(Appendix 7) Hungry Horse: Establish stable flows to protect bull trout and other resident fish while drafting to 10 ft from full by the end of September (Appendix 7) action) in January Perform analysis to determine amount of Dworshak flexibility to operate above min. flow and still reach spring refill targets Prepare outlook for meeting flow objectives Libby: Determine end of Dec flood control elevation using Corps’ Dec. forecast flows When not operating to meet minimum flows, operate storage projects to be at their upper flood control elevation on or about April 10, (the exact date to be determined during in-season management) Libby/Hungry Horse: Use The Dalles April-August May forecast to determine the September draft limit. Forecasts January, February, and March volume forecasts released by the NWRFC April final forecast released by NWRFC May final forecast released by NWRFC June final forecast released by NWRFC
Project Operations Table 5 summarizes the major fish-related reservoir and flow operations by project, consistent with the 2010 NMFS Supplemental BiOp RPA Table (see Appendix 7). More detailed descriptions of each of these operations by project follow the table. Table 5. Reservoir and Flow Operations for ESA-listed fish species. Project Flood Control & Project Refill Kootenai River White Sturgeon Bull Trout Spring Anadromous Summer Anadromous Chum Libby Winter: Operate to VARQ flood control rule curve and achieve appropriate elevation by April 10 if possible. Spring: Adhere to VARQ Operating Procedures at Libby Dam, supply the appropriate tiered volume for sturgeon, supply appropriate minimum bull trout flow. Summer: to provide summer flow augmentation, refill, exact date to be determined in-season, dependant on available water supply, shape and spring flow operations, while also avoiding involuntary spill and meeting flood control objectives. May – July: Provide USFWS sturgeon volume to augment flows at Bonners Ferry. Year Round: Operate to maintain project minimum flow requirements. Operate using ramping rates to minimize adverse affects of flow fluctuations and maintain a steady outflow if possible for July – September. May 15 – Sep 30: Operate to Bull Trout Minimum Flows and maintain a steady outflow if possible for July–September while operating to experimental draft to 10 ft from full by the end of September (except in lowest 20th percentile water years, as measured at The Dalles, when draft will increase to 20 ft from full by end of September). Full is 2459 ft. Operate to meet refill if possible without jeopardizing flood control, meeting sturgeon volume goalsand not exceeding TDG limits. September: draft to 10 ft from full by the end of September (except in lowest 20th percentile water years, as measured at The Dalles when draft will increase to 20 ft from full by end of September). Full is 2459 ft. Fall/winter storage may be used to support chum flows
Hungry Horse Winter: Operate to VARQ flood control rule curves with a 75% probability of meeting the April 10 elevation objective. Spring: Refill by about June 30 if possible without excessive spill and operate to help meet flow objectives. N/A Year Round: Operate in order to maintain and project minimum flow requirements. Operate using ramping rates to minimize adverse affects of flow fluctuations and maintain a steady outflow if possible for July – September. Draft during to a draft limit of 3550 ft (10 ft from full) by September 30, except in the driest 20 percentile of water conditions limit draft to 3540 ft (20 ft from full). Refill by about June 30 if possible without excessive spill and operate to help meet flow objectives without exceeding TDG limits. September: Draft during July-September to a draft limit of 3550 ft (10 ft from full) by September 30, except in the driest 20 percentile of water conditions limit draft to 3540 ft (20 ft from full).
Albeni Winter: Operate within standard flood control criteria. Spring: Refill by June 30. Spring: When not operating to meeting minimum flows, or to minimize downstream flooding, operate to be at the upper flood control elevation on or about April 10 (the exact date to be determined during management) to increase flows for spring flow augmentation for fish. N/A Fall/Winter: Determine winter minimum control elevation after annual meeting with AAs, IDFG, NMFS, USFWS and interested parties. This year’s winter minimum control elevation will be 2051 ft. Reach 2051 ft. msl by and maintain this elevation until the end of kokanee spawning as determined by IDFG survey. After the end of spawning, operate not to exceed flood control rule curve but not to fall below the minimum control elevation. Fall/Winter: Storage may be used to support chum flows
Grand Coulee Winter: Operate for flood control and to 85% probability of meeting April 10 elevation objective Spring: Refill by about June 30 and operate to help meet flow objectives (exact date to be determined during in-season management) N/A Operate to 85% confidence of meeting April 10 elevation objectives to increase spring flows in the . Operate to help meet the Spring flow objective at Priest Rapids Dam July-August: Draft to support salmon flow objectives during with variable draft limit of 1278 to 1280 ft by August 31 based on the water supply forecast. August: Reduce pumping into Banks Lake and allow Banks Lake to operate up to 5 ft from full pool (elevation 1565) during August to help meet salmon flow objectives when needed. Fall/Winter: Storage may be used to support chum flows Dworshak Winter: Operate to achieve April 10 refill objective (exact date to be determined during in-season management) Spring: Refill by about June 30 and operate to help meet flow objectives N/A Draft to elevation 1535 ft by the end of August and elevation 1520 ft (80 ft from full) by the end of September unless modified per the Agreement between the and the Nez Perce Tribe for water use in the Dworshak Reservoir. Fall/Winter: Storage may be used to support chum flows
Lower Granite The pool can be drafted as low as 724 feet to protect levees during high flows. N/A Flow objective of kcfs Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Flow objective of 5055 kcfs Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Little Goose N/A N/A Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Manually set Unit 1 lower operating limit Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Manually set Unit 1 lower operating limit Lower Monumental N/A N/A Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Ice N/A N/A Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency Operate within 1 ft of MOP to reduce juvenile travel time Operate within 1% of best efficiency McNary N/A N/A Flow objective of kcfs Operate within 1% of best efficiency Flow objective of 200 kcfs Operate within 1% of best efficiency 100 260