Potential Project Betterments to be studied further during Relicensing

1. Middle Fork American River Hydroelectric Project Relicensing Potential Project Betterments to be studied further during Relicensing June 20, 2006 Stakeholder Meeting

2. Outline • Resource Utilization Study • Betterments • Study Process • Inventory and Screening of Betterments • Betterments to be studied further in relicensing

3. Resource Utilization Study (RUS) • RUS is required by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in relicensing • Demonstrate that PCWA’s proposal to manage, operate and maintain the project is best adapted to serve the public interest. • Develop information required to be submitted in license exhibits. • Opportunity for PCWA to improve project in light of current or future public needs. • Betterments

4. Betterments • Better meet the primary purposes for which the project was developed. • Water supply • Hydroelectric power generation • How • Increase resource utilization • Improve system reliability • Improve operations and maintenance efficiency • Other enhancements addressed in project mitigation and enhancement (PM&E) studies.

5. RUS Process Initial data collection evaluation & screening Inventory of potential betterments Betterments to carry forward in relicensing. Project Description June 2006 Include viable projects in License Application Technical/environmental studies and agency/public consultation 2007-2010

6. RUS Process • Identify existing resource utilization baseline • Initial brainstorming, & discussions with PCWA Management and Staff identified potential betterments. • Field visits and discussions with operations staff added more betterments and resulted in some being dropped. • Preliminary technical analysis and evaluation of potential feasibility of betterments. • Workshops with PCWA to discuss betterments and make planning decisions regarding: • Betterments to study further in relicensing • Betterments to discard

7. Betterments to study further in Relicensing • Duncan Diversion Modifications • Seasonal Storage Increases • French Meadows • Hell Hole • French Meadows-Hell Hole Pumped Storage • Small Hydro Additions • Hell Hole Upgrade • Interbay • Ralston • Ralston Powerhouse Capacity Upgrade • Sediment Management • Duncan Diversion • North & South Long Canyon Diversions • Interbay • Ralston Afterbay

8. Middle Fork Project Watershed

9. Betterments to be Studied in Relicensing

10. Duncan Creek Diversion • Main problem is blockage of the intake with trash during storms • Important because it is at the top of the system Upgrade trash rack structure to alleviate trash blockages

11. French Meadows seasonal water storage increase within existing flood storage pool Raise dam crest in conjunction with spillway modifications for revised Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) Additional storage of 5,000 AF can be accomplished with a 3.5 ft (approx) raise

12. French Meadows Spillway Dam safety studies have investigated both widening the spillway and raising the crest of the dam

13. Hell Hole seasonal water storage increase within existing flood storage pool 10 foot seasonal increase in operating level May–September would add 12 TAF

14. Add crest gates to existing spillway for storage increase during Summer

15. Typical Spillway Crest GatesGranite Reef Diversion - Arizona

16. Add/Upgrade Small Hydro • Potential • Upgrade Hell Hole powerhouse capacity • Add small hydro plants on flow outlets at Interbay and Ralston Afterbay Dams

17. Add/Upgrade Small Hydro • Next Step • Include provision for fish release hydro facilities in Project Description for Relicensing. • Relicensing Instream flow studies • Finalize when flow release patterns established.

18. Hell Hole - French Meadows Pumped-Storage • Opportunity for pumped-storage between existing reservoirs • 52 MW project maximizes use of hydraulic capacity in French Meadows Tunnel • Recovers lost head below French Meadows Powerhouse

19. Ralston Capacity Increase • Hydraulic capacity of Middle Fork Powerhouse (1000 cfs) is higher than Ralston (925 cfs). • Ralston should have higher hydraulic capacity than Middle Fork otherwise potential spills at Interbay • Ralston Powerhouse is hydraulically limited – turbine limits output

20. Options at Ralston • Turbine- generator upgrade (if feasible) • Add second 11-MW unit

21. Ralston Next Steps • Evaluate upgrade potential of existing turbine/generator electrical equipment • Refine second unit option. • Evaluate electrical output constraints • Study environmental and operational impacts during relicensing.

22. Sediment Management • Diversions blocked by sediment during and after major storm events • Middle Fork and Ralston output affected during/after major storms due to sediment accumulation in Interbay and Ralston Afterbay. • Middle Fork Power Plant operation is constrained by gravel movement in tunnel and rock trap issues. • Sediment removal and disposal – outage and cost liability Improve sediment pass-through in Interbay and Ralston during floods Improve diversions

23. Summary Initial data collection evaluation & screening Inventory of potential betterments Betterments to carry forward in relicensing. Project Description June 2006 Include viable projects in License Application Technical/environmental studies and agency/public consultation 2007-2010