Fish and Wildlife Quarterly Business Report Grant PUD Commission Meeting September 8, 2020 Operate Responsibly by Attaining Environmental, Cultural Resource and Regulatory Compliance Powering our way of life.
Purpose & Goal The Fish and Wildlife Business Unit uses technology, innovation, strategic thinking, good stakeholder relations and skilled negotiations to ensure we are achieving compliance with our Natural Resources regulatory requirements in a safe, cost efficient and biologically sound manner while helping to maintain the long-term financial health of the District.
2020 Safety Cultural ❖ No Recordable Incidents; ❖ Job Site Reviews (N=28; Currently at 18.6%) ❑ Goals = 15%; Stretch Goal = 25% ❖ Overall Safety Meeting Attendance = 99.0%; ❖ Priest Rapids Hatchery Safety Fixes; ❑ Priest Rapids Hatchery ❖ Covid-19 Site Specific Work Plans ❑ Priest Rapids Hatchery ❑ Off Ladder Adult Fish Trap ❑ Video Fish Counting ❑ Vegetation Mgmt. ❑ Fish Predator Control/USDA Angling ❑ Juvenile Sturgeon tagging & Release ❑ Sturgeon Spawning Assessment ❑ Sampling/Collections at Off-Ladder Adult Fish Trap ❑ Juvenile Sturgeon Assessment ❑ Fall Chinook Collection in Hanford Reach ❑ Priest Rapids Hatchery Spawning/Monitoring & Evaluation
Covid-19 - Essential Business ❖ Hatchery Production ✓ Priest Rapids Hatchery (GPUD) ✓ Carlton & Nason Acclimation Facilities (GPUD) ✓ Eastbank Hatchery (CPUD) ✓ Wells & Methow Hatchery (DPUD) ✓ Penticton (ONA) ✓ Chief Joseph (CCT) ✓ St Mary’s Acclimation (CCT) ✓ Marian Drain (YN) ❖ Anadromous & Resident Fish Passage ❖ Video Fish Counting ❖ Hanford Reach Operations ❖ Juvenile Salmonid Passage (Fish Mode/Bypass Ops) ❖ Wildlife Management Plan/Vegetation Mgmt. ❖ Compliance Reporting & Consultation ❖ White Sturgeon Program
2020 Compliance Review • File 22 annual reports and plans with various agencies; • Progress & Implementation Report (8 Combined) • Aquatic Invasive Species Control & Prevention • Bull Trout Report and 10-Year Review • White Sturgeon Annual Report • Pacific Lamprey Annual Report • Northern Wormwood Conservation Plan • Gas Abatement Plan • Transmission Line Collision Protection • Bald Eagle Perching/Roosting Protection Plan • Wildlife Habitat Monitoring, Info & Education • Native Resident Fish • Fish Spill and Total Dissolved Gas Report • USFWS Annual Recovery Report • USFWS Annual – Special Use Permit • Mitigation Sites (12 Annual Reports) • Wanapum Gate Seal (Article 406) • Boundary Adjustment for Nason Creek Acclimation Facility (on Hold)
Wanapum Gate Seal Investigation Priest Rapids Project License Article 406. As part of the Wanapum Dam Interim Spill Regime Evaluation Plan required under section 6.2(1) of the water quality certification and article 11 of National Marine Fisheries Service’s and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s section 18 prescriptions, the licensee shall investigate the Wanapum dam spillway gate seals as a potential source for juvenile salmonid mortality during spillway passage.
NOTES: • Coulter Counter Purchased. • Wells Hatchery & Tumwater - on track. • Saint Mary’s Acclimation Building billing issues & Covid. • Chief Joseph Hatchery Chiller Project cancelled (CCT found internal funding).
2020 Tier 1 Carlton Acclimation Facility Intake Structure Issue: Methow River migrating away from water intake. ✓ Alternative Selected ➢ Install 2 wells Domestic well (400 gpm with VFD - 10” well) – Estimated $670K o Production well (3200 gpm) – Estimated $900K o o Upgrade existing backup generator ✓ Plan Forward ➢ 2 separate contracts (2020 & 2021) ➢ Domestic Well Construction Contract in development ▪ Anticipating Contract Award – 3 rd week in Sept. ▪ Target Completion date – Project Close out November 25, 2020. ➢ Production Well ▪ Completion – October 1, 2021.
2020 Tier 1 Hatchery Monitoring and Evaluation Comprehensive Analysis ❖ Development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation programs is a primary element required throughout Grant PUD’s license requirements, Biological Opinions, 401 Certification, Hanford Reach Fall Chinook Protection Program and the Priest Rapids Salmon and Steelhead Settlement Agreement. ❖ Hatchery Program Reviews are conducted every 10 years for each species. ❖ Informs hatchery “recalculation” and adaptive management. ❖ Determines if programs are meeting objectives.
2020 Tier 1 Hanford Reach ❖ Operational Plan for Implementation of the Hanford Reach Fall Chinook Protection Agreement Issue: Formal operating protocols need to be developed to replace procedures that had been implemented through Mid-C Hourly Coordination with the Utility Parties. ✓ In Progress ➢ Working to development a joint operating plan.
2020 Tier 1 Temperature TMDL ❖ The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued for public review and comment a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for temperature in the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers. The TMDL addresses portions of the Columbia and lower Snake Rivers that have been identified by the states of WA & OR as impaired due to temperatures that exceed those states' water quality standards. ❖ Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) authorizes the EPA to assist states, territories and authorized tribes in listing impaired waters and developing TMDLs for these waterbodies. ❖ Key Takeaways from EPA’s Temperature TMDL: ✓ EPA does not believe the state’s water quality standards can be attained even if all allocations in the TMDL are implemented and the temperature reductions envisioned are fully realized. ✓ Sources outside the allocation structure of the TMDL contribute to warm water that alone exceed the state’s standards. These sources include water entering the U.S. from Canada that exceed Washington State’s standards and warming air temperature in the Columbia Basin, which is the primary driver of water temperature. ✓ While EPA acknowledges these challenges, it does not make any accommodations in the TMDL for these external factors, posing significant compliance challenges.
2020 Tier 1 Temperature Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) ❖ Why is it Important to GPUD? GPUD’s Water Quality Certification (WQC) was issued prior to a Columbia River TMDL but the WQC anticipated one would be forthcoming. With EPA finalizing a TMDL, WDOE will be compelled to develop a state-wide implementation plan that will likely include Project specific provisions for GPUD consistent with the temperature allocations in TMDL. ❖ What Are We Doing? ✓ Outreach to the upper echelon’s within WADOE ✓ Submitted a joint 3-PUD comment letter to EPA ✓ Submitted (to EPA) a Priest Rapids Project specific comment letter ✓ Work collaboratively with WADOE to develop compliance schedule/process
2020 Tier 1 Wildlife Management Plan Wildlife Management Plan (WHMP) – 5-Year Updates ❖ Updated plan due to FERC Dec 2020 Primary components • Wildlife habitat improvements implementing using Best Management Practices • Development of a fire suppression program ($40k/yr.) • Habitat restoration of other areas (e.g. Sunland) • Adaptive Management • Agency consultation and reporting schedule
2020 Tier 1 - Tumwater Fish Weir ➢ Tumwater Dam Fish Weir (Owned by Chelan PUD) ➢ Interlocal Cooperative Agreement (ICA) in place that allows GPUD to utilize the Tumwater weir to collect adult broodstock for GPUD hatchery programs in the Wenatchee River Basin (summer Chinook and Nason Creek spring Chinook). ➢ The ICA specifically defines the specific cost allocations to each PUD depending on the type of activity and/or reactive repair (GPUD’s share is = 36%). ➢ Chelan PUD staff identified erosion and undercutting on the lowermost section of the fishway adjacent to Tumwater dam. ➢ Chelan PUD has indicated that the preliminary estimated is ~$400,000. Of which GPUD would be responsible for $162,000 (36%). ➢ Expected Project Completion Date = March 30, 2021
2020 Tier 1 – NNI & Habitat Contracting Process ❖ Migration of NNI & Habitat Contracting Process into Contract 365. Goal: Efficiency improvements, error reduction, repeatable consistent process, transparency, potentially reduce multiple document storage locations and reduction in email traffic. In Progress : Currently working with procurement to ensure that the workflow process that will integrate seamlessly with Contract 365. Expecting that next NNI or Habitat request from the committee(s) will be piloted through this new process.
2020 Tier 2 - Business Activities ❖ White River Spring Chinook Program ❖ Vegetation Management ❖ Survival Evaluations scheduled for 2025, 2026 & 2027 ❖ Avian Predation in the Columbia River Plateau ❖ Northern Wormwood Conservation Plan ❖ Predator Removal Program
2020 Tier 1 Priest Rapids Hatchery Operations Completed Decision was made to continue contracting with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the Operation and Maintenance of the Priest Rapids Hatchery. Emerging Issue: Developing a mechanism so the US Army Corps of Engineers can contract directly with Grant PUD by June 1, 2021.
2020 Tier 1 Priest Rapids Hatchery Well Rehabilitation Completed Three of the eight wells were inoperable during most of the timeframe when the Priest Rapids Reservoir was operated at lower elevations for Priest Rapids Spillway work/evaluation.
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