NOAA Fisheries Submits Revised Fishway Prescription for Yuba River Hydroelectric Project

NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region submitted a revised preliminary federal power act fishway prescription for the Yuba River Hydroelectric Project (P-2246) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. This move follows an off-license settlement agreement, the Yuba River Resilience Initiative, aimed at enhancing anadromous salmonids in the Yuba River Watershed. The agreement calls for the construction and maintenance of a Nature-Like Fishway, reintroduction of spring-run Chinook salmon, and habitat enhancement. NOAA requests that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission does not include the agreement or its terms in any license for the Yuba River Development Project.

Key Takeaways:

• The Yuba River Resilience Initiative, a settlement agreement, aims to enhance anadromous salmonids in the Yuba River Watershed.
• The agreement includes the construction and maintenance of a Nature-Like Fishway, reintroduction of spring-run Chinook salmon, and habitat enhancement.
• NOAA Fisheries reserves its right under Section 18 of the Federal Power Act to prescribe fish passage and modify its Fishway Prescriptions.
• The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was asked not to include the agreement or its terms in any license for the Yuba River Development Project.
• NOAA requests that the Commission incorporate into the Project license an article providing authority for the National Marine Fisheries Service to prescribe fishways at the project.
• The agreement also includes measures for determining, ensuring, or improving the effectiveness of the prescribed fishways.

Statistics:

• 120 days: The time period within which NOAA will file with FERC a Reservation of Authority under Section 18 of the FPA.
• 3 projects: The Yuba River Development Project (P-2246), the Narrows Hydroelectric Project (P-1403), and the Upper Drum-Spaulding Project (P-231).
• 2 offices: The National Marine Fisheries Service's California Central Valley Office and the Yuba Water Agency.

Sources:

• NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• The Yuba River Resilience Initiative Agreement