[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 225 (Tuesday, November 21, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69934-69935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29695]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and
Soliciting Comments, Recommendations, Terms and Conditions, and
Prescriptions
November 19, 2000.
Take notice that the following hydrolectric application has been
filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection.
a. Type of Application: Major New License.
b. Project No.: 1927-008.
c. Date filed: January 30, 1995 (most recently amended by
PacifiCorp on February 22, 2000).
d. Applicant: PacificCorp.
e. Name of Project: North Umpqua Hydroelectric Project.
f. Location: On the North Umpqua River, in Douglas County, Oregon.
The project occupies about 2,725 acres of land within the Umpqua
National Forest, and about 117 acres of land administered by the Bureau
of Land Management.
g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act 16 U.S.C. 791 (a)-825(r).
h. Applicant Contact: Timothy C. O'Connor, Director, Hydro
Operations, PacifiCorp 825 Multnomah, Suite 1500, Portland, OR 97232,
(503) 813-6660, and Thomas H. Nelson, Stoel Rives Boley Jones & Grey,
900 S.W. Fifth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204, (503) 294-9281.
i. FERC Contact: John Smith, 202-219-2460, [email protected].
j. Deadline for filing comments, recommendations, terms and
conditions, and prescriptions: March 1, 2001.
The comment due date has been set to coincide with the conclusion
of settlement negotiations.
All documents (original and eight copies) should be filed with:
David P. Boergers, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888
First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20426.
Comments and protests may be filed electronically via the internet
in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 384.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions
on the Commission's web site at http://www.ferc.fed.us/efi/doorbell.htm.
The Commission's Rules of Practice require all intervenors filing
documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each
person on the official service list for the project. Further, if an
intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to
the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a
particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document
on that resource agency.
k. This application has been accepted, and is ready for
environmental analysis at this time.
1. (1) The project consists of a series of mainstem reservoirs,
diversion canals and penstocks, and powerhouses on the North Umpqua
River and two major tributaries--the Clearwater River and Fish Creek.
The project's 8 developments include:
Lemolo No. 1: (1) a 120-foot-high diversion dam on the North Umpqua
River, about 1 mile downstream of its confluence with Lake Creek,
impounding the 11,752-acre-foot Lemolo Lake; (2) 16,310 feet of canal
and flumes; (3) a forebay at the intake of a 7,338-foot-long steel
penstock; (4) a 4.5-mile-long bypassed reach, (5) a powerhouse on the
North Umpqua River at the mouth of Warm Springs Creek containing a
29,000-kilowatt (kW) turbine-generator unit; and (6) a 12-mile-long
transmission line connecting the powerhouse to the Clearwater switching
station.
Lemolo No. 2: (1) a 25-foot-high diversion dam on the North Umpqua
River, immediately downstream of the Lemolo No. 1 powerhouse, with a
1.4-acre impoundment having no active storage; (2) 69,503 feet of canal
and flumes; (3) a 159-acre-foot forebay at the intake of a 3,975-foot-
long penstock; (5) an 11-mile-long bypassed reach; (6) a 71-foot-high
surge tank; (7) a powerhouse on the North Umpqua River, approximately
3,500 feet upstream of Tiketee Lake, containing a 33,000-kW turbine-
generator unit; and (8) a 1.4-mile-long transmission line to the
Clearwater switching station.
Clearwater No. 1: (1) a 17-foot-high diversion dam on the
Clearwater River, about 9 miles upstream of Toketee Lake, impounding
the 30-acre-foot Stump Lake; (2) 13,037 feet of canals and flumes; (3)
a 121-acre-foot forebay at the intake of a 4,863 foot-long penstock;
(4) a 3-mile-long bypassed reach; (5) a powerhouse discharging directly
into the Clearwater No. 2 diversion with a 15,000-kW turbine-generator
unit; and (6) a 5.1-mile-long transmission line to the Clearwater
switching station.
Clearwater No. 2: (1) and 18-foot-high diversion dam on the
Clearwater River, immediately downstream of the Clearwater No. 1
powerhouse, with a small impoundment about 1.2 acres in surface area;
(2) 31,235 feet of canal and flumes; (3) a 71-acre-foot forebay at the
intake of a 1.168-foot-long penstock; (4) a 5-mile-long bypassed reach;
(5) a powerhouse with a 26,000-kW turbine-generator on the North Umpqua
River at Toketee Lake; and (6) a 0.3-mile-long transmission line to the
Clearwater switching station.
Toketee: (1) a 58-foot-high dam at the confluence of the Clearwater
and North Umpqua Rivers, impounding the 1,051-acre-foot Toketee Lake;
(2) 6,994 feet of wook stave pipe and tunnel; (3) 1,067 feet of single
penstock that splits into three 158-foot-long pentocks; (4) a 128-foot-
high surge tank; (5) a 2-mile-long bypassed reach; and (6) a powerhouse
about 2 miles downstream of Toketee Lake containing 3 turbine-generator
units with a combined rated capacity of 42,500 kW. Power is delivered
to the Toketee switching station, adjacent to the Toketee powerhouse.
Fish Creek: (1) a 6.5-foot-high diversion dam on Fish Creek, about
6 miles upstream from its confluence with the North Umpqua River, with
a small impoundment about 3 acres in surface area; (2) 25,662 feet of
canal and flumes; (3) a 110-acre-foot forebay at the intake of a 2,358-
foot-long penstock; (4) a 6.6-mile-long bypassed reach; and (5) a
powerhouse containing an 11,000-kW turbine-generator unit. Power is
[[Page 69935]]
delivered to a collector transmission line between the Soda Springs
powerhouse substation and the Toketee switching station.
Slide Creek: (1) a 30-foot-high diversion dam on the North Umpqua
River, about 900 feet downstream of the Toketee powerhouse and
impounding a 43-acre-foot reservoir with no active storage; (2) 9,653
feet of canal and flumes; (3) a forebay with no storage capacity at the
intake of a 374-foot-long penstock; (4) a 2-mile-long bypassed reach;
and (5) a powerhouse containing an 18,000-kW turbine generator unit on
the North Umpqua River at the mouth of Slide Creek, approximately 1.3
miles above the Soda Springs dam. Power is delivered to a collector
transmission line running between the Soda Springs powerhouse
substation and the Toketee switching station.
Soda Springs: (1) a 77-foot-high diversion dam on the North Umpqua
River downstream of the Slide Creek powerhouse, impounding a 412-acre-
foot reservoir; (2) 2,112 feet of steel pipe; (4) a surge tank; (5) a
168-foot-long penstock; (6) a 0.5-mile-long bypassed reach; and (7) a
powerhouse with a 11,000-kW turbine generator unit located on the North
Umpqua River about 1.5 miles downstream of Medicine Creek. Power is
delivered to the Soda Springs substation, adjacent to the Soda Springs
powerhouse.
(2) The licensee proposes to make the following facility
modifications:
A new enlarged forebay would be added to Lemolo No. 1 to virtually
eliminate the risk of spill events. Instream flow outlet and
measurement facilities would be modified or added in the bypassed
reaches of all project developments. A new instream release structure
would be constructed at the extreme lower end of the Clearwater
bypassed reach to provide flows to the historic river channel and
provide aquatic connectivity between the Clearwater and North Umpqua
Rivers. Canal flow gages would be installed on Lemolo No. 1, Lemolo No.
2, Clearwater No. 1, Clearwater No. 2, Fish Creek, and Slide Creek
conveyance systems. A penstock flow meter would be installed on the
Toketee development to measure flows through the powerhouse. These
facilities would measure conveyance system flows for both water rights
compliance and conveyance system monitoring. In addition, the following
enhancement measures would be implemented to improve aquatic and
terrestrial connectivity: (a) reconnect Bear Creek, currently diverted
into Stump Lake, by rerouting it through its historic channel to the
mainstream Clearwater River; (b) reconnect 27 small tributaries that
are currently intercepted by project canals by constructing artificial
channels for water to cross the canal and providing pre-cast concrete
canal covers; (c) reconnect 36 small tributaries that are currently
intercepted by flumes or flow under flumes through culverts too small
to allow passage of small wildlife by installing 10-foot-wide culverts
in a shallow excavation under each flume; (d) reconnect 8 tributary
streams that are currently diverted into Lemolo No. 1 and Lemolo No. 2
waterways by removing diversion structures, except for Deer Creek, and
allowing the streams to flow down their natural channels; (e)
reconfigure the historic stream channels for Potter and White Mule
Creeks that have been disturbed by activities in the vicinity of
project waterways to provide riparian function; (f) create 4 ponds or
similar stillwater habitat areas to provide stable, predator-free
environments for breeding amphibians; and (g) provide 26 new 12-foot-
wide wildlife bridges, install up to 175 new 2-foot-wide wildlife
bridges, and expand 29 existing wildlife bridges across water
conveyance systems.
(3) The licensee proposes to operate the project as follows:
The functional relationship of the 8 projects would remain
relatively unchanged from the existing operations. Generally, the
project developments above the Soda Springs development would continue
to operate to meet daily high energy demands during most of the year.
The Soea Springs development would be operated continuously to provide
uniform flows in the North Umpqua River below the project. Proposed
increases in instream flow in the bypassed reaches to more closely
resemble a natural hydrograph, meet water quality standards, and
improve resident and anadromous fish habitat would result in a decrease
in gross project generation.
m. Copies of the application and the February 22, 2000, amendments
are available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission's
Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2-A
Washington, DC 20426, or by calling (202) 208-1371. The application and
amendments may be viewed on http://www.ferc.fed.us/online/rims.htm
(call (202) 208-2222 for assistance). Copies are also available for
inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above.
n. The Commission directs that all comments, recommendations, terms
and conditions and prescriptions concerning the application be filed
with the Commission by March 1, 2001. All reply comments must be filed
with the Commission by April 16, 2001.
Anyone may obtain an extension of time for these deadlines from the
Commission only upon a showing of good cause or extraordinary
circumstances in accordance with 18 CFR 385.2008.
All filings must (1) bear in all capital letters the title
``COMMENTS'', ``REPLY COMMENTS'', ``RECOMMENDATIONS'', ``TERMS AND
CONDITIONS'', or ``PRESCRIPTIONS''; (2) set forth in the heading the
name of the applicant and the project number of the application to
which the filing responds; (3) furnish the name, address, and telephone
number of the person submitting the filing; and (4) otherwise comply
with the requirements of 18 CFR 385.2001 through 385.2005. All
comments, recommendations, terms and conditions or prescriptions must
set forth their evidentiary basis and otherwise comply with the
requirements of 18 CFR 4.34(b). Agencies may obtain copies of the
application directly from the applicant. Each filing must be
accompanied by proof of service on all persons listed on the service
list prepared by the Commission in this proceeding, in accordance with
18 CFR 4.34(b), and 385.2010.
Linwood A. Watson, Jr.,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-29695 Filed 11-20-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-M