[env-trinity] Trinity Journal-Reclamation ramps up river releases

[Tom Stokely]

http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/environment/article_319f96ee-e68a-11e1-b9bc-0019bb30f31a.html

Reclamation ramps up river releases
By Amy Gittelsohn The Trinity Journal | Posted: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 6:15 am
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation began increasing water releases from Trinity Lake to the Trinity River on Monday to reduce chances of a fish die-off in the lower Klamath River during what could be a record run of fall chinook salmon.
As of Tuesday the 450 cubic feet per second of water usually released from Lewiston Dam at this time of year had been boosted to 955 cfs. The Trinity River is the main tributary to the Klamath, and the higher release at Lewiston will be adjusted in an effort to keep flows in the lower Klamath at 3,200 cfs.
It is estimated that the higher release from Lewiston will vary between 1,000 and 1,200 cfs to reach that target. The flows are to drop back down to 450 cfs in late September.
The higher releases are expected to total around 48,000 acre-feet of additional water released from Trinity Lake. Another 44,000 acre-feet of water could be released if needed.
"If fish start to die they're looking at more flows," said Robin Schrock, executive director of the Trinity River Restoration Program.
Residents are asked to report any observations of large numbers of dead or dying fish on the Trinity River and its tributaries to CalTip at 1-888-334-2258.
The Klamath Fish Health Assessment Team, formed in 2003 with members from many agencies, will also be monitoring fish health in the river, Schrock said.
She noted that the team and restoration program staff gather information and make recommendations, but they do not set policy.
Fliers with safety information about the increased flows and the request for information on fish die-offs are posted along the river.
The higher flows are a response to the deaths in September 2002 of an estimated 34,000 fall chinook salmon – many bound for the Trinity River. It was determined that the fish died in the lower Klamath without spawning due to disease resulting from overcrowding during the large fish run, warm water, and low water velocities and volumes.
With an even bigger fall run of 352,000 fish expected this year, which would be the largest on record since 1978, and relatively dry conditions in the upper Klamath Basin, biologists have been concerned about a repeat of 2002.
Reclamation recently released an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact for the higher river releases. The final documents available atwww.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=10230 respond to comments made on earlier draft documents.
The environmental assessment notes that 23 e-mails were received in support of the proposed increased flows, and 156 e-mails were received in support of the proposed flows plus additional water augmentation from storage in the upper Klamath Basin.
From the Trinity Lake Revitalization Alliance, Kelli Gant commented that the environmental assessment does not reference published, defensible scientific studies or data showing that the proposed flow augmentation is needed. Reclamation responded that it is not aware of any such specific studies, but the post-2002 analysis of the fish die-off referenced in the environmental assessment does provide relevant analyses and some general recommendations.
In response to another comment from Gant that the drop in Trinity Lake elevation from the flows will likely make many boat ramps unusable, Reclamation said based on forecasted conditions and planned operation of the Trinity River Division, it does not anticipate any changes to boat ramp usability.
The assessment states that if only the 48,000 acre-foot preventive release is implemented, the water surface elevation at Trinity Lake will decrease by up to 3.5 feet compared to what it would be. If the additional 44,000 acre-foot emergency flow is implemented, the reservoir elevation will be decreased by up to another 3 feet.
Boat ramp access is expected to remain the same as it would with no action, the assessment said, although "there is a small chance that some boat ramps might not be useable due to a reduced water elevation in the lake during the later part of summer of 2013."
The assessment notes that other factors preclude making meaningful estimates that far in the future.
In response to comments from Trinity Public Utilities District General Manager Paul Hauser and Barry Tippin of Redding Electric Utility, a "worst-case scenario" regarding the amount of foregone power generation and the value they put on it was added to the assessment.
There could be decreased power generation if Trinity Lake does not fill in water year 2013 and less water is available to go through power plants. Decreased power generation is difficult to quantify, the assessment states, but if the full 92,000 acre-feet were released, future foregone generation could be a maximum of about 110,400 megawatt hours worth in excess of $5 million.
However, it was noted that power generation opportunities are subject to many restrictions and uncertainties unrelated to increased flows for the fall run.
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