Some Dam Hydro News - Stanford University · ways marks the maturation of the river restoration movement that got its start when a bipartisan coalition sought to set the Kennebec

1 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

7/01/2011

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“Good wine is a necessity of life.” - -Thomas Jefferson Ron’s wine pick of the week: Mirabile Syrah 2006 - Sicily, Italy “No nation was ever drunk when wine was cheap.” - - Thomas Jefferson

DDaammss:: (They celebrate and then move on to the next big one – removal of the 4 Snake River Dams) Rocky Barker: Dam removal movement marches to Pacific Idaho Statesman.com, 06/20/11 In September, river advocates will be holding a celebration like none seen since 1999. That was the year the Edwards Dam was removed, allowing the Kennebec River in Maine to flow free for the first time since Nathaniel Hawthorne walked its banks 160 years before. The celebration will note the removal of the Elwha and Glines dams in Washington’s Olympic peninsula. The Elwha dams are bigger and have been authorized for removal for far longer. Their removal in many ways marks the maturation of the river restoration movement that got its start when a bipartisan coalition sought to set the Kennebec River free. More than 400 dams have been removed since the Swan Falls-sized Edwards Dam came down, restoring the health of 17 miles of river. The 210-foot-high Glines Dam will be the largest to come down and that contributes to the symbolic power of the act. In October, the Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, a tributary of the Columbia, will be blasted open. It will join the Marmot Dam on the Sandy River, and the Gold Hill, Savage Rapids, and Gold Ray Dams on the Rogue River that have come down to aid Pacific salmon. But the real story of these events is how long it takes to get the consensus necessary to carry through such a dramatic shift in policy. In 1997, the same year the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved removal of the Edwards Dam, the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board called for breaching of the four federal dams In 1997, the same year the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved removal of the Edwards Dam, the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board called for breaching of the four federal dams on the lower Snake River in Washington to save salmon and protect Idaho water. Only two

Some Dam – Hydro NewsTM And Other Stuff

Quote of Note: “What other people think of you is none of your business.” - - Regina Brett

2 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

years later, Edwards Dam crumbled, but the Clinton administration chose not to push for breaching the Snake dams. “It’s different out your way — you have to deal with tradeoffs,” said Brooke. “You need to seek balance.” Former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne knew that when he dove into the polarized battle over the Klamath River in southern Oregon in 2008. He sat down with all sides — farmers, Indians, PacifiCorp, environmental groups and others — to craft a deal to remove four dams to help salmon. But those dams are not slated to come out until 2020, a recognition of their value and the tradeoffs involved. No matter how U.S. District Judge James Redden rules this summer on the lawsuit brought against the federal government on the Columbia and Snake dams, it is unlikely he’s going to order the four dams removed. Even if he could, it would be years before they would come down. Still, the Elwha celebrations this fall will show that the dam-removal movement is going strong with the hope of free-flowing rivers being aided by nature herself, which continues to fill the dam reservoirs with silt. But it also reminds us that the equally optimistic movement that built the dams, and still depends on them for human development, is not going away either.

HHyyddrroo: (Remember the good old days when someone like this could get a license in 9 months or less with a small cost. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service can’t stop harassing the little guys. I think the FERC will help this guy - he deserves it! Great looking small dam! Mr. Starrett was on National TV with this one.) Starrett: We’ll finish hydroelectric project Ruling: More regulatory OKs needed By Lisa Eckelbecker, Telegram & Gazette Staff, telegram.com Athol, MA — L.S. Starrett Co. is planning to go ahead with a hydroelectric project on its property that could cut the manufacturer’s carbon footprint, despite a court ruling last week that will require the company to seek additional regulatory approval. “We expect to bring it online,” said President and Chief Executive Douglas A. Starrett. “We just have to do some other compliance issues.” L.S. Starrett, a maker of precision tools and instruments, has spent about $1.5 million in recent years to replace equipment and make facilities improvements to one side of its existing Crescent Street Dam on the Millers River. A 2007 report prepared for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative indicated the improvements would allow L.S. Starrett to produce 1.8 million kilowatts of power annually to offset the amount of electricity it purchases by about 21 percent. L.S. Starrett began work on the project in 2008 under the belief it did not need licensing from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked energy regulators to investigate the project in 2009. Last week, the First Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed that Starrett must obtain additional approvals. Yet the judges expressed concerns about their ruling. “We do so regretfully because we are not blind to the economic realities of the situation,” Circuit Judge Juan R. Torruella wrote in the opinion. “Under the facts of this case, the FERC could have certainly exercised its administrative discretion.” In a concurring opinion, Senior Circuit Judge Norman H. Stahl wrote, “It would seem that Starrett’s project is a prime example of efficient usage through a nonpolluting power source and is one that we should be encouraging, not stifling.” Mr. Starrett raised the matter in Washington,

3 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

D.C., last week with William M. Daley, President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, during a session with the nation’s manufacturing executives. ABC News reported that Mr. Daley said the case sounded like the “typical sort of bureaucratic stuff that’s hard to defend.” L.S. Starrett’s new power generator had been expected to come online this year, but Mr. Starrett said yesterday he was unsure when it will start operating. The company will have to spend money on a bypass to move fish past the dam, and the bill for all remaining work will likely exceed “six figures,” Mr. Starrett said. (Great story even if a bit long, and every hydro buff’s dream. Micro-hydro at its best. 20 kW of independence and ingenuity.) Small-Scale Hydroelectric Plant Promises Profit By Joel Froese, June 21, 2011, sustainableplant.com

Micro hydroelectric power is making a comeback in electricity generation for homes, farms and small businesses. This trend is fueled by a number of factors including favorable regulation, rising energy prices and advances in automation—and do-it-yourselfers all over the world are diving in. If there’s access to a stream, the only requirements to generate electricity are a 2 ft. drop in water level and two gallons of flow per minute. A hydroelectric system isn’t overly complicated, it isn’t difficult to operate and maintain, it has longevity and it’s often more cost-effective than any other form of renewable power. Some

experts say a successful micro hydroelectric plant will pay for itself in 15 years. At Red Bank Hydro in West Columbia, South Carolina, we implemented our own micro hydro system, Figure 1, and we expect to see a complete return on the investment after only eight years. After that, it will be money in the bank. Although we’d never built such a system before, we were able to do so by using low- cost components and free technical support, both supplied by AutomationDirect (www.automationdirect.com). Building a Hydroelectric Plant In 1980 my father Arno Froese began investigating the potential for generating hydro-electricity on the property he had just purchased. The land is situated near the dam of a 64-acre communal lake, allowing access to the 10 ft. height differential between the lake and the tail water on the other side of the dam. My dad measured the amount of water flowing over the spillway and determined that an average of 40 cubic feet of water per second flowed through the pond, making it a marginally feasible hydroelectric project. However, this dream remained dormant until 2004 when my brother Simon discovered our dad’s research and decided to move forward. On March 4, 2004, Simon began excavation for this project. For two years, the project was a challenging and sometimes disappointing excavation site, as it was necessary to dig 17 feet below lake level for the foundation while groundwater and mud continuously seeped into the hole. By the end of 2006, the underwater portions of the plant had been built, a four-foot aluminum pipe through the back of the dam was in place, the dam was restored, and the temporary cofferdam was removed. On December 2, 2006, a refurbished 50 horsepower Francis turbine was purchased and installed. The turbine was tested and it was determined that the optimal speed would be 150 rpm. The next step was sizing the electrical generation equipment and designing the automation system. This is the point where I became involved in the project. I have only a bit of experience in troubleshooting industrial electronics, mainly printing equipment, and I work as a computer programmer. I had never designed an industrial control system from scratch. Thankfully, I found an AutomationDirect catalog and recognized that they had the components I needed at a reasonable price, along with much needed free technical support. Designing the Automation System The hydroelectric system is powered by water draining from the lake that flows through a turbine which, in turn, drives three generators via a belt and pulley system (Figure 2). The generators are actually three Baldor Electric model L1177T 15hp single-phase induction motors. When an induction motor is driven at greater than normal speed, it generates electricity. Output from the three motors was tied into the local electric grid via the same transformer that formerly only provided power to the property. The utility’s meter now turns backwards when the plant is supplying more power than consumed by the home and office. We realized that as a grid-tied induction-based generation system, the generator/motors would freewheel if the excitation current from the grid was lost. The grid acts somewhat like a battery that is being charged, providing a degree of needed resistance to the generators. If the grid resistance were to disappear because

4 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

of a power failure, the generator/motors could spin up to twice as fast as designed. We therefore needed to be able to automatically shut down our hydro plant in case of a grid power failure. The turbine has an integral control gate that is used to adjust how much water flows through, from 0 to 100%. This control gate was designed to be opened and closed by a 12in. double-acting hydraulic cylinder, so the first piece of automation equipment installed was a Parker Oildyne 24 Vdc hydraulic reversible pump to operate the gate. The power for the pump and all the low-voltage control circuits is supplied by two deep-cycle 12-volt batteries, which in turn are connected to two 12-volt battery charger/maintainers. When a shutdown signal from the control panel or a fault condition occurs, the shutdown procedure is simply to run the pump in the “close” direction for 60 seconds and to open the contactor to the generators. The hydraulic pump has a built-in pressure relief valve that allows it to safely run a minute or two after maximum extension or retraction of the cylinder. It was crucial that the system also monitor rpm and shut down based on either over-speed (caused by a disengaged generator or broken belt) or under-speed (insufficient power generation) conditions, so it was time to purchase and install a controller. I decided that—although it was AutomationDirect’s smallest PLC at the time—a DirectLogic 05 Micro Brick PLC would be sufficient for this purpose (Figure 3). In October 2007, I placed our first order with AutomationDirect for the PLC, a proximity sensor to count shaft revolutions, a NEMA 1 enclosure, and various pushbuttons, terminals, DIN rail and wire ducting. After a couple of weeks of learning ladder logic and playing around with the PLC, I began to install the basic automation system. A local bearing distributor determined what belts, sheaves and shafts were needed to transfer rotation of the turbine to the three Baldor induction motors (Figure 4). Although generating electricity with induction motors is not unusual, a system of three identical motors running from one turbine seems to be quite unique. Initial tests, (depicted in the Figure 5 video), in early February 2008 confirmed that this would work. All three motors properly synchronized when coupled by the belt drive. Later in the week, the first kilowatts of power were generated. Using only the demo version of the DirectSOFT 5 programming software, which limited me to 100 instructions, I programmed the DL05 for the following operations:

• an always-running “monitoring” stage that counts revolutions and calculates rpm • a startup stage that activates upon pushing the startup button, opens the turbine, and engages the

motors at the prescribed RPM • a shutdown stage which fully closes the turbine and disengages the motors.

The shutdown stage was triggered by any one of three conditions: the shutdown button being pushed, an auxiliary contact on the motor contactors opening (meaning ac control power was interrupted), or RPM out of normal operating range. (Watch the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pnKej7QGj9Y) In May 2008, we signed an interconnection agreement with Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative (MCEC) and its supplier, Central Electric Power (CEP). In June 2008 we began feeding power into the grid. Throughout the summer, we started and shut down the plant manually at our discretion, taking into account the lake level and the utility time-of-use tariffs. The utility paid us nearly twice as much money for power generated during the peak demand summer hours from noon until 10pm, a financial incentive that remains to this day. Later that summer, we bought and installed a submersible water level sensor to monitor the lake level. This 4-20mA device was wired into an AutomationDirect 4-channel analog current input module which we added to the DL-05 PLC. We also bought the full version of DirectSOFT 5 software to add needed capacity and programming capabilities. I was now able to program the system to automatically shut down when the lake level fell below a certain point. I also added an auto-start function that started generation whenever the level rose above the spillway in the dam. Again, this arrangement worked well, but we weren’t finished as we also needed to know how much power we were producing. Although it’s possible to use transformers and signal conditioners to get voltage and current information into a PLC, it’s quite complicated in terms of both hardware and ladder logic. Instead, we purchased an AccuEnergy Acuvim II panel-mounted power meter. By installing the meter and an AutomationDirect RS-232/RS-485 converter, I was now able to poll the power meter over MODBUS to determine not only volts and amps but also instantaneous kW, cumulative kWh

5 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

produced, the power factor, frequency and other relevant power parameters. However, all this time I was only able to see these operating parameters by remotely logging into the computer and looking at the “data view” window of the DirectSOFT 5 programming software. Using that functionality, I was also able to do some rudimentary remote control such as starting or shutting down the plant, but it certainly wasn’t user friendly. At about this time, AutomationDirect announced that their C-more touch panels now had IP-based remote operation capability and a built-in web server. I purchased a C-more panel and installed it, and began learning how to program it with the C-more programming software. By April 2010, I had four screens of valuable information and graphs that could be accessed not only in the power plant, but also via any computer via a web browser. To avoid running an Ethernet circuit the 100 feet between the power plant and house, I installed an inexpensive Asus WL-220gE portable wireless adapter in the window of the hydro plant building (Figure 6). This ensured reliable communication with the existing wireless access point in the house. The wireless adapter is powered from a USB port on the C-more panel, meaning the entire turbine control system is powered by low-voltage dc. AutomationDirect proved to be a valuable asset to this project in many ways. Their easy to use website has free, comprehensive, and well-written documentation for each item in their catalog, which helped me design the automation system and select the components. Their customer support forums at http://forum.automationdirect.com/ have extensive participation from veteran industrial control engineers who are happy to volunteer their expertise answering basic questions from beginners such as me. For situations where the forums weren’t sufficient, I could always pick up the phone and receive unlimited free technical support from highly qualified AutomationDirect technical support personnel. Most importantly, AutomationDirect’s incredibly low prices allowed us to use robust industrial components, and also gave us the liberty to add advanced features that our low budget may not have otherwise allowed. Return on Investment Depending on rain and how much electricity is used by our home and office, we make between $30 and $300 per month in direct revenue from the power company. This does not include the savings on the power bill, which has gone down from almost $1,000 to around $300 each month. With this $700 savings and the average $200 check from the power company, the micro hydroelectric plant makes about $900/month in income. Roughly, this means that we’ve already recovered about $30,000 of our $70,000 investment, and only another five years are needed to completely pay back the investment. Over and above the financial benefits, we now have the satisfaction of owning and operating our own hydroelectric power plant. This has given us tremendous pride of ownership, along with the knowledge that we’re contributing to a sustainable environment. Surge in Mississippi River Hydro Proposals Points to Coming Boom Nearly 100 pre-application documents and proposals have been filed for conventional hydro and alternative hydrokinetic projects along the Mississippi By Frank Jossi, Midwest Energy News, June 22, 2011, solveclimatenews.com

One of the nation's untapped reservoirs of energy may turn out to be the Mississippi River. Energy developers have filed 19 pre-application documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposing hydro projects on locks and dams on the northern Mississippi, from Hastings, Minnesota to Cairo, Illinois. Proposals also have been developed for conventional hydropower on rivers with locks and dams in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Iowa, as well as in other parts of the country. In addition, more than 74 pre-application proposals have been filed for hydrokinetic energy projects in the southern Mississippi, which call for underwater turbines to

be secured with pilings attached to the river's floor. The southern section is more suited to hydrokinetic due to the depth of the water, the swiftness of currents and the lack of dams. The proposals represent a larger effort by energy developers to seize the opportunity to use hydro in all its forms — from tidal power on coastal rivers to wave energy in the sea — to provide a new source of cleaner power.

6 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

Energy Secretary Steven Chu has suggested hydropower could add 70,000 megawatts to the grid, the equivalent of 70 nuclear power plants, by using improved turbines at current dams and adding capacity to those which produce no energy. In the northern states, two small energy development companies — Boston-based Free Flow Power Corporation (FFP) and Houston-based Hydro Green Energy — have submitted all the applications to produce hydropower on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' lock and dam system. Formed within the last five years, both companies have plans in other states as well. Only around 2,000 of the nation's 79,000 dams are equipped with generators, leaving a great deal of potential on the table, say hydropower advocates. Most of the locks and dams offer "low-head" hydropower where the differential between the height of river before and after the dam is 30 feet or less. They are sometimes called "run-of-the-river" power plants because they do not stop flows or create pooling upstream. In the past, exploiting the energy potential of small dams was not thought possible or worth the trouble of dealing with FERC. But three factors — affordable technology, a simpler approach to licensing small hydropower projects and the availability of tax credits — have helped bolster the industry. 'We Need to Diversify Our Energy' The lock and dam projects on the Mississippi would generate 321 megawatts of electricity, or more than double the amount the river's 20 hydroelectric plants currently generate, according to Rupak Thapaliya, national coordinator for the Hydropower Reform Coalition in Washington, D.C., an organization that lobbies for the removal of dams that have proven detrimental to the environment. Much of the activity is happening downriver, where hydrokinetic developers, including FFP, want to add 6,000 megawatts, Thapaliya said. While those numbers may seem impressive, they're quite small compared to the output of dams in the Pacific Northwest, which provide the majority of that region's electricity. Washington state's Grand Coulee Dam, for instance, produces 6,800 megawatts, more than all the proposed projects on the Mississippi combined. And while the projects, if built, would roughly double the hydropower output of the nine states along the Mississippi, they would still only amount to slightly more than 6 percent of the region's energy capacity, Thapaliya said. "If every single project was built entirely, the total contribution to the energy portfolio would not be very great," he noted. "That tells us we need to diversity our energy sources. Hydro alone is not going to meet our energy challenges." Still, he's not opposed to lock and dam projects, calling them "less controversial" and "relatively benign." His major concern is water quality and other potential impacts of hydrokinetic plants. "The river is always heavily stressed by other human uses, and because these projects are so widely dispersed over such a large stretch of river, the need to proceed carefully is especially important," he said. Why Hydropower Now? A new tax credit, heightened desire for more renewable energy, greater awareness of energy security issues and lower capital costs have all fueled a renewed interest in hydropower, said Jon Guidroz, director of projects for FFP. Mark Stover, corporate vice president of Hydro Green, added: "You can tell by the amount of activity that the Mississippi has great hydro and times have changed enough — and there's been enough technological innovation — that people feel confident they can develop these projects in an economic fashion." Stover's pretty familiar with the tax breaks for hydro and streamlining of FERC permit processing that passed in 2005. He helped write that legislation as the then Washington lobbyist for the National Hydropower Association. FERC's quicker process for dam projects and hydrokinetic has boosted applications, said Celeste Miller, spokesperson for the agency. In testimony before Congress in 2010, FERC's office of energy projects director, Jeff Wright, said the agency "has seen increased interest in small hydropower in recent years," granting 50 permits in 2009, up from 15 just two years earlier. And if tax breaks and simpler permitting isn't enough, perhaps renewable energy mandates are. Hydro from dams producing 100 kilowatts or less count toward quotas in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, making power produced from them an attractive option for utilities looking for green energy. Developers Still Exploring Options

7 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

Companies are exploring mounting gigantic turbines on the floor of the Mississippi River to generate electricity, but their environmental impact isn't fully understood. FERC gives hydro developers 36 months to file all the materials necessary for a license. Nearly every state and government agency with oversight duties on rivers, from fish and game departments to the Environmental Protection Agency, will have input into the FERC applications being submitted by both companies. FERC's Miller said companies holding hydropower licenses will sometimes sell them to other developers, as happened when a license holder for a LaCrosse, Wisconsin, lock and dam merged with a competitor. And a company holding the FERC license for a potential plant on the Lower St. Anthony Falls near downtown Minneapolis sold it to Brookfield Power. But that doesn't appear to be the strategy of either Hydro Green or FFP, who have hired staff with strong backgrounds in hydroelectricity and knowledge of both the river and federal government policy. FFP has filed nine lock and dam pre-applications with FERC for projects on the upper Mississippi, while Hydro Green has 10 in the works. Initially, Hydro Green was aggressively pursuing hydrokinetic energy, building the nation's first hydrokinetic power facility at Lock and Dam No. 2 in Hastings, Minnesota. Stover said the experimental project served the company well as a test site where it could tweak the company's turbine design and conduct a $500,000 study of its impact on fish. Less than one percent of the fish who entered the plant died, said Stover, but he saw a greater problem in power production: The facility didn't produce enough energy. "We realized as we ventured into the hydrokinetic space that the industry is many years off," he said. "It is inherently a low-power technology that was costlier than we would have liked at the time." Instead, Stover and Hydro Green embarked upon a plan to install its own turbines on locks and dams in the Mississippi and several other rivers. "We went back to the well, so to speak, with the Hastings model and poured that into the low-head technology," Stover said. For its part, FFP plans to use turbines built by other companies for the lock and dam projects while using its own airplane-engine style hydrokinetic models for downriver sites, Guidroz said. Both companies have raised capital within the past year to begin potentially building projects if they receive FERC approvals. Hydro Green, which has a total of 34 low head dam projects in the pipeline totaling 1,000 megawatts, raised $5.5 million in corporate financing. FFP brought in $5.7 million this year from investors. Financial, Environmental Challenges Despite the interest, there are plenty of challenges for energy developers. Nanette M. Bischoff, FERC coordinator at the St. Paul District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said a recent proposal at Lock and Dam 7 at La Crescent, Minnesota, which involved Hydro Green, was withdrawn. "It's usually an economic decision," she said. "There's not enough power there to invest the time and money." If money is an issue on the upper Mississippi, the river itself may be the deciding factor further south. Fotis Sotiropoulos, director of the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, said little is known about how the hydrokinetic turbines at the river's bottom will react to rocks, sediment, sticks, debris, aquatic life and flooding, all common on the Mississippi. Still, even Thapaliya believes further hydro could play a role in creating power in the future. Since the best sites for hydro in the country have been taken, what's left are hydrokinetic and lock and dam projects. "The recent talk about existing dams and hydrokinetic is because of that," he said, "and I do think responsible hydro development should be a part of an energy solution." (Another roadblock and threat to hydropower – this is just plain dumb! The dams and reservoirs aren’t going anywhere and contrary to this guy’s amateur view, the dams and reservoirs can change their operation at any time given the hydrologic conditions they face. Licensees do this all the time already. If climate change is what this guy claims, it’s a reason to build more dams and reservoirs.) Consider climate change in hydropower relicensing, research warns June 22, 2011, news.ucdavis.edu Climate change must receive serious consideration as officials contemplate whether to relicense hydroelectric projects throughout California, advises a watershed scientist at UC Davis. “Given

8 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

the rapidity of climate warming, and its anticipated impacts to natural and human communities, future long-term (typically 30-50 years) fixed licenses of hydropower operation will be ill prepared to adapt if possible hydrologic changes are not considered,” wrote Joshua Viers, associate director of UC Davis’ Center for Watershed Sciences, in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Water Resources Association. (The paper is available online at: http://watershed.ucdavis.edu/pdf/Viers_JAWRA_2011.pdf .) Viers warns that shifts in precipitation, combined with an increase in energy demands as temperatures rise, could dramatically impact hydropower production. According to the California Energy Commission, hydropower — predominantly fueled by Sierra Nevada snowmelt — provides approximately 11 percent of California’s in-state energy production. But while hydropower is considered a source of cleaner energy — one that could help reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions — it is vulnerable to climate warming. For example, if annual temperatures rise 4 degrees Celsius (about 7 degrees Fahrenheit), summer seasonal hydropower production is projected to decrease by up to 30 percent for hydropower facilities in the American, Bear and Yuba watershed, according to a study led by the Stockholm Environment Institute and co-authored by UC Davis scientists. (The paper is available online at: http://www.iwaponline.com/jwc/002/jwc0020029.htm .) This vulnerability was not taken into account when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently approved study plans for relicensing of the Yuba-Bear Drum-Spaulding hydroelectric facilities in Northern California. Failing to consider climate change research is “poorly reasoned and risky,” says Viers. The western Sierra Nevada currently has 54 hydropower projects licensed by the commission. These projects include dams, powerhouses and 826 kilometers of water conveyances such as ditches, canals and tunnels. More than 1,800 kilometers of rivers run downstream from these projects, representing 53 percent of all regulated rivers in the western Sierra Nevada. This hydropower infrastructure not only represents a huge economic investment, but also highlights the need to consider adaptive solutions to water and ecosystem management, hydropower generation and climate warming as snowmelt flowing through hydroelectric plants diminishes. “If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is to establish conditions of operation for 30-50 years,” Viers says, “licensees should be required to anticipate changing climatic and hydrologic conditions for a similar period of time.” Funding for this study was provided by California Energy Commission. (The statement that this is the 1st small dam built for hydropower in 25 years is suspect, but it’s hydro and that’s good.) Energy in America: In Washington, a Chance to Prove That Water and Electricity Do Mix By Dan Springer, June 23, 2011 | FoxNews.com For the first time in 25 years, a hydroelectric dam is being built in Washington state. It’s significant because in this place, where it rains constantly and rivers flow year round, dam has become a four-letter word to the well-entrenched environmental movement. In fact, green groups have not only been successful in preventing the building of new dams, they’re also getting the federal government to spend billions of dollars removing dams to improve salmon runs. “A lot of us that have been advocates for rivers for many years thought we were moving away from this era,” says Tom O’Keefe of American Whitewater, a group that works for preservation of whitewater rivers in the U.S. “We’ve got several dams in this area that we’re actually removing.”

9 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

The new dam under construction is different. It’s tiny compared to the massive projects that line major rivers, such as the Columbia and Snake. The Youngs Creek project in Snohomish County, Washington will produce just 3-4 megawatts, enough electricity to power 2,000 to 4,000 homes. By comparison, the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River puts out 6,765 megawatts, which is enough to power 4.5 million homes. Despite its low output, utility district officials see the small dam as a move in the right direction. “It’s a local resource,” says Scott Spahr of Snohomish County Public Utility District. “It’s renewable, and collectively, if you do a number of these projects, it might add up to a good part of our energy needs.” Washington state is the largest producer of hydropower in the United States. Seventy-five percent of the state’s electricity comes from hydropower, a source that produces no greenhouse gas emissions, unlike burning coal and natural gas. And yet, environmental groups have long-accused the large dams in the region of damaging the iconic salmon runs. They’ve been battling the federal government through two administrations to have four dams on the Snake River removed. Micro-hydro so far is not eliciting a major outcry from conservationists. A big reason is location. Unlike the big dams like the Bonneville dam on the Columbia River, the mini-hydro projects are typically on small creeks near waterfalls that act as natural barriers to fish passage. The small dams proposed so far also do not store water, which has made a major dam critic at least willing to listen. State Rep. John McCoy says the impacts of small dams may be acceptable. “If we want to talk about true run-of-river, where we might take a slice of water that comes through, goes through a generator and then back out into the stream, I’m willing to have that conversation,” says McCoy. The federal government is also interested in mini-hydro. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, recently approved a streamlined permitting process for small dams in Colorado. Twenty-eight states already have laws requiring utilities to sell more renewable power. Seeing that the tide may be turning in its favor, the national Hydropower Association released a study showing that mini-hydro could easily be powering one million homes by 2025. That, of course, would take a sizable investment by utility districts because to qualify as mini-hydro the generation capacity must be no more than 10 megawatts. Is it worth it? Spahr believes it is. “It is as least as economical, if not more economical than wind or solar or the other renewable sources out there.” (This bill removes FERC jurisdiction from conduit hydro projects of 1.5 MW or less. The bill directs Interior to update their study at Federal facilities. WHY? Full text of bill: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h795/text) First Hearing Held on Congressman Smith's Small Scale Hydropower Act June 23, 2011 The following is a press release from Nebraska Congressman Adrian Smith: Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) today participated in the House Committee on Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee's hearing about the bipartisan Small Scale Hydropower Enhancement Act (H.R. 795), which he introduced in February. "Hydropower can and should play a critical role in our nation's clean, affordable, and reliable energy future," Smith said. "Most think hydropower is a resource requiring a massive dam, but advancements in smaller hydropower projects offer tremendous opportunity to expand this energy resource as a viable option for rural consumers. This bill would help stimulate the economy of rural America, empower local irrigation districts to generate revenue and increase domestic energy production - all at no cost to taxpayers." Smith continued, "In addition to expanding clean, renewable energy, this bill explicitly removes one-size-fits-all federal regulations which stifle entrepreneurship and economic development across the nation. Catch-all federal regulations – many of which are unnecessary or outdated – stifle innovation in the small scale hydropower field by making projects financially prohibitive." H.R. 975 would exempt hydropower projects generating less than one and a half megawatts from the Federal Regulatory Commission's (FERC) permitting rules. FERC regulates the licensing and inspection of private, municipal, and state hydroelectric projects.

10 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

WWaatteerr: (So far this flood is well-controlled – it’s over 12 feet below the record stage. If you make more storage space – what happens if it’s a dryer year? Then people will complain about water supply, irrigation, and navigation flows. Can’t win!) Commander defends corps’ river handling Residents upset about releases By Rudi Keller, June 21, 2011, columbiatribune.com Jefferson City, MO — Flooding on the Missouri River would be worse this year without the upstream dams, Brig. Gen. John McMahon, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Northwest Division, said yesterday. That is little comfort to the people fighting to save homes and farms from record water releases from the Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota. The corps is releasing water at a rate of 150,000 cubic feet per second, causing major flooding in Iowa, Nebraska and northwest Missouri and pushing the river in Central Missouri above flood stage. At Boonville this morning, the river gauge read 21.8 feet, just above flood stage, with a flow of 179,000 cubic feet per second. The river is projected to rise to 24.7 feet by Thursday evening with additional rises possible later. The record stage is 37.1 feet set in July 1993. For more than 30 days, McMahon said, the six reservoirs on the Missouri in Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota have been collecting and storing more water than is moving downstream. Yesterday, the net inflows were about 160,400 cubic feet per second more than the 150,000 cubic feet per second being released. Corps scientists are working to determine how big the flood would have been without the dams, McMahon said. He is convinced it would have been worse but is unsure how much worse. “It is worthless for me to speculate about that right now,” he said. “We have to wait for science and engineering to give us the answers to those questions.” The releases from Gavins Point could be increased if conditions deteriorate, he said. McMahon spoke after a public meeting, organized by U.S. Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican from St. Elizabeth, and Vicky Hartzler, a Republican from Harrisonville, with landowners, local government and levee district officials from Central Missouri. McMahon was sharply questioned during the meeting, including by Hartsburg farmer Terry Hilgedick, who asked why water releases from Gavins Point remained steady while the snow piled up in the mountains. This year’s snowpack was far above average and is melting slower than normal because of cool spring weather. Every year, McMahon said, the corps prepares for melting snow and spring rains. “The space we had reserved was enough to accommodate melting amounts and normal rain in the system,” McMahon said. “That is what we were premising the releases out of Gavins Point at those times.” This year, managing the river became an emergency when massive rains filled the flood storage space before the mountain snowpack began to melt. “We have to have good reasons for making adjustments,” McMahon said. “We can’t just do them on a whim or because we have a hunch; we have to have scientific data. That is the justification for making an adjustment in how we regulate the system, and that wasn’t present until this rain began to fall in this upper basin.” The total runoff will be about 54.5 million acre-feet of water, he said. The flood control storage of the six dams is 16.3 million acre-feet out of a total storage capacity of 73.1 million acre-feet. An acre-foot of water is enough water to cover an acre of ground to a depth of 1 foot. The runoff surpasses the record of 1881, which is what the dams were designed to withstand. McMahon said the new record will force a review of annual operating procedures and could result in changes to the manual that governs river operations over longer periods. Any changes to river operations should be carefully considered, Luetkemeyer said. “We don’t want to open up a can of worms here,” he said. Hartzler said any changes should be designed “to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Big Lake Land Owner Pins Flooding on Corps "Environmentalist Approach" Reported by: Lourin Sprenger, June 23 2011, stjoechannel.com "I don't understand why the water couldn't have been released sooner?" a St. Joseph South Side resident announced in front of hundreds earlier this week at a flood meeting with the U.S. Army

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Corps of Engineers. It's the same question frustrated Missourians continue to ask, as water swallows towns across northwest corner of the state in what many are calling a "man-made flood" The Corps pins the blame on record rains. "The major precipitation events of March, April and May are what is leading us to the despair we have right now," said a Corps representative while in St. Joseph. A Big Lake native is challenging the Corps - and he feels he has the proof in writing to back up his claim. Jeremy Hoffman tells KQ2 the Corps knew the high water was coming as early as February. "It infuriates me as a person affected by this," Hoffman said. Hoffman says the article, "The Purposeful Flooding of America's Heartland," opened his eyes to what he believes is the truth behind the flooding. "I understand there is wildlife you have to protect., but to put millions of people at risk, but with the way they're managing it? It doesn't make sense," he said. In his article, Herring quotes a series of e-mails -- dated February 3rd, 2011 -- from the Ft. Pierre, South Dakota Public Works Manager, Brad Lawrence, predicts "floods of biblical proportions." In thee-mail Lawrence warns the Corps and American Water Works Association in Washington D.C. "The Corps has failed thus far to evaluate enough water from the main stem reservoirs to meet normal runoff conditions. This year's runoff will be anything but normal," the email states. Herring says the Corps has looked the other way on this issue, and environmentalism is the cause. In an interview with KQ2, Herring explains the dam system was created in the 1960's to prevent flooding, looking to draw residents back to the Missouri River. The Corps then revised its Master Manual the 80's. Herring says it was a result of pressure from the environmentalist movement. Now, in 2011, letters are coming into land owners across Northwest Missouri, asking them to sell to the Corps. The Corps states they want the property to enhance wildlife areas for species like the pallid sturgeon -- an endangered fish the corps considers when managing the river. Hoffman says he's seen his town flood one too many times. He - and others -- are calling for an investigation of the Corps. They're working to reveal what they think the cause of the flooding is - saving wildlife along the river. "I would like to see the Corps taken out of control of the dams themselves," Hoffmann says. Other Missouri lawmakers (Roy Blunt, Claire McCaskill, and Sam Graves) are demanding a revision of the master manual due to what Herring's article calls "criminal negligence." "The only way this can be done is in the open," Herring says. "It has to begin at the Attorney Generals level. "The Corps says revisions aren't that simple. The last update to the master manual took 14 years update. "There is enough of a problem congress and state can expedite that process," Hoffman says.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt:: (Does anybody think anyone will remember a prediction of 400,000 salmon 18 years from now?) Hatchery to restock Elwha River after dams removed A new hatchery is in place, ready to restock the Elwha River with salmon after two dams are removed The Associated Press, June 20, 2011, seattletimes.nwsource.com Port Angeles, Wash. — A new hatchery is in place, ready to restock the Elwha River with salmon after two dams are removed. The Peninsula Daily News reports the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe's hatchery was completed last month and has received its first batch of steelhead fry. Eventually the tribe will release as many as 3 million fish a year into the 65-mile long river in Olympic National Park. Only five miles have been available to spawning since the first of two dams was built in 1913. The dams will start coming down in September in a $327 million river restoration project. The Park Service expects the salmon run - currently 3,000 fish - will reach 400,000 fish a year by 2039.

12 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

iThis compilation of articles and other information is provided at no cost for those interested in hydropower, dams, and water resources issues and development, and should not be used for any commercial or other purpose. Any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment from those who have an interest in receiving this information for non-profit and educational purposes only.

1 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

7/08/2011

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“Good wine is a necessity of life.” - -Thomas Jefferson Ron’s wine pick of the week: Nieto Senetiner Malbec Reserva 2009 Mendoza, Argentina “No nation was ever drunk when wine was cheap.” - - Thomas Jefferson

DDaammss:: (Always liked the name on this one – early project assignment many years ago, but not 160 years!) Change coming to great dam spot By Deirdre Fleming, Staff Writer, pressherald.com, June 26, 2011

Richardsontown Township, Maine - For 160 years the dam at Upper Dam pool watched over casting anglers pursuing salmon and brook trout. That's about to change when the weathered, metal structure comes down in the coming months and is replaced by a modern, more efficient dam. The entire look of this famous, far-flung fishing hole will be lost. But two weeks ago, with large metal beams lying beside the pastoral, ancient pool in preparation for construction, fishermen were all about, well, the fishing. "It's remote and wild and the fishing is good, that's why I come here.

Change always happens. We lost the Old Man in the Mountain. We thought he'd be there our whole lives and then one day he rumbled down," said Art Colvin of Freeport in between casts, referring to the former geological structure in New Hampshire. From Rangeley in the wilds of Maine, Upper Dam pool is another 40 minutes into the western woodlands. The turn off Route 16 heads down another 5-mile stretch of dirt road. Then you walk the final half-mile down a hill past the gate, but it's worth it. Old camps line the road in and the field that spreads out next to the

Some Dam – Hydro NewsTM And Other Stuff

Quote of Note: “Too many people are selfish first, considerate second, and generous last.”

2 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

fishing pool, a short stretch that connects Mooselookmeguntic to Richardson Lake. The landscape is nothing but green fields, wildflowers and undeveloped shoreline flanked by thick pine forest. But the fishermen who journey here don't come for the views. Fishermen's questions about the pool's future mostly focus on the old piers that jut out from the dam. Anglers have stood on them to cast into the turbulent water for a good 150 years. Since the dam was built by the Union Water Power Company in the early 1850s, raising the water in Mooselookmeguntic Lake by 6 feet, the dam has been loved for the fishery it created, and the fishing access it provided. "That's the real tradition," said David Smith of Washington as he looked at a half-dozen anglers fishing the piers. "That's been there for 150 years, those piers. I do both, I wade and fish off the piers. It's too crowded right now. But the fishing there is great." State biologists and NextEra Energy, the company that owns the dam, said both will remain -- the fishing pools and some kind of pier-like structure. "There may be subtle changes, but I anticipate anglers will adapt and perhaps even enjoy the new challenge," said Dave Boucher, state regional fisheries biologist in western Maine, of the fishery once the new dam is completed. The only suggestion Boucher made was a replacement for the piers. And while fishing piers are not part of the design, there will be a structure put in front of the dam that will serve the same purpose, said Steve Stengel with NextEra in Juno Beach, Fla. "It won't be the same. We do plan to have provisions for access along the base of the new structure," Stengel said. Meanwhile, some longtime fans of Upper Dam are pleased about the new dam. Dick Anderson, founder of the International Appalachian Trail and a Maine conservationist from way back, was there fishing two weeks ago. He last fished Upper Dam 10 years ago, and said it looked just the same. However, Anderson said harnessing the river for power is more important than preserving a bit of history. "It's a tremendous source of natural energy. This water runs through several dams on the way to the sea. It's justified by the fact you're storing rain water, and all this water is used to produce electricity," Anderson said. (The benefits of dams) NRCS: Watershed projects save half-million in damage mccookgazette.com, June 27, 2011, McCook Daily Gazette Hayes Center, Nebraska -- Southwest Nebraska continues cleaning up and drying out from powerful storms, which dumped more than 5 inches of water in some areas earlier this week. Although there are many people personally affected by flood damages, flooding could have been much worse if not for the watershed control structures in Hayes and Hitchcock counties, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. NRCS, with assistance from the Middle Republican Natural Resources District, constructed flood control structures throughout Lincoln, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier and Red Willow counties through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. These funds authorized NRCS to provide assistance with the planning and installation of flood control structures like small dams and grade stabilization structures, and in applying conservation practices like no-till, terraces and waterways. The Middle Republican NRD sponsored the project and purchased the land rights in order to build the dams. NRCS provided nearly $3.4 million to construct the 11 dams in the Blackwood Creek watershed. These structures have had a big impact on preventing flood damages, according to NRCS officials. The

3 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

flood control structures and conservation practices work together throughout the watershed to catch and slow runoff from heavy rains. Flood control structures may easily go unnoticed across the landscape. Several of these structures do not look like a typical dam, and many do not even hold water. But after a heavy rain event, like what was recently experienced in Southwest Nebraska, these structures spring into action. They capture rushing flood water and hold the water back allowing it to be slowly released downstream. Slowing the water down and allowing it to be gradually released reduces damage to roads, cropland, fences and other property. According to NRCS Hydraulic Engineer Arlis Plummer the existing flood control structures in Hayes County helped prevent $576,500 in flood damages from the recent storm. "With big rain events like this we really see the benefit of flood control structures. They work together with conservation practices to prevent damage to infrastructure. When things like roads and bridges are spared from damages, then we're talking about a lot of dollars saved," Plummer said. Ron Thompson, NRCS Resource Conservationist in the Hayes Center field office spent the day surveying the effects of the heavy rainfall. He saw first-hand how the flood control structures and conservation practices have worked together to lessen the damage from the heavy rainfall. "Even though several county roads are washed out across the county, and there is a lot of hail damage, it could have been much worse if these flood control structures had not been here," Thompson said. With nearly 900 watershed dams constructed statewide the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act has benefited over 1.6 million acres. Benefits include significant savings in soil erosion, water conservation, road and bridge damage reduction, wetland / upland wildlife habitat creation and most importantly, saved lives and property. The total benefits to Nebraska exceed $27 million each year according to NRCS. (The notion of impartiality is a false hope!) Rocky Barker: Dam advocates oppose Interior nominee idahostatesman.com, 06/27/11 Rebecca Wodder, former CEO and president of American Rivers, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be assistant interior secretary of fish, wildlife and parks. The Northwest RiverPartners, a coalition of industry and agriculture groups supporting federal dams, and the Idaho Water Users Association have written Northwest senators urging them not to support her nomination. “American Rivers has been an unapologetic advocate for breaching of the federal dams on the lower Snake River and has rejected collaborative efforts such as the Columbia Basin Accords,” wrote Norm Semanko, Water Users executive director. As American Rivers CEO, Wodder has been at the vanguard of the dam removal movement aimed at restoring free-flowing rivers. Since she took the helm of the group in 1995, more than 400 obsolete dams have come down including the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River in Maine, the Marmot Dam on the Sandy River and the Gold Hill, Savage Rapids and Gold Ray Dams on Oregon’s Rogue River. Terry Flores, executive director of RiverPartners, questioned whether Wodder can set aside her strongly held beliefs about dam removal and render impartial judgments. I’ve known Wodder since she worked as an environmental aide to Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson in the 1970s. She followed him to the Wilderness Society after his defeat in 1980. As assistant secretary, Wodder would be in charge of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. She would not be in charge of the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages many of the federal dams, although not the four lower Snake dams. Wodder will face hearings from both the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which Idaho Sen. Jim Risch sits on, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo is planning a meeting with Wodder in the next few weeks and won’t decide on whether to support her nomination until after that, said his communications director, Lindsay Nothern.

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(The internet is full of whacky people, but this has got to be one of the wackiest stories for sure, Is there some law where you can arrest someone for inciting panic?) Corps: Gavins Point Explosion Rumor ‘Crazy’ By Nathan Johnson, June 28, 2011, yankton.net The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers official says that a rumor about Gavins Point Dam cracking and being lined with explosives “is crazy.” A YouTube video surfaced during the weekend from a man making the claim. “The face of Gavins Point Dam is cracking,” the man says, before explaining that the Corps “or the military” has strung explosives along 25 percent of the structure. The explosives will be detonated this week to relieve pressure on the dam, he claims. The rumor has circulated widely since the video’s appearance. “I saw it,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District Commander Col. Bob Ruch said during a conference call Sunday evening. “Whether it’s a joke or a hoax, that’s what the Internet allows. If you want the truth, come to our webpage and sit in on these (conference calls). We’re not stringing explosives on the dam. It’s not cracking. It’s performing as designed.” Also, Ruch also said during the call that there is a possibility that access to Chief White Crane Recreation Area, located on the east edge of Lake Yankton, could be closed off because of rising waters.

HHyyddrroo: (Guess the headline here ought to be – “It’s about time!”) Legislation introduced provides hydropower production tax credit parity Bill would level playing field, expand hydro development Washington, D.C. (June 24, 2011) – Bipartisan legislation to fully recognize the energy, environmental and economic benefits of hydropower, the country’s largest renewable resource was introduced in the House of Representatives Wednesday. The Renewable Energy Parity Act would provide production tax credit (PTC) parity for hydropower generation, leveling the playing field for all renewables. Currently hydropower and marine and hydrokinetic technologies receive only one-half the amount of the credit available to other renewable resources. The bill would equalize the PTC at the higher rate for all qualifying technologies. “Not all alternative energy technologies are treated equally under current tax law, and it’s hurting American consumers,” said Rep. Thompson. “If our country is going to be a leader in the emerging green economy, alternative energy technologies need to receive comparable tax credits for the energy they produce. That way, energy producers will have the necessary incentives to bring the best renewable energy technologies to the marketplace.” Further development of America’s hydropower resources is essential to the country’s clean energy goals and economic recovery. Recent studies have found that hydropower’s contribution to the energy mix could be increased by over 60,000 MW, with the right policies in place, all while adding nearly 1.4 million cumulative new jobs by 2025. The National Hydropower Association (NHA), which represents the majority of non-federal hydropower generation in the United States, strongly supports the bill. “NHA applauds the legislative work to recognize not only hydropower’s current contribution to the nation’s electricity portfolio, but its future potential,” said Linda Church Ciocci, NHA’s Executive Director. “The current disparity shifts private sector investment away from hydro, despite the clean, renewable energy and economic benefits additional project development can provide. This bill closes the gap between technologies and will help bring affordable and reliable hydropower to more Americans.” “Renewable energy tax incentives play an essential role in promoting the growth of

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renewables, providing an important market signal and certainty needed in support of project development. We urge Congress to act quickly to pass the bill,” added Ciocci. (OK, now what!) Scientists find holes in Klamath River dam removal plan $1.4-billion project — dismantling four hydroelectric dams to restore Chinook salmon runs in the upper Klamath River — amounts to an experiment with no guarantee of success, independent report says. By Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times, June 25, 2011, latimes.com

A $1.4-billion project to remove four hydroelectric dams and restore habitat to return Chinook salmon to the upper reaches of the Klamath River amounts to an experiment with no guarantee of success, an independent science review has concluded. A panel of experts evaluating the proposal expressed "strong reservations" that the effort could overcome the many environmental pressures that have driven the dramatic decline of what was one of the richest salmon rivers in the nation. Even after the decommission of dams that have for decades blocked migrating salmon, the panel said, biologists would probably have to truck the fish around a stretch of the river plagued by low oxygen levels. "I think there's no way in hell they're going to solve" the basin's water-quality problems, said Wim Kimmerer, an environmental research professor at San Francisco State, one of six experts who reviewed the plan. "It doesn't seem to me like they've thought about the big picture very much." Over the last century, the Klamath's waters have been diverted for irrigation, polluted by runoff and dammed for

hydropower. The number of fall-run Chinook that swim up the river and its tributaries to spawn has in some years amounted to fewer than 20,000, compared to historic populations of half a million. The plummeting levels of native fish have pitted farmers against environmentalists and tribes whose traditional cultures and diets revolved around salmon fishing. Many of the warring parties last year signed two agreements intended to bring peace to the river, which winds from southern Oregon through the Cascade and Coast ranges to California's Pacific Coast. One of the pacts calls for the removal, starting in 2020, of four hydropower dams operated by

PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway empire. The other includes fishery restoration programs as well as promises of a certain level of water deliveries to Klamath basin farmers and two wildlife refuges that are important stopovers for migrating birds. The dam removal must still be approved by Congress and the U.S. secretary of the Interior, who will rely on reviews by the independent panel, federal agencies and others to determine if the decommissioning is in the public interest. The scientists' June 13 report describes the proposals as a "major step forward" that could boost the salmon population by about 10% in parts of the upper basin. But to achieve that, the panel cautions, the project must tackle

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vexing problems, including poor water quality and fish disease. The report concluded that the agreement doesn't adequately address those issues. Under the proposal, vegetation in restored wetlands and stream banks would be expected to absorb the phosphorus from natural and agricultural sources that promotes harmful algal blooms. But such a method, Kimmerer said, would require converting an area roughly equivalent to 40% of the irrigated farmland in the Upper Klamath Lake watershed to wetlands. "This does not seem like a feasible level of effort," the report notes. Dennis Lynch, who is overseeing a team of federal scientists gathering information on the effects of dam removal, said his group agrees that major water-quality problems will take decades to fix. But the federal scientists are more optimistic that they can be resolved. "I think they were pretty conservative in their analysis," Lynch said of the panel's report. There are other options for controlling nutrients, he added, such as using chemicals to bind phosphorus to lake bed sediments or mechanically scooping up algae. And new federal and state pollution standards are expected to reduce runoff contamination in coming decades. "All of us involved in this would agree more needs to be done," said Steve Rothert of American Rivers, one of the groups that signed the pact. But "by removing the dams, we're removing the biggest obstacle to upstream migration and productivity." The agreements have strong critics, including the Hoopa Valley tribe, which refused to sign. "The agricultural practices that led to salmon being threatened in the system are the agricultural practices that will be continued," argued Thomas Schlosser, a Seattle attorney who represents the tribe. He cited provisions that call for the continued leasing of wildlife refuge lands for farming and substantial water diversions for irrigation. The agreements require nearly $1 billion in federal funding for water management, habitat restoration and monitoring efforts. PacifiCorp customers in Oregon and California are expected to pay $200 million more to dismantle the dams, and if necessary the state of California would provide as much as $250 million in bond money. "If federal taxpayers are going to be asked to spend this kind of money, it better be for a program that works," said Steve Pedery of Oregon Wild, which favors taking a significant amount of cropland out of production to reduce water demand. Schlosser said he doubts Congress will approve the legislation, which proponents expect to be introduced this summer. But he predicted that the utility will eventually remove the dams anyway because demolition is cheaper than building the fish passages required to renew federal licenses. (Dreams turned into real benefits. Imagine, you couldn’t dare to dream of building something this magnificent in this current world. It’s good that some dreams were realized. Without hydropower, the Northwest might still be a territory.) Build a dam? What dreamers wenatcheeworld.com, June 25, 2011 This took courage. A little public utility out in the sand and sage of Eastern Washington wanted to build a dam. Not just block a creek somewhere, it wanted to dam the Columbia, one of the most powerful rivers in the world. Such projects were the province of big-time government outfits like the Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation, or maybe big investor-owned utilities like Puget Power. Now backcountry PUDs, which a few years before were mainly stringing wires to farmhouse porches, wanted to wheel and deal, find power purchasers and finance, build and own world-class hydroelectric projects. Vision, foresight, creativity and perseverance were required along with their courage. Our fathers and grandfathers had all this in abundance. They dreamed we could use our own resources, including the vast and abundant energy they could see flowing by their towns, to build our region into a place of new wealth and plenty, able to support thousands of families for generations to come. Rocky Reach Dam is evidence that they were right. So is Priest Rapids, where Grant County PUD pioneered and defied state and governor a few months prior to Chelan County’s effort, and Wells Dam, where Douglas County was equally astute. Rocky Reach Dam’s 50th anniversary is being celebrated by the Chelan County PUD Thursday (see the neighboring op-ed by Wayne Wright). This dam is big. A PUD in a county of just 40,000 people built a dam costing $273 million (about $2 billion in today’s dollars, or $50,000 per capita). The anniversary date for a project so large is always imprecise. Construction of Rocky Reach began in 1956 and it produced its first commercial power in November 1961. But a sunny June afternoon is as good a

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time as any to celebrate. We should all join and clap hands, and give thanks not just for the resource that lights our homes and powers our industry with nearly the cheapest electricity in the United States, but for the people who had the dream and the gall to make it available to us. This is the opinion of The Wenatchee World and its Editorial Board: Editor and Publisher Rufus Woods, Managing Editor Cal FitzSimmons, Chief Financial Officer Janine Bakken and Editorial Page Editor Tracy Warner. (The celebration may be over but a project that’s 100 years old and still in business is worth celebrating any time) Week-long celebration focuses on hydroelectric dam By Jef Rietsma, Sturgis Journal, sturgisjournal.com, Jun 27, 2011 Sturgis, Mich. — The engineering marvel at the center of the Sturgis Dam Days celebration was showcased Sunday during the second day of the community festival. Tours of the 100-year-old Sturgis Hydroelectric Dam drew more than 30 people following a ceremony at nearby Covered Bridge Park. Sturgis City Manager Mike Hughes said it’s a proud event and important milestone celebration for Sturgis. “It’s important to learn from the past and recognize the forward-thinking demonstrated (by city officials) because at the time, it was seen as a huge risk,” Hughes said, noting the sale of bonds to pay for the dam’s construction was supported 779 to 47 by a majority of Sturgis residents. “Its $190,000 construction cost is the equivalent of $7 million today, adjusted for inflation.” Hughes recognized the city's four-person staff whose job it is to oversee operations and maintenance of the dam, located on the St. Joseph River about a mile west of the Langley Covered Bridge. A large boulder placed over the weekend on the grounds of the dam recognizes the centennial of the dam. In the future, the boulder will include a plaque recognizing the milestone and current city officials who helped organize the 100-year anniversary celebration. Mayor Barbara Fisher read a monument dedication, which mentioned approval for construction started in 1909 and the dam was put into operation Sept. 3, 1911. “In its 100 years of continuous operation, it has provided power to thousands of Sturgis residents over several generations and provided the electricity that helped spur development of a strong industrial base for the city that continues to thrive to this day,” Fisher said. She added that the dam is a testament to a community that had vision for the future and the determination to make it a reality. Sturgis resident Gary Becklenburg – who toured the power station and dam area with his wife, Erma, and their friend, Mary Lou Falkenstein – said he’s lived in the area his entire life but never had an opportunity to tour the dam site. “If the dam is 100 years old then they must have started pouring cement around the time Mary Lou was born,” Becklenburg said, drawing playful scorn from Falkenstein. “Actually, the city and chamber have done a great job putting this together … I had a bunch of pancakes at the Dawn Patrol (Saturday morning) and I’m looking forward to all the other activities gong on this week ahead,” he noted. Though the dam produces less than 4 percent of the city’s electric needs, it remains a vital part of Sturgis’ infrastructure. John Griffith, who retired a few years ago as superintendent of the Sturgis Electric Department, said the dam in 2008 generated more than 10.4 million kilowatt hours of electricity. At 5.44 cents a kilowatt hour, that’s more than $56.6 million the city did not have to spend buying power from Indiana Michigan Power. The dam gets visited at least once a day by Electric Department employees. It previously was manned around the clock – the three houses in which the trio of dam operators lived adjacent to the operation still stand. But with the advent of alarms, monitors and technology, it has been operated remotely since 1972. At the time the dam was put into operation, electricity was a novelty and it was almost unheard of for a community the size of Sturgis to have the amenity. As a result, Sturgis earned the moniker “The Electric City” and

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Electric Court in Sturgis was so named because it was the first residential area to have electricity. Dam operator Brad Capman said 163 feet of water per second pass through a gate. The dam has 30 gates and the most he has ever seen opened was 22. On Sunday, three were open. The Dam Days celebration continues with events daily, culminating Saturday. (This looks like an uphill battle to move water downhill that has too many hurdles. Maybe “Million” needs to change his name to “Billion”!) Pipeline developer wants to add hydropower By Wyoma Groenenberg, wyomingbusinessreport.com June 27, 2011 -- The developer of a pipeline project that would pump water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir in southwestern Wyoming to Colorado’s Front Range now is proposing to incorporate hydropower into the project. According to the Denver Post, Aaron Million invited collaboration on his water project, which would pipe water from the reservoir, which is fed by the Green River, to the Front Range, now experiencing a boom. Million, owner of Million Conservation Resources Group, also has invited collaboration on his $3 billion project. Moving water could help generate electricity for the nation's power grid, as well, Million said. He recently asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates construction in wetlands, to suspend work on the environmental review of the project initiated by the agency. He likely will pursue permitting through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission instead, he said, due to the emerging "alternative energy" dimension. Million said elevation changes between Wyoming and Colorado enable generation of 70 megawatts of power and that this could be increased to 500 to 1,000 megawatts. Army Corps regulatory specialist Rena Brand confirmed her review is on hold until July 5 while Million talks with FERC officials. FERC's review process is more structured, Million said, with firm deadlines that could help him meet a 2-1/2-year timetable for securing permits. Meanwhile, others have expressed skepticism and uncertainty about the project, which also causes concerns over environmental issues, the Post story says. A south-metro group is pressing ahead in a rival effort to sustain future growth by diverting Flaming Gorge water to Colorado. Opponents are raising concerns that the proposals to divert 250,000 acre-feet would hurt fish and other aquatic life in the upper Colorado River Basin. "This is an expensive and technically complicated wild goose chase," said Stacy Tellinghuisen, senior analyst at Boulder-based Western Resource Advocates, an environmental-policy group. Launching a stakeholder dialogue now "makes no sense" and "will divert resources and attention from more realistic solutions," Colorado River District manager Eric Kuhn said in a memo to state round-table members. The south-metro water group — led by Parker Water and Sanitation District manager Frank Jaeger and South Metro Water Supply Authority director Rod Kuharich — has been meeting with municipal authorities in Wyoming and Colorado. "Collaboration on a project like this is critical," Million told the Denver Post. The company has received offers of "several hundred million dollars of equity capital" to build a pipeline, Million said, declining to give details. "The water is to be developed for the citizens of [Colorado]. We wanted to assist with the supply in the municipal areas," Million told the Post. "On the agricultural side, we believe adding water to the system will help alleviate the continuing dry-up of agriculture along the Front Range." There also has been opposition to moving water out of Flaming Gorge. Opponents have argued that the reservoir provides recreational opportunities and increases the amount of tourism dollars spent in the area. Others along the Wyoming I-80 corridor also have expressed opposition. For example, in 2009, the City of Laramie opposed construction of the project and recommended that “the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Wyoming Board of Control withhold any and all permits and approvals for the proposed project,” a resolution of the Laramie City Council shows. The resolution continues saying that “250,000 acre-feet of water from the Green River upstream of Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Sweetwater County across the state of Wyoming, including a portion of Albany County [and] entails utilizing Lake Hattie in Albany County,” which could facilitate the influx of invasive water species, noxious weeds, hurt Wyoming’s fishing and agricultural industries, and more. (Excerpts-

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Oh my, I remember attending the 25 year celebration) NYPA Commemorates 50 Years of Production at Niagara Power Project By WKBW News, June 28, 2011, wkbw.com Lewiston, N.Y. (WKBW release) -- New York Power Authority Chairman Michael Townsend and President and Chief Executive Officer Richard M. Kessel joined state and local government officials Tuesday to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Niagara Power Project. "Fifty years of power production at the Niagara Power Project is a testament to the dedication and leadership of such visionaries as President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Robert Moses. The hard work and sacrifice of the thousands of people who participated in the construction of the project and those today who commit themselves to continuing the outstanding performance of this marvelous facility," said Townsend. "It is in recognition of these accomplishments and the economic contributions of the Niagara Project that makes it important to commemorate the projects 50th anniversary." Full Article: http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/NYPA-Commemorates-50-Years-of-Production-at-Niagara-Power-Project-124663709.html AMPLE HYDRO GREENS PG&E'S ENERGY MIX Posted by: Jonathan Marshall, Jun 28 2011, next100.com My colleague Paul Moreno submitted the following report: Plentiful rain and snow this past winter not only ended California’s drought, they gave a healthy boost to PG&E’s hydroelectric power--benefiting the utility's customers, the environment, and the power grid. That’s because hydroelectric power is less expensive than most other forms of power available in the market. Hydropower also generates energy without producing greenhouse gases and helps increase the percentage of PG&E’s renewable generation for the year. During the hotter months of the summer, typically in July and August, hydropower helps PG&E meet peak-demand periods. When the river systems are under control, water flows can be routed through the powerhouses to produce electricity to meet increased demands on the energy grid. This year the abundant snowpack could lengthen the typical hydropower yield into the late summer. PG&E anticipates this year’s hydroelectric power yield will be 21 percent above average. The additional hydroelectric power means PG&E won’t have to produce or buy as much power from other generation sources which rely on more expensive fuels, such as natural gas, to generate power. The added hydroelectric power translates into a reduction of 886,621 metric tons of CO2 emissions—equivalent to the electricity use of 107,600 homes for an entire year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. California’s mountain snowpack was at 163 percent of normal as of April—the highest amount since 1995. A cool spring and additional precipitation has slowed the snowmelt, leaving the state’s snowpack at more than three times normal as of June 1. That late snowpack poses its own set of challenges as the hot summer days approach and snowmelt accelerates. “We have both abundant water supply and a late season snowpack—a great problem to have when it comes to hydroelectric production,” said Mike Jones, power generation lead. “We are vigilantly managing these additional late season water flows to produce energy to meet our customers’ needs while also striving to ensure public safety.”

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Jones points out how PG&E does not have sufficient water storage capability to capture all this snow as it melts. ”Consequently, we seek to manage the hydro runoff in a predictable manner—releasing water to our hydro facilities and into river systems before reservoirs are full.” said Jones. “River flow changes are controlled for recreational users. We want some reservoir space available in case we have a heat wave or thunderstorm that results in a sudden influx of snowmelt.” Because PG&E’s rates are based on the forecasted cost of delivering the energy, less money spent on power in the open market translates into cost benefits for customers. These hydro levels are also likely to help bring PG&E closer to its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) goals, since small hydropower generation of less than 30 megawatts qualifies under California’s RPS mandate.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt:: (Guess this news is not really news. I guess it was a secret ballot, otherwise we would have heard about the lynching of the other 14 %.) Fisheries Scientists Want Snake Dams Removed Posted By George Prentice On Tue, Jun 28, 201,1 BoiseWeekly.com The Western Division of American Fisheries Society, the world's largest organization of its kind, said Monday it wants four dams on the lower Snake River removed to help save wild salmon and steelhead. The resolution passed by an 86 percent margin. "These professional fisheries scientists have reviewed a robust amount of peer-reviewed science that concludes a free-flowing lower Snake is vital to recovering these most important populations," said Bert Bowler, retired fisheries biologist with Idaho Department of Fish and Game and a member of the society. The society adopted the resolution while awaiting Federal District Judge James Redden's decision on the Snake dams and their impact on salmon and other imperiled fish. iThis compilation of articles and other information is provided at no cost for those interested in hydropower, dams, and water resources issues and development, and should not be used for any commercial or other purpose. Any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment from those who have an interest in receiving this information for non-profit and educational purposes only.

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“Good wine is a necessity of life.” - -Thomas Jefferson Ron’s wine pick of the week: Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Washington Merlot 2007 “No nation was ever drunk when wine was cheap.” - - Thomas Jefferson OOtthheerr SSttuuffff: (Every time you look at hydro versus anything – it’s cheaper! It weren’t for the wind subsidies, how many would have been built – none sounds good.) Weighing N-plant's costs, benefits Whether the Columbia Generating Station has been a good deal for Washington power consumers depends on how you slice and dice the numbers, says Jim Lazar, an Olympia-based economist who specializes in power issues. By Sandi Doughton, Seattle Times science reporter, July 2, 2011, seattletimes.nwsource.com Whether the Columbia Generating Station has been a good deal for Washington power consumers depends on how you slice and dice the numbers, says Jim Lazar, an Olympia-based economist who specializes in power issues. "If you look back at what the power from this plant has cost in total, it's clearly not a good deal," Lazar said. "But if you ask 'Does it make sense to keep running it today?' The answer is 'yes.' “With interest, the outstanding debt on the plant is $3.6 billion. When those payments are factored in along with depreciation, waste disposal, administrative expenses and all other costs, Lazar calculates power from the nuclear plant averages about 7.4 cents per kilowatt hour (kwh) — more expensive than just about any other source. Looking only at operating and maintenance costs, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) puts the price at 3.6 cents per kwh. Hydropower costs about 2.8 cents per kwh. BPA has had to boost rates — including a proposed 8 percent increase for 2012-13 — to pay for upgrades at the nuclear-power plant. According to a 2009 BPA analysis, it costs more to maintain and operate the Columbia Generating Station than all 31 of the hydropower plants in the Columbia Basin combined. But the plant provides about 10 percent of BPA's electricity, which would have to be replaced if it were shut down. Leaving out money already spent, "if the plant can be run safely and reliably into the future," Lazar said, "then it's a good deal."

Some Dam – Hydro NewsTM And Other Stuff

Quote of Note: “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the

government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” - - Thomas Jefferson

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DDaammss:: Bluestone Dam Makeover Reaches Half-Way Point By James E. Casto, For The State Journal, wvnstv.com, June 30, 2011; 04:19 PM The upgrade is expected to take 20 years and cost $300 million. That’s four times longer than the five years it took to build the $30 million dam. Hinton, WV — The Huntington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that the massive Bluestone Dam here has prevented $5 billion in flood damages in the Kanawha and New River valleys since the dam began operating in 1949. When heavy rains hit, the Corps holds back water behind the dam, thus preventing it from rushing downstream. In addition to the dam’s flood control role, the 2,000-acre man-made lake behind the dam has become a popular recreation mecca, attracting thousands of boaters and fishermen every summer. But when the experts at the Corps took a close look at the Bluestone Dam in the 1990s, they didn’t like what they found. When the dam was designed in the 1930s and built in the 1940s, it conformed to the engineering standards of that era — standards now deemed to be dangerously outmoded. After a thorough inspection, the experts concluded that under the right set of extreme conditions the dam might fail. If enough water gathered behind it, the resulting pressure might even tip over the 165-foot-high structure, unleashing a deadly wall of water that would rush downstream. The Corps calculates that if the Bluestone Dam collapsed, nearly 15 feet of floodwater would overflow the banks of the Kanawha in Charleston. While such a catastrophic failure seemed highly unlikely, the enormous potential cost in property damage and lives lost prompted the Corps to embark on a major safety upgrade of the dam. The upgrade is expected to take 20 years to complete. That’s four times longer than the five years it took to build the dam. And the ultimate price tag for the work is estimated at $300 million – a figure that dwarfs the dam’s original construction cost of $30 million. Chuck Minsker, public affairs specialist with the Corps in Huntington, reports that the upgrade has now “reached the halfway point” in that projected 20-year time span. To bring the dam up to current engineering standards, the Corps designed a five-phase program. Phase 1, which began in 2001 and was completed in 2004, involved construction of a huge concrete slab known as a “thrust block” against the dam’s downstream edge. The block essentially will act as a gigantic doorstop to prevent the dam from sliding. Phase 1 also extended the dam’s penstocks (designed for a hydropower plant that was never installed) and added bulkheads. Minsker says Phase 2A work, completed in 2007, included construction of a gate closure for Route 20, improvements to the access road, construction pier and adding another monolith to the east abutment. Phase 2B, expected to the completed this November, includes installing more than 150 high-strength steel cable anchors. The aim is to cure the tipping problem by pinning the dam and the thrust block to the underlying bedrock. Some of the anchors are made up of 61 steel cables and measure 13 inches in diameter. In September 2010, a contract was awarded for Phase 3, which involves the construction of scour protection below the penstock discharge area on the east side of the dam. The scour protection is a high-strength concrete covering over the bedrock designed to protect it from the damaging force of the water rushing out of the penstocks. In the future, Phases 4 and 5 will include installing additional high-strength anchors, the construction of an 8-foot wall on the top of the dam, scour protection in the stilling base and mitigation feature. It’s anticipated that the final phases will be completed in 2020. While the

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project’s total projected price tag of $300 million is expensive, Minsker says it pales in significance when compared with what would happen if the dam failed. If that happened, nearly 100,000 people would be at risk and an estimated $10 billion in damage would occur immediately. “A lot of people don’t think of Charleston and the Kanawha Valley being protected by Bluestone Dam,” says Minsker, “but the dam gives flood protection all the way to Point Pleasant and would even have an impact on Huntington.” (Go to this web site to view video: http://www.news10.net/news/local/article/143947/2/Sierra-dam-cracks-worries-residents) Sierra dam cracks worries residents news10.net, Jun 30, 2011 Soda Springs, CA - The old Lake Van Norden Dam has seen better days; but now, nearby residents wonder if it's even safe as spring runoff pours across its face. "There's water coming out the bottom of it, out the side," Paul Burton, who lives below the dam, said. "It's cracked right here, you can pretty much clearly see where the water's coming through the dam. And I was thinking, that's probably not very good." A close look at the dam shows a large, leaking crack across part of its face and a torrent of water pouring from below the northern edge of the dam. Burton said he's worried the dam could fail. "I live down the street on the river," Burton said. "My house is only about 15, 20 feet from the river and if that river broke through it'd be pretty devastating for my house and a lot of houses." Nevada County Emergency Services Director Vic Ferrera said the county is not even certain who owns the dam, but that staffers plan to find out on Wednesday and see if the dam has been getting regular safety inspections. "Right now, we don't see it as a threat, but to make sure that it's not we're going to have personnel for the next few days come by here periodically, take pictures and see if there is a major difference," Ferrera said. Ferrera said the dam once belonged to PG&E, but that it may have changed hands. Part of the dam was breached many years ago to allow a freer flow of water, but the dam still holds back a sizeable amount of water in what remains of Lake Van Norden. "We do have residences and businesses down here as well as a major road, so we are concerned about that," Ferrera said, as he snapped several pictures with his cell phone. Residents said the high water from heavy winter snows is already close to many cabins on the South Fork of the Yuba River below the dam. "It's definitely high and if we get any more water, it's gonna be even a graver concern for those folks," Soda Springs resident Lisa Gemetti said. (This may be reaching too far to find benefits from dams.) Did Hoover Dam Inadvertently Tame the San Andreas Fault? Maybe, says a new scientific study. Or it could be paving the way for an even bigger mega-quake. July 3, 2011, fountainvalley.patch.com Is the Big One a bust? Until the late 1800s, the San Andreas Fault jolted Southern California with a 7.0 quake about once every 180 years. But it's now been three centuries since the famous fault's last major tantrum. The long pause has led some experts to compare the San Andreas to "a woman who is 15 months pregnant," said seismologist Debi Kilb. But new research suggests the quake pattern no longer applies. According to a June 26 report in the journal Nature Geoscience, human interference with the Colorado River might have inadvertently calmed the San Andreas. At least for now. Here's what happened:

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The southern end of the fault runs beneath the Salton Sea, a basin whose bottom is about 250 feet below sea level. Until modern times, the area was subject to flooding by the Colorado River, and the weight of all that water pressured smaller faults, which in turn triggered the San Andreas, scientists theorize. In the early 1900s, levees were built to divert the Colorado into the Sea of Cortez just south of Yuma, Ariz. Because of that diversion, along with regional droughts and construction of Hoover Dam, the Colorado River hasn't flooded into the Imperial Valley and Salton Sink in more than a century. The timing coincides roughly with the last due date for a major San Andreas shaker. Cruising the Salton Sea in a sonar-equipped boat, researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Nevada in Reno recently mapped faults and sediment layers beneath the lake. Using that data, they found a connection between big floods and big quakes over the last 1,200 years. Unfortunately, controlling the Colorado doesn't mean the San Andreas is no longer a threat, they said. Instead of letting off steam with an occasional 7.0 quake, the fault might be building even more pressure, researcher Daniel Brothers told OurAmazingPlanet.com. "We don't know if the next earthquake on the San Andreas Fault will be bigger because of the prolonged [quiet] period," he said. "We have to wait and see if we've actually reset the recurrence interval and if the earthquakes are actually larger." -- City News Service contributed to this report. (Here’s your chance to get that dam stamp!) US Postal Service to offer Sutton Dam stamps July 5, 2011, Associated Press, theintelligencer.net Huntington, W.Va. (AP) — Sutton Dam is 50 years old, and the U.S. Postal Service is offering commemorative cancellation stamps with anniversary logos. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will celebrate the dam's 50th anniversary during the Mountain Lakes Festival on July 22-24 at Sutton Lake. The corps said in a release that the Postal Service will issue collector's edition cancellations dated July 22, 2011, and July 23, 2011, during the festival. The 210-foot-high dam was built primarily to control flooding on the Elk, Kanawha and Ohio rivers. It created the 1,440-acre Sutton Lake, which winds 14 miles along the Elk River and provides a site for fishing, boating and other recreational activities. Reclamation chief wrestles with cuts More than half of budget will go to infrastructure improvements By Dave Wilkins Capital Press, July 07, 2011, capitalpress.com/Idaho Dam safety will remain a top priority for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation despite reduced funding, the bureau's top administrator said during a recent trip to Idaho. More than half of the agency's 2012 budget request of $805 million for water and related resources (its principal operating account) will go toward improving aging infrastructure, said Michael L. Connor, commissioner of the bureau. The bureau has budgeted $407 million in fiscal 2012 for water and power facility operations, maintenance and rehabilitation activities, Connor said. Of that amount, $83.7 million has been earmarked specifically for dam safety projects, a decrease of $11.5 million from 2011. While the level of spending is down, it still allows the bureau to meet its goal of protecting the public, Connor said. "We aren't cutting back on dam safety," he said. About $27.5 million of the bureau's 2012 dam safety budget will be spent to make modifications to the Folsom Dam in California as part of the Central Valley Project. The bureau also plans to

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spend $1 million on modifications to the B.F. Sisk Dam (also part of the Central Valley Project) and $600,000 on the A.R. Bowman dam, part of the Crooked River Project in Oregon. Connor was asked at the end of his presentation whether it's possible that any new dams might be built in the West, given all the government regulatory hurdles and environmental concerns that exist today. Under the right circumstances, it's possible, Connor replied. "I think there are opportunities to build additional water storage facilities," he said. While the bureau has requested a total fiscal 2012 budget of $1 billion, it's not likely to get that much with Congress in a budget-cutting mood. Most federal agencies are expected to see their budgets shrink next year. In the bureau's case, its actual 2012 budget will probably be closer to $950 million, or about 12.5 percent below what it was just two years ago, Connor said. "We're seeing some very stark budget reductions," he told Idaho water users. The bureau maintains 476 dams and 348 reservoirs and delivers water to one in every five Western farmers. It also provides water to more than 31 million people for municipal and industrial uses and is the nation's second largest producer of hydroelectric power. A recent Department of Interior study pegged the direct value of Bureau of Reclamation activities at $19.6 billion annually. The same study found that the bureau's activities have a significant ripple effect that cycles throughout the economy. It estimated that agency activities provided a cumulative economic contribution of $55 billion and supported about 476,000 jobs. "That's pretty good from my perspective," Connor said of the study results. Anderson Dam unsafe, $110M fix Jul 7, 2011, By Lindsay Weaver, July 7, 2011, morganhilltimes.com The Santa Clara Valley Water District confirmed - in the form of a capital project proposal - the worries that arose in 2009: if a large earthquake hits within 1.25 miles of Anderson Dam, downtown Morgan Hill will be underwater within 15 minutes. The independent seismic study conducted two years ago set the water district into motion Wednesday with the announcement that the 60-year-old dam will be retrofitted at the estimated cost of $110 million. Construction is set to begin in 2015. Spokesman Marty Grimes said the seismic retrofit is "an extremely important project that we simply must do. The study answered questions about the seismic stability of the dam, but the capital project is just starting the planning phase, so there's a lot that is yet to be determined in terms of the solutions, cost and impacts." In 2009, the California Division of Safety of Dams banned Anderson Reservoir from keeping a water level more than 74 percent, because the dam's foundation contains sand and gravel that could liquefy in a big quake. Though the water district doesn't have an estimate now, the money for the three-year project will be funded by groundwater production charges, according to Grimes. It's estimated that in fiscal year 2012 that began July 1, South County's rate payers will generate $9.3 million in revenue while the cost to maintain wells, reservoirs, improve infrastructure is about $16.8 million a year. According to the district, the project will likely be paid for by a combination of pay-as-you-go funding, debt proceeds and reserves. The exact parceling of those funds is unknown. South County's portion of the water district's budget is facing a deficit until fiscal year 2014 and typically for capital improvement projects South County funds capital costs after a project is completed. North County fronts the money and South County repays with interest after it's completed. The district has budgeted $6.9 million for the retrofit so far. "We will look at other

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potential funding sources such as state and federal grants and/or a special parcel tax," Grimes said. He did say the water district will also pursue grants. The analysis released Wednesday did provide an upside to the lake's visitors this boating and fishing season. The water storage restriction at Anderson has been lowered to 57 percent capacity since October 2010 and can now be safely adjusted according to the California Division of Safety of Dams and the federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow 12 more feet of water, up to 68 percent of capacity. In October the publicly funded wholesale water provider to most of Santa Clara County, received preliminary findings from an ongoing seismic stability evaluation for Anderson Dam that detailed part of the dam could experience "significant slumping" if a 7.2 magnitude earthquake were to occur on the Calaveras Fault within about a mile of the dam. That spurred the reduction of the water level to 20 feet below the crest. "This is not a discretionary project. Since we now know we have a deficiency, we need to complete the retrofit to protect public safety. We also need to restore the lost water supply capacity due to the operating restriction," Grimes said. An earthquake geologist from the U.S. Geological Survey said the probability of a quake 6.7-magnitude or larger in the next 30 years anywhere on the southern portion of the Calaveras fault - where Anderson Dam is located - is less than 1 percent. The study claims that if the dam did fail Morgan Hill will be hit with a 35-foot wall of water and floodwaters will reach Gilroy in 2.5 hours. The anticipated start date for construction is 2015 with expected completion by 2018. Work on the actual plan and design for the retrofit have not begun, but the water district says the dam will need to be modified, rather than replaced, to strengthen it so it can withstand the "maximum credible earthquake" or a 7.2 quake. "It will likely involve removing some of the liquefiable material and adding additional rock to physically widen the dam," Grimes said. The need for construction evolved from updated seismic standards and the fact that Anderson Dam - along with seven other water district run reservoirs - haven't been evaluated against the current standards. The dam safety regulators along with the water district "agreed that the study was necessary to protect public safety. The district's top priority is public safety. Though the probability of a dam failure occurring is low, the consequences of failure are extremely high," Grimes said. A planning study will evaluate the adequacy of the outlet works and spillway, which was not part of the seismic dam study. Grimes said that if the outlet and/or spillway need to modified or replaced, the cost of the project will likely increase. "We won't have a good cost estimate until the planning study is completed," Grimes said. During the planning process, the district will develop "feasible alternatives" that will require changes to the reservoir so construction work can proceed; the degree and duration is unknown at this point. Construction could take two to three seasons, because both the upstream and downstream parts of the dam need to be fixed. It's unknown now if the water level at Anderson will be too low for recreation or if it will have to be drained during construction. For nearby Coyote Reservoir and dam, the retrofit at Anderson on East Cochrane Road won't likely experience any serious impacts except the possibility of allowing more recreation at Coyote during the construction, especially if water levels are lowered at Anderson. It would have to be coordinated with Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation, however, during the planning and design phases. The water district estimated four to seven jobs will be created for every $1 million spent on consultant contracts, and 10 to 20 jobs per $1 million of construction contracts. At Anderson, $20 million is planned for consultant contracts (80 to 140 jobs) and $90 million for construction, 900 to 1,800 jobs. The water district provides water supply and flood protection to Santa Clara County's 1.8 million people. The government agency employs about 750 people and manages an annual budget of $312 million.

HHyyddrroo:

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(How’s this for imagination and unusual – from Germany: http://www.thecoolist.com/hydroelectric-power-station-by-becker-architecture/hydroelectric-power-station-by-becker-architecture-12/) Hydroelectric Power Station by Becker Architecture thecoolist.com/hydroelectric-power-station-by-becker-architecture

It’s not every day that we cover a hydroelectric power station, but when a power plant like this is given such an artful approach to its design, we’re thrilled to feature it. The new Hydroelectric Power Station by Becker Architecture is a functionally brilliant work of sculptural architecture, a design that produces power without placing a drain on the

visual environment around it. The smooth contours of this concrete design reflect the natural movements of the water in which it operates, presenting a sense of natural balance to its viewer. The new hydroelectric power station replaces a 1950s model in Kempton, Germany. The system augments the flow of the river below it to generate enough power to feed 3,000 homes with a total 10.5 million kilowatt–hours of electricity. Roughly half of the population of Kempton is fed by this new power plant, giving those residents the right to boast a sustainably-sourced lifestyle. The sculptural nature of Becker Architecture’s design has a greater value than the functional process alone. Its striking nature makes an impression on those who see it, communicating the value of hydroelectric power by its sheer existence. Sustainable, beautiful– a perfect fit for TheCoolist. [via yatzer, photography by Brigida González]

Xcel Energy acquitted in hydro plant fire deaths trial waterpowermagazine.com, 01 July 2011 Xcel Energy and its subsidiary company Public Service Company of Colorado have been acquitted of charges in a criminal trial over the deaths of five workers in a fire at Cabin Creek hydroelectric project in 2007. Reuters has reported that a district court jury returned a not guilty verdict after two days of deliberations on five counts of violating federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration regulations and causing deaths. The workers – who were employed by subcontractor RPI Coating Inc. - were in a tunnel at the hydroelectric plant when a fire occurred

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and their escape was blocked. RPI Coating and two executives are due to stand trial later this year. (I guess you go where the money is, but putting it politely, this one is kinda interesting!) Dam-revival firm wins prize By Melanie Plenda, Correspondent, July 3, 2011, nashuatelegraph.com Ashland, NH – Dozens of dams in the state are doing nothing but holding back water or sitting there looking pretty. But if an Ashland company has its way, those dams will also help power the state. “As far as renewable energy goes, it’s a huge opportunity because these dams are already there,” said Andrew Lane, a partner at blue2green LLC. “They are there to hold back lakes and control floods. And it’s not just in New Hampshire, it’s a nationwide thing; there are all these dams that are not doing anything.” Blue2green LLC, a dam reclamation and electricity generation company, recently won the Tory C. Marandos Foundation Entrepreneurship Challenge. Lane and Mark Brassard, partners in blue2green, received a $5,000 cash prize to go toward their business as well as membership in the Southern New Hampshire University Center for Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation. The goal of blue2green is to convert as many dams as possible in the state to functioning hydroelectric dams. “There are 2,500 or more dams in New Hampshire, maybe even as many as 3,000, and only a few of them are being used as hydroelectric power,” Lane said. “We came across a (Department of Energy) survey that said there were 97 (hydroelectric) sites in New Hampshire, of which 63 have existing dams on them. If they were all turned on, that would be like 1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year, and that’s all going to waste.” The Granite State Hydropower Association represents the owners of 50 power-producing dams with a total peak capacity of 50 megawatts that produce 200 million kilowatt-hours of power a year. All are “run-of-the-river” projects that hold back little or no water but depend on available river flow. According to Kurt Finemore, assistant chief engineer for the state’s dam division, the 60 dams include small dams that can be used for micro-hydroelectric projects, in which most or all of the power would be consumed by the owner. About 12 to 20 would be larger scale hydro projects. “What they are focusing on, rehabilitation of existing situations, is certainly a great idea,” Finemore said. “One of the biggest challenges for hydro is making it economically feasible and that’s what they are working on.” Lane said the cost of renovating an existing hydroelectric dam varies depending on the project. But he said, for the past four or five years, they have been renovating an old mill on the Pemigewasset River in Ashland. Lane and his partners invested a total of $90,000 to refurbish the generators, add transformers and make other updates. They then sold the power that was produced directly to the town of Ashland. The project brings in about $100,000 a year, Lane said. So far, that money has been used to renovate the mill itself, which now is home to offices for a few small businesses and several artists. Lane said going forward they will use the grant money they just received to do “due diligence” on the 97 identified sites to make sure they are viable for hydroelectric. Lane notes that some of the dams they know already are small, so they may work on packaging those together to make it worthwhile to investors. There is also the possibility going forward of getting some state-owned dams online and then renting them from the state, thus earning the state some revenue. In the meantime, Lane said, they are also trying to woo investors and find people who have dams that could be used for hydroelectric. However, another challenge the company faces, said Finemore, is current legislation that dictates power companies have to pay more for hydroelectric than other forms of energy. “The biggest challenge is that’s it’s going to take a significant policy effort and a desire to develop hydro,” he said. The SNHU grant was made possible by a $100,000 donation from Cosmos and Lynda Marandos and their daughter, Tara, all of Nashua, in memory of their late son and brother, Tory. The gift created the “Tory C. Marandos

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Foundation” and will be an endowed fund that will provide a cash award for an annual winner of the “Tory C. Marandos Foundation – Entrepreneurship Challenge.” All active businesses and potential start-up businesses in New Hampshire, with less than three years in business and less than $1 million in annual gross revenue, were eligible to participate. Tory Marandos was the general manager of two of the Foxy Lady Gentlemen’s Clubs in New Bedford, Mass., and Providence, RI. He died on Dec. 12, 2006, during a shooting, at the age of 30. (A vote for hydropower in a State that doesn’t appreciate it) Snowmelt provides extra hydropower By The Record, July 06, 2011, recordnet.com San Andreas, CA - Last winter's heavy snowfall in the Sierra Nevada will continue melting far into the summer, providing extra water to generate electricity and also lowering electricity rates for consumers, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced. The company estimated that this year's electrical power yield from its dams will be 21 percent above average. The additional hydroelectric power means PG&E won't have to produce or buy as much power from other sources that use fuels such as natural gas. The added hydroelectric power translates into a reduction of 886,621 metric tons of CO2 emissions - equivalent to the electricity use of 107,600 homes for an entire year, according to PG&E calculations. In the immediate region, PG&E operates hydropower generation plants including Salt Springs, Tiger Creek, West Point and Electra, all on the Mokelumne River, as well as the Spring Gap, Stanislaus and Phoenix generation facilities on branches of the Stanislaus River. In general, hydroelectric power is less expensive than most other power generation methods. Hydropower also generates energy without producing greenhouse gases. During the hotter months of the summer, typically in July and August, hydropower helps the utility meet peak-demand periods. Hydroelectric dams can boost their power yield simply by turning a valve to send water through a turbine. Plants powered by fossil fuels, wind and solar radiation, in contrast, are either slower to start or subject to fluctuations in output that depend on the weather. The utility's rates are regulated by the California Public Utility Commission and are based on its costs. More hydropower means lower costs and, ultimately, a lower price for consumers. Mountain-top power plant answers peak demand By Anna Mitchell, July 6, 2011, independentmail.com Salem, NC —It was lunchtime at the Bad Creek Hydroelectric Plant when turbines rumbled to life Wednesday. Temperatures across the Carolinas were creeping above 90 degrees, and demand on the power grid to operate thousands of air conditioners would peak over the next seven hours. Perched at 2,130 feet above sea level, Bad Creek is Duke Energy’s answer to that demand. When energy demands call for it, a signal goes to a central-control office in Charlotte, N.C., and water starts to flow through Bad Creek’s turbines, said the station’s supervisor, Larry Oliver. “This plant is remote operated,” Oliver said. Four turbines spin today at 300 rounds per minute under the pressure of millions of gallons of water falling 850 feet through an intake pipe as long as two and a half city blocks. And every night, the pumps resume their work to fill the Bad Creek Reservoir back to full pool. The hydroelectric plant started operating 20 years ago in a dry valley just above Lake Jocassee in the northwest corner of South Carolina. The project consisted first of tucking a 32,000-square-foot, four-story power plant into the middle of a blue-granite mountain. The second part required scraping the valley clean of vegetation and bottling it up with a 360-foot-high earthen dam. With

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dam in place, the station fired up its pumps and sucked up water from Lake Jocassee to fill the heretofore empty reservoir. Bad Creek alone at less than three feet wide and flowing at a trickle would not have filled up this 360-acre lake. “It would have taken about 2,000 or 3,000 years,” Oliver said. Like a cave, the Bad Creek power plant’s rock walls are moist. Wells drilled into the walls relieve pressure building up in the rock wall’s fissures. Water flows down manmade creeks along the plant’s pathways and tunnels. “They knew when they backed up the reservoir there would be pressure against these walls,” Oliver said. Hollywood producers have paid the site a couple of visits, filming scenes from the 1999 Cuba Gooding film “Chill Factor” and, more recently, a Honda motorcycle ad. Outside, chunks of blue granite, the product of three and a half years of tunneling, line the reservoir’s banks. “This is one of the coldest paces on earth in the winter,” Oliver said, standing at the top of the dam this week. “The wind is blowing.” Stand still on the banks of Bad Creek Reservoir, Oliver said, and you can see the water dropping with the naked eye. “We can drop the water 10 to 20 feet in 24 hours easily,” Oliver said. “At night we may pump back 10 to 12 feet, and then more over the weekends.” Still, Bad Creek burns about 25 percent more energy pumping water back into its reservoir at night than it creates running water through its turbines during the day. In other words, the station is a net burner of energy. The 1,360-megawatt plant nevertheless makes sense among Duke Energy’s portfolio of nuclear, coal, natural gas and hydroelectric plants. Power generated during the day can sell for four times what it costs to generate it overnight. So, like a battery, said Duke Energy spokeswoman Sandra Magee, Bad Creek Reservoir’s water table is recharged at night for when it is most needed to spin turbines during the day. Its four turbines produce nearly as much electricity as two of Oconee Nuclear Station’s reactors. Unlike Hartwell Lake, 30 miles to the south and nearly 1,500 feet below, Bad Creek has no boat traffic and few fish. The closest boats can get to Bad Creek is from Lake Jocassee, whose shores nearly reach the entrance to Bad Creek’s power plant, accessed through a tunnel into the side of a mountain 1,200 feet below the surface of the lake. “Some fish made it through the turbines,” Oliver said. “But there’s not much.” Oliver has worked at the Bad Creek site for 23 years, and became the station’s supervisor 12 years ago. As a boy and before Duke built its system of lakes and power plants, he rode horses along logging roads through the Jocassee Gorge. He lives a few miles from Bad Creek and describes seeing bears, wild boars, bobcats and bald eagles during otherwise quiet days in the remote outpost of Duke Energy. “We are the end of the line,” he said.

EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt::

The Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station is a 1,065-megawatt pumped-storage facility located in Oconee County, eight miles north of Salem, South Carolina. The four-unit station began generating electricity in 1991, and is the largest hydroelectric station on the Duke Energy system. It is named for the two streams, Bad Creek and West Bad Creek, which were dammed to create the Bad Creek reservoir.

The Bad Creek facility two reservoirs (or lakes) to generate electricity: an upper reservoir and a lower reservoir. Water stored in an upper lake is released into underground power tunnels. The water rushes down the tunnels, driving huge turbines, which are underground at the base of a dam. The spinning turbines are connected to large generators, which produce the electricity. The water then flows through draft tubes into a lower lake.

A pumped-storage hydroelectric station uses the same water over and over again, making more efficient use of water resources. When demand for electricity is low, operators can refill the lake, as if they were “recharging” a battery. Using power from other generating stations, the generators act as electric motors spinning the huge turbines backward. This pumps water back up the power tunnels into the upper lake. Water is generally pumped back to the upper reservoir at night and on weekends.

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(‘Zem bones, ‘zem bones, zem dry bones or whatever!) Colorado fossil diggers at Snowmass site pack up bones so dam can be built By Liz Navratil, The Denver Post, 07/02/2011, denverpost.com The 45 workers are packing up, most of the 4,517 bones have already been shipped to Denver, and at least 20 ice-age animals have been identified, but in many ways the work on Ziegler Reservoir near Snowmass Village is just beginning. When the sun went down Friday, paleontologists stopped excavating the site, possibly one of the most well-preserved high-elevation fossil finds in the country, so that the Snowmass Village Water and Sanitation District can begin constructing a dam in the area. For Kirk Johnson, one of the lead scientists, this means the end of 10-hour days in the field and a return to his office at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, where he serves as vice president of research and collections. For Kit Hamby, manager of the water and sanitation district, this marks the end of a surreal several months and the turning point in a $10.5 million construction project expected to end in mid-October. "I'm actually baffled. I have no idea what it's going to be like," Johnson said Friday afternoon while trying to imagine the end of excavation. Museum crews have been working seven days a week for the past seven weeks to frantically collect fossils before construction begins on a day both the museum and water district agreed upon. This was their second crack at the dig. Construction crews found the first bones Oct. 14. Researchers worked for about a month before the weather turned. They resumed the excavation in mid-May. The scientists have been living together in the Top of the Village condominiums just steps from the site, eating breakfast and dinner together, meeting every night to fill each other in on their finds. Friday, they hoped to share one final meal, preferably something barbecue. The museum next will bring in equipment to haul out the 45 larger fossils, including a partial mammoth skeleton that weighs several thousand pounds. At the museum lab in Denver, a team of workers will spend the next 12 to 18 months cleaning, preparing, photographing, cataloging and analyzing the fossils. "Our job really is to make sure the fossils are taken care of forever," Johnson said. A team of conservators will monitor the humidity, dust and other factors to prevent the bones from degrading. Many of the fossils will remain in Denver, but some could travel to other museums for temporary exhibits. The entire project, including some public-outreach efforts and the construction of a small museum in Snowmass Village, will cost about $1 million, Johnson said. Half has been covered by grants and gifts, and the museum is looking for donations to help with the rest. In Snowmass Village, work on a different multimillion-dollar project will begin "in earnest" Tuesday, when crews start constructing the dam, Hamby said. He won't have to worry about the safety of the scientists anymore or about whether a find will jeopardize his project. Instead, he can reflect on the site he visited every day. "It's just been fascinating. Every few minutes, they're finding bones," Hamby said. Still, he noted, "it will be nice to get under construction." iThis compilation of articles and other information is provided at no cost for those interested in hydropower, dams, and water resources issues and development, and should not be used for any commercial or other purpose. Any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment from those who have an interest in receiving this information for non-profit and educational purposes only.

1 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

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“Good wine is a necessity of life.” - -Thomas Jefferson Ron’s wine pick of the week: Las Perdices Malbec 2009 Mendoza, Argentina “No nation was ever drunk when wine was cheap.” - - Thomas Jefferson

DDaammss:: (The age-old argument – should a few sacrifice for the many?) Stonewall Jackson Dam turns 25, cuts flood damage Angie Brant, July 10, 2011, The Exponent-Telegram, times-news.com Weston, W.Va. — The $208 million Stonewall Jackson Dam was completed 25 years ago and has reduced flood damage by $210.5 million, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But the dam also displaced about 1,800 people, including Kenney Parker, 78, who now lives in French Creek. That aspect prompted controversy before the dam’s completion. And 25 years later, for some people that sentiment hasn’t changed. “We had about 74 acres on Little Skin Creek,” Parker said. “A lot of the land was handed down from land grants from the Revolutionary War. Our family was fifth or sixth generation that had the land.” And, like others, Parker didn’t think the settlement offer was enough. But most took it. He went to court and didn’t get as much as he was offered initially. “Several of the older people have died. There is no close community anymore,” Parker said.

Some Dam – Hydro NewsTM And Other Stuff

Quote of Note: “I could end the deficit in 5 minutes. You just pass a law that says that

anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP all sitting members of congress are ineligible for reelection.” - - Warren Buffet

2 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

Kit Trussler, head maintenance mechanic for the dam, said he understands the resentment. He came from an area where the Corps did the same thing in the 1930s and 1940s. “Anybody who had family land that the government took, you have to feel for those people. You’ve got to sympathize with them,” Trussler said. About 20,000 acres were purchased for the Stonewall Jackson Dam project, which has provided a tremendous amount of flood control for Weston and all points north. The dam holds a steady water supply for all the cities that draw water from the West Fork River, and water quality in the river has increased tremendously, Trussler said. The Army Corps estimates flood reduction damage for last year alone was $5.5 million. The dam has reduced damage from four major floods per year on average, the Corps says. Parker and a group of interested residents had a plan to take care of the flooding issue with small watershed dams, which would not have taken nearly as much cropland. “The dam was discussed when I was in high school. The Corps of Engineers didn’t give up because they had money from politicians to build it,” the 78-year-old said. And in 1980, the plans began. Although the dam was completed in 1986, the lake was only filled halfway for the dedication in 1988. “We released that, completed boat ramp construction, and in January 1989 closed the gates, and it’s been holding water since then,” Trussler said. “When the lake is full, that’s 14.7 billion gallons of water behind the dam.” At summer pool, there are 2,650 acres of water in the lake. There are 82 miles of shoreline. The state stocks trout in the river from February through May. That was unheard of before the dam went into operation, Trussler said. In the world of dams themselves, Stonewall Jackson is an infant. Tygart Lake, built in 1933 by the Army Corps, has one of the oldest dams in the Pittsburgh District, and Stonewall is the newest, Trussler said. Maintaining the dams takes vigilance, Trussler said. In addition to daily, weekly and monthly maintenance routines, there is an annual inspection of all the operating systems. Once every five years, a full inspection is done with a large team of structural, electrical, mechanical, geological and hydrological engineers. They scrutinize every aspect of the dam operations. “Dams normally fail within the first five years of filling. The scale for a dam to fail is basically straight line from the fifth year to eternity,” Trussler said. “The Army Corps of Engineers has never had a major dam failure. It’s a highly dedicated staff of professionals who take their job of integrity of the dams seriously.” Weston Mayor Julia Spelsberg said the lake has provided a lot of employment and is a good moneymaker for teenagers who want to work there. “A lot of people enjoy the recreational aspect and the restaurant,” she said. Still others doubt the claims of proponents who say the dam has helped the economy. Roanoke resident Francine Snyder said they lost an entire community. And she wonders why. “One of the main arguments that the local businessmen used to promote the dam was it would bring economic prosperity. Anyone who drives through downtown (Weston) can see they traded a viable agricultural economy for nothing,” Snyder said. (Excerpts) Dams coming down Massive removal project also a boon to many museums Paul Gottlieb Peninsula Daily News, July 13, 2011 in City, spokesman.com Kathy Monds, Clallam County Historical Society executive director, holds an enormous metal wrench inside the society’s administrative center in Port Angeles, Wash., on Monday. The wrench was used at the Glines Canyon Dam until recently. Port Angeles, Wash. – Pieces of history are slowly making their way from the soon-to-be dismantled Elwha and Glines Canyon dams to Peninsula museums. Meanwhile, the federal Bureau of Reclamation will officially turn over the dams to Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, next week. A four-wheel trolley called a “spill-gate donkey” – it opened and shut the 11-story Elwha Dam’s spill gates – has been delivered to the Olympic Timber Town and Heritage Center

3 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

site since the trolley’s removal last week, Kevin Yancy, the dam’s power plant supervisor, said Monday. In addition, giant wrenches from Glines that take two men to lift were gently dropped off at the Clallam County Historical Society Museum in Port Angeles. “I don’t know how people picked them up to use them,” Kathy Monds, the Historical Society’s executive director, said as she lifted the giant end wrenches Monday. The trolley is “great to have,” said Bob Harbick, president of Olympic Timber Town. The museum is being established off U.S. Highway 101 just west of Port Angeles. It will help illustrate the history of the Elwha River, Harbick added. Some items also will go to the Joyce Museum on state Highway 112 next to the general store in Joyce, on the other side of the Elwha River from Port Angeles. “I’m really excited,” museum curator Margaret Owens said Monday. “If I get one little wrench, I’ll be thrilled.” Other artifacts are destined for the National Park Service and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Yancy said. -----------. (Oh oh, this could get political) A wooden dam spillway on Lake Lucille causing major concern for Wasilla officials The Associated Press, July 13, 2011, therepublic.com Wasilla, Alaska — The condition of a wooden dam spillway on Lake Lucille in Wasilla is causing major concerns. KTUU-TV says the dam is deteriorating. Officials worry if it collapses the lake on which former Gov. Sarah Palin has her home will drain and nearby property owners will be flooded. Wasilla Mayor Verne Rupright says the dam is at the point of starting to give way. Experts with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game have installed a temporary fix. But state dam safety engineer Charlie Cobb says the dam spillway is on the verge of a partial or total failure. The Department of Natural Resources says the existing dam must be upgraded. But Fish and Game says it does not have the authority to replace or manage the dam.

HHyyddrroo: (Whatever happened to the short form license and less red tape for a conduit hydro project? Answer – the environmental agencies can’t make crossing the street simple! You shoulda been able to exempt these projects with an application written on the back of an envelope, but instead you need too many agencies involved to do issue a conduit exemption.) The big potential of small scale hydropower mccookgazette.com, July 8, 2011 U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith Hydropower is often thought to require massive dams and complex infrastructures to process millions of gallons of water to power entire cities. Small streams and irrigation canals are rarely considered resources to generate hydropower. In reality, the future of hydropower lies in these nontraditional sources. Hydropower, the original green energy, remains the largest source of non-carbon emitting energy in the world. It provides low-cost electricity, reduces harmful carbon emissions, and accounts for 67 percent of America's total renewable electricity generation. Dams and reservoirs have provided affordable and reliable energy for generations of Nebraskans. The ability to harness the power of moving water has paid tremendous dividends for Nebraska's economy. While it is vital to continue making the most of our existing hydropower infrastructure, promoting new efforts designed to produce hydropower from smaller sources is important. The thousands of miles of irrigation canals, pipes, and ditches across the Third District create tremendous opportunity for new hydropower generation. Many irrigators want to use small projects to reduce electricity costs and generate much-needed revenue to repair aging infrastructure. Furthermore, increased revenues from the sale of this renewable energy could result in lower irrigation costs to farmers. Finally, irrigation water delivery would continue while utilizing flows for clean, emissions-free energy production. In February, I reintroduced the

4 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

bipartisan Small Scale Hydropower Enhancement Act (H.R. 795) to encourage the next generation of hydropower innovation. Recently, H.R. 795 had its first hearing in the House Committee on Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee. Unfortunately, small scale hydropower faces unnecessary, overbearing regulations from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC's current requirements, most of which are unnecessary or outdated, stifle innovation in the small scale hydropower field by making projects financially prohibitive. One-size-fits-all rules limit opportunity for small projects to expand our sources of clean, renewable energy while also hindering entrepreneurship and economic development across the nation. H.R. 795 explicitly exempts conduit hydropower projects generating less than one and a half megawatts, which is enough power to supply energy for more than 1,000 homes, from FERC's permitting rules. Such hydropower produced in man-made water delivery systems does not consume or disrupt water deliveries and has no environmental effect on temperature or aquatic life. This commonsense approach would eliminate bureaucratic hurdles faced by small scale ventures to allow them to contribute to our nation's energy portfolio. Hydropower, on both large and small scales, can and should play a critical role in our nation's clean, affordable, and reliable energy future. The Small Scale Hydropower Act, which is endorsed by the National Hydropower Association, Family Farm Alliance, and the National Water Resources Association, would help stimulate the economy of rural America, empower local irrigation districts to generate revenue and increase domestic energy production - all at no cost to taxpayers. (Except, it looks like it won’t easy hurdling the environmental issues! Some of the data in this article is a little off-vase, but it makes the point. There are about 80,000+ dams in the U.S. and about 3 % are used for hydropower.) Hydropower generators eye dams on Tombigbee and Alabama rivers By Jeff Amy, Press-Register, July 11, 2011, blog.al.com

Claiborne, Ala. — Far back in the woods on the Alabama River stands an impressive lock and dam complex that isn’t doing much these days. Built in the late 1960s to help barges ascend the river, the lock opens and closes only a few times a week, typically to allow recreational boaters to pass, say U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials. Commercial barge traffic is largely dormant. But Hydro Green Energy LLC hopes to bring a new purpose to the Claiborne Lock and Dam, which straddles the river on the Monroe-Clarke county line. The Chicago firm has a proposal before federal officials that would harness the roar of falling water to generate as many as 18 megawatts of electricity, enough to power thousands of homes. "Our real business model is to take existing infrastructure and make better use of it," said Mark Stover, vice president of corporate affairs for Hydro Green. Claiborne is just one spot targeted in a nationwide rush to claim dams that don’t make electricity right now. The trend is motivated by rising demand for electrical generation that doesn’t produce carbon,

tax credits that encourage hydropower, and new technologies that firms say will allow them to

5 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

build more cheaply. "The nation is looking for more clean industry, and we can provide," said Linda Church Ciocci, executive director of the National Hydropower Association. It’s a long way from the initial permit to seeing a project crank out electricity, though. The preliminary permit gives a company exclusive rights for three years to file a license application to develop a site. To get the license, a developer must go through studies and public meetings to prove its plans won’t harm navigation and the environment. Hydro Green, like many companies in the field, is a relatively recent start-up and is still raising money. Stover said that it aims for construction at Claiborne in 2013 or 2014. A study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that of the 10 dams with the largest generation potential, three are in southwest Alabama. Claiborne ranks No. 8, preceded by No. 7 Demopolis Lock and Dam and No. 6 Coffeeville Lock and Dam. The latter two are on the Tombigbee River. Of more than 10,000 dams in the United States that don’t make power, nearly a quarter of the generation potential is at the top 10, Oak Ridge found. More than two-thirds of potential generation is at the top 100 dams. But developers see much broader potential than that. They have received or are seeking about 400 conventional early-stage hydropower permits from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Those are generally linked to generation at dams. Additionally, hundreds more permits have been issued or are pending to generate power by using free-flowing rivers or tidal action. The majority of the free-flowing hydro permits would involve inserting turbines into stretches of the southern half of the Mississippi River. Boston-based Free Flow Power holds more than 100 of the Mississippi River permits. It is also trying to develop sites in northern Mississippi on lakes and at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway locks. Having been largely passed over for solar and wind installations so far, Ciocci said hydropower could be a way for the South to generate more power without burning fossil fuels. Alabama is already the leading hydropower generator in the South and the No. 5 state nationwide. Almost 9 percent of generating capacity in Alabama is at existing dams. Mississippi has no hydro generation today. At Claiborne, Hydro Green envisions building nine 2,000-kilowatt turbines. Stover said the company expects them to run at 60 percent to 65 percent of capacity over the course of a year, more when the Alabama is high, and less when it is low. Hydropower advocates say using existing dams generally causes little more environmental damage than was already created by building the dam. "The dam is already there, so the environmental footprint is already there," said Ciocci. "What you’re doing is maximizing the value of the project." Environmental concerns could be key at Claiborne, because of the many endangered species that live in the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river system. Previous dams built on the river system, including those used by Alabama Power Co., have pushed some aquatic animals to the edge of extinction by altering flow patterns and cutting off their ability to swim from the Gulf of Mexico to river headwaters and back. Paul Freeman, an aquatic ecologist for the Nature Conservancy’s Alabama chapter, said his group and others are working with the Corps of Engineers to operate the locks to allow more fish to migrate. "That stretch of river is a focal point right now for restoration," Freeman said. "It’s a biologically rich setting with federally protected species in need of recovery and restoration.” He said that operating the lock and dam to maximize power generation could alter the temperature, siltation and salinity of the river, and could cause erosion downstream. "The further the departure from the natural flows, the greater the effects," Freeman said. "Retrofitting existing structures conceptually makes a lot of sense, but the details would still have to be worked out to make sure." Plus, the engineering has to show that generation makes economic sense. Others have previously examined the Claiborne dam, only to conclude that the electricity they could make there wouldn’t pay for the cost of building a turbine, a powerhouse and stringing power lines. Stover, though, says Hydro Green, has worked out technology, including

Claiborne L&D

?

6 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

three patents, that will allow it to make electricity more cheaply. It has built a turbine on the Mississippi River in Hastings, Minn., that is held in the water using a steel frame, avoiding the need to pour concrete for a powerhouse. Free Flow Power is trying to develop some sites with even less generating potential. Jon Guidroz, director of project development for the firm, says it believes that by building many hydro plants, it can drive down costs, partly through mass production of turbines. "You have to think about economies of scale," Guidroz said. (If only they had built it the first time around!) Parnell signs Susitna dam bill By: The Associated Press | 07/14/11, washingtonexaminer.com Gov. Sean Parnell has signed legislation allowing the Alaska Energy Authority to pursue a major dam project in south-central. Parnell says the Susitna dam project is critical to the state achieving its goal of having half its electricity generated from renewable energy sources by 2025. His office said it also has the potential to meet half of south-central Alaska's energy demand. The proposed project has garnered intense interest among lawmakers, who agreed with Parnell's request for nearly $66 million to pursue it. It's not clear whether the dam will ever get built but Parnell has supported pursuing it — as he has natural gas pipeline proposals — in an effort to provide more reliable energy to Alaskans and create jobs. The bill he signed is SB42.

WWaatteerr: (Everybody is an expert - that is everybody who never operated a dam!) Ag secretary questions Corps on Missouri flooding By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press, 7/9/11 Des Moines, Iowa (AP) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has taken the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to task for its handling of the Missouri River in a letter questioning its decision not to release more water from dams earlier in the spring to prevent prolonged flooding this summer. The river is near historic flood levels along the more than 800 miles it stretches from the Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota to its confluence with the Mississippi River. More than 560,000 acres in seven states have flooded, including nearly 447,000 acres of farmland, Vilsack spokesman Justin DeJong said. The flooding followed unexpected spring rains and the melting of a deep snowpack in the Rocky Mountains. Vilsack outlined his concerns in a three-page letter sent to Major Gen. Meredith W.B. Temple, the acting commander of the Corps, and obtained by The Associated Press. Although Vilsack said he wasn't in a position to judge how the Corps handled its dams, he asked pointed questions about the agency's decision not to release more water earlier and criticized it for not providing farmers and ranchers with more up-to-date information. His comments add to a growing chorus of officials questioning the Corps' handling of the situation. U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., announced Friday that a bipartisan group of 14 senators from Missouri River states has requested a Senate hearing on the Corps' management of the river, and the AP obtained a letter earlier this week in which Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad expressed frustration with the Corps even before the latest flooding and urged the governors of Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska to join him in discussing the formation of a new group of downstream states. Vilsack noted the Corps said in a March 3 report in the Omaha World-Herald that there was no need for early releases from the Gavins Point Dam and there would be little flooding unless the region received a lot of rain. "Agriculture producers point to this report and others in justifying their concerns, and they need answers as to why releases were not made to allow for more storage in the dam system," Vilsack wrote in the letter dated June 28. "They point to forecasts related to snowpack and snowmelt and ask why there wasn't more planning or more

7 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

public conversations about the implications of operating the river under such conditions." DeJong declined to comment on the letter. Corps spokeswoman Jasmine Chopra defended the agency's management of the river, saying it released more water than usual from Missouri River dams last fall and during the winter and this year's flooding was unprecedented. However, she also said the Corps will take another look at its response when the river recedes. "The Corps fully intends to conduct a full-scale assessment of this year's flood to determine the effects and learn where adjustment might be warranted in the future," Chopra said. While Vilsack addressed the Corps in his role as agriculture secretary, he also has an interest in the matter as a former Iowa governor. About a third of the flooded land is in Iowa, including about 158,000 acres of farmland. Vilsack wrote extensively in his letter about farmers and ranchers' lack of information regarding upcoming water releases. When he took a trip to the region in mid-June, farmers and ranchers were making plans based on information that hadn't been updated since June 1, he said. Also, farmers assumed water releases would continue at 150,000 cubic feet per second and were surprised when the Corps increased that to 160,000 cfs after more rain. "This news was delivered via the mass media with little, if any, outreach to those impacted," Vilsack wrote. He asked that the Corps use the Agriculture Department's field offices and communications staff to better communicate with the public. He also expressed hope the Corps would take a hard look at its actions. "I am hopeful that subsequent to this disaster, the Corps will embark on a thorough evaluation of the decision-making leading up to and during the flooding to identify pitfalls and lessons learned," he wrote. "It would be helpful to engage the public in this process." The Missouri is expected to remain near record flood stage into the fall, which farmers and agricultural groups said could result in long-term damage to the land. Soil could be washed away, and trash and silt deposited, said Keith Olsen, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau. O. Eugene Johnson, of Windsor Heights, has 240 acres near Hamburg that he typically leases out for corn, but this summer, it's under 6 feet of water. He also worries that by the time the Missouri recedes, it will have cut a new channel in the area. "I'm concerned that if the land is destroyed and the river is changed, I'll end up with permanent water on my land," Johnson said. Diverting the Colorado: 2 projects with Boulder County ties to bring more water to Front Range By Laura Snider, Camera Staff Writer; 07/09/2011, dailycamera.com When Kirk Klancke's daughters were young, they swam -- or tried to swim -- in the clear icy waters of St. Louis Creek, a tributary of the Fraser River in Grand County. "I used to go on picnics with my daughters," said Klancke, who lives outside the town of Fraser on Ranch Creek. "They would go swimming in the streams and their lips would turn purple and they'd be out in a minute." These days, when Klancke takes his grandkids to the same spot, they sometimes splash around for an hour in the tepid water, occasionally losing their sandals to the sucking sediment layered on the stream's bed. Warm water temperatures, which can be lethal to trout, and the buildup of bug-smothering sediment in the once-rocky river bottoms -- caused by the lack of strong spring "flushing flows" on the river -- are two of the changes that Klancke has noticed over the decades. Since he first moved to Grand County as a teenager in 1971, more and more of the water that once was bound for the mighty Colorado River has been sucked across the Continental Divide to slake the Front Range's growing thirst. Today, a series of pumps, ditches, pipes and reservoirs brings 60 percent of the water in the upper Colorado River basin to the Front Range, according to the conservation group Trout Unlimited. But if two more water diversion projects with Boulder County ties get final approval, all but 20 to 25 percent of the native flows in the upper Colorado River basin -- which includes the Fraser and Williams Fork rivers -- could be depleted, Trout Unlimited says. The developers of the two water projects, Denver Water and Northern Water, say they plan to not only offset any future environmental problems created by their new projects in the upper Colorado River basin, but to also work together to voluntarily "enhance" the existing habitat in the area. "By

8 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

fully mitigating our impacts, we keep (the basin) the same," said Denver Water's Travis Bray. "Through enhancement and through our cooperative efforts we're making it better." But Klancke, who works as a water manager in Grand County, and some Colorado environmental groups contend that more aggressive mitigation and rehabilitation plans are needed to save what's left of the Colorado River. "Both of these (water utilities) wrote an environmental statement that said there would be no impacts," said Klancke, who also serves as the president of the Colorado River Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited. "But the third-grade class at Fraser Elementary can tell you what happens when you take 80 percent of a river." More water for the Front Range Both of the proposed trans-basin water projects would expand existing diversion systems. Denver Water's Moffat Collection System Project seeks to nearly triple the volume of Gross Reservoir in southwest Boulder County by increasing the height of the current dam by 125 feet. Denver Water says the reservoir expansion is necessary to address a projected water shortfall for its customers of 34,000 acre-feet per year by 2030. One acre-foot typically is enough water to supply two suburban families -- and their yards ) for a year. The water utility expects to close almost half the shortfall -- 16,000 acre-feet a year -- through conservation measures. The other 18,000 acre-feet per year will come primarily from additional water drawn from the Fraser and Williams Fork rivers during the spring and early summer runoff and then pumped through Moffat Tunnel. The second proposal, Northern Water's Windy Gap Firming Project, is designed to "firm" the amount of water that the existing Windy Gap system can deliver each year to project participants. The original Windy Gap trans-basin diversion project was completed in 1985, and it takes water from the upper Colorado River below its confluence with the Fraser River. Windy Gap's water uses the infrastructure of another trans-basin diversion project -- the Colorado-Big Thompson -- to travel to Boulder County and other locations on the northern Front Range. Because Windy Gap's water rights are relatively junior, the project only can divert water during wet years. But in wet years, Lake Granby -- a critical storage reservoir for the Colorado-Big Thompson system -- is often full, leaving no room for the Windy Gap water to travel to the Front Range. This makes the water supplied by Windy Gap to its original participants extremely unreliable. New reservoir If approved, the firming project calls for building a new reservoir west of Carter Lake in Larimer County. The Chimney Hollow Reservoir would be able to store 90,000 acre-feet of water, giving the Windy Gap water that can be drawn in wet years a place to go. Collectively, the 13 participants in the Windy Gap Firming Project -- which include Longmont, Lafayette, Erie, Louisville, Superior and Broomfield -- estimate that they'll have a water supply shortfall of 64,000 acre-feet a year by 2030. The Windy Gap Firming Project could reliably supply 30,000 more acre-feet a year toward filling that gap, according to Northern Water. The extra water that the new firming project promises to provide and the extra storage capacity that would be available in the Chimney Hollow Reservoir are critical to some Boulder County towns, their water managers say. "It's a key project for us because it really helps us ensure that we have a sustainable water supply," said Kurt Kowar, director of public works and utilities for Superior. "It would essentially

9 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

provide us more storage so that in surplus years we could store the water in the reservoir, and in years where there's not enough water, we'd have a reserve." Mitigation plan Drafts of the federally required environmental impact statements have been released for both projects. Last month, the Colorado Wildlife Commission unanimously approved the fish and wildlife mitigation plans from both Denver Water and Northern Water, which address the concerns outlined in the draft environmental impact statements. Denver Water's mitigation plans on the Western Slope include spending $750,000 on habitat restoration projects on the Fraser and Williams Fork rivers and spending another $72,500 to create new habitat for endangered cutthroat trout. The utility has also agreed to not withdraw additional water beyond what it would take now if stream temperatures become critically hot between mid-July and the end of August. In Boulder County, Denver Water plans to offset the impacts of flooding hundreds of acres of land to expand Gross Reservoir by replanting woody riparian vegetation and by buying credits from buying credits from an approved "wetlands mitigation bank" to offset the two acres of wetland that will be inundated. Northern Water's mitigation plans on the Western Slope include increasing the simulated flushing flows that the current Windy Gap project already is required to release every few years. Northern Water's plan also calls for monitoring the temperature on the Colorado River below the Windy Gap diversion point, and, like Denver Water, Northern Water has agreed to not withdraw more water than it would under today's conditions if the temperature becomes dangerously high. 'Enhancement' But what both water providers are most proud of is their cooperatively created "enhancement plan," which they say will go beyond mitigating the impacts of the new project and actually improve the current conditions in the upper Colorado River basin. The idea is to restore the section of the Colorado River that lies downstream of both the Windy Gap and Moffat projects where the populations of giant stoneflies and sculpins, both of which are food for trout, have declined over the years. Together, Denver Water and Northern Water have agreed to spend $4.5 million on the restoration effort and put another $1.5 million into a reserve fund that can be used to tweak elements of the restoration project that aren't working as designed. "This is not what we think is required by the state. We are not required to go back and make changes based on the impacts of past projects," said Dana Strongin, spokeswoman for Northern Water. "This is a benefit -- it's something extra. We don't have to do this, but we wanted to. "We don't want to make the habitat worse for the fish." Turning rivers to streams Despite the fact that the two mitigation plans unanimously were approved by the Wildlife Commission, some environmental groups argue that they don't go far enough to protect the Colorado River headwaters. Mely Whiting, senior attorney with Trout Unlimited's Colorado Water Project, said the plans don't adequately address stream temperature problems and flushing flows. When the mountain snowpack begins to melt in the late spring and early summer, the influx of water "flushes" the rivers, scraping sediment off the streambed and, in some years, overflowing the banks and recharging adjacent wetlands. Because both of the new projects plan to draw water during the periods of high runoff, Whiting said the rivers are being robbed of the critical flush. When flows stay low throughout the summer, the sediment builds up on the bottom of the rivers and destroys the habitat used by aquatic insects. The low flows also increase the danger that stream temperatures will climb higher earlier in the summer. Already, some parts of the rivers in the area become dangerously warm in late July and August. "Basically, you turn a river that has ups and downs -- rivers are very dynamic -- you turn it into a flat canal," she said. "You never have those big flows, and it really messes with the ecosystem." The solution proposed by Trout Unlimited is to essentially reconstruct the habitat of the Fraser and the upper Colorado River to create narrower channels that would allow the remaining water to run deeper, faster and cooler. "If you narrow the channel, you have a deeper river," Whiting said. Boulder-based Western Resource Advocates agrees that it's necessary to rebuild the ecosystem of the upper Colorado

10 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

River basin in order to save it. "We would rather see a healthy Colorado Stream than a sick Colorado River," said Drew Beckwith, water policy manager for Western Resource Advocates. What's a river worth? Trout Unlimited commissioned a study to see how much it would cost to do the work that it believes needs to be done on the Fraser and upper Colorado rivers. According to the study, $3 million to $5 million more needs to be budgeted in the mitigation plan to adequately rehabilitate the Fraser and about $5 million more is needed for the upper Colorado River. Western Resource Advocates then analyzed how much an additional $5 million each from Denver Water and Northern Water would cost their customers. The result is that Denver Water customers would have to pay an additional $0.53 a year for 30 years and Northern Water customers would have to pay an additional $1.60 a year for 30 years. "Is protecting a river worth a dollar a year?" Beckwith asked. "It's not a lot of money. People lose that much money in the couch." But Denver Water's Travis Bray said it's not fair to expect his utility and Northern Water to shoulder the entire burden of rebuilding the upper Colorado River basin, which has been degraded over the decades due to multiple projects. "In a perfect world, Denver Water and Northern Water would have unlimited funding and we could just make the whole Fraser River a gold medal (trout) river," he said. As it is, Bray said, the two groups already have put millions of extra dollars on the table to fund projects that go above and beyond what's necessary to get the permits to move forward. Bray also pointed to new agreement between Denver Water and stakeholders on the Western Slope to cooperatively deal with water concerns. The teamwork heralds a new era when the parties work together to make things better instead of pointing fingers at who's responsible, he said. "We could sue each other, and we could beat each other up in court for years," he said. " But we said, 'Let's put our resources on the ground. Let's help the environment. Let's make it better.'" The final environmental impact statements for both projects are expected to be released late this year or next year. When each statement is released, the public will have the opportunity to give public comment before a final decision is made about whether to give the projects final approval. (5,000 cfs and coming down finally. Big floods take time to settle down.) Missouri River Flood: Updated Dam Flow Rates by Angela Tague, July 11, 2011, news.gather.com Water release rates at four of the six dams along the Missouri River will decrease this week. Finally, some Midwest flood victims can enjoy a short respite from rising flood waters. Dam Flow Rate Changes On Tuesday, July 12 the Oahe and Big Bend dams will each reduce their flow rates by 5,000 cubic feet per second to a flow of 145,000 cfs. Garrison Dam will also decrease by 5,000 cfs, to a temporary projected flow rate of 135,000 cfs. Then on Thursday, Garrison Dam will drop another 5,000 cfs to a final flow rate of 130,000 cfs, according to Jody Farhat of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On Friday Fort Peck Dam will decrease its Missouri River flood water flow rate to 40,000 cfs. This is also a drop of 5,000 cfs. Staying Steady Gavins Point Dam will maintain a flow rate of 160,000 cfs, while Fort Randall Dam stays steady at 156,000 cfs. Although Missouri River flood waters will recede a bit with the decreased flow of flood waters from several dams, the relief is temporary. Summer rains can potentially refill the declining reservoirs, causing the flow rates to eventually increase again.

11 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

EEnnvviirroonnmmeenntt:: (Hydro projects have the best and most interesting visitors’ centers. Compare to any coal-fired or nuclear plant, if you can find one!) Smith Mountain dam gives visitors a different perspective By Justin Faulconer, July 09, 2011, timesdispatch.com Tens of thousands of people flock to Smith Mountain Lake to enjoy the water. Not so many, though, find their way to the project that actually made the lake. Appalachian Power hopes to increase those numbers with a recently completed renovation to the visitor center perched above the Smith Mountain hydroelectric project off state Route 40 at the southeast end of the lake. The site includes an outdoor observation area that offers a spectacular view of the project on the Bedford County side of the Smith Mountain gap. The center, which had been closed for the upgrades, reopened in June. John Shepelwich, an APCo spokesman, said the added features will help educate guests and make visits there more enjoyable. "It's a unique place in the area that many people fail to go visit," Shepelwich said. "We just hope we can get more visitors in there, especially students." Visitors are greeted by Rosemary Barger, who oversees the center and describes herself as the plumber, gardener, cleaner and welcoming committee at the site. "This is my home away from home," said Barger, senior attendant, who has worked at the center the past 25 years. "Whatever it needs, I try to get it." About 32,000 people visit the facility each year, she said, with the majority passing by Memorial Day through Labor Day. Traffic to the center varies, she said. Some days are busier than others; rainy days usually are good for attendance and Sundays after church often draw crowds. The building itself serves as a tour guide, offering various drawings, photos, displays and a video with a screening room to help explain the project, which utilizes two dams at Smith Mountain and Leesville. To generate power, water from the upper reservoir runs through generators at the Smith Mountain dam and flows into Leesville Lake. The power company then reverses the generators to pump water from Leesville back into Smith Mountain Lake. The plant can generate more than 600 megawatts of electricity for up to 11 hours. It is optimally used for short periods to meet peak energy demands or as a reserve generator in the AEP system. An example of a nugget of information that visitors can learn by visiting the center is that fish can survive going through the dam. "They have an inherent natural tendency to relax and go through backward to reduce risk of injury," an exhibit reads. Guests also learn that the dam contains 175,000 cubic yards of concrete, enough to pave a two-lane highway 90 miles long, and is taller than the Statue of Liberty. Construction of the project began in 1960, and the flow of the Roanoke River had to be diverted during the process. The dam was closed in 1962 so the lake could form. The project has provided electricity to customers since the 1960s and is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; a new license became effective last year. Shepelwich said the overall work to enhance the center cost around $300,000. Guests visit at no charge. The center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with exhibits and the overlook area closing at 4:30 p.m. The center is also open 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays through Labor Day. A picnic area below the Smith Mountain Dam on Leesville Lake is also open to the public seven days a week.

12 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

iThis compilation of articles and other information is provided at no cost for those interested in hydropower, dams, and water resources issues and development, and should not be used for any commercial or other purpose. Any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment from those who have an interest in receiving this information for non-profit and educational purposes only.

1 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

7/29/2011

i

“Good wine is a necessity of life.” - -Thomas Jefferson Ron’s wine pick of the week: STIX Cabernet Sauvignon "Alexander Valley" 2008 “No nation was ever drunk when wine was cheap.” - - Thomas Jefferson OOtthheerr SSttuuffff: (Can you believe the nonsense? They want taxpayers to enrich them when their power is not needed and is not dependable. Why would you want to substitute more costly non-dependable power for cheaper hydropower?) The Bonneville Power Administration punches back in wind versus water fight By Ted Sickinger, The Oregonian, July 20, 2011, oregonlive.com The Bonneville Power Administration told federal energy regulators this week that it has the right to pull the plug on wind farms during times when too much hydropower is already being generated in the region. The federal power marketing agency is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to throw out a complaint filed by wind farm owners last month that would force BPA to honor its transmission contracts. Wind farm owners say FERC is only the first stop, regardless. A lawsuit to recover economic damages is a likely next step. BPA controls three-quarters of the region's electric grid and sells power from 31 hydroelectric dams to utilities around the west. It adopted a policy this spring that effectively turns off the switch for wind farms connected to its grid when hydroelectric generation already exceeds demand. BPA has been canceling wind farms' scheduled transmission and substituting free hydropower to meet energy deliveries. And it is unwilling to undertake so-called "negative pricing" by paying utilities outside the region to shut down their own generation and take all the Northwest's excess power. Wind farm owners, led by Portland-based Iberdrola Renewables, are seeking an expedited decision to end the policy, which was brought on by an unusually high spring runoff that created a surge in hydroelectric generation. The agency maintains that it has bent over backward to accommodate the wind boom on the Columbia Plateau, which has outstripped any forecast or demand growth. During high runoff, it says surplus generation threatens grid reliability, and after reducing generation at thermal plants in the region, it needs to curtail wind. It says it can't dial back hydrogeneration or spill more water to accommodate wind energy because the resulting dissolved gases in the river are harmful to endangered salmon. Wind farm developers and

Some Dam – Hydro NewsTM And Other Stuff

Quote of Note: “Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.” - - Regina

Britt

2 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

renewable energy advocates say those excuses are a red herring, and what BPA is doing is seizing the wind farms' transmission rights to get rid of its own electricity without paying negative prices. "BPA is a federal agency that is choosing not to play by the rules of the federal power act," said Jan Johnson, a spokeswoman for Iberdrola. Paying negative prices would reduce BPA's surplus power sales, which would ultimately increase its own customers' rates. BPA contends its customers shouldn't have to subsidize California ratepayers, since most wind power is sold out of state. BPA has curtailed some 100,000 megawatt hours of electricity from wind farms so far this year. Actual damages are likely in the millions of dollars, but depend on purchase prices and delivery requirements in varying customer contracts. A chief complaint of wind farms is that BPA's curtailment stops the flow of tax and renewable energy credits that are only generated when they are sending power to the grid. The agency says its over-generation crisis has largely passed for this year, and hopes all parties can get back to solving the problem, which could get worse with added wind farms. BPA maintains the appropriate venue for any dispute over its transmission policies is the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court, not FERC. Johnson of Iberdrola said the 9th Circuit could be the next stop after FERC renders a decision. She said regional discussion to come up with solutions is satisfactory as far as it goes. "All these things are helpful, but none of them address the oversupply issue we had this spring." (You have to take a look at this web site. They ruined the aerial photo of Hoover Dam with the new bridge – now this proposal. What the heck!) Upside Down Casino Skyscraper Overlooking the Hoover Dam / Stephan Sobl http://www.evolo.us/architecture/upside-down-casino-skyscraper-overlooking-the-hoover-dam-stephan-sobl/

DDaammss:: (Mmmm! There’s oil in them there hills) Oil found under southern Kentucky dam Jul 15, 2011, fox41.com Louisville, KY. (WDRB) -- Crews fixing leaks on a southern Kentucky dam strike another discovery -- oil. Small amounts of oil were discovered from a sample drilled in Wolf Creek Dam on Lake Cumberland. For the past two years, work has been underway to stabilize the dam. Officials say there is not a significant amount of oil under the dam, and there are no producing oil wells in the county where the dam is located. A relief well drilled a few years earlier found about 12 gallons of oil. $100 MILLION SEISMIC FACE-LIFT Dam renovation expected to help cut water costs By Dana Bartholomew, Staff Writer, dailynews.com, 07/21/2011 In 1938, the biggest flood in Los Angeles County history hurled 33,000 cubic feet of water per second down Big Tujunga Canyon. The deluge drove a wall of car-size boulders down the canyon, scouring away houses, roads and bridges and killing at least three residents. But if not for the newly built Big Tujunga Dam, the destruction would have been far worse. "Large oak trees several hundred years old rushed down the canyon like kindling," wrote Sam Browne, who was dam tender during the March 2, 1938, flood, in a report after the event. "If this dam had never been built, there is no telling what would have happened to Sunland, and the city of Tujunga and

3 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

the northern end of Glendale.” Big Tujunga Dam No. 1 was there. It held. There was not even a quiver." The 20-story guardian of Big Tujunga Canyon is now twice as strong - and can handle three times as much water - thanks to a $100-million makeover. The retrofit of the Depression-era dam, whose completion was celebrated Thursday, is designed to survive a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and safeguard thousands of residents downstream. It will catch 4,500 acre-feet of water a year for future drinking - enough to sate the needs of 9,000 Los Angeles families. "It's a beautiful dam," said Michele Chimienti, an engineer for the county Department of Public Works, standing above its retro Deco concrete curves holding back nearly 6,000 acre-feet of blue. "One of a kind.” It’s elegant, with nice flow lines, almost Art Deco. It'll be a landmark 100 years from now." The Big Tujunga Dam No. 1, completed in 1931, had cost nearly $1.2 million. Over the years, the Hoover Dam-style wall of concrete had done its job for county flood control. Then came the Sylmar temblor of 1971, followed by the Northridge Earthquake 23 years later. For safety reasons, the dam only could be filled to quarter capacity. Not anymore. "This retrofit will not just provide flood protection, but water conservation to the county," said county Supervisor Michael Antonovich during a morning ceremony with an estimated 100 engineers, inspectors, contractors and others. "When we have the next Big One - when the San Andreas (fault) splits - it will not affect downstream residents with the destruction of this dam." The Big T dam upgrade is among 13 major dams to be beefed up across the county at a cost of $156 million. The project, completed by Shimmick Construction Co. of Oakland, required 78,000 cubic yards of concrete - the largest recent pour in the western United States. For three years, thousands of trucks from the Antelope Valley made the twisty drive through the San Gabriel Mountains to deliver sand and rock. The concrete, mixed onsite, required its own ice plant. As the dam was poured, concrete was chilled to 50 degrees, preventing overheating as it dried - and cracking in the new dam face. Then came the Station Fire of 2009, the largest in county history. The firestorm burned construction equipment. Torched phone lines. Cut off power. And required massive generators to complete the dam. "The fire coming through was unexpected, and made us completely change how we did things," said Terry King, the construction manager, for Citadel Construction Management. The newly completed Big Tujunga Dam is now twice as thick, at 138 feet at its base. And strong enough for floodwaters nearly four times more powerful than those of 1938. As officials cracked open one of its new Swiss valves Thursday, the shadow of a hawk crossed its 200-foot face. Then a spray gushed from the dam below, sending water to feed such downstream wildlife such as the threatened Santa Ana sucker fish. With each future storm, the dam will fill, allowing rainwater to be fed into spreading grounds below Hansen Dam. The water will then seep into the San Fernando Valley aquifer for future Los Angeles drinking supplies. And save the city from buying roughly $2 million a year in state water, at today's prices, officials said. "It's the future," said Ron Nichols, general manager for the city Department of Water and Power, before the ceremony. "It's flood-control capture. But it's also storm-water capture. It's the future for us, (because) we're looking to cut in half our imported water." Bill Gilbert stood in the new control house, overlooking the dam he's tended for 27 years. Like a lone lighthouse keeper gazing across the waters, the man with the frontier mustache has seen it all - from the beautiful to the macabre, from ring-tailed cats, bears, mountain lions, to marijuana farmers and bodies of suicides. But for Gilbert and his wife, Debbie, the best is beholding the new Big Tujunga Dam No. 1. "I've been with the county 38 years, and this is definitely the highlight," said Gilbert, who had worked 100 hours a week by himself tending the dam during the Station Fire. "It's an engineering marvel. Unbelievable."

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(Yuk, this sounds like a dam stinking problem!) 2 dams built to contain Iowa manure spill fail whbf.com, Jul 23, 2011 Blairstown, Iowa (AP) - Two sand dams built to contain a manure spill into the Coon River have failed. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the dams were built Thursday to more than 100,000 gallons of manure released by Cedar Valley Farms dairy near Blairstown. They failed Friday morning. The dams cannot be rebuilt because of muddy conditions. New sites are being scouted. The department also says there have been reports of manure making its ways from the creek into the Iowa River but tests have shown known presence of ammonia in the water and no dead fish were found. The high water flow in the river may be diluting the manure.

HHyyddrroo: (Here’s a good one! That’s a picture of the reverend with headache!) There was a company in the U.K named Kettlewell Hydro Electric Light Limited (HELL), actually a church group, but it has now been closed down because it was denied a permit by the U.K. environmental agency. Now they are literally in HELL. Read the full story here: http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/9139712.Bid_to_reinstate_Upper_Wharfedale_dam_is_rejected/ (This must be the week for small hydro – not too many dam articles out there this time around) Hydroelectric dam gets its turbine back and better than ever knox.villagesoup.com, Jul 14, 2011 Camden, Maine — Seabright Dam, a hydroelectric dam on the Megunticook River constructed in 1888, recently welcomed back one of its two turbines. The turbine was taken out and sent to Rockland Steel to be retrofitted, and was then reinstalled in the dam. The dam provides electricity for Camden's wastewater treatment facility. Seabright Dam is the only hydroelectric dam Camden owns. It was donated to the city in 2007 by Joe Sawyer, who had owned the dam since 1984. It underwent repairs in 2008 and has been producing electricity for the city since. According to a report from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection issued in 2010, the Seabright Dam produces 94 kilowatts. It is an officially approved hydroelectric project under the specifications laid out by the Federal Energy Regulation Commission. Family continues high country hydropower tradition Humphreys unveil 310 kilowatt generator chieftain.com, July 16, 2011, By Matt Hildner Creede, CO — A family with a long history of hydropower production at their high-country ranch flipped the switch on a new project Friday, unveiling a 310-kilowatt turbine. The $1.3 million project at the Humphreys family's Wagon Wheel Ranch will supply electricity to the grid through the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative and, state leaders hope, spur more development of small-scale

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hydropower. Project leader and family member Ruth Brown oversaw the project and thanked a long list of government officials, engineers, contractors and family members during a ceremony at the ranch, which sits roughly 12 miles south of town. She also recounted the family's history of hydropower production. Her great-grandfather A.E. Humphreys built a 90-foot tall concrete arch dam in 1923 below the confluence of Goose and Roaring Fork creeks. Hydroelectricity powered the ranch and, for a time, even lit a golf course on the ranch that's since been turned in to a hay field. The younger Humphreys followed suit more than a decade ago with a 42-kilowatt generator higher up on the Roaring Fork to continue to power the ranch. Brown said picking up the larger project became possible when state lawmakers passed a renewable energy standard in 2006. Because of that bill, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association can claim renewable energy credits when the ranch's power comes on the grid. She also was aided by a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But finding a contractor to work at the high-elevation site was one of the project's most difficult challenges. Brown also needed a contractor who could work at the site in spring to avoid disrupting the operations of a neighboring guest ranch in summer. She eventually lured Moltz Constructors of Cody, Wyo. Gary Boring, who supervised the construction for Moltz, made no reference to mud or inclement weather. Instead, he said one of the biggest challenges for his company, which works on dams and hydropower projects throughout the West, was developing the siphon that draws water from the reservoir's surface then sends it down a 650-foot penstock to the generator. "This really hasn't been done before," Boring said. "That's been one of the big challenges on the job is keeping that siphon going and keeping air out of the penstock." Despite heavy winters in the area, Boring said a bubbler system would keep the intake from icing over. He said the only limitations on the project would come in the form of a poor water year. Brown also credited state Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village, who was on hand at the gathering, for passing legislation that made such projects possible. "She stood up against the old way of doing business," Brown said. Schwartz, in turn, said she hopes the project will be a catalyst for other small projects around the state. "We have such an undeveloped resource," she said. The Governor's Energy Office has record of 58 hydroelectric projects around the state, although it cautions that the list may be incomplete. Still, that number is a drop in the bucket of potential sites. A survey by the Idaho National Laboratory found more than 5,000 places around Colorado with the potential for hydropower installations of less than two megawatts. (Don’t know where they got the idea that this is the only system to use treated water, but there are number of such installations around the Country, such as in CA and PA.) City's new hydro project churns out power near site of historic station istockanalyst.com, July 14, 2011, (Source: The Santa Fe New Mexican) By Julie Ann Grimm, The Santa Fe New Mexican More than a century ago, planners with the Santa Fe Electric and Gas Co. wanted diverse, local power sources. In 1895, they turned on the city's first hydroelectric-generation project. After a hiatus of more than 70 years, Santa Fe once again is creating power at the same spot near Upper Canyon Road, using the force of water running downhill. The first hydroelectric station was out of use by 1940 and the historic building that housed it abandoned. Today, a new turbine buried in a vault on the now city-owned land is generating power that is sold to Public Service Co. of New Mexico and earns cash in the form of renewable-energy credits. "It made sense then, as it makes sense today, to take advantage of the potential energy in the water utility's transmission pipes," said Dale Lyons, the city's water-resources coordinator, who shepherded the hydroelectric project from its dream phase into reality. "I find it fascinating that for many of the same reasons that spurred those early innovators -- as well as for new reasons that no one could have imagined 116 years ago -- we are again developing local renewable energy." The project came with a million-dollar price tag, about half of which went to the turbines and associated infrastructure and half to replace valves and pipes that needed an update anyway. More than half of the turbine cost was supplied by the federal government through stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Other funding came through the New Mexico Finance Authority and the New Mexico Environment Department.

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Project engineer Rick Dulin of AECOM in Denver, an expert in small hydroelectric systems, said he believes the city's project is the only system of its kind in the nation to harness the power of water that has already been treated by a municipal system and is on its way to taps. Dulin was on hand this week when officials fired up the hydroelectric turbine during a dedication celebration. As water flowed into the blue pipes in the concrete vault, the noise level and the pressure began to build. "The water pressure is turning into velocity," he shouted. "Here you are converting that velocity into energy. You've got the weight of the water and now that water is moving, you can capture its energy." About 5,000 acre-feet of Santa Fe River water per year goes through the Canyon Road Water Treatment Plant. The water then drops about 200 feet in elevation over a distance of 1.5 miles to reach the hydro-generation system, located just outside a storage tank at the corner of Upper Canyon Road and Camino Cabra. Since it began operating in April, the system has already produced 30,425 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Lyons estimates that it could save the city at least $20,000 in electricity costs every year. PNM agreed just this week to begin paying the city for its role in helping the company meet a state mandate to provide power from alternative sources that are not solar or wind, Lyons said. Mayor David Coss gave a speech at the site and noted that it was only possible because of help from the federal government. "It's been really important that the government keeps investing and keeps putting people to work and keeps making improvements to the infrastructure," he said. "I'm excited about the prospect of developing more renewable resources locally." Santa Fe has several other alternative-energy projects in its portfolio. This year, solar panels erected near the southwest-side Wastewater Treatment Plant began feeding energy back into the grid. And by the end of this year, another solar project will be producing power on land near the city transit yard. A joint city-county water-supply project at the Rio Grande called the Buckman Direct Diversion also is using solar power to offset about a third of its energy use. (Yikes, now if you’re a hydro developer who is not from the local area – you’re an “outsider”. What nonsense is this? Most people just don’t pay attention – that’s why they don’t know! I guess all those wind farm developers are “outsiders” too!) Outsider: Hydroelectric project near Genoa moving ahead by Matt Johnson, lacrossetribune.com | July 13, 2011 Back in 2008, a limited liability corporation named Mississippi 8 Hydro was granted a preliminary permit to study a hydroelectric project using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mississippi River Lock and Dam No. 8 in Vernon County. Last month, Symbiotics, LLC, on behalf of Mississippi 8 Hydro, filed a pre-application document with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC). The document said Mississippi 8 Hydro is pursuing a new hydroelectric license for its Lock and Dam 8 Hydroelectric Project. The preliminary permit information filed by Mississippi 8 Hydro calls for a new powerhouse and switchyard, four turbine/generator units with a combined capacity of 35 megawatts; and a new three-mile long 69-kilovolt transmission line extended from the switchyard to a local utility's distribution system. According to documents compiled by the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association in May, there are more than 40 hydroelectric power projects under study between the Twin Cities and Cairo, Ill. Most of the projects are being studied by cryptically-named limited liability corporations. Mississippi 8 Hydro is one of these companies. The applicant contact for both Mississippi 8 Hydro and Mississippi 5 Hydro (a similar generation project at Lock and Dam No. 5) is Brent L. Smith, who on the Mississippi 8 Hydro application is listed as the Chief Operating Officer for Symbiotics, LLC, which is based in Rigby, Idaho. The pre-application document was filed on Symbiotics letterhead. When asking about Mississippi 8 Hydro, Celeste Miller, a FERC media relations officer, simply referred to the entity as "Symbiotics." A telephone call to Symbiotics was directed to Spencer Uminski, but he was unavailable. A message for Uminski was not returned by our deadline. A letter was written by Erik Steimle of Symbiotic's Portland, Ore., office to inform people of the pre-application. It was sent in mid-June. Organizations notified included the American Canoe Association, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service, area legislators, the Vernon County clerk and the city of La Crosse. While one would think that setting up hydroelectric generation stations along the Mississippi River would be positive, not everybody agrees. In fact, the comments about it to the FERC are

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overwhelmingly negative. Byron Clements, owner of Clement's Fishing Barge and Captain Hook's Bait and Tackle of Genoa, says the project is a disaster for the fishing industry. "What they're planning to install is just like a fish grinder," Clements said. Clements said recent studies showed fish tagged in the Mississippi River in the spring of 2010 were spawning in the Chippewa River this summer. "With the islands that are being built on the river now and all the work that has been done to improve the river over the past 35-40 years - I know, I've seen it - I can't believe they'd let these hydro plants come in and wreck it," Clements said. On July 1, Martin Griffin, statewide waterway science and policy leader for the Wisconsin DNR, wrote the FERC saying that there were problems with the pre-application document. "...The complexity of resource issues and level of potential controversy for this project is high," Griffin said. The project has been given the docket number of 13010 by the FERC. By going to the FERC's website at www.ferc.gov a search can be performed in the "eLibrary" using the docket designation "P-13010," which will bring up all of the legal documents and correspondence about the project. Since Symbiotic's June announcement, there have been more than 50 comments posted. A common complaint is that the process has not been well publicized. I've covered Vernon County for nine years. Up until Friday, I had no idea a hydroelectric dam was in the works for Lock and Dam No. 8. (Hydro is sure better for the scenic aspects of power. Can’t imagine Kauai with wind farms everywhere! And, how about that photo for a diversion dam? Try that with any other form of power development!) Hydro Plans for an Island Paradise Hawaii co-op exploring new projects By Derrill Holly | ECT Staff Writer, July 18th, 2011, ect.coop/power-supply/renewable-energy Hawaii’s only rural electric cooperative is laying the groundwork to pursue development of the next generation of hydroelectric power resources. But it is also making sure that it has solid support for any future projects from those who depend on the water that will drive any turbines deployed. “We will only move forward with projects that make good sense economically, technically, environmentally and culturally,” said David Bissell, CEO of Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. The Lihue-based co-op currently draws nearly seven megawatts of power from eight small hydroelectric facilities, two of which it owns. Six preliminary permit applications have been filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for new co-op-owned projects, representing nearly 28 megawatts of additional hydroelectric capacity. The co-op has contracted Boston-based Free Flow Power, Inc. to explore development of six new hydroelectric sites and upgrades to existing facilities, some of which have provided hydroelectric power to islanders for generations. FERC has granted four of the preliminary permits and two others are pending. Approval authorizes the co-op and the company to explore each project for three years, said Bissell. Hawaii’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard mandates that utilities meet 40 percent of their demand from renewable sources by 2030. Kauai has set a target of surpassing that goal by 2023. “With new, small hydro power projects on Kauai, we can get closer to our goal of generating 50 percent of our energy from renewable resources,” said Bissell. The co-op’s commitment to building support for its hydropower initiatives has included an informative renewable energy portal operated separately from its regular website. Co-op directors and key staffers have also participated in public forums and talked about the projects in local media interviews. Those efforts paid off July 8, when more than 7,500 of KUIC’s consumer-members voted on the board’s decision to explore small hydropower development. When the results were tabulated and certified, 72 percent of the members who cast their ballots supported the measure. “Hundreds of

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community members… came out to our public meetings and actively participated in KIUC’s outreach process,” said KIUC Chairman Teofilo “Phil” Tacbian. “We look forward to continuing to reach out to the entire Kauai community as we explore hydropower for our island.” (This makes you want sing – “Old Man River”! The cost still remains the hurdle since the equipment needs to be relatively large compared to the total output. I hope it gets done because you tire of hearing about wind energy which is far less dependable.) Quest for renewable power turns back to water By Alan Sayre, AP Business Writer – July 19, 2011 New Orleans (AP) — The powerful flow of the Mississippi River, which brought destruction to scores living near its flooded banks this spring, is viewed by a new generation of energy entrepreneurs as a reliable alternative way to generate electricity. These developers aren't planning giant concrete dams like the ones that brought electric lights to many Americans for the first time. Instead, their idea is to put turbines on the bottoms of rivers or mount them on barges to spin generators. It's all part of the emerging technology of hydrokinetics — using flowing water to generate power without dams. "If we're going to control the cost of converting to new forms of energy, hydro has to be part of that equation," said Jon Guidroz, project development director for Boston-based Free Flow Power, which wants to generate energy from the Mississippi River. Hydrokinetic generation isn't a new idea — but only in recent years has technology made it feasible. "Water speeds vary and, years ago, generators weren't built and developed for variable speed," said Brent Ballard, chief executive of Olney, Texas-based Gulfstream Technologies. "In the last few years, they make very efficient generators that can operate in a wide range of speeds." Still, developers are faced with many challenges, such as the current low prices for electricity that have bedeviled other alternative energy forms and a technology that is still in its infancy. Widespread application is years away, and no one is yet willing to predict how much power could eventually be generated nationwide by hydrokinetics. "I'd say hydrokinetic generators are at the stage where the wind generators were 15 years ago," said Jerome Johnson, research professor at the Institute of Northern Engineering with the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. FFP is focusing on obtaining federal permits for 25 hydrokinetic projects along the lower Mississippi River between Kentucky and Louisiana. Sites were chosen based on flow volume, flow velocity and the proximity to transmission facilities and potential customers. At each site, hundreds of turbines on pylons at the bottom of the river would spin like propellers and transmit energy to the riverbank. Each turbine would produce about 40 kw of power, comparable to gasoline and diesel-powered home generators. By comparison, small wind turbines used to power homes and small businesses typically have capacities of 100 kilowatts or less. Guidroz said FFP's long-term goal is to operate turbines for utilities and for chemical industries along the river. The company began testing one in June at a Dow Chemical Co. plant in Plaquemine, La. The company said that in addition to private funding, it received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Energy Department. The cost of a turbine, for now, is an FFP trade secret. Ballard said turbines also could be strung below some existing dams to produce additional power. "Your infrastructure is already there," he said. "It's not like a wind farm where you might to build 200 miles of infrastructure." And flowing water can be had away from rivers. Gulfstream Technologies began a pilot hydrokinetic project in December 2009 at a power plant on a lake in Texas. The turbine uses the flow of water that comes from the plant following cooling cycles. Guidroz said he wasn't deterred about the flood of 2011, saying that underwater turbines could easily be designed to handle the raging river. "If anything, it proves the awesome power of the river and the potential for hydrokinetics," he said.

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Some hydrokinetic testing is also taking place in Alaska, where powering isolated villages is a challenge. Alaska Power & Telephone Co., which provides electricity to 33 communities with populations of 60 to 3,000, hopes the technology can reduce the use of room-sized diesel generators that still account for 30 percent of the power it provides. Using a $1.8 million federal grant, the company built an aluminum barge mounted with a power turbine that dipped into the Yukon River. Last year, the generator provided part of the power for Eagle Village — population 50. The barge was later pulled back because of drifting wood, and the Institute of Northern Engineering is working on a device to divert debris, Johnson said. Another trial could take place next year. While the power company believes the technology is ideal for remote parts of Alaska, "this sort of thing is not ever going to serve St. Louis or New Orleans," said Mark McCready, the company's marketing director. Developers are trying to deal with environmental concerns. In a study that will be sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FFP is assessing whether its turbines would affect shipping or fishing on the Mississippi. The commission will have to approve any large-scale uses of river turbines. Both FFP and Gulfstream Technologies say their turbines are environmentally friendly. FFP's turbines use no chemical lubricants, Guidroz said. The company also put larger gaps between the turbine blades so large species can pass through safely, at the expense of some generating efficiency. Gulfstream Technologies has opted for a biodegradable lubricant, Ballard said. But the cost has killed the plans of other developers. Marine services company McGinnis Inc. thought its proximity to the Ohio River was a natural reason to get into hydrokinetic generation. However, the South Point, Ohio-based company found small-scale generation wasn't economically feasible and a larger operation required development costs that were too high, said its legal counsel Doug Ruschman. The company tried to get federal help, but was turned aside. Douglas Meffert, executive director of Tulane University's RiverSphere, a planned hydrokinetic testing facility along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, said the technology will need federal support for commercial development. "Every renewable energy source that has moved into commercial use, such as solar and wind, has always had to depend upon that initial subsidy," he said. A small amount of federal money in tight budget times is now available, but that support depends upon matching funds from other sources, including private investors, Meffert said. "This economy is slowing down the development of an industry that shows so much promise," he said. Cherokee Power Plan Clears Hurdle July 21, 2011, By Peter Urban, Stephens Washington Bureau, swtimes.com Washington — The Cherokee Nation moved a step closer Wednesday toward construction of a $140 million hydroelectric power plant at the W.D. Mayo Lock and Dam in eastern Oklahoma. The House Natural Resources Committee unanimously approved legislation that the tribe says is needed for it to build the 30-megawatt facility along the Arkansas River near Sallisaw. Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, who sponsored the legislation, said he is pleased progress has been made in getting the bill closer to a House vote. “The Cherokee Lock and Dam bill will now go to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. While I am not a member of this committee, I am optimistic that the bill will continue to move forward,” Boren said. Congress enacted legislation 25 years ago that granted the tribe the right to build the power plant. The project did not move forward then because it was not economically feasible. The project is now viable, but changes to the 1986 law are needed to make it work, according to Ross Swimmer, a former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. Swimmer testified last month before a Natural Resources subcommittee on the bill. He said the original law required the tribe to transfer ownership of the power plant to the Army Corps of Engineers to operate and maintain. And, it required Southwestern Power Administration to market the electricity generated. In order to obtain financing for the project now, Swimmer said the tribe must retain ownership of the power facility. It also does not need help in marketing the electric power, Swimmer said. What the tribe needs, Swimmer said, is for Congress to act quickly. “The Nation believes that it has a limited time to move this project forward due to financing costs and the escalating cost of building the project and purchasing the turbines,” he said.

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(The FERC was never the problem! The crime here is that the legislation still does not eliminate regulation by other Federal agencies that I can see, nor does it eliminate State regulation or at least limit it, so what’s to be gained when that’s the real problem! Typical Congress solution – never fix the whole problem, just tinker around the edges for votes. Useless legislation!) Smith's small-scale hydropower bill advances kearneyhub.com, July 21, 2011 Washington, D.C. - The Natural Resources Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed Rep. Adrian Smith's Small-Scale Hydropower Enhancement Act . The act would exempt hydropower projects generating less than 1½ megawatts from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission permitting rules. FERC regulates the licensing and inspection of private, municipal, and state hydroelectric projects. "I appreciate the Natural Resources Committee recognizing the importance of smaller scale hydropower opportunities to an all-of-the-above approach to energy policy," Smith said. "Most think hydropower is a resource requiring a massive dam, but advancements in smaller projects offer tremendous opportunity to expand this resource as a viable option, particularly for rural consumers." Having crossed its first hurdle, the bill now awaits consideration by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. (Don’t think anyone else would even consider developing a hydro project that affects these falls. They wouldn’t even get to 1st base.) Twelve Tribes seeks approval for hydroelectric station on Saxton River By Howard Weiss-Tisman / Reformer Staff, reformer.com, 07/22/2011 Westminster, VT -- The owners of Basin Farm want to build a 250-killowatt hydroelectric station on the Saxtons River. They have submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the project. The farm, which is run by The Twelve Tribes religious community, would be home to a generator near the Twin Falls swimming area, about 1 mile from where the Saxtons River empties into the Connecticut River. Twin Falls has three pools. If FERC approves the project, Twelve Tribes wants to build a power house that will draw water from the upper pool of the swimming area using a natural rock formation, according to its application. Several calls to James World, managing member of Basin Farm Renewables, were not returned. River water will run into the turbines and then move through a 150-foot long penstock before it is returned to the river. The height of the water will not change after the power station and penstock is built, according to the application. There is no dam included in the proposed design, and it will be operated as a run-of-river project. Along with receiving federal approval, Basin Farm Renewables also needs a water quality certificate from the Agency of Natural Resources. Brian Fitzgerald, an ecologist with ANR, called the project a small commercial power project, and said the state was reviewing the plan. Fitzgerald said the state was also offering comments on the federal application, which deal with water flow and aesthetics, and would be sending those comments to Washington, D.C., in the coming week. The Connecticut River Watershed Council has also commented on the project, and wants the state and FERC to take a close look at how the diverted water will affect conditions of the river. The turbulence of the Twin Falls area adds oxygen to the water, which is critical to fish that live in river. The CRWC wants the state and federal agencies to consider the effect of the power project on the river before approving a license. The council also says the aesthetics of the falls themselves should be protected during, and after, construction. According to the application, the Basin Farm will run the power either directly to the farm, or into the grid, through wires near Route 121. The turbines will be located in

11 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

a two story, 25-by-25 foot powerhouse. According to the application, the power will be used to heat four greenhouses in the winter, and to supply all of the farm's energy needs. Ground broken for hydro plant By The Associated Press, July 23, 2011, sundaygazettemail.com St. Marys, W.Va. -- Construction is underway on a $276 million hydroelectric plant at the Willow Island Locks and Dam. State and local officials joined American Municipal Power representatives at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday. The 35-megawatt plant is expected to create 400 construction jobs. When it's completed, it will have nine full-time employees. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lt. Col. Andy Ford said the plant is expected to begin operations in 2015. Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin said the hydroelectric plant will help diversify West Virginia's energy portfolio.

WWaatteerr: PPCCWWAA uuppddaattee oonn GGaarrddeenn BBaarr DDaamm rroocckklliinnttooddaayy..ccoomm,, JJuullyy 2233,, 22001111 Auburn, CA -- Directors of the Placer County Water Agency on Thursday (July 21) heard a presentation on studies for a new multi-million-dollar reservoir that is envisioned on the Bear River along the Placer-Nevada county line. The Garden Bar reservoir project is under study by the Sutter County-based South Sutter Water District (SSWD) in association with five other water suppliers in the northern and southern parts of California. SSWD General Manager Brad Arnold and consultant Lyndel Melton of RMC Water & Environment in Walnut Creek attended the PCWA board meeting to present a preliminary study on the reservoir project. The study shows four potential reservoir sizes, ranging from 245,000 acre-feet to 400,000 acre-feet, with costs ranging from $415.5 million to $674.5 million. The reservoir would be more than double the size of SSWD's 104,000 acre-foot Camp Far West Reservoir which is located 4.5 miles downstream. It would be significantly larger than the upstream Combie (5,555 acre-feet) and Rollins (65,988 acre-feet) reservoirs operated by the Nevada Irrigation District. Although water rights for the project have yet to be determined, the study indicates that a Garden Bar reservoir could provide from 100,000 to 150,000 acre-feet of water per year. Revenues from hydroelectric power sales would help offset operating costs. The preliminary report shows a planning timeline that extends into 2019, with construction seen in 2019-2022. SSWD, based in Trowbridge, Sutter County, is a small district that supplies irrigation water to a 36,000-acre area in Sutter and Placer counties. Rice farming accounts for about 82 percent of the water it supplies. Melton said the district and its five partners have developed a memorandum of understanding for studies of the expensive water project. Other participants include the City of Napa, City of American Canyon, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, Palmdale Water District and Castaic Lake Water Agency. He said SSWD is looking for additional local partners in the project and seeking confirmation from existing partners of a desire to continue. Development of a specific project description is seen as a next step. The proposal has attracted the attention of Sierra Watch, a Nevada City-based conservation group. Field Director Peter Van Zant attended the meeting and noted the reservoir would cover 900 acres that have been conserved by land trusts in both Placer and Nevada counties. He also presented maps showing earthquake faults in the project area. PCWA has been following the Garden Bar proposal since it was introduced more than a year ago. General Manager David Breninger said the agency will continue to track the project to determine what benefits it may create for the agency, its water users and Placer County.

12 Copy obtained from the National Performance of Dams Program: http://npdp.stanford.edu

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