Water Quality Certification Program Public Notices

The Merced River Hydroelectric Project (Merced River Project) and Merced Falls Hydroelectric Project (Merced Falls Project, collectively Merced Projects), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Project Nos. 2179 and 2467, respectively, are located in the Merced River watershed, in Merced and Mariposa counties, California. The majority of the Merced Projects’ facilities are located on federal land administered by the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of the Sierra Resource Management Area. The major components of the Merced Projects include one reservoir, one impoundment, three powerhouses, and various access roads and other appurtenant facilities. The Merced River Project has an authorized installed capacity of 101.25 megawatts and the Merced Falls Project has an authorized installed capacity of 3.4 megawatts.

On November 6, 2024, the United States Bureau of Reclamation submitted a request for certification for the Arroyo Canal Fish Screen and Sack Dam Fish Passage Project (Project). The Project aims to enhance fish passage at the Arroyo Canal and Sack Dam facilities on the San Joaquin River, prevent the entrainment of anadromous fish, and ensure effective fish passage at Sack Dam. The Project includes the following: (1) construction of a fish screen; (2) construction of a new 4,500 cubic feet per second channel around Sack Dam; (3) installation of new structures to control flow releases into the river channel; (4) construction of a fishway to provide salmonid passage; and (5) construction of a new maintenance building. Additionally, the Project will require the removal of an existing Pacific Gas and Electric Company gas and power line, with new line installed to replace it.

On October 25, 2024, South Sutter Water District submitted a request for water quality certification for the Camp Far West Hydroelectric Project (Project; FERC Project No. 2997). The 6.8-megawatt project is located on the Bear River. The Project includes Camp Far West Reservoir, Camp Far West Dam and associated spillway, an intake tower, powerhouse, a switchyard, and two recreation areas and associated facilities. South Sutter Water District has applied for a new FERC license, under which it proposes to: (1) raise the normal maximum water surface elevation of Camp Far West Reservoir by approximately 5 feet from an elevation of 300 feet to an elevation of 304.8 feet (i.e., pool raise) by raising the crest of the existing spillway; (3) relocate, reroute, or realign 104 recreation facilities and replacement or rehabilitation of recreation facilities; (4) add an existing 0.25-mile road as a primary Project road; (5) modify the Project boundary to account for the new reservoir surface level and to remove a transmission line that is no longer part of the Project; and (6) implement new protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures.

On October 15, 2024, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) submitted a water quality certification (certification) amendment application for the Poe Hydroelectric Project (Project). The amendment would allow temporary modifications to Condition 1 (Minimum Instream Flows) and Condition 13 (Tributary Access). A temporary reduction in minimum instream flow (MIF) is needed to complete dam safety maintenance on the radial bypass gate, specifically, recoating the gate, replacing seals, and replacing the hoist and controls. PG&E proposes to lower MIF to 100 cfs from June 1, 2025, through November 1, 2025. Because lowering MIF will impact tributary access monitoring, PG&E proposes to delay monitoring until the next Critically Dry water year type if 2025 is classified as a Critically Dry water year.

On August 29, 2024, Nevada Irrigation District submitted a request for water quality certification for the Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project (Project; FERC Project No. 2266).  The 79.32 megawatt project is located on the South Yuba River, Middle Yuba River, and Bear River.  The Project includes four developments: Bowman, Dutch Flat, Chicago Park, and Rollins, which include 13 main dams, 11 reservoirs, four water conduits, four powerhouses, 17 campgrounds and associated recreation facilities. Nevada Irrigation District has applied for a new FERC license, under which it proposes to: add a powerhouse adjacent to the existing Rollins Powerhouse; add five new streamflow gages; replace, upgrade, or construct new recreation facilities; decommission two non-Project roads; modify the Project boundary to add additional roads and recreation areas; and implement new minimum flow, ramping, and spill cessation measures.

On August 22, 2024, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) submitted a request for water quality certification for the Kerckhoff Hydroelectric Project, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 96 (Project). The Project is located in Fresno and Madera Counties on the San Joaquin River. In addition to continued operations, PG&E proposes: 1) decommissioning of the Kerckhoff 1 Powerhouse; 2) construction of a new day use area; 3) Project boundary updates; and 4) implementation of new environmental management plans and measures.

On July 15, 2024, STS Hydroelectric, LLC submitted a request for water quality certification for the Removal and Decommissioning of the Kanaka Powerhouse for the Kanaka Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 7242) License Surrender (Project). The Kanaka Hydroelectric Project was damaged as a result of the Ponderosa Fire and ceased operations in August 2017. The Project includes: (1) removal of the Kanaka Powerhouse and substation structures; (2) cutting and installing a concrete plug in the intake pipe, and capping and abandoning-in-place the penstock; (3) installing a sand and gravel plug in the wet well; (4) filling and grading the tailrace with native material and then abandoning-in-place; (5) regrading the powerhouse site after demolition; (6) repairing any failed culvert systems within the FERC boundary to reduce sediment transport associated with Project roads; and (7) abandoning-in-place the diversion dam. Once decommissioned, the diversion dam will become the responsibility of the private landowner, and natural stream flows (average flow is approximately 10 cubic feet per second) will top the diversion dam.

On June 28, 2024, Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water) submitted a request for a water quality certification for the Anderson Dam Seismic Retrofit Project (Project) (part of Anderson Dam Hydroelectric Project, also known as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 5737). The purpose of the Project is to retrofit Anderson Dam to meet FERC and the California Department of Water Resources’ Division of Safety of Dams seismic safety requirements and enable the Project to safely manage flood flows into Coyote Creek. Anderson Reservoir is located near the Calaveras and Coyote Creek Range Front Faults. The Project consists of: replacement of the existing Anderson Dam; replacement of the existing spillway; replacement of the Anderson Reservoir outlet works; decommissioning of the hydroelectric facility; and implementation of mitigation measures to offset the impact of Project activities. Mitigation measures include: construction period imported water releases; Ogier Ponds ecological enhancements; maintenance of spawning gravel and rearing habitat improvements in Live Oak Restoration Reach; phase 2 of the Coyote Percolation Dam improvements; and payment of fees into the Valley Habitat Plan. Valley Water also intends to surrender their FERC license for the Hydroelectric Facility as part of this Project.

On June 5, 2024, Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) submitted a request for a water quality certification for the French Meadows Campground Rehabilitation Project (Project). French Meadows Campground is a part of PCWA’s Middle Fork American River Hydroelectric Project (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 2079). The Project will reduce the size of the campground and rehabilitate the remaining sites to meet current U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service accessibility standards. This includes replacing seven culverts. PCWA will remove existing culverts, install new culverts, improve downstream drainage and outlet from culverts as necessary, and backfill excavated areas using native soil or cement slurry. Rock-lined ditches will be placed to stabilize the banks at each end of the culverts.

On June 6, 2024, Southern California Edison Company (SCE) applied for the Sediment Management Practices at Democrat Dam for the Kern River No. 1 Hydroelectric Project (Project). SCE is proposing the Project to reduce infill in the impoundment behind Democrat Dam, part of the Kern No. 1 Hydroelectric Project (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC] Project No.1930). The Project objective is to maintain downstream river health by passing impounded sediment through Democrat Dam. The Project will continue the sediment management practices outlined in the Revised Sediment Management Plan, which is part of the Kern No. 1 Hydroelectric Project’s 1998 FERC license.

On April 9, 2024, United Water Conservation District (United) filed a water quality certification application for the Freeman Diversion Facility Renovation Project (Project). United is proposing the Freeman Diversion Facility Renovation Project (Project), with the overall goal to renovate the Freeman Diversion to improve fish passage at the facility, enhance the operational flexibility of the diversion for future water resource management, and enable greater sediment management capability through the facility while minimizing and mitigating potential take of threatened and endangered species. The Project consists of replacing the existing off-channel Denil fish ladder with an in-river hardened ramp, resurfacing the downstream face of the diversion grade control structure, constructing a new diversion intake and headworks, replacing and adding to the sediment management systems, replacing the fish screen system, replacing the fish bypass and evaluation system, and updating the flow operations at the diversion.