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West Coast Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Licensed Hydroelectric Projects: Snake River Basin

Snake River Basin; Snake, East Fork Wallowa, West Fork Wallowa Rivers, Little Timber and Royal Purple Creek, Elmore, Wallowa, Lemhi, and Gooding Counties, Idaho.

West Coast

Table of Contents

Bliss Dam Hydroelectric Project

Snake River Basin; Snake River, Elmore & Gooding Counties, Idaho

Project Profile & Licensee

The Bliss Dam Hydroelectric Project is part of the Mid-Snake Hydroelectric Projects and is above a natural barrier for fish passage.

Licensee: Idaho Power Company

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

None

FERC Relicensing Status

The original licenses for the Mid-Snake Projects expired in 1997. FERC granted new 30-year licenses in 2004.

Resources

Coleman Hydroelectric Project

Snake River Basin; Little Timber Creek, Lemhi County, Idaho

Project Profile & Licensee

Reduced infiltration of irrigation diversion water is expected to reduce late summer inflow to the Lemhi River, affecting ESA-listed fish. 

Licensee: Coleman Hydro LLC

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

The applicant was directed by FERC to withdraw the application and resubmit as a “Qualifying Conduit.” This new FERC category is neither a license or an exemption. The applicant is willing to honor our earlier conservation work requirements because of personal interest in the valley, wanting to set a positive precedent, and as a good neighbor to other residents, government entities, and private conservation efforts (Lemhi Valley Land Trust). This includes:

  • Construction of the facility. The diversion will be screened and fish passage provided. The applicant is currently working with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the screen shop to have them install a screen. If this does not work out, the applicant will build a screen.
  • Water will be present in the RPA ditch at all times. Previous to, and during, construction, water will be delivered to the Tyler, Bird, and RPA ditch. Because of summer power purchase pricing incentives from Idaho Power, the applicant will use traditional diversion patterns to generate the bulk of their power generation in May-September. The applicant will not try to increase power production in the shoulder seasons.
  • Water exiting the power house will satisfy the water rights first then the remainder will be split 50% to the existing Tyler ditch and 50% to the RPA ditch.
  • Reduce the 50% to the RPA ditch if requested by IDFG. This could occur if the excess water causes erosion in Big Springs Creek. The percent going to the RPA ditch will not increase above 50%.
  • The RPA ditch will be built as planned to deliver water along the border of Bureau of land Management (BLM) land and delivered to the “sponge.” Water from the sponge exits through a culvert under Hwy 28 into Big Springs Creek.

Resources

Hells Canyon Hydroelectric Project (Brownlee, Oxbow & Hells Canyon Dams)

Snake River Basin; Snake River, Adams County, Idaho, & Wallowa County, Oregon

Project Profile & Licensee

The three dams of the Hells Canyon Hydroelectric Project block passage and affect streamflows for ESA-listed fish. Studies and ongoing negotiations are examining solutions for restoring habitat, the best means to remediate toxics, possible solutions for attaining temperature standards, and the possibility of outplanting non-listed fish.

Licensee: Idaho Power Company

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

FERC Relicensing Status

Since the original license expired in 2005, the Project has been operating under annual licenses. In April 2019, Idaho and Oregon reached an agreement for the project’s 401 water certificate.

Idaho Power will spend about $12 million in eastern Oregon tributaries. Idaho Power will also spend roughly $300 million as part of the Snake River Stewardship Program on fish, water and habitat. The agreement also calls for fish passage to be considered again 20 years into the new license. Essentially, the $300 million is an offset to pay for harm to salmon caused by the dams, and in particular warm water leaving the project.

FERC has yet to determine how to move forward with their National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessment. When that is decided, the other Federal and State agencies will have to prepare new modified terms and conditions and complete ESA consultations. 

Resources

Lower Salmon Falls Hydroelectric Project

Snake River Basin; Snake River, Elmore County, Idaho

Project Profile & Licensee

The Lower Salmon Falls Hydroelectric Project is part of the Mid-Snake Hydroelectric Projects and is above a natural barrier for fish passage.  Therefore NOAA Fisheries did not participate in this project's relicensing.

Licensee: Idaho Power Company

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

None

FERC Relicensing Status

The original licenses for the Mid-Snake Projects expired in 1997. FERC granted new 30-year licenses in 2004.

Resources

Wallowa Falls Hydroelectric Project

Snake River Basin; East Fork Wallowa River/West Fork Wallowa River/Royal Purple Creek, Wallowa County, Oregon

Project Profile & Licensee

The existing project consists of a small concrete diversion dam and pipe, at elevation 5,838 feet on Royal Purple Creek, a tributary to the East Fork Wallowa River; a rock-filled timber crib dam, at elevation 5,795 feet on the East Fork Wallowa River; a 0.2-acre forebay and 5,688-foot-long steel penstock; a powerhouse containing a single generating unit with a rated capacity of 1.1 mw; a tailrace discharging project flows into the West Fork Wallowa River; and a 20-foot-long, 7.2-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that connects to the local electric grid. Anadromous fish are blocked from the project area because there is no passage at the Wallowa Lake Dam, which is not related to this project.

Licensee: PacifiCorp

Federally Threatened - Listed Species/Species of Concern

None

FERC Relicensing Status

The new license was issued on January 5, 2017. The term of the license is 40 years. License measures include ramping rate restrictions, increasing flows in the project bypass reach, and implementing the maintenance plan for the access road.

Resources

More Information

Last updated by West Coast Regional Office on 09/30/2019