Managing Idaho Power Company s Hydro Projects During Drought Conditions The Benefits of Communication and Collaboration

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1 Managing Idaho Power Company s Hydro Projects During Drought Conditions The Benefits of Communication and Collaboration Kresta Davis-Butts Northwest Hydroelectric Association Fall Workshop October 15, 2015

2 Idaho Power Hydro System 17 Generating Plants, 11 Idaho Power Impoundments

3 Idaho Power Hydro System 17 Generating Plants, 11 Idaho Power Impoundments

4 Upper Snake River Basin Combined storage capacity of 5.33 MAF Purposes include power production, irrigation, flood control, municipal, and fish and wildlife Operating entities include USBR, Corps, BIA, and the North Fork Reservoir and Twin Falls Canal Companies

5 Million Acre-Feet Range of Upper Snake Releases Snake at Milner Historic April - July Volume 2015 IRP Exceedance Volumes Historical IRP 50% IRP 70% IRP 90%

6 Operational Considerations ESA Listed Species Water Quality FERC License Requirements Navigation Recreation and Resident Fisheries Hydro Power Generation

7 2015 Operational Challenges and Opportunities Shoshone Falls Construction Maximum flow restrictions Early communication with US Bureau of Reclamation regarding Upper Snake releases Fall Chinook Operations Maintain minimum flows from spawning (October-December) through the emergence period (approximately June 1) with coordination with Corps of Engineers Maintained higher flows until Nez Perce biologists released fall Chinook from acclimation tanks below Hells Canyon

8 2015 Operational Challenges and Opportunities System Flood Control Operations for Brownlee Reservoir Coordination of volume forecasts with NWS Northwest River Forecast Center Snowpack distribution validation with NRCS to validate modeling results Coordination with US Bureau of Reclamation and Corps of Engineers to shift flood control and set targets Navigation Below Hells Canyon Dam Installation of Wi-Fi and flow monitor sites below Hells Canyon Dam and media communication Coordination with commercial tour companies

9 2015 Operational Challenges and Opportunities Water Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen Requirements Coordinate monitoring with Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for the earlier release of Idaho Power primary storage Tracking and Passing of Federal Flow Augmentation Water Federal flow augmentation water from the Snake River intended to boost flows through the Snake and Columbia River basins Assist in the migration of ESA listed salmon Coordinate with upstream regulators and NOAA Fisheries to assure that federal flow augmentation is passed through Idaho Power s hydro facilities

10 2015 Operational Challenges and Opportunities State Minimum Flow Requirements at Swan Falls Subordinated hydropower water rights to all upstream beneficial uses in 1984 Swan Falls Settlement Agreement. State of Idaho obligated to maintain non-irrigation season minimum of 5,600 cfs, and irrigation season minimum of 3,900 cfs at Swan Falls Dam. Idaho Power water rights above the minimums are held in trust for new beneficial uses junior to 1984 ( Trust Water Rights ). Trust Water can be curtailed to maintain minimums. Collaboration through the Swan Falls Technical Working Group Members include Idaho Department of Water Resources, groundwater and surface water users, and Idaho Power

11 Conclusions Communication and Collaboration with Regulators and Cooperators Helped to plan for summer system energy demand Operate while still meeting environmental, recreational, and regulatory demands Loss in System Operational Flexibility Reduced hydro peaking capability Lower reservoir head water elevations results in less generation per CFS Reduced ability to use reservoir storage to hedge future energy demand Ongoing Efforts to Expand and Foster Partnerships

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