2022 1:25 PM To: Fisher, John <J4FL@pge.com> Subject: RE: Sample shipping CAUTION: EXTERNAL SENDER! This email was sent from an EXTERNAL source. Do you know this person? Are you expecting this email? Are you expecting any links or attachments? If suspicious, do not click links, open attachments, or provide credentials. Don't delete it. Report it by using the "Report Phish" button. The visitor gate code is XXXX. We’re all set for tomorrow. From: Snider, James@Wildlife Sent: Monday, November 7, 2022 1:18 PM To: Fisher, John <J4FL@pge.com> Subject: RE: Sample shipping Hi John, A couple of things. The lab is still closed, and I don’t know what the access policy is. When I find out I’ll let you know, but you may not have access. Several of the samples you submitted in Sept. are from reservoirs with very low calcium, precluding risk. I was directed not to test those samples. They are from Manzanita, Lower Bear, Pinecrest, Salt Springs. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 2 Were not sure about Kerckhoff because we don’t have any calcium data. I will test Kerckhoff until we know one way or another. Thanks Jim From: Fisher, John <J4FL@pge.com> Sent: Monday, November 7, 2022 12:40 PM To: Snider, James@Wildlife <James.Snider@wildlife.ca.gov> Subject: RE: Sample shipping WARNING: This message is from an external source. Verify the sender and exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments. Classification: Public Perfect, I will stop by then. From: Snider, James@Wildlife <James.Snider@wildlife.ca.gov> Sent: Monday, November 7, 2022 12:38 PM To: Fisher, John <J4FL@pge.com> Subject: RE: Sample shipping CAUTION: EXTERNAL SENDER! This email was sent from an EXTERNAL source. Do you know this person? Are you expecting this email? Are you expecting any links or attachments? If suspicious, do not click links, open attachments, or provide credentials. Don't delete it. Report it by using the "Report Phish" button. Hi John I’ll be at the lab after 1300, you can come by any time after that until EOB 1700. Thanks Jim From: Fisher, John <J4FL@pge.com> Sent: Monday, November 7, 2022 12:29 PM To: Snider, James@Wildlife <James.Snider@wildlife.ca.gov> Subject: RE: Sample shipping WARNING: This message is from an external source. Verify the sender and exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments. Classification: Public Jim, I have our last batch of QZM samples. Can I drop them off tomorrow and pick up my coolers? Also, did you have a chance to review the second batch I sent in September? I didn’t get your results if you did. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 3 Regards John From: Snider, James@Wildlife <James.Snider@wildlife.ca.gov> Sent: Wednesday, October 5, 2022 4:41 PM To: Fisher, John <J4FL@pge.com> Subject: Sample shipping CAUTION: EXTERNAL SENDER! This email was sent from an EXTERNAL source. Do you know this person? Are you expecting this email? Are you expecting any links or attachments? If suspicious, do not click links, open attachments, or provide credentials. Don't delete it. Report it by using the "Report Phish" button. Hi John I’ll will out of the lab the weeks of 10/10, 10/17, and 10/24. Do not send samples to me while I’m out. Please hold your samples and contact me when I get back to arrange shipping. Thanks! Jim Jim Snider Research Scientist II California Department of Fish and Wildlife Bodega Marine Laboratory James.Snider@wildlife.ca.gov Office (707) 875‐2066 Cell (916) 203‐3376 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Attachment C Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara ATTACHMENT B PG&E FEBRUARY 8, 2024 EMAIL TO RESOURCES AGENCIES RE: BUCKS CREEK HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT - AIS NOTIFICATION Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plan - Final Attachment B September 2019 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2019, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 1 Fransz, Matthew From:Wise Jr., Larry Sent:Thursday, February 08, 2024 3:28 PM To:Edlund, Leslie - FS, CA; Alvarez, Dawn - FS, CA; Dillingham, Colin - FS, CA; Doe, Emily - FS, CA; Fiel, Andrew - FS, CA; Maher, Michael@Wildlife; Mouser, Amber@Wildlife; Montalvo, Angie@Wildlife; Muro, Bryan@Waterboards; Fisch, Nathan@Waterboards; Bartoo, Aondrea; Visinoni, Jamie; Tarr, Holly Cc:Belsher, James - FS, CA; Stevens, Kevin; Cheslak, Edward; Fransz, Matthew; Walker, Matt Subject:RE: [EXTERNAL] RE: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project - AIS notification Attachments:DidymoTech Memo-fall 2023_to Agencies 020724.pdf Classification: Internal Greetings, The attached memorandum describes the discovery of didymo and the results of the follow up eDNA analysis we discussed during our October 19, 2023 meeting. Notably we detected Didymo DNA in Grizzly Creek below Grizzly Forebay and in the lower part of Milk Ranch Creek (but not immediately below Three Lakes). It was not detected in streams tributary to Bucks Lake or Grizzly Forebay, nor in the outflow from Bucks Lake. The memo includes a draft Public Advisory notice as well as CDFW’s Aquatic Invasive Species Poster. With your consent, PG&E proposes to post the advisory and poster at boat ramps and public kiosks in the Bucks Creek area. I have reported these observations through the USGS Invasive Aquatic Species and CDFA Invasive Species websites. We have provided time on the agenda for our April 10 Ecological Consultation Group meeting to discuss this issue. Please reach out with any comments or concerns. Thank you, Larry Lawrence M. Wise Jr. Senior Aquatic Biologist/Technical Coordinator Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (925)785‐8831 Mobile Lawrence.Wise@pge.com Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 1 February 2024 Internal TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Date: February 8, 2024 To: US Forest Service – Leslie Edlund, Dawn Alvarez, Colin Dillingham, Emily Doe, Andrew Fiel California Dept of Fish and Wildlife – Mike Maher, Amber Mouser, Angie Montalvo State Water Resources Control Board – Bryan Muro, Nathan Fisch US Fish and Wildlife Service – Leigh Bartoo Cc: Jamie Visinoni, PG&E License Coordinator, Bucks Creek Project (FERC Project No, 619) Holly Tarr, PG&E License Coordinator, backup License Coordinator From: Larry Wise, PG&E Technical Coordinator/Sr. Aquatic Biologist Subject: Observation of Didymosphenia germinata (Didymo) in Bucks Creek On September 12, 2023, fish survey crews observed what was believed to be Didymosphenia germinata (also known as Didymo or rock snot) at the upper fish sampling site (F-BC-7.17) in Bucks Creek approximately 1,200 feet downstream of Lower Bucks Dam (Photo 1). Didymo is identified as an invasive species of concern in the Bucks Creek Aquatic Invasive Species Plan. Photo 1. Didymo on bed of Bucks Creek, Fish Site F-BC-7.17, Sept. 12, 2023. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 2 February 2024 Internal This observation was communicated to the USDA Forest Service, Plumas National Forest, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), State Water Resources Control Board, and US Fish and Wildlife Service (collectively “Resource Agencies”) via email on October 4, 2023 (Attachment 1). Operations and Maintenance (O&M) staff, construction staff, and consultants working in the area were notified of this observation and were provided appropriate avoidance and minimization measures and approved CDFW decontamination procedures to keep this species from being spread to other areas. A sample specimen was collected on October 11, 2023, and sent to Dr. Rosalina Christova at George Mason University for confirmation of this identification. She confirmed the identification via email on October 17, 2023. This confirmation was communicated to the Resource Agencies, PG&E O&M staff, construction staff, and consultants the same day (Attachment 2). On October 19, 2023, a call to discuss this issue was held with the Resources Agencies. The discussion covered the discovery, measures to avoid spreading the species, whether there were any known methods for its control or eradication, and next steps. The agencies expressed their appreciation of PG&E for making the observation and following up to confirm the identification and for quickly notifying people working in the watershed of its presence and of the CDFW decontamination procedures needed to avoid spreading the species. None of the Resources Agencies on the call was aware of any methods to control or eradicate the species once present in a watershed; the only measures people were familiar with were related to avoiding the spread of Didymo from infested areas. These measures include decontamination measures for people working in the watershed and signage to be placed in the area to inform the public of its presence and advise them how to avoid spreading it to other areas. The Resource Agencies requested that PG&E try to determine the extent of the infestation. PG&E offered to rerun the eDNA samples collected for other studies for Didymo and to attempt to collect water samples from the project reservoirs to determine if didymo was present in the reservoirs. Several Resources Agencies representatives said they would check internally for public signage and forward what they found to PG&E. They would also check to see if anyone was aware of any control and eradication measures for Didymo in natural, open systems (i.e., rivers and lakes). A genetics laboratory ran the eDNA samples collected as part of the Bucks Creek Project Sierra Nevada Yellow- legged Frog (SNYLF) and Benthic Macroinvertebrate (BMI) monitoring plans for didymo. The qPCR analysis was done using the Cary et al. 2014* published assay for early detection of Didymosphenia germinata. A few samples did not have enough material left to run this additional test (Right Hand Branch of Mill Creek and one of the two samples on Middle Fork Mill Creek). Didymo eDNA was detected at the Upper and Lower Bucks Creek fish population sampling sites, in the Grizzly Creek SNYLF site below Grizzly Forebay, and at Lower Milk Ranch Creek. In this last sample, the DNA was only detected in one of three samples, with only two of three qPCR replicates of that sample indicating presence (Table 1, Figure 1). Didymo eDNA was not detected in samples collected from any of the streams tributary to Bucks Reservoir (Bucks, Haskins, and Mill creeks; there was insufficient material to process the Right Hand Branch of Mill Creek sample), Grizzly Creek upstream of Grizzly Forebay, or upper Milk Ranch Creek below Three Lakes. An additional eDNA sample was collected from the outlet of Bucks Lake the week of November 6, 2023 1 and processed by the lab. Didymo DNA was not detected in this sample. 1 Samples were not able to be collected from the outlet of Grizzly Dam or Lower Bucks Dam because of spills occurring there. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 3 February 2024 Internal Table 1. Detection of Didymo in eDNA samples. Site ID Site Name GPS Coordinates Didymo Detected? Tributaries along Three Lakes Road MRC-0.12 Lower Milk Ranch Creek - RM 0.12 above NFFR 39.961313, -121.273472 Yes, detection in one sample; no detection in the other two. MRC-3.4 Upper Milk Ranch Creek - RM 3.4 below Three Lakes 39.967318, -121.227413 No SFGHC South Fork Grouse Hollow Creek downstream of diversion 39.962776, -121.239515 No BR-1 Bear Ravine downstream of diversion 39.915273, -121.231287 No BR-2 Bear Ravine upstream of diversion 39.915779, -121.225963 No Bucks Creek and Tributaries BC-12.3 Bucks Creek above Bucks Lake at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.88156, -121.154139 No HC Haskins Creek at Confluence with Bucks Lake 39.86945, -121.175777 No RHBMC Right Hand Branch Mill Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.899613, -121.174128 Unable to process sample MFMC Middle Fork Mill Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.903325, -121.177546 No detection in one sample, the other was unable to be processed MC Mill Creek at confluence with Bucks Lake 39.91521, -121.184683 No Bucks Lake Outlet From Low Level Outlet of Bucks Lake 39.896219, -121.203991 No BC-7.0 Upper Bucks Creek - RM 6.9 below Lower Bucks Reservoir 39.904565, -121.233341 Yes BC-1.9 Lower Bucks Creek - RM 1.9 39.914006, -121.301389 Yes Grizzly Creek GC-7.1 Upper Grizzly Creek - RM 7.1 below Forebay 39.888841, -121.294505 Yes GC-USPH Grizzly Creek upstream of Forebay 39.890144, -121.272816 No Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 4 February 2024 Internal Figure 1. Locations of didymo eDNA samples. Locations where didymo was detected are shown in red. Locations without detection are shown in green. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 5 February 2024 Internal Didymo Control Based on the information in the AIS plan, there is no means to control didymo except by “implementing flushing flows that cause streambed disturbance”. The 2023 winter was very wet, with almost 200% of normal snow pack. As a result, Lower Bucks Dam was spilling for a substantial portion of 2023, with flows as high as 766 cfs on June 4 and exceeding 300 cfs from April 27 to June 18 (Figure 2). Please note that the flow data below is preliminary. Follow-up correspondence from the Resources Agencies and a literature search and review confirmed that there is no proven method to control or eradicate didymo once established in a stream or other waterbody. Once established, measures should be implemented to prevent its spread to other waterbodies. PG&E developed a public advisory notice to be posted at boat ramps and public kiosks in the Bucks Creek area (Attachment 3), describing the occurrence locations of didymo in the Bucks Creek area and advising the public on how to avoid spreading this to other areas using CDFW approved decontamination procedures. Once approved by the Resources Agencies, this notice will be posted along with CDFW’s Aquatic Invasive Species Poster (Attachment 4). Figure 2. Flows in Bucks Creek below Lower Bucks Reservoir in 2023. Reporting In addition to the agency notifications and calls described above, these occurrences of Didymo were reported to the USGS Invasive Aquatic Species website (https://nas.er.usgs.gov) and the CDFA Invasive Species website (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/reportapest) on January 18, 2024. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 6 February 2024 Internal Attachment 1 Email to Resources Agencies Reporting Suspected Didymo in Bucks Creek Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 7 February 2024 Internal Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 8 February 2024 Internal Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 9 February 2024 Internal Attachment 2 Email to Resources Agencies Confirming Didymo Identification Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 10 February 2024 Internal Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 11 February 2024 Internal Attachment 3 Public Advisory Poster Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 12 February 2024 Internal Help STOP the spread of Didymo Didymo or rock snot (Didymosphenia germinata), has been found in Bucks Creek below Lower Bucks Lake and Grizzly Creek below Grizzly Forebay. It has not been found above these reservoirs. Didymo is a highly invasive species of freshwater diatom that can form extensive mats in rivers, streams, and lakes. Didymo is native to cool temperate areas of the northern Hemisphere including Europe, North America, and Asia. Didymo can appear as small cotton ball-like puffs or extensive mats. The diatom itself is microscopic, but the stalks can be long and numerous resulting in large infestations that can blanket streams and rivers and impact the fish and macroinvertebrate community in those streams. Didymo is spread by contaminated fishing gear and other equipment that is moved from one waterbody to another. Because didymo itself is microscopic, decontamination of your equipment after each use at each location is essential to prevent its spread, as well as that of other aquatic invasive species. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife decontamination procedures are published online at: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=43333 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 13 February 2024 Internal Aquatic Invasive Species Decontamination Procedures Decontaminating your equipment begins with scrubbing your gear with a stiff brush to remove all organisms, mud, and debris from your equipment. Pay close attention to small creases, boot laces, and other hard to reach areas where organisms may hide. Once this is accomplished you can complete decontamination by one of the following methods. Method 1: Hot water immersion (122°F for 30 minutes). Weigh equipment down to keep it fully submerged and maintain temperature at 122°F for the entire time. Method 2: Drying – after equipment is dry to the touch, allow equipment to dry completely before reusing, by drying at: 1) ≥57°F for at least 8 days, 2) 95°F for 30 hours, 3) 158°F for 15 minutes. Method 3: Virkon S immersion in a 2% solution for 20 minutes. See product label for instruction to make a 2% solution. Immerse gear for 20 minutes in solution, weighting down to keep it fully submerged. Rinse equipment with fresh water after soaking. Dispose of chemical and rinse water into a municipal sewer system. Never discard them where they can drain into a water body. Virkon S is available at Amazon and some hardware stores. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 14 February 2024 Internal Attachment 4 CDFW AIS Poster Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Project Didymo Observations, 2023 15 February 2024 Internal Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report - Final May 2024 Attachment C Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 ©2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and the City of Santa Clara ATTACHMENT C RESPONSE TO COMMENTS RECEIVED ON MARCH 2024 AGENCY REVIEW DRAFT Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Pacific Gas and Electric Company Bucks Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No.619) Response to Comments on the Bucks Project 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Comment Number Commented By Section Comment Page Number Comment Paragraph Number Text Referenced with edit or Comment PG&E Response Comments Received from the Angie Montalvo California Department of Fish and Wildlife on AIS Report via email March 29, 2024 - pdf document 1 CDFW List of Attachments iii PG&E February 8, 2024, email to Resources Agencies re: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project - AIS notification Rejected. Comma is not needed 2 CDFW Introduction 1-1 1 Elements of this plan were filed with PG&E’s Final License Application on December 12, 2016, pending further consultation with the stakeholders, and the final Plan was submitted to FERC in a supplemental filing on September 20, 2019. Rejected. Comma is not needed 3 CDFW 1.4 Aquatic Invasive Species 1-2 3rd bullet other aquatic invasive species including: Myxobolus cerebralis, Ceratonova shasta, Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, and Ranavirus (Frog virus 3). Montalvo, A. Comment: NZMS, Asian Clam< Hydrilla, E. watermilfoil, etc. Accepted. Added the complete list if focal AIS identified in the Aquatic Resources Monitoring plan. 4 CDFW Section 2.1.1 2-1 2 The monitoring schedule can vary from annual monthly monitoring June through September based on the waterbodies vulnerability to infestation (High risk; Ca > 15 ppm [15 mg/L] and pH > 7.8) to every 10 years (risk rated as None; Ca ≤ 12 ppm [12 mg/L] and pH ≤ 7.3). Montalvo, A. Comment: Monthly visual survey or artificial substrate monitoring is required for all waters, regardless of risk. See attachment. Rejected. Information on the CDFW AIS website indicates this level of monitoring is recommended, not required. In the project reservoirs, calcium concentrations are very low (< 3 mg/L). There is no evidence in the literature that dreissenid mussels can survive long-term or reproduce when calcium concentrations are less than 12 mg/L, although they may survive for short periods with calcium concentration as low as 9 mg/L Claudi and Prescott (2011) chose 12 mg/L (in combination with pH) as a conservative number for survival and reproduction, meaning there was no likelihood of this happening when calcium concentration were this low. Davis et al. (2015) found adults could survive in water with calcium concentrations of 12 mg/L, but survival was low when calcium was 9 mg/L. They concluded that quagga mussels could establish in waters with calcium concentrations of 12 to 15 mg/L. They did not explore mussel survival or reproduction at concentrations lower than 9 mg/L. In an assessment for CDFW, Cohen (2008) reviewed the water quality limits of quagga and zebra mussels and assessed the potential distribution of these species based on these limitations. He used calcium concentrations of 12 mg/L as the minimum needed for these species to become established. He concluded that 86% of sites in the Sierra Nevada were not vulnerable to mussel establishment. Cohen and Weinstein (2001) evaluated calcium thresholds for zebra mussels and conducted an extensive review of the literature. While some of the papers they reviewed indicated concentrations as low as 9 mg/L might have very low establishment risk, Cohen and Weinstein “found little evidence that zebra mussels can become established at calcium concentrations <20 mg/L”, and that “at calcium concentrations around or below 15 mg/L mussels show decreased growth, loss of shell material, loss of calcium from tissues, poor larval production and non-release of sperm”. Based on these studies, implementing artificial substrate sampling in waters with less than approximately 9 mg/L calcium concentration would prove fruitless as mussels would not survive long enough or be healthy enough to attach to the plates. And as survival and reproduction is Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Pacific Gas and Electric Company Bucks Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No.619) Response to Comments on the Bucks Project 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Comment Number Commented By Section Comment Page Number Comment Paragraph Number Text Referenced with edit or Comment PG&E Response unlikely at the calcium levels observed in the Bucks Creek Project watershed, monthly observations should be considered excessive. Lastly, CDFW’s Bodega Bay laboratory that processes veliger samples will not process samples collected from waters with calcium concentrations of less than 15 mg/L and other CDFW biologists have indicated they have little concern for dreissenid establishment when concentrations are less than this value. The request for monthly sampling is not supported by the science and is unduly burdensome given the lack of risk of these species establishing in these reservoirs. Furthermore, these waters are within the FERC project boundary and are preempted from state regulation. PG&E will continue to monitor for dreissenid mussels as described in the FERC-approved Bucks Creek AIS Plan agreed upon during relicensing. 5 CDFW Table 1 2-2 CDFW suggests that the cell where CA≤12 intersects pH≤7.3 be changed from None to Very Low Rejected. Aside from minor wordsmithing, t2his table is adopted directly from Claudi and Prescott 2011: 6 CDFW Table 2 2-2 CDFW suggests that the text in the first cell of the fourth row of the table be changed from None to Very Low. They further comment that surface monitoring be conducted monthly, pending access to the reservoirs. Rejected. See response to Comment 4 7 CDFW 2.1.3 2.4 Header CDFW recommends expanding eDNA to include other AIS, especially NZMs Rejected. PG&E will continue to implement the agreed upon study plan. 8 CDFW 4.1 4-1 Table below paragraph 1 Same as comment on Table 2 Rejected. See response to Comment 4. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 ENCLOSURE 2 Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 From:Montalvo, Angie@Wildlife To:Maher, Michael@Wildlife Cc:Wise Jr., Larry; Visinoni, Jamie Subject:RE: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 - 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Date:Friday, March 29, 2024 4:52:00 PM Attachments:Bucks Creek AIS Monitoring_2023_Agency Draft w attachments_amedits .pdf Classification: Public CAUTION: EXTERNAL SENDER! This email was sent from an EXTERNAL source. Do you know this person? Are you expecting this email? Are you expecting any links or attachments? If suspicious, do not click links, open attachments, or provide credentials. Don't delete it. Report it by using the "Report Phish" button. I received a kickback due to size, please see attached pdf. Thanks. Angie Montalvo AIS Regional Coordinator | Incident Response Regional Coordinator Health & Safety Regional Coordinator | Fisheries Boater Safety Officer Sport Fishing Tournament & TGC Permits CA Department of Fish & Wildlife Region 2 - North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 C: 530.333.7749 angie.montalvo@wildlife.ca.gov From: Montalvo, Angie@Wildlife Sent: Friday, March 29, 2024 4:48 PM To: Maher, Michael@Wildlife <Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov> Cc: Wise Jr., Larry <LMWO@pge.com>; Visinoni, Jamie <JNVS@pge.com> Subject: RE: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 - 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Hello Michael, Please see my review and comments. Any questions, please contact me. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 I am working a train derailment incident, and my response time may be delayed due to UC activities. Thanks. Angie Montalvo AIS Regional Coordinator | Incident Response Regional Coordinator Health & Safety Regional Coordinator | Fisheries Boater Safety Officer Sport Fishing Tournament & TGC Permits CA Department of Fish & Wildlife Region 2 - North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670 C: 530.333.7749 angie.montalvo@wildlife.ca.gov From: Maher, Michael@Wildlife <Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov> Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 12:22 PM To: Montalvo, Angie@Wildlife <Angie.Montalvo@wildlife.ca.gov> Subject: FW: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 - 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Hi Angie, They gave us the extra week we asked for to review (until Monday April 1). Thanks again for your help! --Mike Michael Maher Region 2 FERC Coordinator | ( Cell: 916-597-5505 California Department of Fish & Wildlife | North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova | michael.maher@wildlife.ca.gov From: Visinoni, Jamie <JNVS@pge.com> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 7:42 AM To: Maher, Michael@Wildlife <Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov> Cc: Wise Jr., Larry <LMWO@pge.com> Subject: RE: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 - 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 WARNING: This message is from an external source. Verify the sender and exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments. Classification: Public Hi Michael, That’s no problem. Thanks for reaching out. Jamie V From: Maher, Michael@Wildlife <Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2024 10:37 PM To: Visinoni, Jamie <JNVS@pge.com> Subject: RE: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 - 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report CAUTION: EXTERNAL SENDER! This email was sent from an EXTERNAL source. Do you know this person? Are you expecting this email? Are you expecting any links or attachments? If suspicious, do not click links, open attachments, or provide credentials. Don't delete it. Report it by using the "Report Phish" button. Hello Jamie, Could we please have an additional week (until April 1) to review the AIS report. Our AIS coordinator has been tied up with our response to Union Pacific RR derailment and spill in the Feather River. Thank you Jamie, Michael Maher Region 2 FERC Coordinator | ( Cell: 916-597-5505 California Department of Fish & Wildlife | North Central Region 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova | michael.maher@wildlife.ca.gov From: Visinoni, Jamie <JNVS@pge.com> Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2024 7:40 AM To: 'Aondrea_Bartoo@fws.gov' <aondrea_bartoo@fws.gov>; Maher, Michael@Wildlife <Michael.Maher@wildlife.ca.gov>; Edlund, Leslie - FS <leslie.edlund@usda.gov>; Sable, Kurt A Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 -FS <kurt.sable@usda.gov>; Muro, Bryan@Waterboards <Bryan.Muro@Waterboards.ca.gov> Cc: Tarr, Holly <H1TC@pge.com>; Joseph, Matthew <MWJA@pge.com>; Fisch, Nathan@Waterboards <Nathan.Fisch@Waterboards.ca.gov>; Alvarez, Dawn -FS <dawn.alvarez@usda.gov>; Brenzovich, Erika -FS <erika.brenzovich@usda.gov>; Wise Jr., Larry <LMWO@pge.com>; Cheslak, Edward <EFC3@pge.com>; Herman, Andie <AEHb@pge.com>; Salve, Rohit <ROSK@pge.com>; Fransz, Matthew <MDFc@pge.com>; Johnson, Shannon <SxDm@pge.com>; Hoffman, Joseph -FS <joseph.hoffman@usda.gov> Subject: Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619 - 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report WARNING: This message is from an external source. Verify the sender and exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments. Classification: Public Hello Forest Service, SWRCB, CDFW and USFWS partners, This email presents the Draft 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report for Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) No. 619. FERC issued a new license for the Bucks Creek Project on June 16, 2022. License Article 401(a) requires the licensees to implement resource protection plans required by State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) conditions and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service’s (“Forest Service”) section 4(e) conditions with the Commission. WQC Condition 17 and Forest Service section 4(e) Condition No. 44 require the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Management Plan. In accordance with the approved AIS Plan, PG&E began implementing the Plan in License Year 1 (2023), the first full calendar year after license issuance. The attached draft 2023 Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Report document the results of the 2023 monitoring. Please provide any input on the draft report by March 25, 2024 so that we are prepared to discuss any comments during the annual Forest Service Consultation meeting (March 27, 2024) and the Ecological Consultation Group meeting (April 10, 2024). Thank you, Jamie Visinoni Hydro License Coordinator | Power Generation Pacific Gas and Electric Company d: (530) 894-4779 | m: (530) 215-6676 | e: jnvs@pge.com Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 You can read about PG&E’s data privacy practices at PGE.com/privacy. Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024 Document Content(s) PGE20240520_619_Bucks_Creek_AIS_Report.pdf ................................1Document Accession #: 20240520-5197 Filed Date: 05/20/2024