Middle Fork American River Project
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 2079
Duncan Creek Diversion PoolApplicant: Placer County Water Agency
Counties: Placer, El Dorado
License Expiration Date: March 1, 2013
Water Quality Certification Status: Issued April 17, 2019
Waterbody: Middle Fork American River, Duncan Creek, Rubicon River, North and South Fork Long Canyon Creek
FERC Licensing Process: Integrated Licensing Process
Project Description:
Located on the Middle Fork American River, and the Rubicon River, the Middle Fork American River Project (Project) affects 1,883 acres within the Tahoe National Forest and 1,385 acres within Eldorado National Forest, both of which are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service.
Primary Project facilities include: five powerhouses (French Meadows, Hell Hole Dam, Middle Fork, Ralston, and Oxbow Powerhouses); five diversion impoundments (Duncan Creek Diversion, North Fork Long Canyon Creek Diversion, South Fork, Long Canyon Creek Diversion, Middle Fork Afterbay, and Ralston Afterbay); five tunnels (Duncan Creek-Middle Fork, French Meadows-Hell Hole, Hell Hole-Middle Fork, Middle Fork-Ralston, Ralston-Oxbow Tunnels); and two reservoirs (French Meadows Reservoir, and Hell Hole Reservoir).
Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) owns and operates the Project for municipal drinking water delivery, irrigation, and electrical hydropower generation. The Project stores 345,560 acre-feet of water and generates an average of 1,039 gigawatts annually.
Currently, PCWA has water delivery contracts with the United States Bureau of Reclamation, San Juan Water District, the City of Roseville, and Sacramento Suburban Water District (formerly the Northridge Water District).
Related Documents
Water Quality Certification
- Final Water Quality Certification – April 17, 2019
- Notice of Determination – April 17, 2019
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
- Final CEQA Supplement - April 26, 2013
- Draft CEQA Supplement - December 6, 2012
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
- Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) - February 22, 2013
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) - July 23, 2012
Duncan Creek Diversion Dam Improvement Project
- Final Water Quality Certification – December 21, 2021
- Notice of Determination – December 21, 2021
- Water Quality Certification Amendment – June 30, 2022
- Notice of Determination – June 30, 2022
Ralston Afterbay Maintenance and Enhancement/Restoration Activities Project
- Notice of Applicability and Notice of Applicability with Attachments – September 2, 2024
- Public Notice for receipt of water quality certification application – October 2, 2023
North Fork and South Fork Long Canyon Diversion Modification Projects
- Final Water Quality Certification - December 16, 2024
- Notice of Determination - December 17, 2024
- Public Notice for receipt of application for water quality certification of North Fork Long Canyon Diversion Modification Project - January 12, 2024
- Public Notice for receipt of application for water quality certification of South Fork Long Canyon Diversion Modification Project - January 12, 2024
French Meadows Campground Rehabilitation Project
