Eighty percent of California's hydropower dams are regulated through
30-50 year licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Half of those facilities are scheduled to be relicensed in the next 15
years, presenting a rare opportunity for Californians to upgrade project
operations and design to reduce impacts to our rivers, and restore fish
and wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities.
In order to learn more about the
general FERC Relicensing process, please see the following introductory documents.
The dams on the Yuba, Bear, and Middle Fork American were licensed almost 50 years
ago, before the advent of modern environmental law, policy or ethic. Hydropower
relicensing is a once-in-lifetime opportunity to improve flow regimes, water
quality and fish passage and to restore aquatic and riparian ecosystems along
more than 100 miles of these rivers. The effective development of new license
conditions that protect our rivers will require extensive information sharing
and coordination through a regional organization such as the Foothills Water
Network. The Network is working to share information across many different local conservation community groups.
Yuba-Bear — Nevada Irrigation District
License expires 2013 - FERC Docket #2266
Yuba-Bear Documents and Data
The Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project was completed in 1966 by the Nevada Irrigation
District (NID). It includes eight reservoirs, twelve dams or diversions, four hydro-electric power plants and
many miles of canals, tunnels, flumes, power transmission lines, roads and
other facilities which stretch across a 400 square-mile-area in Sierra, Nevada
and Placer counties. In an average year the project generates 425 million kilowatt-hours of
hydroelectric energy which is enough to power more than 60,000 households. Output in higher precipitation years can be
as much as 511 million kilowatt-hours. In drought years, like 1977, the project
only generated 46 million kilowatt-hours. The project includes several well-used recreation areas such as Bowman, Spaulding
and Rollins reservoirs.
The project is managed under a contract with PG&E which purchases the power
output. Power revenues are used to operate and maintain water systems and to repay the revenue bonds that financed
the original development of the project. The contract with PG&E and the bond repayment schedule extend
through the year 2013 when the current FERC license for the project expires.
Much of the water stored behind the dams in the Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric project
is diverted through a complex system of flumes, ditches and tunnels to the Bear
and American Rivers for consumption by downstream users.
All the current contracts (for instance NID’s contracts with PG&E) will be up for
renegotiation when the licenses become due and ownership of the facilities
could change. PG&E and NID will negotiate new contracts in anticipation of the current license and contracts
expiring.
See NID's Relicensing Website
.
Drum-Spaulding — Pacific Gas and Electric
License expires 2013 - FERC Docket #2310
Yuba-Bear Documents and Data
The Drum-Spaulding project was P&E’s second ever
hydro–electric project. It was started
in 1912 and included the largest concrete arch-style dam ever constructed up to
that time, reaching 275 feet when it was completed in 1919. The Drum-Spaulding Project now includes
facilities on the South Yuba River, Bear River and North Fork of the American
River and is currently run by PG&E. It includes 12 powerhouses, 30
reservoirs, 31 dams or diversions, and 80 miles of flumes, tunnels and canals.
The system has a capacity of more than 190 megawatts, generating 786 million
kilowatt hours of electricity each year, enough electricity for more than
130,000 northern and central California homes. PG&E's Drum-Spaulding system
shares both storage and conveyance facilities with Nevada Irrigation District
(NID). In addition PG&E and NID both have power generating plants and have
developed water supply and power purchase agreements within this system.
Middle Fork American Project — Placer County Water Agency
License expires 2013 - FERC Docket #2079
Middle Fork American Documents and Data
The Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) owns the Middle Fork American River
Hydroelectric Project (MFP or Project), located on the Middle Fork American River, the Rubicon River,
and several tributaries in Placer and El Dorado Counties, California. The MFP is a multipurpose project
that was designed to supply water for recreation, irrigation, domestic and commercial purposes, and to
generate hydroelectric power. The principle Project features include two primary storage reservoirs -
French Meadows and Hell Hole; two limited storage afterbays - Interbay and Ralston - and three small diversions
- Duncan Creek Diversion, North Fork Long Canyon Diversion and South Fork Long Canyon Diversion. For a
description of facilities and operations see Appendix A -
Project Description in PCWA's Pre-PAD (pdf 2.6 MB)
PCWA's Relicensing process got underway in spring 2006 with stakeholder meetings open to the public and a field trip to
Oxbow and Ralston Reservoirs, both part of the Middle Fork American Hydropower Project. See
PCWA's relicensing website.
New Bullards Bar Documents and Data
New Bullards Bar Dam on the North Yuba was completed
in 1969. Almost a million acre feet of
water from the North and Middle Yuba Rivers and Oregon Creek are stored behind
the 64-story high, 2,323 foot long dam which is located at the south end of the
16 mile long New Bullards Bar reservoir. The dam is managed by the Yuba County Water Agency for water storage,
flood control and recreation and also influences downstream river temperatures
for the Yuba’s threatened salmon and steelhead fishery. The dam also feeds water into the New
Colgate Powerhouse which produces 315 megawatts of electricity which is enough
power for 275,000 households. Much of
the water stored behind New Bullards Bar Dam is exported to downstream state
and federal water users and farmers.
The Yuba River begins as three rivers: North, Middle and South.In
total they gather water from 1,357 square miles of watershed. The watershed is
36 miles wide on the summit, from Gibsonville Ridge to Mt.Lincoln, and is
bordered by the basins of the Feather River to the north, the Truckee River to
the east and the Bear River to the south. Ultimately the Yuba River flows into the Feather River at Marysville.
The Yuba River system gave birth to the hydroelectric power industry in the late
1890’s because mine owners needed a reliable and low-cost source of power.
The Yuba watershed was also the birthplace
of several hydro-power innovations, such as the Pelton Wheel, and the Yuba has
provided hydroelectric power to mines, homes and farms from the earliest days
of the hydroelectricity industry. The first water rights filed specifically for
electricity in the Yuba watershed were on the South Yuba River, four miles
north of Nevada City in 1891. Electrical power was made available to Nevada City and Downieville as
early as 1896. By 1899 the Colgate
power plant on the North Yuba was sending 60,000 volts to Oakland, 140 miles
away.
Water Agencies
Other FERC Resources
Other Relicensings
