Downstream Fish Passage Reports from the Field Northwest Hydroelectric Association Fall Workshop Two World Trade Center, Portland, OR October 17, 2013
TODAY S PANEL MEMBERS Steve Fischer, PE, Tacoma Power Special Projects Manager Tim Shibahara, Portland General Electric Fish Biologist Chris Karchesky, PacificCorop Fish Passage Program Coordinator
PANEL DISCUSSION OVERVIEW Need and Purpose for Today s Panel Discussion Introduction to the Forebay Collector Overview of Three Pacific NW Facilities Panel Discussion Conclusions
NEED AND PURPOSE REGULATORY DRIVERS NMFS, WDFW, and ODFW Ensure safe and timely movement of out-migrating fish. FERC Relicensing requires compliance with fisheries regulations First nation rights - Mitigation Larger basin wide recovery plans No fish passage = no license renewal in many cases
NEED AND PURPOSE DOWNSTREAM PASSAGE TECHNOLOGIES Surface Spill Bypass Facilities Turbine Passage CHTR Trap and Haul Forebay Collectors
NEED AND PURPOSE PASSAGE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 3 existing full scale surface collectors 2 under construction (1 of which is an R/D vessel) More on the way? None 47% Both U/S and D/S 47% U/S Only 6% Case studies of 63 dams over 50 feet within WA, OR, ID, and CA
NEED AND PURPOSE WHY A PANEL DISCUSSION? NEED There is a need for new, innovative, and economical means of improving downstream passage effectiveness Effectiveness still inconclusive or inadequate on some facilities Data collection and facility evaluation ongoing PURPOSE Transfer of useful insight from lessons learned Identification of similar challenges associated with surface collector design and implementation Collaborative forum to share opinions, ideas, and practical knowledge. Expectation management Can we answer the big question?
INTRODUCTION TO THE FOREBAY COLLECTOR Anatomy of a forebay collector FISH GUIDANCE FISH COLLECTOR COLLECTOR ENTRANCE PUMP PLENUM PUMP ARRAY DEWATERING SCREENS FLUME FISH GRADING AND HOLDING BYPASS
INTRODUCTION TO THE FOREBAY COLLECTOR Basic hydraulics and fish collection process SAMPLING, COLLECTION, AND/OR TRANSPORT BYPASS ATTRACTION CAPTURE GRADUAL INCREASE IN VELOCITY GRADUAL DECREASE IN FLOW HOLDING
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR North Skokomish River, WA Cushman No. 1 Dam Collect Smolts Sockeye, Chinook and Coho FERC License Requirement 3 Years Planning and Design Construction Began Fall 2013 Deployment Spring 2015
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR Lake Cushman Debris Barrier FSC Supply Const. Site/Boat Launch No. 1 Dam FSC/Net Installation No. 2 Dam Cushman No. 2 Powerhouse
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR 250 CFS Pumped System Collects up to 60,000 juvenile fish before unloaded Estimated Construction Cost $29 Million
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR SYSTEM COMPONENTS Building structure Pre-eng. buildings Tent structure Traveling Screens Backwash system Porosity plates Aft end mooring Ballast Primary attraction pumps (10) 25 CFS pumps 250 CFS total flow
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR Fish Handling Equipment
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR - DEBRIS MANAGEMENT DEBRIS BARRIER Worthington Tuff Boom ½ mile in Length Provides Boat Passage SYSTEM COMPONENTS Hydrolox screen Backwash nozzles Motorized Removable cassette
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR GUIDE RAIL AND ANCHOR SYSTEM GUIDE RAIL / ANCHOR STRUCTURE Triangular truss Laterally braced in orthogonal directions FSC ANCHOR Four (4) compression spring dampers Rail follower guide ring JIB CRANE Maximum reach: 36 feet Rated capacity: 5 tons
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR ACCESS STAIR SYSTEM STAIR RUNS Self-adjusting stairs Anti-slip treads STAIR LANDING Polystyrene HDPE floats with elevation stops SUPPORT TRUSSES Lateral/vertical support dam-mounted truss guides
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR SUCCESSES Innovative collection strategy Gradual Acceleration to capture Adjustable staircase from dam to collector Active debris collection system Fish graded by size into holding tanks Strong net system (dyneema) Boat ballasted by weights
THE CUSHMAN SURFACE COLLECTOR Challenges Many Agencies & Stakeholders Skokomish Tribe, NMFS, BIA, USFW, WDFW, USFS Fisheries and Habitat Committee Challenged hydraulic criteria (NMFS) Increased emphasis on debris removal/management Inconsistencies between various agency design requests/suggestions Lessons Learned Add 6 months or more to the design schedule to accommodate reviews inclusion of comments into design
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Project Background June 26, 2008 PacifiCorp and Public Utility District No. 1 of Cowlitz County received licenses from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Licenses include the Lewis River Settlement Agreement which contains 17 Sections and requires implementation of 69 measures Aquatics Terrestrial Species Recreation Cultural Resources Flood Management
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Aquatic Enhancement Goal: Genetically viable, selfsustaining, naturally reproducing, harvestable populations upstream of Merwin dam. Installation of the Merwin and Swift Facilities opens up 117 miles of spawning and rearing habitat upstream of Swift Dam. If passage is installed at all facilities, a total of 170 miles of habitat will be made available.
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Reintroduction Species Spring Chinook Lewis River Winter Steelhead Early Run Coho
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Specifics FSC has 4 main structures Truck Access Trestle Mooring tower Fish Collector Barrier Net System Trap and Haul Facility Planning and Design: 2.5 years Construction: June 2011 Dec 2012 Dimensions: 170ft long, 60ft wide, 53ft tall Fish holding capacity: 75,000 smoltsized fish Operating Range: will work within a 100-foot reservoir fluctuation $60 M Design and Construction
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Specifics Attraction flow: Total of 14 pumps Design capacity of 750 cfs; currently operating at 600 cfs Electrical requirements - approximately 1mW / month
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Year-round operation with 100-ft reservoir fluctuation
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Smolt Sample Tank Smolt General Population Minimize fish handling by subsampling
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Data Tracking Focused on Baseline Data Species Composition Run Timing Size/Age Class Collection Efficiency Injury/Mortality
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Successes Swift began operating on schedule and met FERC deadline Successfully collected out-migrating smolts this spring! Minimal injury and mortality within the facility met or nearly met objectives
SWIFT FLOATING SURFACE COLLECTOR Challenges Debris loading Barrier net deficiencies Inclement weather and seasonal access Getting equipment to work as intended Facility Tuning Lessons Learned Know your equipment and Identify needs Get training Understand your compliance metrics Track results and address underperformance Be ready with Plan B
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR North Fork Hydroelectric Project, River Mill Dam, Clackamas River, Oregon Purpose: Provide downstream passage for juvenile salmon and steelhead Regulatory requirement: FERC License Requirement to meet downstream passage survival goal of 97% for the North Fork Hydroelectric Project (3 dam complex) # Years Planning and Design Test Channel (Horn) & Feasibility Studies 2001-2004 Design Phase: 2010-2011 Construction: 2011 2012 Operation: Nov. 2012 Current Status: 1 year of operation, 1 year of fish evaluations
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR North Fork Hydroelectric Project, River Mill Dam, Clackamas River, Oregon Purpose: Provide downstream passage for juvenile salmon and steelhead Regulatory requirement: FERC License Requirement to meet downstream passage survival goal of 97% for the North Fork Hydroelectric Project (3 dam complex) # Years Planning and Design Test Channel (Horn) & Feasibility Studies 2001-2004 Design Phase: 2010-2011 Construction: 2011 2012 Operation: Nov. 2012 Current Status: 1 year of operation, 1 year of fish evaluations
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR CHARACTERISTICS: Built: 1911 Max Height: 85 ft Impoundment: 150 acres Generation: 23 MW Capacity: 4,850 CFS Run-of-river project with moderate forebay elevation changes New Fish Ladder Uncontrolled Spillway w/ Flashboards Controlled Spillway Powerhouse Intake Forebay
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR RMSC COMPONENTS Collection channel 3 screen systems Transport Channel Fish Sorting Facilities Migrant Pipeline FLOW DESIGN Unit #5 Turbine 500 CFS flow design 700 CFS at high flow $12M Design and Construction Operating Range: ~700 cfs 22.5 kcfs 5.75 feet elevation change
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR Fish routing path
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR Utilization of outer trash racks for guidance
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR Experimental bypass channel
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR No Subsampling Fish Handling Facilities Designed for 1,000 fish capacity Exceed capacity frequently during peak migrations. Spring Peak Day =1300 fish Fall Peak Day = 4000 fish Spring 2013 Total Fish Counts
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR Successes Fish Evaluations Spring 2013 Lake Survival Steelhead = 95% Chinook = 99% Coho = 98% Fish Guidance Efficiency Steelhead = 96% Chinook = 99% Coho = 96% Injury rates low (i.e.<2%)
RIVER MILL SURFACE COLLECTOR Challenges Screen Cleaning Systems Lessons Learned Maximize travelling screen angle More staff time than anticipated Staff Time Flashboards failure timing Hydraulic evaluations Assumptions Sweeping velocities interfere with the ability to measure throughscreen velocities Biological vs. Physical Evaluations? Shutdown/closures Be prepared to salvage or supply water to isolated fish locations Criteria Spacing Outer Racks?
PANEL DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS Scrutinize assumptions - experimental structures or additional studies pay dividends These are not turn key facilities Expect that modifications will need to be made. Prepare for contingencies. Debris is the enemy! Do not underestimate debris management. Open communication with operations and maintenance staff is critical These facilities cannot be operated by fisheries personnel alone. Know your equipment Get training. Understand your compliance metrics track results and address underperformance.