City of Portland, Michigan Submits Notification to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Strategic Insights -

The City of Portland, Michigan's Municipal Dam has submitted a document to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, notifying them that the City will not prepare a 2025 report to summarize the activities related to the smolt passage. This decision is based on the fact that there was no 14-day shutdown period for smolt stocking in 2025, as required by License Article 408. The City had reported no such shutdown period, and therefore, no report was needed to be submitted.

Key Takeaways:

  • The City of Portland, Michigan's Municipal Dam received a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on June 20, 2001, which requires an annual consultation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to identify a consecutive 14-day shutdown period for stopping project generation to allow safe downstream passage of stocked salmonid smolts.
  • The City reported no shutdown period for smolt stocking in 2025, resulting in the decision not to prepare a 2025 report to summarize the activities related to smolt passage as required by License Article 408.
  • The City had previously reported no regular 14-day shutdown periods for smolt stocking in 2024, starting from 2024 when the steelhead and coho salmon stocking were moved downstream of Webber Dam in Lyons.
  • The remaining steelhead stocking in the Red Cedar River required no two-week shutdown in 2024.
  • The City and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Fisheries Division (DNR) had been coordinating the annual shutdown periods annually since 2001.
  • The shutdown period in 2024 was initiated on April 17, and the Consumers Operators had started their daily observations shortly after the smolts were planted.
  • This decision impacts the FERC reporting requirements since the City is not required to prepare a 2025 report.

Statistics:

  • The FERC license was received by the City of Portland, Michigan's Municipal Dam on June 20, 2001.
  • The shutdown period in 2024 was initiated on April 17.
  • The remaining steelhead stocking in the Red Cedar River required no two-week shutdown in 2024.
  • The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) had been consulted annually by the City since 2001 to identify a consecutive 14-day shutdown period for stopping project generation to allow safe downstream passage of stocked salmonid smolts.
  • The Michigan Department of Natural Resources - Fisheries Division (DNR) had coordinated with the City annually since 2001 to identify a shutdown period for smolt stocking.

Sources:

  • https://elibrary.ferc.gov
  • City of Portland, Michigan Municipal Dam, FERC License #11616
  • AECOM, 3950 Sparks Drive Southeast, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
  • The Secretary, Kimberly D. Bose, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Mail Code: OEP/DHAC - PJ 12.3, 888 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20426