Bucks_Creek_Erosion_Plan_DRAFT_20180104_PGE_SC · Web viewThe Project is located on Bucks, Grizzly, and Milk Ranch creeks, which are tributaries to the North Fork Feather River in

PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY

AND THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA

Bucks Creek Hydroelectric ProjectFERC Project No. 619

Draft Erosion Management Plan

January 2018

©2018, Pacific Gas and Electric Companyand the City of Santa Clara

PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY

AND THE CITY OF SANTA CLARA

Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project

FERC Project No. 619


January 2018

©2018, Pacific Gas and Electric Companyand the City of Santa Clara

Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619Draft Erosion Management Plan

Bucks Creek Hydroelectric ProjectFERC Project No. 619


TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION.......................................................

1.1 Background..........................................................................................................1-11.2 Purpose of the Erosion Management Plan............................................................1-11.3 Goal and Objectives of the Erosion Management Plan........................................1-21.4 Contents of the Erosion Management Plan..........................................................1-2

SECTION 2.0 PLANNING PROCESS FOR MINIMIZATION OF EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION WITHIN THE BUCKS CREEK PROJECT AREA...................................

2.1 Erosion and Sediment Control Planning Process for the Bucks Creek Project....2-12.2 Planned Erosion Control Activities......................................................................2-1

2.2.1 Measures Related to New Construction...................................................2-32.2.2 Measures Related to Routine Maintenance on NFS Land.......................2-3

2.3 Emergency Erosion Control Activities.................................................................2-32.4 Monitoring of Erosion and Sediment Control Activities.....................................2-

SECTION 3.0 REPORTING, CONSULTATION, AND PLAN REVISIONS..............................................................

3.1 Reporting and Consultation..................................................................................3-13.2 Plan Revisions......................................................................................................3-1

SECTION 4.0 REFERENCES...........................................................

January 2018 Page i Table of Contents

Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619©2018, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

and the City of Santa Clara


LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1.2-1. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project Facilities.................................................

Figure 2.1-1. Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Process Flow Chart...............................

Table of Contents Page ii January 2018




Definitions of Terms, Acronyms, and Abbreviations

For the purposes of this Plan, the following definitions apply:

TERM DEFINITION

B

BMP Best Management Practice

C

City City of Santa Clara

CVRWQCB Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board

F

FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

FLA Final License Application

Forest Service USDA, Forest Service

N

NFS National Forest System

O

O&M operations and maintenance

P

PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Plan Erosion Management Plan

PM&E Protection, Mitigation, and Enhancement

PNF Plumas National Forest

Project Roads Non-general use roads, used primarily for the Project and located within the FERC Project Boundary as defined in the Transportation Management Plan

Project Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619

January 2018 Page i Definitions




TERM DEFINITION

Project Boundary

The boundary defined in the license issued by FERC for the Project outlining the geographic area needed for Project operations and maintenance. For the purposes of the Draft Plan, “FERC Project Boundary” refers to the Proposed FERC Project Boundary described in Section E.6 of the FLA, unless otherwise noted.

R

Resource Agencies CDFW, Forest Service, and USFWS

S

SWPPP Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

U

USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers

USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Definitions Page ii January 2018




SECTION 1.0

IntroductionPacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the City of Santa Clara (City) (collectively the “Licensees”) are filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this Erosion Management Plan (Plan) to supplement their Final License Application (FLA) for the Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project (Project), FERC Project No. 619. The Licensees are the owners of the Project and hold the current FERC license, which expires on December 31, 2018; PG&E operates the Project. Implementation of the Plan will be guided by the final FERC Project Boundary as defined in the new license or as modified thereafter.

1.1 Background The Project is located on Bucks, Grizzly, and Milk Ranch creeks, which are tributaries to the North Fork Feather River in Plumas County, California (Figure 1.2-1). The Project has an installed capacity of 84.8 megawatts and consists of two existing developments (Bucks Creek and Grizzly), which collectively include four reservoirs with a combined usable storage capacity of 108,773 acre-feet (Bucks Lake, Lower Bucks Lake, Three Lakes, and Grizzly Forebay), one conduit (Milk Ranch), two tunnels (Grizzly Forebay and Grizzly Powerhouse tunnels), two powerhouses (Bucks Creek and Grizzly powerhouses), and associated equipment and transmission facilities and structures, including recreation facilities and Project Roads.* Lands within the FERC Project Boundary are a combination of PG&E ownership and NFS lands (managed by Forest Service, as part of the PNF). The Project Area also contains a small area of private land.

1.2 Purpo s e of t h e Erosion M a nage m e n t Plan The purpose of this Plan is to minimize future erosion and sedimentation related to the Project, with special emphasis on NFS land within the FERC Project Boundary. This Plan covers ground-disturbing activities from routine operations and maintenance (O&M), any emergency situations, and planned projects on lands within the FERC Project Boundary that could produce undesirable erosion or sedimentation delivery to streams or reservoirs. Appropriate sediment management such as recruitment and redistribution of spawning gravels within the stream channel (e.g., for aquatic habitat) is covered by Protection, Mitigation, and Enhancement (PM&E) Measure 6, Channel Maintenance Flows which is described in the FLA.

The Licensees will coordinate, to the extent appropriate, the efforts required under this Plan with other Project resource efforts, including implementation of other resource management plans and measures included in the new license.

* Project Roads are defined and listed in the Licensees Transportation Management Plan (PG&E and City of Santa Clara 2017a).

January 2018 Page 1 Section 1.0




1.3 Goal and Object i ves of the Erosion Management Plan

The objectives of the Plan are to describe Licensees’ Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Forest Service Best Management Practices (BMP) (USDA Forest Service 2011 and 2012) used to control erosion and sedimentation impacts within the FERC Project Boundary during routine operations and maintenance and reconstruction or new construction of Project facilities, including emergency erosion control measures and protocols to control sedimentation during or after severe storm events.

The goal of the Plan is to provide guidelines to meet Plan objectives and to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, as subject to the Federal Power Act.

1.4 Content s o f th e Erosion M a nageme n t Plan Section 1. Introduction. This section includes introductory information, including

Project background information and the purpose and goals of the Plan.

Section 2. Planning Process for Minimization of Erosion and Sedimentation within the Bucks Creek Project Area. This section describes the planning, consultation, permitting, treatment, and monitoring pathways for minimization of site-specific erosion and sedimentation impacts during planned projects or during an emergency.

Section 3. Reporting, Consultation, and Plan Revisions . This section describes reporting, consultation, and Plan revisions.

Section 4. References . This section includes the resource documents used to help develop this Plan.

Section 1.0 Page 2 January 2018




Figure depicts the existing FERC Project Boundary. If the FERC boundary is updated, the plan will be modified as appropriate to reflect the revision..

Figure 1.2-1. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project Facilities





This Page Intentionally Left Blank

Section 1.0 Page 1-4 January 2018




SECTION 2.0

Planning Process for Minimization of Erosion and Sedimentation within the Bucks Creek Project Area2.1 Erosion and Sediment Control Planning Process for

the Bucks Creek Project Erosion treatment projects are either planned in advance or occur as unforeseen emergency actions. All permanent erosion control*/stabilization activities, including emergency activities, may require consultation with the Forest Service and other regulatory agencies, as appropriate, prior to implementation. An overview of erosion and sediment control planning, consultation, permitting, treatment, and monitoring pathways associated with the Project for lands within the FERC Project Boundary is depicted as a flowchart shown in Figure 2.1-1.

2.2 Planned Erosion Control Activities Planned (non-emergency) erosion control activities fall into one of two categories: 1) those associated with an erosion control element in a specific resource plan included in the new license (e.g., Transportation Management Plan, Integrated Vegetation Management Plan [PG&E and City of Santa Clara 2017a,b]) (Box 7 in Figure 2.1-1); and 2) any Project-related erosion control not addressed by specific resource plans included in the new license (Box 8 in Figure 2.1-1). All non-emergency erosion treatment plans and designs will require consultation with the Forest Service when on or affecting NFS land (Box 10 in Figure 2.1-1) prior to implementation.

Erosion treatment activities that require in-water work may be subject to Section 404 and 401 of the Clean Water Act and require permits from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (CVRWQCB) for dredge or fill activities (Box 11 in Figure 2.1-1).

Construction work that disturbs a land area greater than 1 acre may be subject to a Statewide General Permit for stormwater discharge associated with construction activity, which may require a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) (Box 16 in Figure 2.1-1). Typically, if the Project is smaller than 1 acre of land disturbance, then the Statewide General Permit is not required (Box 14 in Figure 2.1-1).

After the appropriate permits are obtained, and the Project is in compliance with the requirements of such permits, the Licensees would implement the erosion treatment (Box 17 in Figure 2.1-1).

* Permanent erosion control features may include an engineering design/constructed feature to effectively stabilize a feature to minimize future erosion and sediment delivery such as road drainage features, rip-rap, and retaining walls.




1. Planned (non-emergency) erosion control projects

2. Emergency erosion control projects

3. Implement Emergency Actions

7. Resource-specific plans with erosion

control, e.g. Transportation

Management Plan, Integrated Vegetation

Management Plan

8. Other Project-related erosion control not related to resource-

specific plans

15. Obtain all applicable in-water-related permits 16. Obtain all applicable land-related permits

17. Implement permit conditions and erosion

control measures, including Best

Management Practices

13. > 1-acre to be disturbed?

14. Implement Best

Management Practices

11. Within Waters of the U.S. or ordinary high water mark?

12. On land

10. Consultation with Resource Agencies**

9. Licensees erosion control planning 6. Permanent remediation

measures planned 5. No additional erosion control

measures needed

4. Notification to appropriate resource agencies within 3 days or as required by

FERC license or regulations

No

Yes

Yes

NoYes


** Forest Service consultation applies when on or affecting NFS land.** Resource agencies may include CVRWQCB, USFWS, USACE, the County Planning Department, and others, as appropriate.

Figure 2.1-1. Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Process Flow Chart





2.2.1 Measures Related to New Construction

Temporary erosion prevention and control measures will be implemented during planned construction or reconstruction of Project facilities and infrastructure. Such projects include, but are not limited to, reconstruction at dam sites, road reconstruction, and recreation site development, where ground disturbance and/or vegetation removal is expected. The specific temporary erosion control measures will be site-specific, but will include all measures required by the permits, in additional to applicable Forest Service BMPs for work on NFS land, and/or Licensees’ BMPs* while working on PG&E land. A SWPPP may also be prepared and incorporated, as applicable.

Additionally, non-stormwater BMPs (such as fueling, paving, waste material use and storage, stockpile management, spill control, and waste management BMPs) will be implemented by the Licensees year-round for any construction or maintenance activities within the FERC Project Boundary. Measures will be site-specific for each planned project and could extend past the final construction inspection by up to three years, if re-vegetation is included for more permanent site stabilization and erosion control (PG&E and City of Santa Clara 2017b).

2.2.2 Measures Related to Routine Maintenance on NFS Land

Routine maintenance activities conducted by the Licensees on NFS land will also follow Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region BMPs (R5 FSH 2509.22, USDA Forest Service 2011 and 2012). These BMPs are designed to minimize soil disturbance and reduce delivery of sediment to water bodies.

2.3 Emergency Erosion Control Activities The Licensees will be prepared to monitor for unexpected, emergency erosion control events within the FERC Project Boundary that may develop in response to significant events (e.g., storms, earthquakes, wildfires). Erosion control measures may include documenting specific erosion threats, appropriate agency notifications, as needed, and short- and long-term remediation that can be taken to stabilize each site and address public safety.

If erosion control takes place on an emergency basis, then notification to appropriate resource agencies will occur within 3 days (Box 4 in Figure 2.1-1) or as required by FERC license.

* The Licensees’ Construction Stormwater Management Department ensures that appropriate BMPs are implemented and maintained so that potential runoff from construction work areas is managed in a way that eliminates or reduces the potential to negatively impact water quality by contributing sediments and other visible and non-visible pollutants to creeks, streams, wetlands, and estuaries. BMPs include sediment control measures, such as silt fences, sandbag and straw barriers, revegetation of areas after ground-disturbing activities, re-grading slopes to prevent concentrated runoff into water bodies, scheduling activities outside of the rainy season (when possible), and installation of rock revetment structures.





2.4 Monitoring of Erosion and Sediment Control Activities

Monitoring of erosion and sediment control activities generally includes both implementation monitoring (e.g., was the BMP installed correctly) and post-construction effectiveness monitoring (e.g., did the site revegetate to required standards). Monitoring of erosion and sediment control activities for the Project will follow the parameters of the permit requirements, and/or license implementation plan.* If the work is on or affects NFS land, the monitoring will also adhere to the Forest Service Handbook (USDA Forest Service 2011 and 2012). The license implementation plans incorporate the Forest Service Handbook requirements so there is no anticipated conflict between the implementation plans and the Forest Service Handbook requirements. However, if a discrepancy occurs between the specific permits and license implementation plans, the monitoring required in the permit will take priority over the monitoring required in the license implementation plan(s). The Forest Service is required to annually audit BMP implementation and effectiveness on NFS land to meet State of California requirements and Forest Service policy. These audit sites are chosen at random and may include sites related to this Project. These audits would be conducted by the Forest Service in cooperation with the Licensees.

* Various implementation plans in the license (e.g., Transportation Management Plan and Integrated Vegetation Management Plan [PG&E and City of Santa Clara 2017a,b]) include specific erosion control-related provisions.





SECTION 3.0

Reporting, Consultation, and Plan Revisions3.1 Reporting and Consultation Each year during the term of the license, the Licensees will arrange to meet with the Forest Service for an annual meeting to discuss erosion and sediment control on or affecting NFS land within the FERC Project Boundary. The Licensees will provide information on any significant erosion features or slope instability (e.g., open slope or management-related landslides) associated with Project facilities and features. Potential remedies for any features with potential for future erosion and sediment delivery will be discussed at the meeting. The information will also be provided to other agencies upon request.

The date of the meeting will be mutually agreed to by the Licensees and the Forest Service, but in general, will be held by March 31, if possible given access conditions relating to snow, roads, etc. This meeting is intended to occur as part of PM&E Measure 2, Annual Forest Service Consultation, described in the FLA. The Licensees will maintain a record of the meeting for inspection by FERC.

3.2 Plan Revisions The Licensees, in consultation with the Forest Service, will review, update, and/or revise the Plan, as needed, when significant changes in existing conditions occur. Any updates to the Plan will be prepared in coordination and consultation with the Forest Service. Sixty days will be allowed for the Forest Service to provide written comments and recommendations before the Licensees file the updated Plan with FERC, including relevant documentation of coordination and consultation with the Forest Service, for FERC’s approval. If the Licensees do not adopt a particular recommendation by the Forest Service, the filing will include the reasons for not doing so, based on Project-specific information. The Licensees will implement the Plan as approved by FERC.










SECTION 4.0

ReferencesPG&E and the City of Santa Clara. 2017a. Transportation Management Plan. Bucks Creek

Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619.

PG&E and the City of Santa Clara. 2017b. Integrated Vegetation Management Plan. Bucks Creek Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 619.

USDA, Forest Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service). 2011. Forest Service Handbook – Soil and Water Conservation Handbook (R5 FSH 2509.22), Section 12.2. Accessed online January 4, 2018: http://www.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/Directives/get_dirs/fsh?2509.22!r5_ALL .

USDA, Forest Service. 2012. National Best Management Practices for Water Quality Management on National Forest System Lands (FS-990a). Volume 1: National Core BMP Technical Guide. April 2012. Accessed online January 4, 2018: https://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/watershed/FS_National_Core_BMPs_April2012.pdf




https://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/watershed/FS_National_Core_BMPs_April2012.pdf

https://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/pubs/watershed/FS_National_Core_BMPs_April2012.pdf

http://www.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/Directives/get_dirs/fsh?2509.22!r5_ALL






Documents

Bucks_Creek_Erosion_Plan_DRAFT_20180104_PGE_SC · Web viewThe Project is located on Bucks, Grizzly, and Milk Ranch creeks, which are tributaries to the North Fork Feather River in