The Kilarc Project |
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News!!! Please hit REFRESH on your browser to get latest version of this page !!!In March 2011, Davis Hydro responded with an analysis of the Biological Opinion that suggested that their analysis was both flawed and incomplete. The DH response went further and suggested that the the Opinion was in violation of numerous Federal laws and administrative procedures. In February 2011, NMFS filed a Biological Opinion that basically said that the demolition Alternative will nave no negative effect on listed endangered species. It only evaluated teh Demolition Alternative. January, 14th 2011 Davis Hydro filed with the FERC a Summary of the Kilarc Proposal and the Kilarc Foundation, with all current ideas summarized in one document. The summary details steps necessary to restore anadromous fish to the upper Sacramento River. December 2010 Davis Hydro distributes for comment a draft summary of their proposal. The Kilarc Project along with an elaboration on the role of the Kilarc Foundation. That paper also begins to discuss the question of whether the Endangered Species Act even applies to a Population of fish whose distinguishing characteristic, anadromy, is dependent on epigenomics rather that genetics. November 11 2010, Steve Tetrick et al. filed a comprehensive and well documented challenge to the idea that demolish P-606 will help significantly with restoring anadromous fish to Cow Creek. This filing was based on data provided under a FOIA request from Shasta County to NMFS and USFWS. Shasta County has released those documents and this filing is based, in part, on this newly released information. September 23, 2010, Frank Galusha requests the remainder of the Transcript of the August 17th 2010 Public Meeting. The current transcript is incomplete and misleading. He also points out the incomplete and confusing mess FERC is creating. He requests confirmation that all input at the public meeting will guide their decision and that without such confirmation the FERC process is meaningless. No such affirmation has been received. KC0641 7-6-2010 Kilarc Foundation Incorporation Form (Word) KC0639 6-12-2010 Kilarc Foundation Articles of Incorporation (Word) August 17, 2010: FERC holds a second Public Meeting under the direction of the environmental coordinator CarLisa Linton-Peters at (202) 202-8416, or at carlisa.linton-peters@ferc.gov. FERC has supplied only part of the transcript of that meeting. He suggests that the interesting parts, notably the introductory comments by FERC staff have been edited out. Only the FERC sanitized version is available. July 29th 2010 Davis Hydro starts temperature monitoring study of the Old Cow. Ten temperature probes are buried in the stream beds of the Old Cow, the Main Stem of the Cow and the lower South Cow. The intent of the study is to understand the interaction of the hydro and the temperature of Cow Creek. The probes record temperature every hour for two years. July 2010, Davis Hydro releases letters to various Federal Agencies relating to Draft Environmental Impact Statement. See Documents section of FERC E-library. July 2010, FERC holds public meeting on its Draft Environmental Impact Statement. It is met with universal disdain,condemnation, ignoring local data, and inadequately addressing temporal, geographic air and water effects. The public was distraught. July 12, 2010 Davis Hydro staff form The Kilarc Foundation to channel Kilarc profits into fish enhancement projects. June 23 2010, Davis Hydro releases several letters to NOAA, and NMFS and the Governor's Office requesting assistance in getting various agencies to do their job. June 22, 2010 FERC releases a Draft Environmental Impact Statement. It is so deficient on all aspects that many concerned are mystified why it is so inadequate when FERC is so experienced in their preparation. June 28th 2010, CDFG agrees to stock the Kilarc Reservoir. The focus of Davis Hydro has been on the genetics of any fish enhancement project at the Kilarc facility. This has led to the current analysis of our reservoir and its reopening. June 2010 Davis Hydro staff consulting biologist studies the Kilarc facility for suitable for stocking. Determination is made that stocking Kilarc is acceptable. The focus of the CDFG/DH discussion is on genetics of all fish populations in the area. May 19th 2010, Davis Hydro is starting a community outreach website. The intention of the new Website, (Kilarc.Net) is to capture and publish public articles, newspaper reprints, news, and to help people publish their own thoughts as the Kilarc Project moves along. This Website will initially be edited by Kelly and other community members with community assistance, and is intended to compliment this site which will cease to publish most public newspaper type of coverage and will allow this page to contain primarily the official agency filings and most all the filings of Davis Hydro. The SaveKilarc.org website has been supported by DH in the past, but is now the Official site of the Save Kilarc Committee. It is not every project that has three and possibly 4 supporting and booster web sites!!! May 18th 2010, California Fish and Game has closed many of the stocked ponds around the State because the stocking has been found to interfere with the Federal objective of enhancing the anadromous species of salmonids in the State. Davis Hydro is spearheading an effort to get the Kilarc Reservoir reopened. This opportunity has come to our attention through discussions with various biologists on what fish should we be enhancing in the reservoir and generally in our spawning canal efforts in particular. Simply put, and the question we raised, is ," If we are going to spawn fish, what fish do we want? There is no simple answer. Just as this dilemma is faced in Davis Hydro's Kilarc Project, CDFG is faced with the same question at many - most of their hatcheries. To understand the complexity of the dilemma, one has to read the excellent Study done for CDG on the question of "What Fish?" That study is available here. Davis Hydro can supply a complete version on a CD. April, 2010, FERC decides to go directly to than EIS. This means that a EA will not be done. February 4th, 2010 Davis Hydro releases an extensive response to California Fish and Game filing that focuses agreement with the concerns and objectives of the concerns and objectives of of CDFG. Suggests the the Davis Hydro approach will produce more fish and clarifies how the the DH approach may lead to restoring the various ancestral stocks in the areas up and down the Sacramento. February, 3th 2010 Davis Hydro filed informational ideas and background on the Latest Tetrick "settlement" filing. In summary, DH could not find what it settled since he only overriding issue here is fish. Further, the filing suggests origins and depth of the Tetrick idea, and discusses motivations behind some comments of Sierra Pacific. Finally, the filing suggests a way to provide Abbott Ditch all the water and meet fish agency objectives. January 2010 Davis Hydro releases for discussion, an updated research plan. Changes in the emphasis of research from centering on enhancing anadromy directly to focusing on the genetics of the ancestral genotypes in the Cow Creek Area. The emphasis on spawning remains the focus of physical habitat research with a bias toward research that supports restoration of indigenous genotypes the Upper Sacramento area. (See pages 8 & 9 for a discussion of the question of which fish should we be restoring). Spawning beds, genetics, screens, and diversion channel passage are areas of immediate work. January 2010 - Davis Hydro asks FERC for a Jurisdictional Ruling. Primary interest is on whether future (Post P-606) FERC licensing will be required. October 25th 2009 , Davis Hydro filed corrections to its scoping filing of October 16th, 2009. A discussion of the next steps and Environmental Impact Statement was filed by Kelly Sackheim of KC Hydro (another Ely-Sackheim hydro development company). October 22nd - The near complete lack of participation of the Resource agencies in the FERC/agency meeting was explained by USFWS and California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) that they were only responding to FERC's narrow scope of reviewing PG&E's submission - no other Alternatives. CDFG announced - after hearing over 20 speakers representing the complete community begging for the Kilarc to remain that CDFG's position was unchanged, i.e. that the whole facility should be demolished. NMFS did not even come to the meeting or explain to FERC why they were unavailable, although Dave White, Hydraulic Engineer, of NMFS did attend the site tours. The community was profoundly disappointed. October 19th to October 23rd - the FERC came and visited the site and heard from all public parties and fish-restoration Alternative proponents. October 20,21,23 - radio interviews on Redding Radio by various Save the Project proponents. Many call-ins as it was talk radio. Not one caller supported removal of the project. Most were aghast at the action as a clear sign of massive government stupidity. October 19th 2009 The FERC sponsored public meeting on the whole project. very strong presentations were made by many parties including various representatives of (Evergreen Shasta - Steve Tetrick's company, and Davis Hydro among many others. - All to save the project. October 16th 2009 was the deadline for Scoping comments to the FERC on how extensive the NEPA process cess should be and what studies should be conducted. Extensive comments were received, particularly from Davis Hydro, Steve Tetrick, the public, and comments from NMFS and sister agencies. The agency comments focused exclusively on the PG&E demolition alternative, and addressed only on protection of the fish during and after the removal of PG&E's facilities. The Tetrick filing focused on the South Cow and Abbott ditch issues, while the Davis Hydro filing covered a full range of needed applicable studies and alternatives, but only briefly addressed the South Cow. (This filing had a significant error in it and was corrected subsequently - see October 25th ,above). September 2009 There have been a string of letters, filed comments with the FERC, radio interviews, and endless neighborhood meetings on what to do. These have been documented on the FERC E-library, Davis Hydro project web site, WWW.Kilarc.info, and various community web sites such as Kilarc.net. August 25th Davis Hydro releases its Working Paper on Fish Production and Research for discussion. August 24th & 25th, 2009, a large number of people filed reply comments to the FERC - most of the individual and group comments addressed the Kilarc facility. Agency comments addressed both the Kilarc Facility and the South Cow. Many of these are on this web site under the Reference Materials/Documents section. Others are available on a new web site of comments and content of the Whitmore Community, Kilarc.net. We, Davis Hydro, filed extensive Reply Comments to the Agency Comments on PG&E's plan are available here. The emphasis was on the larger geographic and type of impacts than were addressed by the agencies. Aug. 24th, 2009 There is an active multipart discussion (PG&E starts the discussion here) between Tetrick's attorneys and PG&E legal staff best reviewed on the FERC E-Library. That discussion, our comments, agency comments, and community filings are available on the FERC E-library web site under project p-606. August 18th 2009 Dick and Kelly made a MS Power Point presentation to the Friends of Cow Creek Preserve at the Whitmore School. This presentation included various maps, and drawings, and a small brochure explaining the project. The extended discussion afterward was active and centered on the opportunities, responsibilities, and structure of the Kilarc Trust and the Trustees. Steve Tetrick also spoke briefly indicating the start of biological study of his area with results due in October. August 2009 - Mike Barry's picture of Whitmore Falls in flood has been added to the Pictures section. July 13th 2009 Steve Tetrick and Eric Pool and other ranchers put forth their Alternative to PG&E's demolition alternative. This alternative has the County operating the recreation at the Kilarc Reservoir. In the Davis Hydro plan the Hydro Licensee or or alternatively community/fish resource agency based trustee would operate the facility. This is similar to how it is operated now with PG&E operating the site. July 13th 2009 Davis Hydro releases a detailed discussion on environmental scope and specific issues needing addressing in evaluating alternatives to demolition. Davis Hydro's Reconstruction Alternative is contrasted with the demolition Alternative across time and across all the geography that such a decision will affect. June 20th 2009 Davis Hydro releases the latest and most comprehensive exposition of its Reconstruction Alternative as a positive alternative to PG&E's demolition approach. It is the same plan as was distributed in January with more details, maps and routes of the fish return conduits. It is also available as a smaller ZIP file here. Basically the site would remain as it is but with three fish returns and extensive new spawning beds in the headrace. There would be new research, education, and off-project fish restoration components to fund and work with local water diverters. March 17th 2009: Kelly Sackheim made a presentation of the Davis Hydro Alternative at 6:30 p.m. at Whitmore School at the invitation of the Board of the Friends of Cow Creek Preserve in support of the Save Kilarc Committee which has been set up to support keeping the project. March 13th 2009: PG&E has released their Surrender Application to the FERC. For the complete story go to Process and Status. January 2009: Davis Hydro and KC LLC are actively working on an alternative to PG&E's demolition plan. Our alternative is called THE KILARC PROJECT. This will include a the new fish production and research facilities evolving in conjunction with a revitalization of the current hydropower facility. This complex will be run by The Kilarc Trust and will have as its goal a massive expansion in the emission of rainbow fry from the Old Cow. A description of this facility and the administrative structure is presently in draft form and is being distributed for review. Public release of this alternative plan will be released in late April. December 2008: The Whitmore area and local fishing groups have set up their own web site WWW.SaveKilarc.org. November 2008 - Many agencies, individuals, and Davis Hydro have commented on PG%E's Draft License Surrender Application. There is a marked contrast in the reviews between the local groups along with Davis Hydro and the Fish resource agencies. The locals found the Application to be grossly inadequate and full of errors on numerous counts, while the agencies generally found it nearly complete. 10/6/08 The Save Kilarc Committee will hold a workshop to help local stakeholders October 29, 2008 in Whitmore, tentatively starting at 6 p.m. For details and location. E-mail kelly at Kelly@davishydro.com or call Kelly at 916 962-2271. 10/5/08 Davis Hydro removes the Cow Paddy blog. This feature of the site has attracted virus distributing spammers. The blog was not used much in recent months, so little is lost. If people would like it back, please contact us and we will get a more secure one up and in operation. 10/3/08 Davis Hydro revises Ideas for Discussion Page 9/08 Davis Hydro has been talking to numerous groups including the Friends of Cow Creek Preserve (FoCCP), and Cottonwod Creek Watershed Group (CWMG). Contact Jan Lopez for further information (530-347-6637). 9/8/08 PG&E held public meeting to discuss the environmental impacts their Draft License Surrender Application (DLSA). 8/25/2008 Davis Hydro responds to PG&E's August 12th 2008 rejection of the Reconstruction Alternative leaving the facilities in place. 7/25/08 Davis Hydro releases two working papers. One addresses the German Ditch as an opportunity to meet local water needs and as a venue steelhead restoration measures. The second paper addresses Performance Standards which will enable resolution of which Alternative is better: PG&E's planned demolition or Davis Hydro's Reconstruction Alternative. 7/2/08 Davis Hydro discusses Reconstruction Plan informally with CDFG staff in a teleconference. They do not support the Reconstruction Alternative. 7/08 Davis Hydro requests NOAA to review the proposed Reconstruction Alternative. No consultation was provided other than that in their letter response to the FERC, available here. 6/21/08 Davis Hydro releases the Reconstruction Alternative, a plan that focuses on building new fish habitat in the Kilarc Canal and returns fish to the bypassed section of the Old Cow. This plan will create more fish habitat and more fish while costing far less than PG&E's demolition alternative. See the Document section of this Web site complete text in several formats and separate files for all figures. 3/26/08 Davis Hydro releases an update to Alternative I. This plan is an alternative to removing the facilities. It addresses the concerns of Salmon Restoration, Recreation, and Green Power Generation within one plan that can be implemented through the Federal process. 3/26/2008 Davis Hydro attended public Stewardship Council meeting and highlighted that hydropower can support recreation and the restoration of salmon and steelhead trout at the Kilarc Reservoir. 3/25/2008 Davis Hydro met with Shasta County staff and discussed how recreation, fisheries, and hydropower goals can be met together. Carlton Engineering assisted by reviewing the deferred maintenance and expected regular and probabilistic upcoming maintenance costs. 3/10 PG&E releases A Solicitation of Interest For Operation of Kilarc Forebay as a Recreation Facility. This letter contains information on operating the site as a recreation facility and represents an opening for an entity such as the County or the State to acquire the Kilarc Site for recreation while allowing Davis Hydro to fund maintenance through hydropower. 1/19 Davis Hydro Releases a Status Report on where we are in developing Alternatives for PG&E to study in advance of FERC's NEPA study. 1/18 Davis Hydro released their Alternative I for discussion. This is a comprehensive response to the destruction of the Kilarc Cow Creek facility by PG&E. Alternative I will save the anadromous fish, save the recreation, and create more fish habitat that will exist under the removal option proposed by PG&E. 2/6/2008 Mr. Thomas J. ("TJ") LoVullo of the FERC visited the region January 24th of 2008. Two meetings day (at 10 at Hampton Inn ) and night (at 7 PM the Millville Grange so that all can visit with him. Davis Hydro has discussed the visit with him and emphasized the public's need to know not what is the NEPA/ESA/FERC process, but within that process what paths they or anyone can do to save Kilarc or any other hydropower facilities. Mr. LoVullo's telephone number is 202 502-8900, with an E-mail of Thomas.LoVullo@FERC.gov. BUYOUT: During that conversation, various options were discussed including Davis Hydro, or another entity, buying the project - or parts of the project from PG&E prior to its destruction; i.e. during the surrender process. We were assured that a buy-out or other similar effort is possible under existing FERC process if, and it is a big IF, the natural resource agencies, notably the fish related agencies, agree with the plan. 12/4/2007 The Stewardship Council toured the Kilarc site. The Stewardship Council is interested in and emphasizes the recreational aspects of the Project. Mr.Toby Perry (866 791-5150) represented the Stewardship Council. Ms. Walters (PG&E Communications) and Mr. Stalica (Operations) represented PG&E. Mr. Dye and Mr. Roth represented the Save Kilarc Committee and the community. Davis Hydro, unfortunately, was unable to attend. 11/16 FERC agrees to come an visit the project. The FERC has sent a letter to Representative Herger detailing a visit in January of 2008 to the area. 11/9 Davis Hydro starts investigating the idea that fish enhancement might be possible by expanding the headrace habitats of this project. We studied the Kilarc canal in some detail as a prime habitat and noted copious fish at the upstream end near the diversion trying to spawn - or at least exhibiting spawning like behaviors. It is well known that the diversion canals, are full of fish from many sources. The inlet to Kilarc is unscreened and all seaward migrating fish and juveniles are swept in much of the year. Their presence is well documented by PG&E and others. Salmon have been observed spawning in these canals. Many parts of the canals might make excellent habitat if the habitat is made suitable. and a way to connect the canals using fish bypasses back to the Creeks. This is being investigated. *** **** **** *** **** 9/26 PG&E responds with a thoughtful letter that considers alternative plans, but not wanting ratepayers to pay for unneeded studies. See Documents Page for this and related material. 9/25 NMFS indicates little need for studies based on July 30 Davis Hydro's Scoping Paper. See Documents Page 9/19/2007 Three letters (Carnley, Trevelyan, Whitmore) to the FERC from different Kilarc groups demanding studies. See Documents Page. 9/18 Davis Hydro meets informally with Shasta County staff and board. Presentation was made to Board of General ideas and questions taken. No formal discussion. 9/13 PG&E releases their Preliminary Proposed Decommissioning Plan dated 9/10/07 9/11/2007 Davis Hydro Alternatives released as A Summary "One Page". This is very similar to press release sent around earlier this week. 9/10 Davis Hydro posts Alternatives to save the Kilarc the South Cow facilities. These Alternatives address keeping the hydropower plants operating and using the revenues to enhance endangered fish and fishing. Both a PDF format and a MS Word format are available. This has been circulating among stakeholders for a week. This is the final discussion version that is being released to the public. 9/10 PG&E releases process summary. Contains discussion of pending release of outline of their removal alternative plan. 8/24 Save Kilarc Committee Sends Letter to Wally Herger and letter to the FERC challenging surrender process declaring this process not public, and in violation of NEPA. 8/27 Davis Hydro releases discussion draft set of "no built/no destroy" Alternatives to some stakeholders for discussion. 8/17 PG&E announces September Meetings. 7-31 FERC Operation Inspection Follow-up letter dated July 27, 2007 is posted on e-library. “The following project elements were inspected: the Old Cow Creek (Kilarc Main Canal) Diversion Dam, Kilarc forebay Dam, South Canyon Creek Diversion Dam, North Canyon Creek Diversion Dam, Kilarc Powerhouse, Mill Creek Diversion, South Cow Creek Main Canal, Cow Creek Forebay and Cow Creek Powerhouse.” The FERC letter also states “The project features appeared to be in good operating condition and well maintained”. Note that the photographs taken in May 2007 and posted on this web site for North Canyon show the washed out canal. Also the South Canyon flume leaving the diversion to the south has significant holes in the flume and will no longer hold water. 7-31-2007 CDFG reminds us that information is already in the FERC record that relates to some of the topics discussed in Davis Hydro's July 2007 document, and provided the following documents (which may be found on the Documents page of this web site) from the FERC record to avoid duplication of effort and/or delay going forward.:
The PG&E web site has “Existing Studies” posted under “Relicensing related documents”. This site is expanding. 7-31 Davis Hydro letter to Shasta County Board of Supervisors regarding whether the County would consider taking over the recreation facilities associated with Kilarc Canal and Reservoir. 7-30 Davis Hydro files a discussion draft of A Scoping Paper on the Kilarc and South Cow License Surrender Study Plans, Suggested Project Surrender Alternatives and Derived Recommended Studies. Copy of Draft is e-filed to FERC and submits to the P-606 FERC Service List, Resource Agency representatives who have been actively consulting with us, and local stakeholders. 7-6 Steve Nevares of PG&E clarified today that PG&E is working on their "preliminary concrete proposal" to be presented in draft form to the agencies and public in September. The PG&E project calendar reflects meetings scheduled for
at places to be announced later. Steve Nevares affirmed that the letter & postcard circulated by Brian Frantz addresses only Water Rights concerns - not other project alternatives or associated studies. PG&E will be active in the Redding area and meeting with various Water Rights holders over the next week. 7-5 New Project Ideas page with some new ideas from recent discussions in Whitmore 7-4 New small (1-2 MB) drawings from the 1969 Adjudication Decree. 7-4-2007 PG&E cancels July and August Meetings PG&E mailed Decommissioning Stakeholders a letter with a return-postcard to identify potentially affected water rights {not studies, contractors,or environmental issues}. The letter indicates that PG&E will present its preliminary proposed decommissioning plan to the public in a September meeting. The enclosed copy of their letter has three pages. Anyone with problems downloading it please contact us.
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