Fish Scr Screening g Paym yment I t In Lieu P Pilot P Progr gram am January 17, 2020 Salem, OR Exhibit B Ken Loffink, ODFW Fish Screening Program Coordinator
Oregon Points of Diversion
Fish Screening Program • Established to address fish screening at water diversions • Fish screens are devices that effectively keep fish from entering irrigation diversions, while allowing water to pass • Voluntary Cost Share • Collaborative partnerships with stakeholders and water users to design and construct fish screens- 60% ODFW 40% Applicant/Other • Regulatory • Review and approve fish screens when screening is required • Per ORS 498.306, fish screening is generally required for new water rights, water right transfers, hydropower licensing & relicensing
Fish Screening Program Program Funding - PCSRF - BPA - License Funds - General Funds
Gravit ity Sc Scree eens
Pump Sc Scree eens
Fish Screening and Passage Cost Share Program 2014-19 222 Fish Screens Installed Protecting over 650 CFS of diverted water 4 “Design Only” Projects Maintenance Performed at 1000+ sites 67 Fish Passage Projects Installed, funded, or partially funded- Improving access to 100s of miles of habitat *1500+ Screens Installed since 2000
Maintenance
Cost Shared Screens Over Time 160 140 120 100 # of Screens 80 60 40 20 0 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Year
Screens Installed 2014-2019 (n. 222)
Fl Flexibility when Scr creening is Required • Fish Screening is required, when certain actions occur per ORS 498.306. • Transfers, new water rights, relicensing, etc. • ORS 498.316- ORS 498.306 does not require the installation of fish screening for water diversions for which the Fish and Wildlife Commission, by contract or other form of agreement, has made such other provisions as the Commission determines is adequate for the protection of game fish in the body of water from which water is being diverted.
Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Pilot Program • Allows for a payment, into the fish screening sub-account, in lieu of installing a fish screen, when fish screening is required. • Limited in geographic scope to the ODFW SE Fish District (Hines) • Strict qualifying criteria: • Point of diversion is located in habitat rated as 4, or lower value, in ODFW’s habitat mitigation policy • Established rating system. Category 4 or lower allows for off site mitigation. • No federally ESA listed species • No state listed species • Aquatic habitat at diversion site is not listed as a high priority for restoration under any ODFW aquatic habitat prioritization or species management plan
Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Pilot Program • Qualifying projects will pay a fee of $7,500 per CFS of total water diverted • $6,500 per CFS for design/construction/installation of a high priority fish screen • $1,000 per CFS for maintenance of the new high priority fish screen • Projects and payments will be tracked by region • Snake River (Owyhee and Malheur River Basins) • Great Basin (Malheur Lakes Basin) • 4 new sub accounts have been set up to track funds by region and category: • Great Basin Screens • Great Basin Maintenance • Snake River Screens • Snake River Maintenance
Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Pilot Program • Example: A 2 CFS qualifying project in the Malheur River, would pay a fee of $15,000 into the fish screening sub accounts as follows: • Snake River Screens- $13,000 • Snake River Maintenance- $2,000
Cost of Fish Screening Per CFS of Diverted Water (2014-2018) Total CFS Screened: 569.93 Avg CFS/Project: 2.84 y = 13023x + 5446.4 R² = 0.4624 450000 Total Cost: $7,475,137 400000 Average Cost/Project: $37,189 350000 Average Cost/CFS: $13,115 Cost of Fish Screening 300000 250000 200000 150000 Payment in Lieu Fee is approximately 50% the cost 100000 of installing a fish screen, plus maintenance costs. 50000 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 Diversion Rate (CFS)
Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Pilot Program • All successful applicants will enter into an agreement with ODFW • The signed agreement will serve as the applicant’s “Fish Screening Approval” • The Pilot Program will sunset in 5 years • Annual Reporting • Final Reporting • Benefit analysis comparing the benefits of installing fish screening at high value locations to the “detriments” of not installing a fish screen at Payment In Lieu sites
Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Pilot Program • Prioritizes high value habitat over low in face of climate change • Seeks to generate funds and high value voluntary fish screening projects where there currently are none • Consistent with Screening Policy and Statutes • Consistent with ODFW Mitigation Policy • Promotes flexibility and collaboration with water users
Sta taff ff Recommendation Approve the Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Pilot Program
Commission O Opti tions 1. Approve the Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Program 2. Approve the Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Program with amendments 3. Do not approve the Fish Screening Payment In Lieu Program
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