Yuba River Ecosystem Restoration Section 905(b) Analysis · restoration of fisheries, restoration of aquatic habitat, and flood damage reduction associated with Daguerre Point Dam.

US Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District

Yuba River Ecosystem Restoration Section 905(b) Analysis

October 2014

Source: J.D. Richey

 Thispageleftblankintentionally.

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October2014SacramentoDistrict

SECTION905(b)(WRDA86)ANALYSISYUBARIVERECOSYSTEMRESTORATION

  Introduction  TheYubaRiverisoneofCalifornia’ssignaturerivers.SincetheGoldRush,priortoCaliforniastatehood,theYubaRiverhasbeenasourceoflife‐sustainingwaterfornativepeoples,farmersandranchers,aswellasforsalmon,steelheadandotherfishandwildlife.TheUnitedStatesArmyCorpsofEngineers(USACE)hasalonghistoryofinvolvementwiththeYubaRiver.WiththeadventoftheCaliforniagoldrushinthemid‐1800s,hydraulicminingwashedawayentiresectionsoftheupperYubaRiverWatershed.Thereleaseofincredibleamountsofsedimentandcontaminatedminingdebristhreatenednearbycities,farmsandtheriveritself.TheUnitedStatesCongressdirectedtheFederalCaliforniaDebrisCommission(CDC)tomanagethisdangerousminingsediment.In1906constructionwascompletedonDaguerrePointDam,andthenthe260‐foottallEnglebrightDamwascompletedin1941,bothtoimpoundminingdebris.Thesedamscontinuetocontainthiscontaminatedminingdebris,withanestimated28millioncubicyards(yd3)impoundedbehindEnglebrightDamand4millionyd3behindDaguerrePointDam.UponCongressionaldecommissioningoftheCDCin1986,administrationofDaguerrePointDamandEnglebrightDamandLakewasassumedbyUSACE. 1. StudyAuthorities

 Ecosystemrestoration,orenvironmentalprotection,becameamissionofUSACEbytheWaterResourcesDevelopmentAct(WRDA)of1990,PublicLaw(P.L.)101‐640,Section306,whichreads: 

(a) GENERALRULE.—TheSecretaryshallincludeenvironmentalprotectionasoneoftheprimarymissionsoftheCorpsofEngineersinplanning,designing,constructing,operating,andmaintainingwaterresourcesprojects.(b) LIMITATION.—Nothinginthissectionaffects—(1) existingCorpsofEngineers’authorities,includingitsauthoritieswithrespecttonavigationandfloodcontrol;(2) pendingCorpsofEngineerspermitapplicationsorpendinglawsuitsinvolvingpermitsorwaterresourcesprojects;or(3) theapplicationofpublicinterestreviewproceduresforCorpsofEngineerspermits.

 WRDA1996,P.L.104‐303,Section210establishedcost‐sharingforecosystemprotection/restoration: 

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(a) InGeneral.‐‐Section103(c)oftheWaterResourcesDevelopmentActof1986(33U.S.C. (c);100Stat.4085)isamended‐‐

(1) bystriking``and''attheendofparagraph(5);(2) bystrikingtheperiodattheendofparagraph(6)andinserting``;and'';and(3) byinsertingafterparagraph(6)thefollowing:``(7)environmental

protectionandrestoration:35percent;exceptthatnothinginthisparagraphshallaffectorlimittheapplicabilityofsection906.''.

 TheauthoritytostudytheSacramentoRiverBasinforfloodcontrolandalliedpurposes,includingecosystemrestoration,wasgrantedintheRiversandHarborsActof1962,P.L.87‐874,Section209,whichreads: 

TheSecretaryoftheArmyisherebyauthorizedanddirectedtocausesurveysforfloodcontrolandalliedpurposes,includingchannelandmajordrainageimprovements,andfloodsaggravatedbyorduetowindortidaleffects,tobemadeunderthedirectionoftheChiefofEngineers,indrainageareasoftheUnitedStatesanditsterritorialpossessions,whichincludethefollowingnamedlocalities:Provided,thataftertheregularorformalreportsmadeonanysurveyaresubmittedtoCongress,nosupplementaloradditionalreportorestimateshallbemadeunlessauthorizedbylawexceptthattheSecretaryoftheArmymaycauseareviewofanyexaminationorsurveytobemadeandareportthereonsubmittedtoCongress,ifsuchreviewisrequiredbynationaldefenseorbychangedphysicaloreconomicconditions:Providedfurther,thattheGovernmentshallnotbedeemedtohaveentereduponanyprojectfortheimprovementofanywaterwayorharbormentionedinthistitleuntiltheprojectfortheproposedworkshallhavebeenadoptedbylaw:

 SacramentoRiverBasinandstreamsinnorthernCaliforniadrainingintothePacificOceanforthepurposesofdeveloping,wherefeasible,multi‐purposewaterresourceprojects,particularlythosewhichwouldbeeligibleundertheprovisionsoftitleIIIofPublicLaw85‐500.

 (TitleIIIofPublicLaw85‐500concernswatersupply.) TheauthoritytoreviewcompletedUSACEprojectswasgrantedintheFloodControlActof1970,P.L.91‐611,Section216,whichreads: 

TheSecretaryoftheArmy,actingthroughtheChiefofEngineers,isauthorizedtoreviewtheoperationofprojectstheconstructionofwhichhasbeencompletedandwhichwereconstructedbytheCorpofEngineersintheinterestofnavigation,floodcontrol,watersupply,andrelatedpurposes,whenfoundadvisabledue(to)thesignificantlychangedphysicaloreconomicconditions,andtoreportthereontoCongresswithrecommendationsontheadvisabilityofmodifyingthestructuresortheiroperation,andforimprovingthequalityoftheenvironmentintheoverallpublicinterest.

 UnderSection216authority,theUnitedStatesArmyCorpsofEngineersSacramentoDistrictpreparedanInitialAppraisalReport(IAR)in2005.Thereportrecommendeda

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cost‐sharedfeasibilitystudytodeterminetheFederalinterestinfishpassageimprovement,restorationoffisheries,restorationofaquatichabitat,andflooddamagereductionassociatedwithDaguerrePointDam.(DaguerrePointDamprovideslimitedfloodriskmanagementbycreatingabackwatereffectintheriver,whichcausessomefloodwaterstoflowoutandbedetainedintheGoldfields.)AContinuingAuthoritiesProgram(CAP)Section1135studywasnotrecommendedbecausealternativecoststoaddressaquaticecosystemproblemsalongtheYubaRiverwereexpectedtoexceedtheCAPlimit. TheEnergyandWaterDevelopmentAppropriationsAct,2014,DivisionDofPublicLaw113‐76,theConsolidatedAppropriationsAct,2014initiatedthereconnaissancestudy: 

ThattheSecretarymayinitiateuptobutnomorethanninenewreconnaissancestudystartsduringfiscalyear2014:Providedfurther,Thatthenewreconnaissancestudystartswillconsistofthreestudieswherethemajorityofthebenefitsarederivedfromnavigationtransportationsavings,threestudieswherethemajorityofthebenefitsarederivedfromfloodandstormdamagereduction,andthreestudieswherethemajorityofthebenefitsarederivedfromenvironmentalrestoration:Providedfurther,Thatthenumberofenvironmentalrestorationstudiesselectedshallbelimitedtonomorethanthelessor(sic)ofthenumberofnavigationstudiesorthenumberoffloodandstormdamagereductionstudiesselected:Providedfurther,ThattheSecretaryshallnotdeviatefromthenewstartsproposedintheworkplan…

 TheAct’saccompanyingStatementofManagersreportdesignatedspecifiedprograms,projects,andactivities.BasedonthecategoriesandcriteriaprovidedintheStatementofManagers,USACEidentifiedstudiesinthe2014WorkPlan.OneofthosestudieswastheYubaRiverEcosystemRestorationstudy,listedasYubaRiverFishPassage,California(EnglebrightandDaguerrePointDams). 2. StudyPurpose

 ThepurposeofaSection905(b)analysis,alsoknownasareconnaissancereport,istoaddresstherequirementsofSection905(b)oftheWaterResourcesDevelopmentAct(WRDA)of1986,asamended.Thepurposeofthis905(b)analysisistodeterminewhetherthereisaFederalinterestinparticipatinginacost‐sharedfeasibilitystudytoinvestigateecosystemrestorationintheYubaRiverwatershedintheinterestofwaterresourcedevelopmentopportunities.TheanalysisusesexistingdatatodetermineFederalinterest,developpreliminarycostsandbenefits,andestimatethecostofpreparingthefeasibilityreport.Additionally,perPlanningBulletin2014‐02:SMARTPlanningintheReconnaissancePhase,theanalysisdescribesareasofriskandremaininguncertaintiesthataffectfeasibility‐phaseassumptions.Theanalysisincludesadescriptionoftheexistingproblem(s)intheYubaRiverwatershed,identificationofFederalinterest,andpotentialsolution(s)thatwouldresultinapolicy‐consistentstudywithawillingandcapablesponsor.ThesponsorforthefeasibilitystudyistheYubaCountyWaterAgency(YCWA). 3. Recommendation/FindingofFederalInterest

 BasedonconsistencywithArmyandbudgetarypoliciesandthelikelihoodofaproject

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meetingcriteriaforFederalparticipationinimplementation,theSacramentoDistrictrecommendscontinuingwithafeasibilitystudy.ThereisFederalinterestinproceedingtothefeasibilityphaseofthisstudytofurtheranalyzeandevaluateecosystemrestorationintheYubaRiverwatershed.PreliminarydataindicatethattherearesignificantNationalEcosystemRestoration(NER)benefitsassociatedwithrestorationofstructures,functions,andprocessesintheYubaRiver.Federalinterestinecosystemrestorationisbasedonthenationalsignificanceoftheecosystemresources.ThesignificantresourceswithintheYubaRiverwatershedarespring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadtrout.Significanceiscomposedofinstitutionalsignificance,technicalsignificance,orpublicsignificance.

� Institutionalsignificancemeansthattheimportanceofanecosystemresourceisacknowledgedinthelaws,adoptedplans,andotherpolicystatementsofpublicagencies,tribes,orprivategroups.IntheYubaRiver,therearecurrentlythreefishspecieslistedasthreatenedundertheESA:1)spring‐runChinooksalmon;2)steelhead;and3)greensturgeon.ThelowerYubaRiverisdesignatedcriticalhabitatforeachofthesespecies.TheJuly2014NOAAFisheries“RecoveryPlanforSacramentoRiverwinter‐runChinooksalmon,CentralValleyspring‐runChinooksalmon,andCentralValleysteelhead”seekstorecovertheseecologicalvalues.In1998,theEcosystemRestorationProgramPlanofCALFEDrecommendedaprogramtoevaluatethefeasibilityofreturningsteelheadandspring‐runChinooksalmontotheUpperYubaRiverupstreamofEnglebrightDam.Spring‐runChinooksalmonarealsolistedasthreatenedundertheStateofCalifornia’sEndangeredSpeciesAct.TheYubaAccordFisheriesAgreement,whichprovidesassurancesthatinstreamflowswillbemaintainedforthebenefitoffishspecies,isanotherexampleofaformalplan.TheStateofCalifornia’sSalmon,SteelheadTrout,andAnadromousFisheriesProgramActof1988statesthatitisapolicyoftheStatetosignificantlyincreasethenaturalproductionofsalmonandsteelhead.SierraCounty,throughwhichtheNorthYubaflows,statesinElement13ofitsGeneralPlanthat,“ItistheCounty’sgoaltoprotectanddefenditsabundantanddiverseplantandanimalspecies.”

 � Technicalsignificancemeansthattheimportanceofecosystemresourcesisbasedon

thescientificortechnicalknowledgeorjudgmentofcriticalresourcecharacteristics.TechnicalsignificanceisshownbecausetheESAlistingofspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadisbasedonscientificandtechnicalknowledgeandiswell‐documentedinscientificliterature.

 � Publicsignificancemeansthatsomesegmentofthegeneralpublicrecognizesthe

importanceofanecosystemresource.MembersofthepublichaveformedorganizationsbasedontheirinterestinfishingandthecontinuationofsalmonidpopulationsintheYubaRiver.OnesuchorganizationisSYRCL;theirYubaSalmonNowcampaignaimstorestoresalmonhabitatinthelowerYubaRiverandultimatelygetsalmonpastEnglebrightDamintotheupperYubaRiver.AnotherorganizationisAmericanRivers;in2011,theynamedtheYubaasoneofAmerica’sMostEndangeredRivers,primarilybecauseofthelackoffishpassage.

This905(b)analysisincludesadescriptionoftheexistingproblems,evidenceofFederal

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interest,acommitmentfromwillingandcapablesponsors,andthatthereisstrongpotentialtoimplementaviableecosystemrestorationstudy.ThefeasibilityreportwillbecompletedinaccordancewithSMARTplanningprinciplesandrisk‐informeddecision‐making. 4. StudyArea

 TheYubaRiverWatershed(Figure1)encompasses1,340squaremilesonthewesternslopesoftheSierraNevadaMountainRange,andislocatedinportionsofSierra,Placer,Yuba,andNevadacounties(Reynoldsetal.1993).TheYubaRiverisatributaryoftheFeatherRiverwhich,inturn,flowsintotheSacramentoRivernearthetownofVerona,California.TheYubaRiverflowsthroughforest,foothillchaparral,andagriculturallands.Leveesareabsentfrommostofitscourseexceptforneartheriver’sconfluencewiththeFeatherRiver.Atthatpoint,theYubaRiverisboundedbysetbackleveesforapproximatelysixmiles.

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Figure1.StudyAreaMap(nottoscale).

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TheprimarywatercoursesoftheupperYubaRiverWatershedaretheSouth,Middle,andNorthYubarivers.TheSouthYubariverflowsintoEnglebrightLake.TheMiddleYubaRiverflowsintotheNorthYubaRiverandtogethertheyarereferredtoastheupperYubaRiver.BeginningattheconfluenceoftheNorthYubaandtheMiddleYubarivers,themainstemupperYubaRiverflowsapproximately7.8milesdownstreamtoEnglebrightDam.EnglebrightDam’sreservoirextendsapproximately8milesfromitshighwatersurfaceelevationatRM32.2totheEnglebrightDamatRM24(YSF2013).BelowEnglebrightDam,thelowerYubaRiverreachextendsapproximatelyanadditional24milesdownstreamtotheconfluencewiththeFeatherRiver.ThestudyareabeginsinthecityofMarysvilleandextendsupstreamapproximately90miles,pastSierraCity,California,inSierraCounty.Figure2.EnglebrightDam.

Source:USGeologicalSurveyDaguerrePointDamislocatedonthelowerYubaRiverapproximately11.5rivermiles(RM)upstreamfromtheconfluenceofthelowerYubaandlowerFeatherriversnearMarysville(USACE2013).OwnedbyUSACE,DaguerrePointDamisa25feet(ft)tall,low‐headdamacrossthelowerYubaRiverandthereisnoreservoirassociatedwiththedam.EnglebrightDam,locatedapproximately12.3milesupstreamofDaguerrePointDam,isa260‐fttallconcretedamalsoownedbyUSACE.LocatedontheYubaRiverapproximately18milesupstreamofEnglebrightDam,the645fthighNewBullardsBarDam(ownedbyYCWA)isthetallestman‐madestructureintheYubaRiverWatershed.

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Figure3.DaguerrePointDam.

Source:USACE

Figure4.NewBullardsBarDam.

    Source:Trails.comAquaticandRiparianHabitatAccordingtotheNationalMarineFisheriesService(NMFS)andnumerousstudies,atleast80%ofhistoricriparianhabitathasbeenlostintheWesternUnitedStates(NMFS2014;Krueper1993).RiparianhabitatssupportthegreatestdiversityofwildlifespeciesofanyhabitattypeinCalifornia(CALFED2000ascitedinRMT2013).Riparianhabitatislinkedtoaquatichabitatbothbyfloodwatersaswellasbeingasourceofinvertebrateprey,temperature‐controllingshade,andstructuralrefugeintheformoflargewoodydebris(CDFW2010).TheYubaRiverflowsthrougharuralarea,sourbandevelopmenthasnotcontributedtohabitatloss.However,habitatalongportionsoftheYubaRiverisreducedduetopastminingpracticesanddamconstruction.AlthoughtheamountofhabitatalongthelowerYubaRiverhasbeenalteredfrompristineconditions,ithasbeenassessedashealthyandrecoveringfromhistoricaldisturbance(YCWA2013).

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RiparianvegetationalongthelowerYubaRiveriscomposedlargelyofwillowshrubs,cottonwoodandotherhardwoodspecies,withasimpleunderstoryofHimalayanblackberryorblueelderberryshrubs(YCWA2013).FieldobservationsreportedthatwoodyspeciesinvariouslifestagesarepresentthroughoutthelowerYubaRiver.IntheupperpartoftheYubaRiverwatershed,aldersandquakingaspenbecomemorecommon,inadditiontocottonwoodsandwillows(Potter2005).Riparianhabitatinboththelowerandhigherelevationssupportsthelittlewillowflycatcher(Empidonaxtrailliibrewsterii),aCaliforniaendangeredsubspeciesofwillowflycatchers(USFS2014).Whereasriparianhabitatgenerallybordersriversandstreams,aquatichabitatiscomposedoftheplantsandanimalswithinthewater.FortheYubaRiver,fishspeciesincludeChinooksalmon,steelhead,greensturgeon,Sacramentopikeminnow(Ptychocheilusgrandis),commoncarp(Cyprinuscarpio),Sacramentosucker(Catostomusoccidentalis),channelcatfish(Ictaluruspunctatus),brownbullhead(Ictalurusnebulosus),bluegill(Lepomismacrochirus),andgreensunfish(Lepomiscyanellus).Thesespeciesdependoncleanwateroftheappropriatetemperature,adequatedissolvedoxygen,appropriatestreambedsubstrate,food,andareastorest. BecauseofthemountainsnowmeltandcoldwateroutflowsfromNewBullardsBarDam,theYubaRiverissuitableforcold‐waterfishspeciessuchassalmonidsandtrout.NMFSdesignatedtheYubaRiverfromMarysvilletoEnglebrightDamascriticalhabitatforspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelhead.IntheCentralValleyofCalifornia,anestimated72%ofthehistoricChinooksalmonspawningandholdinghabitatisnolongeravailable(Yoshiyamaetal.2001).TheamountofsteelheadhabitatlostisprobablymuchhigherthanthatforChinooksalmon,becausesteelheadweremoreextensivelydistributedinthepast(NMFS2014).Manyoftheselossesarefromurbandevelopment,agriculture,andwatersupplyfacilities. HistoricalGoldMiningExtensivehydraulicminingoccurredintheYubaRiverwatershedduringthelate1800s.Inhydraulicmining,watercannonsshothigh‐pressureflowsouttowashawayhillsides.Thematerialthatwasdislodgedwasthensluicedtoexposethegold.Gilbert(1917),ascitedinYoshiyamaetal.(2001),estimatedthat“…duringtheperiod1849‐1909,684millioncubicyardsofgravelanddebrisduetohydraulicminingwerewashedintotheYubaRiversystem–morethantriplethevolumeofearthexcavatedduringtheconstructionofthePanamaCanal.”BeakConsultants,Inc.(1989)stated,“thedebrisplainrangedfromapproximately700feetwideandupto150feetthickneartheedgeofthefoothillstonearly3mileswideand26feettallnearMarysville.”Thisdebrisfieldisstillminedforresidualgolddepositsandgravel.HydraulicminingintheYubaRiveraccountedfor40percentofalltheminingdebristhatwashedintotheCentralValley(Mount1995).Inadditiontoeliminatingmuchoftheriparianvegetationcorridor(eitherbyburyingit,byretardingitsregeneration,orbyitsuseasrawmaterialforconstructingbrushdamstocontainsediment)alongthelowerYubaRiver(NMFS2005),thehydraulicminingdebrisprobablyhaddevastatingimpactsonsalmonids.Thisisbecausethesedimentsinthedebris

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wouldhavesuffocatedincubatingeggsandpre‐emergentfry(NMFS2002).Evenbythe1870sand1880s,theYubaRiversalmonrunshadbeengreatlydiminishedbyhydraulicminingdebriseffects(Yoshiyamaetal.2001).Historically,theYubaRiverWatershedsupportedlargenumbersofspring‐runChinooksalmon,fall‐runChinooksalmon,andsteelhead,andwasamajorcontributortoanadromoussalmonidsstocksintheCentralValleyofCalifornia.Lossofhistoricspawningandrearinghabitatintheupperbasinlikelyhadparticularlysevereimpactsonspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadpopulations,whichdependedontheupperbasinforsuccessfulsummerholdingandrearing(Yoshiyamaetal.1998;2001). Alongwithhydraulicmining,mercurywasusedtoprocessgolddeposits.AccordingtotheUSGeologicalSurvey,hundredsofpoundsofliquidmercurywereaddedtothetypicalsluicebox.Goldsanktothebottomofthesluice,whilesandandgravelpassedoverthehigh‐densitymercury,allowinggoldtoseparateandsinktothebottom.IntheSierraNevada,upto9millionpoundsofmercurywerelostinthismannertotheenvironment(Churchill2000).IntheYubaRiverstudyarea,muchofthisleftovermercuryiscontainedinsedimentheldbehindthedebrisdams.Althoughmostofthemercuryisnotbiologicallyavailable,enoughhasmethylizedinEnglebrightLakethatitisbioaccumulatinginthelargerpredatoryfish.MercurylevelsinthelargerpredatoryfisharehighenoughthattheCaliforniaOfficeofEnvironmentalHealthHazardAssessmentissuedasafe‐eatingadvisoryforEnglebrightLake.Guidelinesadvisewomenages18‐45andchildrenages1‐17toavoideatinglargemouth,smallmouth,orspottedbass.TheYubaGoldfields,locatedfromapproximately8to16milesupstreamofMarysville,aredominatedbyapproximately20,000acresofdredgertailingsthatwerereworkedfromhydraulicminewaste.DredgingofgoldfromthehydraulicwasteintheGoldfieldsbeganin1902,andby1910,15dredgeswereoperatinginthelowerYubaRiver.Theareahasbeendredgedandre‐dredgedintermittentlythroughouttheyears,anddredgingcontinuestoday.Figure5.YubaGoldfields.

Source:ENGEOHydraulicminingresultedintorrentsofsedimentbeingtransporteddownslopetothevalley

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andcausedrapidaggradationandexacerbationoffloodingalongvalleyrivers,includingthelowerYubaRiver(JamesandSinger2008).Twomajordebrisdams(i.e.,DaguerrePointDamin1906andEnglebrightDamin1941)wereconstructedontheYubaRivertopreventcontinuingmovementofsedimentintotheFeatherandSacramentorivers,andultimatelytheBay‐Delta.Dams Duringthelate1800sandearly1900s,developmentoftheupperYubaRiverWatershedforhydropowerandwatersupplywasinprogress.Mostofthedamsanddiversionsthatwereusedprimarilyforgoldminingwereinplaceduringthisperiod,buttheywerebeingreplacedorremovedasdevelopmentalemphasisinthewatershedshiftedfromgoldminingtofloodcontrol,watersupplyandhydropowergeneration.Debrisdamsalsowereinplaceorbeingaddedatseverallocationsthroughoutthemiddletolowerelevationsofthewatershed.Thepresence,operationandmaintenanceofdamscanhinderorprecludefishaccesstoupstreamsub‐basins,whichhistoricallyprovidedholding,spawning,incubationandrearinghabitats(NMFS2014a).Inadditiontotheeffectsofharvest,hatcheries,predation,andhabitatdegradation,theeffectsofhydropowerdamsandotherwaterandsedimentcontrolfacilitieshavecontributedtothesignificantdeclineofCentralValleysalmonsincethemid‐1800s,includingtheYubaRiver(NMFS2014).Althoughother,smallerdamsarepresentinthewatershed,EnglebrightDamisthefirstbarriertosalmonids,whileNewBullardsBardamisthesecondontheNorthYuba.Asdocumentedinthe2013biologicalassessmentonDaguerrePointDam,USACEimplementedprotectiveandvoluntaryconservationmeasuresforlistedspeciesunderitsobligationtoSection7(a)(1)oftheEndangeredSpeciesActandseveralvoluntaryconservationmeasuresinaccordancewithUSACE’sEnvironmentalStewardshipandMaintenanceGuidanceandProcedures,respectively.USACEisincompliancewiththeEndangeredSpeciesAct.

4.1. SpeciesAddressedbytheSection905(b)Analysis Detaileddescriptionsofthefishspecies,includingtheirlifehistoriesandhabitatutilizationintheYubaRiver,areprovidedintheBiologicalAssessmentaddressingtheOperationsandMaintenanceofExistingFishPassageFacilitiesatDaguerrePointDam(USACE2013).MuchofthatinformationwasbasedupontheYubaAccordRiverManagementTeam(RMT)2013reportonthefishresourcesofthelowerYubaRiverthroughreviewofpreviouslyconductedstudies,aswellasrecentandcurrentlyongoingdatacollectionactivitiesoftheirMonitoringandEvaluation(M&E)Program.Briefdescriptionsareprovidedbelowforcontextinthisanalysis.Spring‐runChinookSalmon(Oncorhynchustshawytscha)ListingStatusandCriticalHabitatOnSeptember16,1999,NMFSlistedtheCentralValleyEvolutionarilySignificantUnit(ESU)ofspring‐runChinooksalmonasa“threatened”speciesundertheESA(64FR50394).In

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August2011,NMFScompleteda5‐yearstatusreviewofthespring‐runChinooksalmonESU.Basedonareviewoftheavailableinformation,NMFS(2011a)recommendedthatthespring‐runChinooksalmonESUremainclassifiedasathreatenedspecies.NMFS’reviewalsoindicatesthatthebiologicalstatusoftheESUhasdeclinedsincethepreviousstatusreviewin2005.CriticalhabitatwasdesignatedfortheCentralValleyspring‐runChinooksalmonESUonSeptember2,2005(70FR52488).OntheYubaRiver,criticalhabitatisdesignatedfromtheconfluencewiththeFeatherRiverupstreamtoEnglebrightDam.Thedamblocksallupstreampassage,however,theCentralValleyspring‐runChinooksalmonESUcanswimupstreamofDaguerrePointDambyusingthefishladders.LifeHistoryandHabitatUtilizationAdultImmigrationandHoldingSpring‐runChinooksalmonpreviouslyhavebeenreportedtomigrateimmediatelytoareasupstreamoftheHighway20BridgeafterenteringtheYubaRiverfromMarchthroughOctober(VogelandMarine1991;YCWAetal.2007),andthenover‐summerindeeppoolslocateddownstreamoftheNarrows1and2powerhouses,orfurtherdownstreamintheNarrowsReachthroughthereportedspawningperiodofSeptemberthroughNovember(CDFG1991a;SWRCB2003).TheresultsfromtheRMT’sM&EProgram,includingtheVAKIRiverwatcher™monitoringandparticularlythethree‐yearacoustictelemetrystudy,foundpastcharacterizationsoftemporalandspatialdistributionstobelargelyunsupported.Taggedphenotypicadultspring‐runChinooksalmoninthelowerYubaRiveractuallymigratedupstreamofDaguerrePointDamfromMaythroughSeptember,andutilizedabroadexpanseofthelowerYubaRiverduringthesummerholdingperiod,includingareasasfardownstreamasSimpsonLaneBridge(i.e.,~RM3.2),andasfarupstreamastheareajustbelowEnglebrightDam.Themajorityoftaggedspring‐runChinooksalmonweredetectedintheplungepoollocatedimmediatelydownstreamofDaguerrePointDamfromtheonsetoftagginginMay/June,throughtheover‐summerholdingperiodaslateasSeptember.PeriodsofoccupationintheDaguerrePointDampoolduringthestudyrangedfrom0to116days.Therearenodefinitiveexplanationsforthisobservation,butitispossiblethatDaguerrePointDamrepresentedapassageimpediment,orthatthesefishover‐summeredintheDaguerrePointDampoolduetosuitablehabitatconditionsavailablebelowthedam(e.g.,favorablewaterdepths,cover,watertemperaturesandproximitytospawninggravels).Chinooksalmonpassagewasobservedoveravarietyofflowconditions.FlowthresholdsprohibitingpassageofChinooksalmonthroughtheladdersatDaguerrePointDamwerenotapparentinthedata.NMFS(2007)statedthatwhenhighflowconditionsoccurduringwinterandspring,adultspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadcanexperiencedifficultyinfindingtheentrancestotheladdersbecauseoftherelativelylowamountofattractionflowsexitingthefishladders,comparedtothemagnitudeofthesheet‐flowspillingoverthetopofDaguerrePointDam.Inaddition,NMFS(2007)statedthattheanglesofthefishladderentrance

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orificesandtheirproximitiestotheplungepoolalsoincreasethedifficultyforfishtofindtheentrancestotheladders.AdultSpawningandEmbryoIncubationThespring‐runChinooksalmonspawningperiodinthelowerYubaRiver,baseduponRMTinvestigations,extendsfromapproximatelySeptember1throughmid‐October.Theearliestspawning(presumedtobespring‐runChinooksalmon)generallyoccursintheupperreachesofthehighestqualityspawninghabitat(i.e.,belowtheNarrowspool)andprogressivelymovesdownstream.Thisspatialtrendreflectscoolerwatertemperaturesextendingfartherdownstreamasthespawningseasonprogresses(RMT2013).Spring‐runChinooksalmonspawninginthelowerYubaRiverisbelievedtooccurupstreamofDaguerrePointDam.WiththeexceptionoftheEnglebrightDamReach,thereisanabundanceofsuitablespawninggravelinthelowerYubaRiver.JuvenileRearingandOutmigrationSnorkelobservationsconductedbytheRMT(2013)indicatethatthedensityofjuvenileChinooksalmonwashighlyvariablethroughoutthelowerYubaRiveralthough,withtheexceptionoftheupstream‐mostsurveyreach(i.e.,EnglebrightDamReach)thedensityofjuvenileChinooksalmongenerallywashigherinthesurveyreacheslocatedupstreamratherthandownstreamofDaguerrePointDam.Theseobservationsareconsistentwithpreviousreports,indicatingthat.juvenileChinooksalmoncollectedbyelectrofishingandobservedbysnorkelingexhibithigherabundancesaboveDaguerrePointDam(Beak1989;CDFG1991;Kozlowski2004).Thismaybeduetolargernumbersofspawners,greateramountsofmorecomplex,high‐qualitycover,andlowerdensitiesofpredatorssuchasstripedbass(Moronesaxatilis)andAmericanshad(Alosasapidissima),whichreportedlyaregenerallyrestrictedtoareasbelowDaguerrePointDam(YCWAetal.2007).TheRMT(2013)reportedthatjuvenileChinooksalmonappearedtooccupyareasincloseproximitytotheshoreduringmostsurveymonthsandinmostsurveyreaches.TheoverallfindingsindicatethatjuvenileChinooksalmoninthelowerYubaRiverinitiallypreferslower,shallowerhabitat,andmoveintofasteranddeeperwaterastheygrow.EmigrationRecentRotaryScrewTram(RST)monitoringdataindicatethatthevastmajorityofspring‐runChinooksalmonemigrateaspost‐emergentfryduringNovemberandDecember.Overall,most(approximately84%)ofthejuvenileChinooksalmonwerecapturedattheHallwoodBoulevardRSTssoonafteremergencefromNovemberthroughFebruary,withrelativelysmallnumberscontinuingtobecapturedthroughJune.Althoughnotnumerous,capturesof(over‐summer)holdoverjuvenileChinooksalmonprimarilyoccurredfromOctoberthroughJanuarywithafewindividualscapturedintoMarch(Massa2005;MassaandMcKibbin2005).Thesefishlikelyrearedintheriverovertheprevioussummer,representinganextendedjuvenilerearingstrategycharacteristicofspring‐runChinooksalmon(RMT2013).

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Figure6.Chinooksalmon.

Steelhead(O.mykiss)Steelheadexhibitsperhapsthemostcomplexsuiteoflife‐historytraitsofanyspeciesofPacificsalmonid.Membersofthisspeciescanbeanadromousorfreshwaterresidentsand,undersomecircumstances,membersofoneformcanapparentlyyieldoffspringofanotherform(YCWA2010).ListingStatusandCriticalHabitatOnMarch19,1998(63FR13347)NMFSlistedtheCaliforniaCentralValleysteelheadESUas“threatened”.OnJanuary5,2006NMFSissuedafinaldecisionthatdefinedCentralValleysteelheadasaDistinctPopulationSegment(DPS)ratherthananESU,andretainedthestatusofCentralValleysteelheadasthreatened(71FR834).InAugust2011,NMFScompleteda5‐yearstatusreviewoftheCentralValleysteelheadDPS,indicatedthatthebiologicalstatusoftheDPShasdeclinedsincethepreviousstatusreviewin2005,andrecommendedthatthesteelheadDPSremainclassifiedasathreatenedspecies.OnFebruary16,2000(65FR7764),NMFSdesignatedcriticalhabitatforCentralValleysteelheadincludingthelowerYubaRiverupstreamtoEnglebrightDam.NMFSpublishedafinalruledesignatingcriticalhabitatforsteelheadonSeptember2,2005(70FR52488),whichagainincludestheYubaRiverfromtheconfluencewiththelowerFeatherRiverupstreamtoEnglebrightDam.LifeHistoryandHabitatUtilizationAdultImmigrationandHoldingRMT(2010;2013)examinedpreliminarydataandidentifiedvariableannualtimingofO.mykissascendingthefishladdersatDaguerrePointDamsincetheVAKIRiverwatcher™beganoperationsin2003.TheyidentifiedtheperiodextendingfromAugustthroughMarchasencompassingthemajorityoftheupstreammigrationandholdingofadultsteelheadinthelowerYubaRiver.AdultSpawningandEmbryoIncubationSteelheadspawninggenerallyoccursinthelowerYubaRiverfromJanuarythroughApril(RMT2013).RMT(2013)reportedthatsteelheadredds(eggbeds)showadistinctive

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patternspatiallythroughoutthelowerYubaRiver,withthemajorityofreddsintheupperreaches(TimbuctooBendandParksBar)ofthelowerYubaRiver.InthelowerYubaRiver,steelheadhavebeenobservedtospawninsidechannelareasaswellasinmainstemareas(YCWAunpublisheddata).JuvenileRearingandOutmigrationSomejuvenileO.mykissmayrearinthelowerYubaRiverforshortperiods(uptoafewmonths)andexhibitdownstreammovementfromAprilthroughSeptember.Othersmayspendfromonetothreeyearsrearingintheriver.MostjuvenilesteelheadrearingreportedlyoccursaboveDaguerrePointDam,withdecreasingabundancedownstreamofDaguerrePointDam.SWRIetal.(2000)suggestedthathigherabundancesofjuvenileO.mykissaboveDaguerrePointDammayhavebeenduetolargernumbersofspawners,greateramountsofmorecomplex,highqualitycover,andlowerdensitiesofpredatorssuchasstripedbassandAmericanshad,whichreportedlywererestrictedtoareasbelowDaguerrePointDam.SmoltEmigrationAlthoughnotnumerous,capturesof(over‐summer)holdoverjuvenileO.mykisswereobservedintheRSTcapturesprimarilyfromOctoberthroughmid‐April(RMT2013).Thesefishlikelyrearedintheriverovertheprevioussummer,representinganextendedjuvenilerearingstrategycharacteristicofholdoverjuvenileO.mykiss.JuvenileO.mykissthatexhibitextendedrearinginthelowerYubaRiverareassumedtoundergothesmoltificationprocessandvolitionallyemigratefromtheriver,andarereferredtoasyearling+smolts.Figure7.Steelhead.

Source:OregonDFWFall‐runChinooksalmon(O.tshawytscha)ListingStatusCentralValleyfall‐andlatefall‐runChinooksalmonareconsideredbyNMFStobethesameESU(64FR50394).NMFSdeterminedin1999thatlistingthisESUasathreatenedspecieswasnotwarranted(64FR50394),butsubsequentlyclassifiedthisESUasaFederalSpeciesofConcernbecauseofspecificriskfactors,includingpopulationsizeandhatcheryinfluencein2004(69FR19975).IntheCentralValley,fall‐runChinooksalmonarethemostnumerousofthefoursalmonruns,andcontinuetosupportcommercialandrecreationalfisheriesofsignificanteconomic

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importance.Becauseoftheircommercialimportance,allruns(spring‐andfall‐runChinooksalmon)ofChinooksalmonandtheirdesignatedEssentialFishHabitat(EFH)aremanagedundertheMagnuson‐StevensFisheryConservationandManagementAct(MSA).IntheYubaRiverBasin,EFHisdesignatedupstreamanddownstreamofEnglebrightDamandReservoir.LifeHistoryandHabitatUtilizationAdultImmigrationandStagingUnlikespring‐runChinooksalmon,adultfall‐runChinooksalmondonotexhibitanextendedover‐summerholdingperiodinthelowerYubaRiver(RMT2010).Rather,itisbelievedthattheystageforarelativelyshortperiodoftimepriortospawning,assupportedbytherecentevaluationbytheRMToftheacoustictelemetrymonitoringdataandtheVAKIRiverwatcher™data(RMT2013).Bycontrasttophenotypicadultspring‐runChinooksalmon,whichexhibitedextendedperiodsofholdingdownstreamofDaguerrePointDam,RMT(2013)foundthattheacoustically‐taggedfall‐runadultChinooksalmonheldforanaverageofonlyapproximately3daysdownstreamofDaguerrePointDampriortopassingupstreamthroughthefishladders.SpawningandEmbryoIncubationAccordingtoRMT(2010),fall‐runChinooksalmonareprimarilyobservedspawningduringOctoberintheupperreachesofthelowerYubaRiverupstreamofDaguerrePointDam.Spawningfall‐runChinooksalmonbeginexpandingtheirspatialdistributionfurtherdownstreaminlaterfallmonthsassuitabletemperaturesbecomeavailablenearordownstreamofDaguerrePointDam(RMT2010).JuvenileRearingandDownstreamMovementInthelowerYubaRiver,mostfall‐runChinooksalmonreportedlyexhibitdownstreammovementasfryshortlyafteremergencefromgravels,althoughsomeindividualsrearintheriverforaperioduptoseveralmonthsandmovedownstreamasjuveniles(RMT2010).BaseduponRMT(2013)datareview,thephenotypicfall‐runChinooksalmonfryrearingperiodgenerallyextendsfrommid‐DecemberthroughApril,andthejuvenilerearinglifestageextendsfrommid‐JanuarythroughJune.Juveniledownstreammovement,whichincludesbothfryandlargerjuvenilesasindicatedbycapturesintheHallwoodBoulevardRSTs,generallyoccursfrommid‐DecemberthroughJune.GreenSturgeon(Acipensermedirostris)ListingStatusandCriticalHabitatTheSouthernDPSofNorthAmericangreensturgeon(Acipensermedirostrus)waslistedasaFederallythreatenedspeciesonApril7,2006(71FR17757)andincludesthegreensturgeonpopulationspawningintheSacramentoRiverandutilizingtheSacramento‐SanJoaquinRiverDelta,andSanFranciscoEstuary.OnOctober9,2009,NMFS(74FR52300)designatedcriticalhabitatfortheSouthernDPSofNorthAmericangreensturgeon.CriticalhabitatinthelowerYubaRiverincludesthestream

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channelstotheordinaryhighwaterlineextendingfromtheconfluencewiththemainstemFeatherRiverupstreamtoDaguerrePointDam.LifeHistoryandHabitatUtilizationSincethe1970s,numeroussurveysofthelowerYubaRiverdownstreamofEnglebrightDamhavebeenconducted,includingannualsalmoncarcasssurveys,snorkelsurveys,beachseining,electrofishing,rotaryscrewtrapping,reddsurveys,andothermonitoringandevaluationactivities.Althoughnotspecificallydesignedforgreensturgeon,overthemanyyearsofthesesurveysandmonitoringofthelowerYubaRiver,onlyoneconfirmedobservationofanadultgreensturgeonhasoccurredpriorto2011.Ofthethreeadultorsub‐adultsturgeonobservedbysnorkelingintheYubaRiverbelowDaguerrePointDamduring2006,onlyonewasconfirmedtobeagreensturgeon.AspartofongoingsturgeonmonitoringeffortsintheFeatherRiverBasinundertheAnadromousFishRestorationProgram(AFRP),rovingunderwatervideosurveyswereconductedinthelowerYubaRiver.DuringlateMay2011,underwatervideographicmonitoringobserved4‐5greensturgeonnearthecenterofthechannelattheedgeofthebubblecurtainbelowDaguerrePointDam.During2012and2013,underwatervideographyalsowasusedinanattempttodocumentthepresenceofgreensturgeondownstreamofDaguerrePointDam,butnoobservationsofgreensturgeonweremade.BecausegreensturgeonhaverarelybeenobservedinthelowerYubaRiver,nosite‐specifichabitatutilizationinformationisavailable.However,DaguerrePointDamisacknowledgedtobeimpassibletogreensturgeon.Figure8.GreenSturgeon.

Source:CADFWCaliforniaRed‐LeggedFrog(Ranadraytonii)AnotherthreatenedspeciesthathashistorichabitatinthestudyareaistheCaliforniaRed‐LeggedFrog(CRLF)(Ranadraytonii).CRLFhistoricallyoccupiedportionsofthewesternslopeoftheSierraNevada,butpopulationshavebeenfragmentedandnearlyeliminateddueinlargeparttohabitatlosscausedbyagriculture,floodinfrastructure,andurbandevelopment.Suchhumanactionsledtothelossofstreamsandwetlands.ThelastsightingsoftheCRLFinYubaCountyoccurredinthe1960sandwerenorthofthestudyarea,alongtheNorthandSouthForksoftheFeatherRiver.

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Figure9.CaliforniaRed‐LeggedFrog.

   5. SummaryofApplicablePriorStudies,Reports,andExistingWaterProjects

 5.1. WaterProjects

 5.1.1.Sacramento‐SanJoaquinDeltaTheDeltaisavast,low‐lyinginlandregionlocatedeastoftheSanFranciscoBayArea,attheconfluenceoftheSacramentoandSanJoaquinRivers.TheDeltaisacomplexareathatisimportanttoestuarinespecies,includinganadromousfish,agriculture,andproductionanddistributionofCaliforniawaterresources.TheCentralValleyProject,managedbytheUSBureauofReclamation,andtheStateWaterProjectstorewaterandtransferitfromthenorthernpartofthestatetothedriersouthernpart.WhilewaterdrawnfromtheDeltaprovidesformuchofCalifornia'swaterneeds,includingdrinkingwaterandagriculturalirrigation,fishareimpactedbythedistributionfacilities.Thefacilities,mainlypumpsandwaterpulledtowardthepumps,canaltermigratorycuesforsalmonidstravelingouttotheocean.Fishcanalsobelostinthepumps.Toreducethenegativeeffectstofish,watertransfersarehighlyregulated.5.1.2.YubaRiverDebrisControlProject

 TheRiversandHarborActofJune13,1902authorizedtheconstructionoftheYubaRiverDebrisControlProject,ofwhichDaguerrePointDamisapart,atanestimatedfirstcostof$800,000,one‐halfofwhichwasbornebytheU.S.CaliforniaDebrisCommission(CDC)andone‐halfbytheState. TheCDC,consistingofthreeArmyengineersappointedbythePresident,wasestablishedtoprovidefor:resumptionofhydraulicminingwithoutinjurytonavigationordamagetooverflow;torestore,asnearlyaspracticable,navigationconditionsasof1860;andtoaffordreliefinfloodtimeandtoprovidesufficientwatertomaintainscouringforceinsummertorestorechannelcapacities.TheCDCwaseffectiveindebrismanagement.UpondecommissioningoftheCDCbySection1106ofWRDA1986(P.L.99‐662),,administrationDaguerrePointDamwasassumedbyUSACE. 

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  DaguerrePointDam 

DaguerrePointDam(Figure2)islocatedontheYubaRiverapproximately11.5milesupstreamofMarysville.AlthoughthedamwascompletedinMayof1906,theriverwasnotdivertedoverthedamuntil1910(USACE2007).DaguerrePointDamrapidlyfilledtocapacitywithsedimentanddebristhatmoveddownstreamduringfloodingin1911(Hunerlachetal.2004).DaguerrePointDamwasrebuiltin1965afteritwasdamagedandbreachedbyfloodsin1963and1964.Theareabehindthedamisalmostentirelyfilledwithupto4millioncubicyardsofsediment(DWRandUSACE2003)thathasaccumulatedsinceitwasrebuilt.AportionofthissedimentnexttotheupstreamfaceofthedamisremovedannuallybyUSACEtofacilitatefishpassage.Presently,USACEisresponsiblefortheoperationandmaintenanceofDaguerrePointDam.DaguerrePointDamkeyfeaturesincludethefollowing(USACE2012): Overflowconcreteogee(“s‐shaped”)spillwaywithconcreteapronandabutments Ogeespillwaysectionis575feetwideand25feettall Originallydesignedtoretainhydraulicminingdebris Currentlyusedtofacilitatewaterdiversionforirrigationpurposes Notoperatedforfloodcontrol Nostoragecapacity–reservoirfilledwithhydraulicminingdebrisandsediments

TherearethreewaterdiversionsassociatedwithDaguerrePointDam,whichutilizetheelevatedhead1createdbythedam,ortheinfluenceofthedaminthepreventionofadditionalriverchannelincision,togravity‐feedtheircanals.ThethreediversionsaretheHallwood‐Corduadiversion,theSouthYuba/Brophydiversion,andtheBrownsValleyIrrigationDistrict(BVID)diversion,whichhaveacombinedcapacityof1,085cfs.Also,theincreasedwaterlevelcreatedbyDaguerrePointDamsignificantlyenhancesgroundwaterrechargeintheYubagroundwatersub‐basins,whichiscriticallyimportantsourceofwaterreliabilityforYubaCounty.Inadditiontothedamstructure,therearetwofishladders,eachwithacontrolgate.Thetwofishladdersutilizethehydraulicheadcreatedbythedamduetotheinfluenceofthedampreventingadditionalchannelincisionabovethedam.Thepurposeofthesetwofishladdersistopermitsalmonandsteelheadaccessuprivertotheseasonalspawningareas.Othernativespecies,pikeminnowandsuckers,havealsobeenobservedusingtheladders.However,theladdersdonotmeetmodernfishpassagedesignstandards,andtheyarenoteffectiveinpassingallspeciesofconcernoverafullrangeofflows(NMFS2014a).TherearenorecreationfacilitieslocatedatDaguerrePointDam. EnglebrightDam OriginallyknownasUpperNarrowsReservoir,HarryL.EnglebrightDamandLakeisonthe                                                            1The“elevatedhead”atDaguerrePointDamiscreatedbythehydraulicconditionsassociatedwithwaterbeingimpoundedbehind(i.e.,upstream)ofthedam.TheCorpshasnocontroloverthein‐riverflows,andhasnodiscretionarycontroloverthe“head”forlocalwaterusersinthevicinityofDaguerrePointDam.

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mainstreamoftheYubaRiver(RM23.9)approximately20milesnortheastofMarysville.TheconcretearchdamandreservoirwasauthorizedbytheRiversandHarborsActof1935aspartoftheSacramentoRiverandTributariesProject.CompletedbytheCDCin1941,theprojectwasauthorizedprimarilytocontainhydraulicminingsedimentsoriginatinginupstreamareas(USACE2013).EnglebrightDamis260feethigh(Figure3),andthestoragecapacityofthereservoirwas69,700AFatthetimeofconstruction(Childsetal.2003).However,duetosedimentbuildupsinceconstruction,thegrossstoragecapacitywasmorerecentlyestimatedatapproximately50,000AF(USGS2003).ThevolumeofsedimentinEnglebrightLakeissignificantandwasestimatedatapproximately28millioncubicyardsin2003bytheUSGS(MWH2013).AdditionaldetailsregardingEnglebrightDamandLakeareprovidedbelow.

Englebright Dam is a concrete constant angle arch structure. Dam crest length of 1,142 feet and the dam top crest width is 21 feet. Dam spillway crest elevation is 527 feet msl. Maximum spillway design capacity is 108,000 cfs. Reservoir water surface elevation generally fluctuates between 517 feet to 525 feet msl on a

daily and weekly basis. Englebright Reservoir is used as an afterbay for releases from New Bullards Bar Reservoir

through the New Colgate Powerhouse and is used as a regulating reservoir to meet recreation and power generation needs and to capture uncontrolled flows from the Middle and South Yuba rivers to manage downstream releases to the lower Yuba River.

Englebright Lake is approximately 9 miles long. Englebright Dam provides the hydraulic head for approximately 67 MW of electric

generation at the Narrows 1 and 2 powerhouses.

Waterinthereservoirprovidesforrecreationalopportunitiesandforhydroelectricpowergeneration.Thereservoirdoesnothaveanydedicatedfloodstoragespaceandonlyprovidesincidentalfloodcontrolbenefits.Sincethereservoirwasconstructedforminingdebrisretentionandnotforfloodcontrolpurposes,itdoesnothavealow‐leveloutlet.Infact,thedesignofthedamallowsunregulatedfloodflowstospilloverEnglebrightDamduringfloodevents.Sincearound1941,controlledreleasesintothelowerYubaRiverhavebeenmadefromthePacificGasandElectricNarrows1powerplantandsince1970fromtheYCWANarrows2powerplant,bothFederalEnergyRegulatoryCommission(FERC)‐licensedfacilities.Thesepowerplantsarejustdownstreamofthedam.EnglebrightDamrepresentsthedelineationbetweentheupperandlowerYubaRiver(USACE2012).EnglebrightLakeiscurrentlyusedforrecreationandhydroelectricpowergeneration.EnglebrightDamanditsassociatedhydropowerfacilitiesareimpassableintheupstreamdirectionandthereforerepresenttheupstreamlimitofanadromousfishmigrationintheYubaRiver(NMFS2014a).  5.1.3.NewBullardsBarDamThelargeststructureontheriver,NewBullardsBarDam,isontheNorthYubaRiver,approximately18milesupstreamfromEnglebright.Constructionwascompletedin1970byYCWAaspartofFERCProjectNo.2246toprovidewaterforpowergeneration,irrigationand

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domesticneeds,floodcontrol,andrecreation(YCWA2010),andthedamis645feethigh.ReleasesfromNewBullardsBarReservoiraremadethroughtheNewColgatePowerhouse,throughthedam’slow‐leveloutlet,orgatedspillway(YCWAetal.2007;YCWA2014).Thereservoirisusedheavilyforrecreation,anditpowerstwohydroelectricplants.Figure4displaysNewBullardsBarDam.AdditionaldetailsaboutNewBullardsBarDamandReservoirareasfollows(YCWA2010):

1,110‐footradius,doublecurvature,concretearchdam. Damheightis645feet Overflow‐typespillwaywithawidthof106feet. Spillwaycrestelevationof1,902feetmsl. Three30‐footwideand54‐foottallTainterGatesonthespillway. Maximumspillwaydesigncapacityof160,000cfs. Provides hydraulic head for 340 MW of hydroelectric peaking power at the Colgate

powerhouse. Thereservoirextendsapproximately8.5milesupstreamatthenormalmaximumwater

surfaceelevation(1,956feet). Estimatedreservoirstoragecapacityis966,103acre‐feet. Reservoirmaximumdepthis645feet. Normalwaterlevelfluctuationsof150feet

5.1.4.OtherExistingWaterProjectsOtherdamshavebeenconstructedintheYubaRiverWatershedforirrigationanddrinkingwatersupplies.Manyoftheearlierdamsarenowusedforhydropowerinadditiontonewerdamsconstructedwithhydropowerasapurpose.OtherhydroelectricprojectswithintheYubaRiverwatershedaretheYuba‐BearProjectmanagedbytheNevadaIrrigationDistrict(awateragencybasedinGrassValley,California)andtheDrum‐SpauldingProjectoverseenbyPacificGasandElectricCompany.

5.2. PriorStudiesTheYubaRiverdownstreamofEnglebrightDamisoneofthemorethoroughlystudiedriversintheCentralValleyofCalifornia.MuchoftheresearchisconnectedtotheFederalEnergyRegulatoryCommission(FERC)relicensingprocessofYCWA’sYubaRiverDevelopmentProject(YRDP).InAppendixE6ofYCWA’sApplicationforNewLicense,TechnicalMemorandum7‐8summarizestheavailableliteratureforspring‐runChinooksalmonwherespecificallyidentified,Chinooksalmoningeneralwhererunsarenotspecificallyidentified,andO.mykiss(includingsteelhead).Thetechnicalmemorandumsummarilydescribes21availablefieldstudiesanddatacollectionreports,20otherrelevantdocuments(e.g.,plans,policies,historicalaccountsandregulatorycompliance),14ongoingdatacollection,monitoringandevaluationactivitiesfortheM&EProgram,and4otherdatacollectionandmonitoringprograms.Additionalkeypriorstudiesandreportsaredescribedbelow.

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AssessmentofInfrastructureandRelatedItemstoSupportAnadromousFishPassagetotheYubaRiverWatershed,PreparedbyMWHfortheYubaSalmonForum.March2013.ThereportprovidedanassessmentofinfrastructuretosupportanadromousfishpassagetotheYubaRiverWatershed,includinganengineeringassessmentofthefacilities,appurtenances,costs,permitting,andchangestotheinfrastructureandoperationsofexistingfacilitiesrequiredfortheimplementationandoperationsandmaintenance(O&M)ofanAnadromousFishPassageProgramtolocationsintheupperYubaRiverWatershed,includingtheNorth,Middle,andSouthYubarivers.BiologicalAssessmentfortheApplicationforNewFERCLicenseDraft,YCWA,April2014 TheBAidentifiedandevaluatedpotentialeffectsonthreatenedandendangeredspeciesfromtheYCWA’spowergeneratingactivities.ItwasrequiredaspartoftheFERCrelicensingprocess. BiologicalAssessmentforOperationandMaintenanceforDaguerrePointDamontheYubaRiver,USACE,October2013 TheBAdefinedandevaluatedthepotentialeffectsofUSACE’slimitedongoingdiscretionaryactivitiesatDaguerrePointDamonthreatenedandendangeredspeciesandtheirdesignatedcriticalhabitatsinthelowerYubaRiver.ItsupersededtheJanuary2012BAfortheOngoingOperationandMaintenanceofEnglebrightandDaguerrePointDams.BiologicalAssessmentforOperationandMaintenanceforEnglebrightReservoirontheYubaRiver,USACE,October2013 

TheBAdefinedandevaluatedthepotentialeffectsofUSACE’songoingdiscretionaryactivitiesatEnglebrightDamandReservoironESA‐listedspeciesandtheirdesignatedcriticalhabitatsinthelowerYubaRiver.ItsupersededtheJanuary2012BAfortheOngoingOperationandMaintenanceofEnglebrightandDaguerrePointDams.  

BiologicalOpinionforOperationandMaintenanceofDaguerrePointDamandFishLadders,NMFS,May2014 TheBiOprespondedtothe2013DaguerrePointDamBAandconcludedthatimplementationoftheproposedactionisnotlikelytojeopardizethethreatenedandendangeredspeciesoradverselymodifytheirdesignatedcriticalhabitat.NMFSincludedReasonableandPrudentMeasuresanddiscretionarytermsandconditionsthatareintendedtominimizeincidentaltakeassociatedwiththeproposedaction.TheBiOpsupersededtheFebruary2012BiOpforOperationandMaintenanceofEnglebrightandDaguerrePointDams. DaguerrePointDamFishPassageImprovementProjectAlternativeConcepts

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Evaluation,WoodRodgers,Inc.,Sacramento,CA,September2003 Thisevaluationdescribedthepotentialsolutions(andlimitationsofeach)forfishpassageimprovementsatDaguerrePointDamasrecommendedbytheCaliforniaDepartmentofFishandGame(DFG,nowtheDepartmentofFishandWildlife).Itprovidedcostsforeachsolutionandcomparedtheimpactstofishpassage,watersupplyinterests,anddownstreamfloodprotectionrelativetothecostforimplementation. InterimMonitoring&EvaluationReportDraft,LowerYubaRiverAccord,RiverManagementTeam,April2013 TheInterimMonitoringandEvaluation(M&E)Reportservedasbotha‘reportcard’ontheLowerYubaRiverAccord’sRMT’sM&EprogramresultsregardingtheimplementationoftheYubaAccordforregulators,stakeholdersandthebroaderscientificcommunity,andtohelpinformtheFERCrelicensingprocess. LetterofConcurrenceforOperationandMaintenanceforEnglebrightReservoirontheYubaRiver,NMFS,May2014 Theletterwasrespondedtothe2013USACEBiOpforOperationandMaintenanceforEnglebrightReservoir.Intheletter,NMFSconcurswithUSACE’sdeterminationthattheprojectproposedintheBiOpisnotlikelytoadverselyaffectCentralValleyspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadorgreensturgeonorthespecies’designatedcriticalhabitats. PreliminaryFishPassageImprovementStudy,USACE,August2001 ThispreliminarystudyidentifiedpotentialalternativesforfishpassageimprovementatDaguerrePointDamontheYubaRiver.Itincludedpreliminaryplanstoreducefisheriesresourceproblemsinthestudyarea.Itprovidedtheprojectstatusandplannedfutureeffortsneededtoconductafeasibilitystudywhichwouldimprovefishpassage. UpperYubaRiverWatershedChinookSalmonandSteelheadHabitatAssessment,DWR,2007 TheCaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResources’(DWR)UpperYubaRiverStudiesProgramconductedthisstudytodeterminewhetherthere‐ introductionofwildChinooksalmonandsteelheadtotheupperYubaRiverwatershedisbiologicallyfeasible.ThestudyconcludedthattheMiddleYubaRivercouldsupportasmallsalmonrun. YubaRiver,California,DaguerrePointDamInitialAppraisalReport,USACE,August2005 ThisSection216studydeterminedthatthereisFederalinterestinproceedingwithdetailedfeasibility‐levelstudiestoincludefishpassageimprovement,fisheriesrestoration,aquatichabitatrestoration,andflooddamagereductionassociatedwithDaguerrePointDam. YubaRiverBasinPostAuthorizationDocumentationReport,USACE,December2012

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 TheYubaRiverBasin,California,PostAuthorizationDocumentationReport(PADR)reaffirmedthatthereisFederalinterestinprojectimprovementswithintheLinda/OlivehurstareaoftheauthorizedYubaRiverBasinProject.Theproject,asauthorized,includesimprovementstostrengthenexistingleveestoprovidefloodriskmanagement(FRM)benefitstotheCityofMarysvilleandtotheReclamationDistrict784area.YubaSalmonForumSummaryHabitatAnalysis,PreparedbyCardnoENTRIXfortheYubaSalmonForum,September2013Thisreportprovidesasummaryassessmentofpotentialanadromousspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadhabitatintheYubaRiverWatershed.ThesummaryassessmentwasdesignedtoprovidetheYSFwithhabitatinformationthatcanbeusedtoreviewpotentialactionsthatwarrantfurtherinvestigationregardingintroductionofCentralValleyspring‐runChinooksalmonandCentralValleysteelheadintotheNorth,Middle,and/orSouthYubariversand/orportionsoftheYubaRiver.Thesummaryassessmentincludesasynthesisofdatafromvarioussourcesthatincludeshydrology,watertemperature,upstreammigrationbarriers,andaquantificationofmigration,holding,spawning,incubation,rearing,andsmoltemigrationhabitat.   5.3 RestorationProjects OtherentitiesarealsoworkingtorestorelowerYubaRiverriparianandaquatichabitat.TheSouthYubaRiverCitizen’sLeague(SYRCL)completedtheHammonBarRiparianHabitatRestorationProjectwhichrestoredfiveacresofriparianhabitatand3.5milesofjuvenilerearingaquatichabitat. 6. Scoping DuetoitsrelationshiptoESA‐listedspecies,thisstudyisimportanttomanystakeholdersaswellasFederal,state,county,andlocalgovernmentalagencies,andconservationgroupswhichareactivelyworkingtobringsalmonbacktotheupperpartsoftheriver.TheYubaSalmonForum,ofwhichUSACEisapart,convenedin2009toaddressreintroductionplanninginacollaborativeforumwithbroadrepresentationandacharter.Thisanalysisincorporatessomeoftheconsensusreachedbythatgroup. TheYubaAccordisa2008settlementagreementrepresentingnearlythreeyearsofintensenegotiationsamong17stakeholders,includinglocalirrigationdistricts,stateandFederalresourceagenciesandconservationgroups.Thesettlementprovidesforhigherflowrequirementsthatareprotectiveofthesalmonidfishery.Also,thesettlementcreatedtheRiverManagementTeam,whichperformsfisheryandrestorationstudiesonthelowerYubaRiverandprovidesinputtoYCWAonflowmanagementdecisions.OnAugust6,2014,CorpsstaffmetwithrepresentativesfromNMFSandFWStobriefthemonthereconnaissancestudyandtheprocessleadingtoafeasibilitystudy.Thestaffheardaboutothersimilarprojectsandstudies,suchasNFMS’“RIPPLEreports.”FWSaskedUSACEtoinvestigateamphibianhabitat,particularlyforthefoothillyellow‐leggedfrog(Ranaboylii),

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alongtributariestotheYubaRiver.Thisfeedbackwillberesearchedandpossiblyincorporatedintothefeasibilitystudy,andUSACEwillcontinuetodialoguewiththeNMFSandFWSrepresentatives. Overthecourseofpreparationofthisanalysis,USACEmetwithrepresentativesfrompotentialnon‐federalsponsorsforthisstudy(DWRandYCWA).Cooperatingagenciesandstakeholdersinadditiontothesponsorsforthisstudyinclude,butarenotlimitedto:NMFS,FWS,CaliforniaDepartmentofFish&Wildlife(CDFW),theTahoeNationalForest,publicrecreationgroups,irrigationdistricts,theSouthYubaRiverCitizensLeague(SYRCL),andTroutUnlimited.USACEwillconsultwiththeNativeAmericantribesofthearea. 7. Problems,Opportunities,andFutureWithout‐ProjectConditions Problemsareundesirableconditionstobechangedthroughtheimplementationofanalternativeplan.Opportunitiesarepositiveconditionstobeimprovedbyanalternativeplan.Thedifferencebetweenproblemsandopportunitiesisoftensimplyamatterofperspective. BecausehabitatsoftheYubaRiverarehealthyandrecoveringfromhistoricaldisturbances(YCWA2013),thelargestremainingproblemisthelossofhabitatconnectivityforanadromousfishspecies,whicharenationallysignificantresources.Fishcannotaccessupstreamhabitatbecauseofthepresenceofdamsoreffectivefishpassagemechanisms.Conceptualmodelsarehelpfulduringthefirststepsoftheplanningprocess,astheyprovideakeylinkbetweenearlyplanning(e.g.,aneffectivestatementofproblem,need,opportunity,andconstraint)andlaterevaluationandimplementation.Forthis905(b)analysis,thefollowingconceptualmodel(Figure10)wasdeveloped,whichexploresthesalmonidlifecycleanditsconnectiontotheYubaRiver.

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Figure10.SalmonidLifeCycleConceptualModel. 

7.1. ProblemsTheconceptualmodelassistsinunderstandingtheanadromoussalmonids’lifecyclesandfunctionalrelationshipsintheYubaRiver,assummarizedbelow. 

1. Aquatichabitatconnectivityhasbeenlost.Inparticular,anadromousfishcannotaccesshistoricspawninghabitataboveEnglebrightDam.

 DaguerrePointDammay,undercertainconditions,beanimpedimenttoanadromousfishpassage—salmonidscan’tusethefishladdersundersomeflowconditions,andsturgeoncan’tusetheladdersatall.Additionally,fishmaybecomeinjuredastheypassdownstreamoverDaguerrePointDam.EnglebrightDamblocksallanadromousfishpassage.

 2. Thequalityandquantityofaquatic,riparian,andgeneralfloodplainhabitathas

beendiminished.Inparticular,anadromousfishspawninggravelhasbeenreducedthroughouttheYubaRiver,andjuvenilerearinghabitathasbeenreducedinthelowerYubaRiver.

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 Inadditiontowhathasbeenlostupstreamofthedams,habitatloss,especiallyforjuvenileanadromousfish,hascontributedtoreducedpopulationsofnativefishintheYubaRiver.AlthoughUSACE’sgravelaugmentationprogramhasincreasedtheamountofspawninghabitatdownstreamofEnglebrightDam,highquality,complexanddiversejuvenilerearinghabitatislacking,asisfloodplainhabitat.

3. Salmonidgeneticdiversityhasdeclinedthroughoutthestudyareaandworld‐wide. 

Thelimitedavailabilityofspawninghabitatandimpededpassagecanresultinoverlapofdifferentspawningrunsinthesamespawningareaduringthesameperiod,whichreducesgeneticintegrity.Also,hatcheryfishstrayintothelowerYubaRiverfromtheFeatherRiverandothersystemsandinterbreedwiththenativefishaswellascompetewithnative‐spawnedYubaRiverfishforspawninghabitatandotherresources.

AnadromoussalmonidpopulationsintheYubaRiverwatershedhaveendurednearly150yearsofintensehumandegradationoftheirriverinehabitat,startingwithhydraulicgoldmininginthemid‐nineteenthcentury,andcontinuingthroughtheconstructionofdams,includingthetwoCorpsdams‐EnglebrightandDaguerrePoint.Numerousstressors,severalofwhichareassociatedwithpasthydraulicminingpracticesandthesetwodams,continuetoaffectthefisheryresourcesintheYubaRiver.ManyofthemostimportantstressorsaffectinganadromoussalmonidsintheYubaRiverincludepassageimpedimentsandbarriers,physicalhabitatalteration,lossofriparianhabitatandinstreamcover(e.g.,riparianvegetation,instreamwoodymaterial),lossofnaturalrivermorphologyandfunction,lossoffloodplainhabitat,entrainment,predation,andhatcheryeffects.Thekeylimitingfactors,threatsandstressorsaffectingspring‐andfall‐runChinooksalmon,aswellassteelhead,arethoroughlydiscussedinUSACE’s2013BAsandarebrieflysummarizedbelow.Thegeomorphicconditionscausedbyhydraulicanddredgeminingsincethemid‐1800s,andtheconstructionofEnglebrightDam,whichaffectsthetransportofnutrients,fineandcoarsesedimentsand,toalesserdegree,woodymaterialfromupstreamsourcestothelowerriver,continuetolimithabitatcomplexityanddiversity,particularlyforjuvenilesalmonidsrearinginthelowerYubaRiver.Restrictedavailabilityofcomplex,diversehabitatssuchasmultiplebraidedchannelsandsidechannelsassociatedwiththelossofnaturalrivermorphologyandfunctionalsopresentlycontinuestobearelativelyhighstressortoYubaRiveranadromoussalmonids.Riparianvegetationandlargewoodymaterial(LWM)playanimportantroleinhabitatcomplexityanddiversity.TheabundanceanddistributionofthesephysicalhabitatcharacteristicspotentiallylimitstheproductivityofjuvenilesalmonidsinthelowerYubaRiver.Also,thelowerYubaRiverfloodplainiscomprisedofunconsolidatedalluviumwithoutanabundanceofcharacteristicsassociatedwithincreasedjuvenilesalmonidgrowth.EnglebrightDamisanimpassablebarriertotheupstreammigrationofanadromoussalmonids,andmarkstheupstreamextentofcurrentlyaccessibleChinooksalmonandsteelheadhabitatinthelowerYubaRiver.AccordingtoNMFS(2007,2009,2014),thegreatestimpacttolistedanadromoussalmonidsintheYubaRiverWatershedisthecompleteblockageofaccessforthesespeciestotheirhistoricalspawningandrearinghabitataboveEnglebrightDam.BecauseofthelossofhistoricalspawningandrearinghabitataboveEnglebrightDam,

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resultantlossofreproductiveisolationandsubsequenthybridizationwithfall‐runChinooksalmon,restrictionofspatialstructureandassociatedvulnerabilitytocatastrophicevents,theexistenceofEnglebrightDamisaveryhighstressortoYubaRiverspring‐runChinooksalmon,aswellastosteelhead.InadditiontoEnglebrightDam,therearenumerousissuesassociatedwithanadromousfishpassageatUSACE’sDaguerrePointDam.NMFS(2014)statedthatpassageconditionsatDaguerrePointDamareconsideredtobeinadequateforChinooksalmonandsteelheadthroughoutmuchoftheyearduetothedesignoftheexistingladders.Whenhighflowconditionsoccurduringwinterandspring,adultspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelheadreportedlycanexperiencedifficultyinfindingtheentrancestotheladdersbecauseoftherelativelylowamountofattractionflowsexitingthefishladders,comparedtothemagnitudeofthesheet‐flowspillingoverthetopofDaguerrePointDam(USACE2013).Inaddition,NMFS(2014)statedthattheanglesofthefishladderentranceorificesandtheirproximitiestotheplungepoolalsoincreasethedifficultyforfishtofindtheentrancestotheladders.Otherconfigurationanddesignfeaturesofthefishladdersandpassagefacilitiesthatreportedlycouldeitherdelayorimpedeanadromoussalmonidaccesstospawningandrearingareasabovethedaminclude:(1)thecontrolgate,actingasasubmergedorifice,isonlypassableatlowflows(actualflowdataareunavailable)duringthesummerandfall;(2)“masking”oftheentrancestotheladderswhenflowoverthespillwayoccurs;(3)theladdersbecomecloggedwithdebris;(4)unfavorablewithin‐bayhydrauliccharacteristics,particularlyassociatedwithdebriscollection;(5)unfavorablefishladdergeometricconfigurations;and(6)sedimentationandunfavorablehabitatconditionsassociatedwithegressfromthefishladders.NMFS(2014)andotherdocuments(NMFS2002;CALFEDandYCWA2005)suggestthatjuvenilesalmonidsalsomaybeadverselyaffectedbyDaguerrePointDamontheirdownstreammigrations,becauseDaguerrePointDamcreatesalargeplungepoolatitsbase,whichprovidesambushhabitatforpredatoryfishinanareawhereemigratingjuvenilesalmonidsmaybeinjuredordisorientedafterplungingoverthefaceofthedamintothedeeppoolbelow.TheintroducedpredatorystripedbassandAmericanshadhavebeenobservedinthispool(CALFEDandYCWA2005).

7.2. OpportunitiesAccordingtoUSDOI(2010),someofthefactorsresponsibleforreductionsinChinooksalmonpopulationscanbeminimizedthroughrestorationactions.Opportunitiesexisttosignificantlyimproveaquatichabitatconnectivity,habitatqualityandquantity,andgeneticdiversity,andtolessenstressorsaffectinganadromoussalmonidsintheYubaRiverWatershedovertheperiodofanalysis.

1. ThereisanopportunitytoreintroduceanadromoussalmonidsintotheupperYubaRiverWatershed.

Reintroductionoftargetpopulations(e.g.,spring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelhead)intothehighestquality,mostavailableandpersistenthabitatintheupperYubaRiverWatershedwouldbeexpectedtoexpandthegeographicdistributionofanadromoussalmonids,increasetheoverallamountofhabitatavailablebyreconnectingaccessto

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previouslyblockedhabitat,decreasethepossibilityofcatastrophicdecline,andincreasetheattributesofspatialstructureanddiversity.Allofthesefactorsdecreasetheextinctionriskandtherebycontributetorecovery.

2. Thereisanopportunitytorestoreside‐channelhabitatinthelowerYubaRiver.InthelowerYubaRiver,opportunitiesexisttoimplementside‐channelhabitatrestorationactions,shallowwaterrearingimprovementactions,riparianhabitatimprovementsandoff‐channelrearingactions.HabitatimprovementactionsinthelowerYubaRiveralsowouldbeexpectedtoincreasetheproductivityofYubaRiveroriginjuveniles.LowerYubaRiverhabitatimprovementactionscouldincreasethecarryingcapacityofspawninghabitatand,correspondingly,initialyearclassstrengthofspring‐runChinooksalmon.Perhapsmoreimportantly,itisanticipatedthatthelowerYubaRiverhabitatimprovementactionswouldfocusonjuvenilerearingandcontributetotheoverallgoalofincreasingproductivityandsurvivalofjuvenileanadromoussalmonidswhichsubsequentlyreturnasadultstothelowerYubaRiver. 

3. Thereisanopportunitytoconsiderrecreationinconjunctionwithanyrecommendedecosystemrestorationfeatures.

4. Theremaybeanopportunitytore‐establishaCaliforniared‐leggedfrogpopulation,notonlyalongtheYubaRiver,butalsointributaries.

Opportunitieswillbeexploredfurtherduringthefeasibilitystudy. 

7.3. FutureWithout‐ProjectConditions IfnoFederalactionistaken,thefisheries‐relatedproblemsdescribedaboveareexpectedtocontinue,andthestressorswillpersistandpotentiallybecomeexacerbated.Incrementalimprovementstocurrentlyaccessiblehabitatmaybemadebyotherentities.PopulationsofChinooksalmonandsteelhead,whilestabilizing,willbelessthanwhatanincreaseinconnectedhabitatcouldsupport.Also,populationswillnotbeasresilienttochangingconditionsduetothelackofaccesstoupstreamhabitataswellasgenetichomogenization.MiningwillcontinueintheGoldfields,andthetailingswillremain.RestorationopportunitiesmaybepresentintheGoldfields,however,duetothetremendousvolumeofgraveltailingsandinabilityofthosetailingstosupportmuchvegetation,thisanalysisdoesnotincludeanyrecommendationsfortheGoldfields.Restorationactionsbyotherentitieswillcontinue.TheUSBureauofReclamation’sCentralValleyBasinFisheriesProgramshastwoprojectsintheplanningphase,theNarrowsChannelRestorationandtheDaguerreAlleyFloodplainRestorationProjects.TheYubaRiverNarrowsChannelRestorationProjectwillrestoreupto0.5milesofin‐channelspawninghabitatbyrestoringandreplenishinggravelandremovingshotrockdebrisfromtheNarrowsReach,whichisbelowEnglebrightDam.TheDaguerreAlleyFloodplainRestorationProjectwillrestoreupto180acresoffloodplainhabitatandapproximately

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2.5milesofside‐channelhabitat,whichisparticularlybeneficialtojuvenilesalmonids.Thenumberofsalmonidsreturningfromtheoceanwillcontinuetofluctuateduetovariousstressors,suchasfishingandoceanconditions.BecauseofmanagementactionsbythePacificFisheryManagementCouncil,suchasseasonalcommercialandrecreationalfishingbanswhensalmonidnumbersarelow,itisexpectedthatreturningsalmonidpopulationswillbesufficienttoutilizeavailablespawningandrearinghabitatintheYubaRiver.Overthenext50years,climatechangeisexpectedtobeastressorforanadromoussalmonidsintheYubaRiver,andclimatechangeingeneralposesanadditionalrisktothesurvivalofsalmonidsintheCentralValley(NMFS2014).AccordingtoNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration(NOAA)research,undertheexpectedwarmingofaround5°C,substantialhabitatintheCentralValleywouldbelost,althoughsignificantamountsofhabitatcouldremain,primarilyintheFeatherandYubarivers(Lindleyetal.2007).Literaturesuggeststhatbytheyear2100,meansummertemperaturesintheCentralValleymayincreaseby2to8°C,precipitationwilllikelyshifttomorerainandlesssnow,withsignificantdeclinesintotalprecipitationpossible,hydrographswilllikelychange,andChinooksalmonandsteelheadwillbemorethermallystressedbystreamwarmingatthesouthernendsoftheirranges(e.g.,CentralValleyDomain)(NMFS2014).NMFS(2014)hasprioritizedtheupperYubaRiver(upstreamofEnglebrightDam)asaprimaryareatore‐establishviablepopulationsofspring‐runChinooksalmonandsteelhead.RecentstudiesconductedbyYSF(2013)demonstratethatofallrivers/reachesintheYubaRiverWatershed,theNorthYubaRiverupstreamofNewBullardsBarReservoirandthelowerYubaRiverdownstreamofEnglebrightDamprovidethemostthermallysuitableamountsofhabitatinthewatershed.TheNorthYubaRiver,becauseofthelackofstoragereservoirsandwatermanagementinfrastructure,mostcloselyapproximatesunimpairedconditions.AccordingtoYCWA(2010),becauseofspecificphysicalfactors,hydrologicfactors,andflowsnegotiatedundertheYubaAccordthelowerYubaRiverisexpectedtocontinuetoprovidethemostsuitablewatertemperatureconditionsforanadromoussalmonidsofallCentralValleyfloorrivers,eveniftherearelong‐termclimatechanges.ThisisbecauseNewBullardsBarReservoirisadeep,steep‐slopedreservoirwithamplecoldwaterpoolreservesthatwillcontinuetobeavailabletoprovidesustained,relativelycoldflowsofwaterintothelowerYubaRiverduringthelatespring,summerandfallofeachyear(YCWA2010).UrbandevelopmentalongtheYubaRiverwillbenegligible.Mostoftheupperwatershedisnationalforestland.ThetownsalongtheupperportionsoftheYubaRiverareoveranhour’sdrivefromjobcenters,sotheyarenotexpectedtogrowsignificantly.AreasalongthelowerYubaRiverareexpectedtoremainrural;indeed,YubaCounty’scurrentgeneralplan,from1996,statesthat,“theYubaCountywatershedwillbeconservedandprotectedthroughcarefulmanagementofgrowth,developmentandtimberharvestingwithinthewatershed.”Apreliminarypermitforaproposed3mega‐watthydroelectricprojectonthesouthsideofDaguerrePointDamiscurrentlyundergoingapreliminaryFERCproceeding(P‐14432)(NMFS2014a).However,noactionsareplannedatthistime.Itisassumedforthisanalysisthatthe

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projectwouldberequiredtomitigateitsownimpacts,ifpermitted. 

AuthorizedFunctions‐DaguerrePointDam UndertheDaguerrePointDamprojectauthority,USACEisresponsibleforvariousdiscretionaryandnon‐discretionaryfunctions.Thediscretionaryfunctionsinclude,butarenotlimitedto,thetimingandfrequencyofmonitoringandclearingdebrisfromthefishladders,andmanagingsedimentbuildupacrosstheupstreamfaceofthedam.FuturegravelinjectionsandtheLargeWoodyMaterialManagementPlanareanticipatedascomponentsofUSACE’svoluntaryconservationmeasuresassociatedwiththerecentESAconsultation.USACE’sGravelAugmentationImplementationPlancontainsguidanceforalong‐termgravelinjectionprogramtoprovidespring‐runChinooksalmonspawninghabitatinthebedrockcanyondownstreamofEnglebrightDam.Non‐discretionaryfunctionsincludetheinspectionandmaintenanceofthedamstructureandfishladderstoensuretheyremainingoodrepair. 

AuthorizedFunctions‐EnglebrightDam UndertheEnglebrightDamprojectauthority,USACEisresponsibleforvariousdiscretionaryandnon‐discretionaryfunctions.Thediscretionaryfunctionsincludeactivitiesrelatedtothemannerandfrequencyofmaintainingtherecreationalfacilitiesatthedam.Non‐discretionaryfunctionsincludetheinspectionandmaintenanceofthedamstructuretoensureitremainsingoodrepair.Asadebrisdam,USACEdoesnotconductanywatercontroloperationsorreleases.

8. PlanningGoalsandObjectives EcosystemrestorationisoneoftheprimarymissionsofUSACE’sCivilWorksprogram.Theecosystemrestorationplanningobjectiveistocontributetonationalecosystemrestoration(NER).ContributionstoNERoutputsareincreasesinthenetquantityand/orqualityofdesiredecosystemresourcesovertheperiodofanalysis(often50years).MeasurementofNER,whichisbasedonchangesinecologicalresourcequalityasafunctionofimprovementinhabitatqualityand/orquantity,isexpressedquantitativelyinphysicalunits,alsoknownasmetrics.TheNERPlanisthealternativeplanthatreasonablymaximizesecosystemrestorationbenefitscomparedtocosts,consistentwiththeFederalobjective. Specificplanningobjectiveswillbedevelopedwiththenon‐Federalsponsorandstudystakeholdersduringthefeasibilitystudy.Theobjectiveswillidentifyhowtheplancanreducetheriskofcontinuedundesiredoutcomes,suchassteelheadpopulationdeclines,and/orincreasethelikelihoodofdesiredoutcomes,suchasmilesofaccessibleriparianhabitat.Metricswillbedevelopedinordertoassesstheoutputsandeffectsofthealternatives.Thesemetricswilllikelybebasedontheanadromousfishspeciesasindicatorspecies. Salmonareaneffectiveindicatorspeciesbecausetheyarefairlyeasytoobserveandtheyoccupytheentireriverecosystem.Theyaresensitivetoavarietyoffactors:waterquality,foodwebs,riverflowsandprocesses,turbidity,andwatertemperature.Generally,ifthequalityofthewatershedecosystemdeclines,salmonpopulationswill

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decline.Also,salmonserveakeyroleinbringingnutrientsfromtheocean,suchasnitrogen,intoinlandareas.Thesenutrientsnourishcountlessotherorganisms. Onewaytoidentifyobjectivesistouseanexampleofafunctioninghabitat.Forriverecosystemrestorationprojects,suchanexampleisoftencalleda“referencereach.”OnehasnotyetbeenidentifiedalongtheYubaRiver,partlybecausetheUpperYubacan’teasilybecomparedtotheLowerYuba.Duringthefeasibilitystudy,possiblereferencereachesinotherwaterwayswillbeinvestigated,suchasalongtheCosumnesRiver,theonlyundammedriverdrainingwestoutoftheSierra,andtheTrinityRiverorBattleCreek,whichareundergoingrestorationefforts. Forthereconnaissancestudy,thefollowingpreliminaryobjectiveswereidentified.Theseobjectivesaddressthreebroadercategoriesofproblemsandopportunities:1)connectivity,2)habitatqualityandquantity,and3)geneticintegrity.Alternativesthatmeettheseobjectiveswillincreaseanadromousfishspecies’resiliencytowithstandclimatechangeaswellascatastrophiceventssuchaswildfires. Appropriate,limitedrecreation,inconjunctionwithecosystemrestorationfeatures,willbeconsidered,consistentwithUSACEpolicy. Alloftheobjectivesarethroughoutthestudyareaovertheperiodofanalysis,whichisexpectedtobe50years.

Connectivity:� ImproveorprovideaccesstohabitatforanadromoussalmonidswithintheYubaRiver

watershed.� ImproveupstreamanddownstreampassageforgreensturgeoninthelowerYuba

Rivertoprovideaccesstosuitablehabitat. 

HabitatRestoration� Restorerearinghabitatofjuvenileanadromoussalmonids.� Restorespawninghabitatofspring‐runChinookdownstreamofEnglebrightDam.

 GeneticIntegrity

� Preservegeneticdiversityofanadromoussalmonids,particularlyspring‐runChinooksalmon.Recreation

� Providerecreationopportunitiesinconjunctionwithecosystemrestorationfeatureswhererecreationusewouldnotdetractfromecosystemoutputs.

Meetingtheaboveobjectiveswillincreasetheresiliencyofsalmonidsandgreensturgeon.Increasingtheavailabilityandqualityofspawningandrearinghabitatwillincreasethelikelihoodthatnationally‐significantsalmonidscouldcontinuetoreproduce.Preservinggeneticdiversityprotectstheabilityofaspeciestowithstanddiseasesorchangingconditions.

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9. PlanningConstraintsandKeyConsiderations Duringthefeasibilitystudy,specificstudyobjectivesandconstraintswillbeaddressedwiththenon‐federalsponsorandstudystakeholders.Atthistime,noabsoluteconstraintshavebeenidentified.However,akeylimitationontheformulationprocessisthatthestudywillnotrecommendanyactionthatislegallyrequiredofanotherentityorUSACEO&M.Forinstance,accordingtothePlanningGuidanceNotebookAppendixE,USACEwillnotproposeanyrestorationprojectsorfeaturesthatwouldresultintreatingorotherwiseabatingpollutionproblemscausedbyotherpartieswheretheotherpartieshave,orarelikelytohave,alegalresponsibilityforremediationorothercomplianceresponsibility.Anysuchactionswillbecomepartofthewithout‐projectcondition. Thefollowingconsiderationswererecognized.Theyarenotconstraints,astheywillnotprecludeconsiderationorselectionofanypotentialmeasuresoralternatives.However,thefeasibilitystudywillseektoidentifymeasuresandalternativesthataddresstheseconsiderationstotheextentpracticable. 

� Avoidorminimizewherepracticableprovidingupstreampassagefornon‐nativefish.� Avoidorminimizewherepracticablefeaturesthatwouldrequireadditionalwater

rights.� Avoidorminimizeadverseeffectsonthedownstreamwaterusers’diversionsat

DaguerrePointDam.� Avoidorminimizewherepracticableincreasingfloodrisk.� Avoidorminimizewherepracticableimpedingnavigation.� Avoidorminimizewherepracticableimpactstogroundwaterrecharge.� Avoidorminimizewherepracticableimpedinggreensturgeonrecoveryefforts.� AvoidorminimizewherepracticableimpedingCRLFrecoveryefforts.� Avoidorminimizewherepracticableimpedingpublicaccessascurrentlyallowed.

AnoutstandingchallengeisandwillremainthepresenceofsignificantquantitiesoftoxicsedimentsbehindEnglebrightandDaguerrePointDams(includingmercury,arsenic,chromium,copper,andnickel) depositedfrompastmining.Responsibilitiesforanyhazardouscleanupwouldbedeterminedinaccordancewithapplicablelaws,regulations,andpolicies.10. FishandWildlifeResourcesConsiderations

 10.1. ResourceSignificance

EcosystemrestorationisaprioritymissionofUSACE.Incontrasttomoretraditionalstudyoutputs,manyoftheoutputsofecosystemrestorationprojectscannotbemeasuredinmonetaryterms.Withouttheoptionofquantifyingecosystemoutputsinmonetaryterms,othercriteriamustbeconsideredforevaluatingandjustifyingecosystemrestorationprojects.Onesuchcriterionisthe“significance”oftheecosystemresource(s)associatedwithsuchprojects.Forthispurpose,resourcesignificancecanbedescribedintermsofinstitutional,public,andtechnicalconsiderationsasreflectedinSection3.

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10.2. EnvironmentalCompliance 

Thestudymustbecompliantwithallapplicablelawsandregulatoryrequirements.Duringthefeasibilitystudy,anenvironmentaldocumentwillbepreparedtoevaluatepotentialimpactsofanecosystemrestorationstudyontheexistingenvironment.Factorsaddressedbytheevaluationinclude,butarenotlimitedto,publicsafety,waterquality,wetlands,threatenedandendangeredspecies,noise,economics,fish,andwildlife.TheNationalEnvironmentalPolicyAct(NEPA)reviewprocesswillbecompleted,pursuanttorequirementsin33CFRPart230.ThisprocessincludesdemonstratingcompliancewithallapplicablelawsandregulationstoincludetheESA,CleanWaterAct,NationalHistoricPreservationAct,FishandWildlifeCoordinationAct,NoiseControlAct,Magnuson‐StevensAct,ExecutiveOrder11988onFloodplainManagement,andExecutiveOrder11990ontheProtectionofWetlands. 

10.3. SurveysNeededforFeasibilityStudy TherehavebeenmanystudiesandsurveysintheYubaRiverWatershed.Recently,effortshaveincreasedtounderstandportionsofthissystem,primarilythelowerYubaRiver,resultingfromtheLowerYubaRiverAccordandFERCrelicensingeffortsforthehydropowerfacilitiesassociatedwithEnglebrightDamandNewBullardsBarDam.InadditiontothelowerYubaRiverstudies,therehavebeenhabitatsurveysandmodelingofhabitatintheUpperYubaRiverWatershedtoidentifyquantityandqualityofhabitatforsalmonintheeventthatpassageisrestoredtoallowfishtoaccessthesereaches.Manyofthesestudiesandmodelshavebeenfocusedonwatertemperature,whichislikelyalimitingfactorformuchofthewatershed.However,theremaybestructuralopportunitiesthatneedtobeevaluatedwhichwouldrequireadditionalevaluationofcurrenthabitatconditions. Whiletherehasbeenasignificantefforttounderstandthissystemanditsprocesses,therewilllikelybeadditionalsurveysandstudiesforsupportingthefeasibilitystudy.Muchofthiseffortwilllikelybuildonthepreviousandongoingefforts,butmayneedtobesite‐specificorbuilduponorcontinueeffortsthatwereperformedpreviously,butarenotcurrentlyongoing.TheremaybenewstudieslookingatthepredatorpopulationsandmovementsinthelowerYubaRiverandperhapsadditionalhabitatevaluationsintheupperYubaRiver.Also,hydraulicevaluationsofareasinthewatershedmaybenecessarytoidentifyfeasiblelocationsforcollectingfishifrelocationisconsideredinthealternatives.Surveysoftributaryhabitatsshouldbeconsideredtohelptodeterminetheextentofopportunitytorestorehabitatforfish,amphibiansandotherriparianhabitat‐associatedanimals.Sincemuchoftheexistinghabitatworkhasbeenfocusedonsalmonandsteelhead,itmayrequireadditionalefforttoidentifyandevaluateopportunitiesforotherESA‐listedspeciessuchastheCRLF. Somespecificstudiesmightincludeuseofacoustictelemetryandsnorkelsurveystomonitorfishmovementandhabitatuse.Continuedsurveysofredds,gravelmovement,andchannelcomplexitymightalsobenecessarytohelpdevelopalternativesandbetteridentifyfuture‐without‐projectconditions.

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11. HistoricalandCulturalResourcesConsiderations HistoricalResources

YCWAconductedarchaeologicalandhistoricalarchitecturestudiesaspartoftheFERCrelicensingprocess.TheFERCProjectAreaofPotentialEffects(APE)lieswithinthereconnaissancestudyarea.TheAPEencompassesapproximately9,600acres,andYCWAreceivedtheCaliforniaStateHistoricPreservationOffice’s(SHPO’s)concurrenceontheAPEinaletterdatedFebruary5,2013. In2009,YCWAperformedrecordssearchesattheNortheastInformationCenteratCaliforniaStateUniversity,ChicoandtheNorthCentralInformationcenteratCaliforniaStateUniversity,Sacramento.Itwasdeterminedthatapproximately2000acresoftheAPEhadbeenpreviouslysurveyed.Onehundredandfifty‐six(156)previouslyrecordedarchaeologicalsitesarewithintheFERCProjectBoundaryand0.25‐milebuffer.Ofthese,26siteswereinsidetheAPEandtheremaining130sitesarewithinthe0.25‐milebufferoutsidetheAPE.NopreviouslyrecordedsiteswereidentifiedfortheSierraCountyportionoftheFERCProject.NoneofthepreviouslyrecordedsiteswithintheAPEhadbeenformallyevaluatedfortheNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP)atthetimeofthe2009recordssearch.Sincetherecordssearchesareoverfiveyearsold,anewrecordssearchwillbeconductedfortheAPEduringthefeasibilitystudy.ThefeasibilitystudywillhaveitsownAPEseparatefromtheFERCAPE. In2011and2012,YCWAconductedfieldsurveyswithintheentireexpandedFERCProjectAPEwhichwerecoordinatedwithUSForestServicearchaeologists.Becausetheprevioussurveysweremorethantenyearsold,itwasdecidedthattheentireAPEshouldberesurveyed.Anadditional31siteswererecorded.Thestudyidentifiedatotalof57archaeologicalsiteswithintheAPE.Of the 57 sites identified within the APE, twenty-three were prehistoric archaeological sites. Sixteen prehistoric sites were previously recorded prior to the 2011- 2012 surveys. Thirty-two historic sites were identified within the APE. Of the historic sites identified in the APE, eight were previously recorded. A total of two previously recorded multicomponent sites were identified within the FERC Project APE. Additionally, thearchaeologicalsurveyidentified13isolatedartifacts. YCWA evaluated both previously recorded and newly identified archaeological sites and built environment resources for their eligibility for listing on the NRHP when those resources could be evaluated at the inventory level. As a result, 10 archaeological sites and 16 built environment resources were evaluated as ineligible for listing on the NRHP and will require no further management upon SHPO NRHP eligibility concurrence with eligibility determinations. The New Colgate Powerhouse and Penstock are recommend as eligible for listing on the NRHP and will require SHPO NRHP eligibility concurrence. Of the 57 archaeological sites identified in the APE, 47 sites remain unevaluated for NRHP eligibility.  In2000,USACEevaluatedDaguerrePointDamasnoteligibleforinclusiontotheNRHP.Theineligibilitydeterminationwasbasedonfourcriteria:A)thedam’sinsignificancewithrespecttoimportanthistoricalevents,namelytheCaliforniagoldrush,B)thelackofassociationwithsignificantpersons,C)thelackofuniqueconstructionmethodsor

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style,andD)thedamisnotlikelytoyieldimportantinformation.Also,thedamlacksoverallintegrity,sinceitisa1965replacementstructure.TheSHPOwasnotconsultedregardingthepreviousNRHPeligibilitydetermination.This,alongwiththeresultsandrecommendationsfromthepedestriansurvey,needtobecoordinatedwiththeSHPOpriortoproceedingwithanyactualconstructionorground‐disturbingactivities. NativeAmericanResources

YCWAcontactedtheNativeAmericanHeritageCommissionin2009todeterminewhichNativeAmericanTribescouldhaveinterestintheProjectArea.ItisrecommendedthatanewTribalcontactlistbeobtainedfromtheNativeAmericanHeritageCommissiontoensurethatallinterestedTribeshavebeencontacted.YCWAconductedaNativeAmericanTraditionalCulturalProperties(TCP)studytodetermineiftheproposedstudyhadthepotentialtohave anadverseeffectonhistoricproperties,includingtraditionalculturalproperties(TCP)andethnographicresourcesthatqualifyforlistingontheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces(NRHP). TheAPEforthisFERCstudywasapproximately4,300acresandwhichoverlapsmostofthereconnaissancestudyarea.SincetheTCPstudywascompletedin2012,YCWAexpandedtheAPEto9,600acres,whichwasconcurredwithbytheSHPOin2013.YCWAconductedseveralconsultationmeetingswithtribesandagenciesbeginningin2009andcontinuinginto2012.ThestudydidnotidentifyanyTCPswithinorneartheFERCProjectAPE. AfterobtainingacurrentlistofTribeswithinterestinthestudyarea,USACEwillcontinuetoconsultaboutthefeasibilitystudywithinthefeasibilitystudyAPE. 12. FormulatingAlternativePlans

 12.1. PreliminaryMeasures

 Ameasureisafeatureoranactivitythatcanbeimplementedataspecificgeographiclocationtoaddressoneormoreplanningobjectives.Generally,measuresarecomponentsthataregroupedtogethertoformalternativeplans.Basedonpublishedreports,sitevisits,Corpsoperationsandmaintenance(O&M)actions,andcommunicationwiththelikelynon‐federalsponsorandstakeholders,belowisapreliminarylistofmeasuresarrangedbyobjectivefortheYubaRiver.Thesepreliminarymeasureshavebeenidentifiedasbeingconceptuallyrepresentativeofarangeofmeasuresfortherestorationofanadromousfishpopulationsand/ortheirhabitatwithintheYubaRiverWatershed.Thefinalformofameasuremaybedifferentthanwhatislistedbelow.However,regardlessoftheformofanyspecificmeasure,twooverarchingconsiderationswillbeassessedwhenfurtherdescribingand/orexamininganypotentialmeasureduringthefeasibilitystudy:(1)anysignificantreductioninthequalityofexistinganadromousfisherieshabitatbelowEnglebrightDamistobeavoided,asitwouldpotentiallyrepresentadegradationofexistingpopulations;and(2)giventhehighfloodriskthatcurrentlyexistsinmostoftheSacramentoRiverBasinandtheextensiveefforts(andtremendouscosts)currentlybeingexpendedtoimprovefloodprotection,anysignificantreductioninfloodmanagementcapabilityofthelowerYuba,Feather,orSacramentorivers

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shouldbeconsideredunacceptable.ThiswouldincludeavoidingreleaseoflargequantitiesofsedimentfrombehindEnglebrightDam. AquaticHabitatConnectivity

� RemoveDaguerrePointDam� RemoveEnglebrightDam� ConstructsteppoolsuptoDaguerrePointDam� ConstructaseconddamassteptoEnglebrightDam� ReconstructfishladdersatDaguerrePointDam� InstallafullfishladderatEnglebrightDam� NotchEnglebrightDamandinstallapartialfishladder� ConstructafishbypassaroundDaguerrePointDam� ConstructafishbypassaroundEnglebrightDam� CollectandhaularoundEnglebrightDam� CollectandhaularoundNewBullardsBarDam� Hallwood‐Corduafishscreenimprovement� SouthYuba/Brophyfishscreenimprovement

HabitatRestoration� SinoroBarshot‐rockremoval,gravelplacement� Shot‐rockstabilization� DeerCreekgravelaugmentation� Gravelplacement� UpperRoseBarimprovementwithlocalgravel� Nativeriparianvegetationplanting� PredatorcontrolatDaguerrePointDamandingeneral� DaguerreAlleyside‐channel� Other/variousside‐channelconstruction� Ricefieldrearing� Floodplainrearinghabitatrestoration� Naturalhabitatfeatures(suchasrootwads,wholetrees,andwoodjams)installation� Engineeredrifflesorboulderfieldstoreducevelocitiesandrestorechannelcomplexity� Bioengineeringfeaturestofacilitatevegetationestablishment� Installnewsecurityfeaturesorreconstructexistingbarriers,etc.tolimitpublicaccess

(whereaccessiscurrentlyprohibited)atDaguerrePointDamtoreducepoaching. GeneticIntegrity

� Segregationstructure(weirorgate)forspring‐andfall‐runChinooksalmondownstreamofEnglebrightDam

� Segregationstructureforwildandhatcheryfish� CollectandhaularoundEnglebrightDam� CollectandhaularoundNewBullardsBarDamandReservoir� CoordinatedmanagementwithFeatherRiveroperationsandhatchery

12.1.1.ScreeningofMeasures 

Apreliminaryscreeningoftheidentifiedmeasureswasdoneinanattempttoreducethe

38   

numberofcandidatemeasuresbeforecombiningthemintopreliminaryalternatives.Forexample,theremovalofNewBullardsBarDamwasscreenedoutbecausedamremovalwouldeliminate170,000acre‐feetofdedicatedfloodstorage,thussignificantlyincreasingfloodrisk.Measureshadtoaddressatleastoneobjectiveandbepracticable.Forexample,wetlandrestorationandvernalpoolprotectionwereconsideredbutscreenedoutbecausetheydonotaddressoneofthethreemainobjectivesoffishhabitatconnectivity,riverineaquatichabitatrestoration,orsalmonidgeneticintegrity.MeasurestargetingtheGoldfieldswerenotretainedduetopracticability;atthistime,techniquesarelackingtorestorelargeamountsofcobbleintoriparianhabitat.Installationofahatcherywasscreenedoutbecauseitconflictswiththeobjectiveofmaintaininggeneticintegrity.Duringthefeasibilitystudy,themeasureslistedabove,aswellasanyadditionalmeasuresyettobeidentified,willbescreenedtodeterminewhethereachmeasureshouldberetainedforuseintheformulationofthealternativeplans.Screeningcriteriaduringthefeasibilityphasewilllikelyincludecosteffectiveness,whetherthemeasuremeetsmultipleobjectives,howwellthemeasurehasperformedatotherprojects(likelihoodofsuccess),andwhetherthemeasureisexpectedtobeconstructedbyanotherentity.Also,thefourplanningcriteriaofcompleteness,efficiency,effectiveness,andacceptabilitywillbeemployedtoscreenmeasuresandformulatealternatives. 

12.2. AlternativeFormulationStrategies Analternativeformulationstrategyisamethodforgroupingmeasuresintoalternatives.Forthereconnaissancestudy,aformulationstrategybasedonfishpassagebarrierstosalmonids,classesofaquatichabitatrestoration,andriverreacheswasused.Barrierstosalmonidsarethedams,andbecausethedamsarelargestructuresandthecausesofthemajorproblemontheriver(fishpassage),itwaslogicalthatalternativesshouldbeformulatedtoaddressproblemsposedbythosestructures.Classesofaquatichabitatrestorationwerefocusedonsalmonidlifephase:spawningorjuvenilerearing.Lastly,riverreacheswereincludedintheformulationstrategysimplytoorganizefeaturesbylocation.Thealternativeformulationstrategywillbefinalizedduringthefeasibilityphaseofthestudy.Duringthefeasibilitystudy,theformulationstrategyorstrategieswillbedevelopedbasedonscoping.Throughscoping,stakeholderinputwillbesought.Someofthepreliminaryalternativespresentedinthisanalysismaybemodified,somemaybeeliminated,andstillotheradditionalalternativesmaybeadded. 13. ArrayofAlternatives

 Forthepurposesofthisanalysis,ninepotentialalternativeswereconsidered,includingtheNoActionalternative.ThealternativesareintendedtodemonstrateminimumandmaximumconnectivitylevelsalongthereachesfromDaguerrePointDamtoEnglebrightDam,fromDaguerrePointDamtoNewBullardsBarDam,andfromDaguerrePointDamtotheNorthYubaRiverupstreamofNewBullardsBarDam.Operationofthecollect‐and‐haulmeasurewouldbeanO&Mrequirement,andthusundertakenbythenon‐federalsponsor.Quantifiablemetricstoevaluatealternativebenefits/outputswillbeidentifiedduringthefeasibilitystudy.ThepreliminaryarrayofalternativesalongwiththeirexpectedoutputsisshowninTable1. 

39   

Thepreliminaryalternativesweredevelopedbasedonseveralassumptions.Onewasassumingthatscreeningofmeasuresdonebyothergroups,suchastheYSFwasconsistentwiththeprocessUSACEwillfollow,sothatUSACEwouldreachthesameconclusions.Forinstance,completeremovalofEnglebrightDamwasnotincluded,asearlierstudieshaveindicateditwouldbecost‐prohibitive,especiallywithrespecttodisposingofthetoxiccontaminatedsedimentbehindit.

40 

Table1.PreliminaryPotentialAlternatives. 

Alternative Description Benefits/Outputs PreliminaryConstructionCostEstimate1

NoAction USACEwillnot construct a restoration project. 0 $01–DaguerretoEnglebright,MinimumConnectivity

� PlantriparianvegetationandplaceLWM.� ReconstructtheDaguerrefishladders.

� Minimalincreaseinconnectivity� 12milesofjuvenilehabitat�Noincrease in genetic integrity

$30‐40M

2–DaguerretoEnglebright,MinimumConnectivityplusSegregationFacility

Sameasabove withthe addition of:� segregationstructuretosortspringandfallruns,hatcheryfish,andwildsalmonids

� Minimalincreaseinconnectivity� 12milesofjuvenilehabitat� Increaseingeneticintegrity

$35‐50M

3a–DaguerretoEnglebright,MaximumConnectivity

� PlantriparianvegetationandplaceLWM.� ConstructbypasschannelatDaguerre(forgreensturgeon).

� Constructstep‐poolsforfishpassageatDaguerre.

� Moderateincreaseinconnectivity� 12milesofjuvenilehabitat� Noincreaseingeneticintegrity

$30‐60M

3b–DaguerretoEnglebright,MaximumConnectivityplusSegregationFacility

� PlantriparianvegetationandplaceLWM.� ConstructbypasschannelatDaguerre(forgreensturgeon).

� Constructstep‐poolsforfishpassageatDaguerre.

� Installasegregationstructure.

� Moderateincreaseinconnectivity� 12milesofjuvenilehabitat� Increaseingeneticintegrity

$30‐65M

3c–DaguerretoEnglebright,MaximumConnectivity,RemoveDaguerre

� PlantriparianvegetationandplaceLWM.� RemoveDaguerrePointDam(andrelocatediversions).

� Moderateincreaseinconnectivity� 12milesofjuvenilehabitat� Noincreaseingeneticintegrity

$125‐150M

4a–DaguerretoNewBullardsBar,MaximumConnectivityplusSegregationFacility

Sameas3bplus:� notchingEnglebrightDamandconstructingapartialladder

� Moderateincreaseinconnectivity� 30milesofjuvenilehabitat� Noincreaseingeneticintegrity

$100‐150M

4b–DaguerretoNewBullardsBar,MaximumConnectivity,RemoveDaguerreplusSegregationFacility

Sameas3cwith the additions of:� segregationstructure� notchingEnglebrightDamandconstructingapartialladder

� Moderateincreaseinconnectivity� 30milesofjuvenilehabitat� Increaseingeneticintegrity

$2.6‐2.7B

41 

Alternative Description Benefits/Outputs PreliminaryConstructionCostEstimate1

5a–DaguerretoUpperYuba2,MaximumConnectivityplus

Sameas3awith the additionsof:� collectingandhaulingmigratingsalmonids� segregationstructure

� Maximumincreaseinconnectivity� 40+milesofjuvenilehabitat� Increaseingeneticintegrity

$270‐ 305M

5b–DaguerretoUpperYuba1,MaximumConnectivity,Daguerre

Sameas3cwith the additionsof:� collectingandhaulingmigratingsalmonids� segregationstructure

� Maximumincreaseinconnectivity� 40+milesofjuvenilehabitat� Increaseingeneticintegrity

$300‐500M

1Thesecostestimatesaregenerallypreparedbasedonverylimitedinformation,andtheyhavewideaccuracyranges.Theyareonlypresentedinthisanalysistoconveyrelativecostsamongalternatives.Actualcostestimateswillbedevelopedduringthefeasibilitystudy.

2UpperYubaextendspastNewBullardsBarReservoir.

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Thecostrangeofthepreliminaryactionalternativesisestimatedtobe$30millionto$2.7billion.PreliminarycostswerebasedonotherYubaRiverstudies,suchasthe2013YSFFishPassageInfrastructureReport,otherCorpsestimatesfordifferentrestorationprojects,USForestServiceriverrestorationcosts,andlocalrestorationprojectslikeconstructionofasidechannelalongtheGreenRiverinKent,Washington. Inordertoevaluatethealternativesforthefeasibilitystudy,resultsofmonitoringoftheYubaRiverhabitatrepairworkalreadyunderwaybyUSACEaspartofitsO&Mactivitieswillbereviewed.Othercomparisonandevaluationcriteriainadditiontothatusedtoscreenmeasuresmayincludehowmuchanalternativeplanreducespredationandwhetheritaddstowatertemperaturemanagementcapability. Anyalternativethathasthepotentialtoreleasemercurythroughground‐orstreambed‐disturbingactivitieswillneedtobeinvestigatedfurther.Attemptswillbemadetoformulatealternativesthatavoidactionsthatcouldmakemercurybiologicallyavailable.However,ifremediationisrequiredbytheComprehensiveEnvironmentalResponse,Compensation,andLiabilityAct(CERCLA),financialresponsibilityforsuchremediationwillbedeterminedinaccordancewiththerequirementsofCERCLA,applicableregulationsandCorpspolicyasdescribedinEngineerRegulation1165‐2‐132. Additionally,severalecosystemrestorationmodelswillbeused.USACE’sEngineerResearchandDevelopmentCenter(ERDC)hasaconnectivitymodeltoevaluatefishpassagebarriers.TheForestService’sFishXingsoftwarecanbeusedtodesignaquaticorganismpassagefacilities.USACE’sInstituteforWaterResources(IWR)isdevelopingasalmon‐specificmodelforlargerfishpassageprojects.GregPasternakwiththeUniversityofCalifornia,Davisdevelopedanecohydraulic2‐dimensionalmodelusingSRH‐2DofthelowerYubaRiver.AUSFishandWildlifeService(FWS)HabitatEvaluationProcedure(HEP)modelforChinooksalmonmaybeused.IWRPlan,theCostEffectiveness/IncrementalCostAnalysis(CE/ICA)softwarefromtheIWRPlanningSuite,willbeusedtoevaluateandcomparealternatives. 

13.1. EnvironmentalImpacts Therelativelevelsofpotentialenvironmentalimpactsforthepreliminaryalternativeswereestimatedbasedontheamountofground‐orstreambed‐disturbingworkthateachalternativewouldentail.Clearly,potentialenvironmentalimpactsneedtobequantifiedandanalyzedduringthefeasibilitystudy.Table2displaysthealternativesandthepreliminarilyexpectedlevelofimpactbycategory—“highs”arebolded. Mostimpactswouldbetemporaryduetoconstruction,includingimpactstobiologicalresources;somewildlifecouldbeaffectedduringconstructioninandalongtheriver.Negativeeffectswillbeminimizedbyschedulingworkaroundprotectivewindows,employingbestmanagementpracticesandadheringtoFederalandapplicablestateregulations.ModificationstoEnglebrightDamwouldlikelyaffecthydroelectricfacilities,sothoseeffectswouldhavetobefullyexplored,evaluated,andaddressedduringthefeasibilitystudy.

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Table2.PreliminaryEnvironmentalImpactAssessment.Alternative ImpactCategory

Soils Land

AirQualit

WaterQuality

BiologicalResource

CulturalResource

Traffic Noise Recreation Aesthetics

NoAction None None None None None None None None None None1–DaguerretoEnglebright,Minimum

Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low

2 – Daguerre toEnglebright, MinimumConnectivity plus

Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low Low

3a–DaguerretoEnglebright,Maximum

High Low Low High High Low High Low Low Low

3b–DaguerretoEnglebright,MaximumConnectivityplus

High Low Low High High Low High Low Low Low

3c–DaguerretoEnglebright,MaximumConnectivity,Remove

High Low Low High High Low High Low Low Low

4a–DaguerretoNewBullardsBar,MaximumConnectivityplusSegregationFacility

High Low Low High High Low High High High Low

4b–DaguerretoNewBullardsBar,MaximumConnectivity,RemoveDaguerreplusSegregation

High Low Low High High Low High High High Low

5a–DaguerretoUpperYuba,MaximumConnectivityplus

High High High High High Low High High High Low

5b–DaguerretoUpperYuba,MaximumConnectivity,DaguerrePointDamRemovalplusSegregation

High High High High High Low High High High Low

44  

14. KeyAssumptionsandUncertainties Inordertoscopethefeasibilitystudy,thefollowingassumptionsweremadeanduncertaintiesidentified.ThescopeofthefeasibilitystudywillbebasedontheseassumptionsaswellasanyothersidentifiedduringProjectManagementPlan(PMP)development.Uncertaintiesareitemsoractivitiesthatmaysignificantlyimpactthefeasibilitystudy;theycanchange,ordetailsarenotyetknown.ThesewillberefinedfurtherduringdevelopmentofthePMPandwillbedocumentedandqualifiedinariskregister. Assumptions:

� Ahighdegreeofstudy/projectmanagementcoordinationwillbeneededamongthestudyteam,includingthenon‐federalsponsor(s),andtheverticalteamandstakeholders.

� Thenon‐federalsponsororotherstakeholderswillsupplysomepreliminaryengineeringdesignworkandtechnicalsupport,whichwillbereviewedbyUSACEtoverifythatitmeetsFederalstandardsandrequirements.

� WatermanagementwithrespecttoanadromousfishspeciesisbeingaddressedthroughFERCrelicensingandtheYubaRiverAccord.

� EnvironmentalanalysiswillbeanEnvironmentalImpactStatement(EIS). 

� Environmentalspecialistwillneedtocoordinatewithnon‐federalsponsoronCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityAct(CEQA)analysis.

� ThedecisiondocumentwillbeanintegratedfeasibilityreportandNEPA/CEQAdocument.

� Notopographic,bathymetric,orsoilsurveyswillbeconducted.

� AnMCACEScostestimatewillbeperformedontheselectedplanatalevelsuitableforafeasibilitystudy.

� Preliminarycostsareavailable. 

� Dataonthelikelihoodofrestorationmeasuresuccessareavailableandappropriate.

� Duetosignificanttribalinterestonotherprojectsintheregionandnotduetoanyknowncontroversy,consultationeffortscouldbegreaterthanforsimilarfeasibilitystudies.

Uncertainties 

� Damsafetyisnotknowntobeahighrisk.� Detailsandschedulesofotheractivities,includingrestorationactions,arenotfully

known.  

45  

15. Feasibility‐PhaseCostEstimateandSchedule ThefeasibilitystudywillbeaCorpsSMARTPlanningstudy,whereSMARTstandsforSpecific,Measurable,Attainable,Risk‐Informed,andTimely.Assuch,itwillmeetthe“3x3x3”planningrule:thestudywilltakenolongerthanthreeyearstoresultinasignedChief’sReportatacostnogreaterthan$3millionandinvolveallthreelevelsoftheorganization(district,division,headquarters). Thefeasibilitystudyisexpectedtocostapproximately$3million.Outofthe$3million,$150,000isa100%FederalcostforIEPR.Sotheremainingstudycosttobecost‐shared50%‐50%is$2.85million.Thenon‐federalsponsorwillpay$1.425million.TheFederalgovernmentwillpay$1.425millionplusthe$150,000forIEPRforatotalof$1.575million.ThecostestimatewillberefinedduringPMPdevelopment.ThecostestimateisbrokendownbydisciplineasshowninTable3below.(DistrictQualityControlisincludedwitheachdiscipline.) Table3.Preliminaryfeasibilitystudycostestimate.

Discipline Cost ($)ProjectManagement 500,000PlanFormulation 500,000Economics 70,000DamSafety 15,000FishBiology 150,000EnvironmentalPlanning 450,000CulturalResources 95,000HydraulicEngineering 270,000CivilDesign 100,000GeotechnicalEng. 100,000EnvironmentalEng. 100,000RealEstate 50,000TribalLiaison 50,000CostEngineering 120,000Operations 75,000AgencyTechnicalReviewTeam 100,000IEPR1 150,000Contingency 105,000

Total 3,000,0001IndependentExternalPeerReview

 ThecostestimateisbasedonthecostofasimilarecosystemrestorationstudyinvolvingfishhabitatconnectivityanddamsaswellastheassumptionslistedinSection14.ItwillbefurtherrefinedduringthedevelopmentofthePMP.Althoughthepreliminaryoverallestimateofthecostofthefeasibilitystudyisanticipatedtoremainasindicated,significantre‐allocationamongthespecificdisciplineslistedabovemaybenecessary.Additionally,thedisciplineallocationmaychangeasaresultofnon‐Federalsponsorcostsharecontributions.

46  

 Belowisapreliminaryschedulebasedontheavailabilityoffullfunding,asimilarfeasibilitystudy,andstandardreviewdurations.

Action Date Duration

Sign FCSA Mar 2015 +1 month

Start Feasibility Study Apr 2015 +6 months

Alternatives Milestone Oct 2015 +1 year

Tentatively Selected Plan Milestone Oct 2016 +8 months

Agency Decision Milestone Jun 2017 +3 months

Final Report Milestone Sep 2017 +3 months

Civil Works Review Board Dec 2017 +3 months

Chief’s Report Mar 2018

 16. Letter of Intent  Asthenon‐federalsponsor,YCWAiswillingandabletopartnerinthe50/50cost‐shareofthefeasibilitystudyandfullyunderstandtheresponsibilitiesrequiredofanon‐federalsponsorforfeasibilitystudies.Thenon‐federalsponsorisalsoawareofthecost‐sharingrequirementsforpotentialprojectimplementation.ALetterofIntentfromthenon‐federalsponsorstatingawillingnesstopursethefeasibilitystudyandtoshareinitscost,andanunderstandingofthecost‐sharingthatisrequiredforprojectconstruction,isincludedasAttachmentA. 17. Recommendation  IrecommendthattheYubaRiverEcosystemRestorationStudyproceedintothefeasibilityphase.ThisrecommendationisbasedonFederalinterest,consistencywithArmyandbudgetarypolicies,andthelikelihoodofaprojectmeetingcriteriaforFederalparticipationinprojectimplementation.    Date MichaelJ.Farrell Colonel,U.S.Army DistrictCommander

AttachmentA–LetterofIntent

AttachmentB–Bibliography

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