Long Time Coming: Whitewater Releases on the Poe Section of the NF Feather (CA)!
Posted: 12/20/2018
By: Evan Stafford
On December 17th 2018, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a new license for
the Poe hydroelectric project on the North Fork Feather River (CA). This event has been
long awaited by American Whitewater. AW first started working on this relicensing back in 2000.
The license has been stalled out at the California State Water Resources Control Board
(SWRCB) for the past decade. The SWRCB holds the keys to what is typically the last step in the
FERC relicensing process, a Water Quality Certification. The certification, a part of the Clean
Water Act is important for maintaining water quality and was finally issued allowing for releases
to begin February 2019. The new license for the Poe
project includes up to a ten-fold increase in flow releases from the current 50 cfs
requirment. Flows will depend on the Water Year Type, as shown in the table at the bottom
of the page.
The new base flows will make this reach of the North Fork Feather River boatable most years,
particularly in the summer months. Additionally, the license requires 6000 acre feet of
water to be provided for recreation releases. This equates to approximately 10 days of
releases at 1200 cfs. The timing of these releases will be constrained by the needs of the
Foothill Yellow Legged Frogs, a Forest Service species of concern that reside in this
reach. Flow releases will most likely be limited to the late fall through the early spring.
The new base flows will be implemented in Febuary 2019. The release schedule will be
developed in 2019 and flows will likely occur in 2020.
The runs on this
section of the North Fork Feather consist of the upper run, Poe Dam to Bardees Bar, and the
lower run, Bardees Bar to the Poe Powerhouse. The upper run is a class V affair. This section is
in a steep walled gorge and has numerous class IV and V rapids. The lower run is a bit
easier, mostly class III with a few class IV rapids. The entire section has a more remote
feel than most of the North Fork Feather, as the river drifts away from highway 70 before being
consumed by Oroville Reservoir.
The license also contains a number of recreational
improvements, including flatwater paddling access to Poe Reservoir, restrooms and improved
parking at all of the river access locations. In total, this new license is a substantial
improvement over the conditions that have existed in this stretch of the North Fork Feather
for the past 60 years. This is the latest success for American Whitewater in our efforts to
restore the North Fork Feather, an effort that began over twenty years ago. This new
license, combined with the Rock Creek and Cresta project releases upstream, and the new license
for the Upper North Fork Feather (hopefully to be released in the next two years) will make the
Feather one of the best paddling destinations in the Country and restore the ecosystem of this
great river.
Table 1. Minimum Instream Releases (cfs) from Poe Dam as measured at Gage 231 |
||||
Month |
Water Year Type2 |
|||
Wet |
Normal |
Dry |
Critically Dry |
|
October |
250 |
250 |
180 |
180 |
November |
275 |
275 |
180 |
180 |
December |
300 |
300 |
180 |
180 |
January |
325 |
300 |
180 |
180 |
February |
350 |
325 |
225 |
225 |
March |
350 |
350 |
300 |
300 |
April |
400 |
400 |
325 |
300 |
May |
500 |
400 |
350 |
300 |
June |
500 |
400 |
350 |
300 |
July |
500 |
400 |
350 |
300 |
August |
500 |
400 |
350 |
300 |
Dave Steindorf
4 Baroni Drive
Chico, CA 95928
E-mail: dave@americanwhitewater.org
Phone: 530-343-1871
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