Pacific Northwest Fish Screening and Passage Workshop 2013 Thompson Falls Fish Ladder, a solution for Moving Bull Trout over a Montana Dam Regulatory and Consultation Process Pre Ladder Studies and Design Ladder Operation and Ongoing Research

PPL Montana, independent power producer, and merchant generator Wild & Scenic Missouri Hebgen storage reservoir Hydro (595 MW) and Steam Electric (529 MW) Generation

Thompson Falls Hydroelectric Project Constructed 1917, presently 93 MW 2 powerhouses with 2 dam segments spanning the Clark Fork River

Thompson Falls Hydroelectric Project FERC license 1979, Amended 1990, Expires 2025 (relicensing begins 2020) Upstream Milltown removed, downstream Noxon/Cabinet pursuing passage TFalls passage opens 274 miles of upstream Clark Fork River to fish

Pre-Dam Thompson Falls (1915) TFalls Main Channel Dam

ESA/FERC Regulatory Uncertainty at Thompson Falls Project (1999 to 2003) Commission and PPLM conclude definitive federal action is required to trigger ESA consultation with USFWS and no federal regulatory nexus exists at TFalls USFWS affirms TFalls Project “taking” bull trout and can pursue enforcement action Commission proposes to investigate TFalls effects on bull trout and consider measures to avoid or mitigate impacts to this species Commission proposes if mitigative measures are necessary, they can pursue a license reopener to require measures or accept voluntary license amendment from PPLM for same PPLM proposes, in spirit of cooperation and per guidelines of Interagency Task Force Report, to be FERC’s non-federal representative to consult with USFWS on TFalls effects on bull trout Commission designates PPLM as its non-federal representative to consult with the USFWS and the ESA formal public study and report process begin

Formal TFalls Stakeholder MOU Interagency Technical Advisory Committee (TAC): PPL Montana U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes Avista Montana Dept. Environmental Quality

Tour of existing Columbia River hydro passage facilities with agency fisheries biologists, ladder design engineers, and regulatory specialists working on TFalls Project passage

Formal Process to Final Commission Order Based on PPLM Draft BE to Commission in 2003, all agencies agree to detailed fish passage studies at TFalls from 2003 to 2008: These studies conclude that TFalls Project is “Likely to Adversely Effect Bull Trout” Blocked upstream Fish Passage Downstream Fish Passage marginally affected Bull predation in TFalls Reservoir Total Dissolved Gas (gas bubble trauma)

Formal Process to Final Commission Order Completion of formal process then moved very fast: PPLM Final BE to Commission April 2008 Commission BA to USFWS May 2008 USFWS BO to Commission Nov 2008 Commission Order Approving Passage Plan Feb 2009

Feb 2009 Commission Order TFalls Passage Plan Conditions (to exempt PPLM and Commission from bull trout “take” provisions of ESA Section 9) Avoid and/or minimize TFalls Project effects to bull trout by: Facilitating interagency consultation per the MOU Providing effective upstream passage Providing effective downstream passage Reducing Total Dissolved Gas (TDG) Reducing predation effects in TFalls Reservoir Monitoring bull trout recovery Providing timely science & compliance reporting

Fish Passage Planning Studies Passage Desirable? Disease concerns Fish Genetics & Native Species Concerns Where and How to Implement Passage Fish Behavior Engineering Feasibility Design Alternatives Evaluation

Radio Telemetry Study Stationary Receivers

Radio Telemetry Study Fish moved to Main Dam Spillway Difficult site conditions at Main Dam Right abutment least problematic Modify spill schedule to attract fish to right bank

Main Dam Spillway

Right Bank Location

Right Bank Location

Right Bank

Left Bank Location

Fishway Feasibility Study Three Alternatives: Right Bank Fish Lock Left Bank Full-Height Ladder (Revised) Right Bank Full-Height Ladder Preferred Alternative: Right Bank Full-Height Ladder, with Sample Facilities

Main Dam Spillway Spill Schedule Good right side attraction and holding conditions at all spill levels Greater turbulence at left side

Operates around March 1 to November 1 Hydraulic lift (sort & sample) or volitional passage 48 pools each 6’ long x 5’ wide x 4’ deep Notches and/or orifice ladder weir configurations 6 cfs ladder flow w/ 60 cfs attractant flow and 20 cfs attraction jet

2,500 tons of rock removed July 2009

800-foot work bridge Up to 28 feet high September 2009

September 2009

June 2010

June 2010

PIT tag Control Center PIT tag antennas October 2010

Lock lifts fish 17’ 8” Crowder November 2010

Control Panel Lift Anesthetizing Tank Working Tables Recovery Tank February 2010

20 CFS ATTRACTANT FLOW November 2010

A few days open in June (21-24) and July (11-13).

Not in Operation Between April 28-May6, 2012 and June 19-July 2, 2012

Total Fish Count 2011 2012 2013 Dates Mar 17 - Oct 17 Mar 13 - Oct 15 Mar 13 - Aug 27 Total Fish 1,805 2,668 3,739

Evaluating Weir Modes Weir Mode 2011 # of Fish 2011 % of Fish V-notch 114 6.3% 351 13.6% Orifice 1,691 93.7% 2,237 86.4% Total 1,805 2,588

Percentage by Species, V-notch vs. Orifice Modes

Salmonids Ascending Ladder Year 2011 2012 2103 Mar 17 - Oct 17 Mar 13 - Oct 15 Mar 13 - Aug 27 Bull Trout 2 5 Rainbow Trout 164 208 166 Hybrid (RBxWCT) 9 7 12 W. Cutthroat 21 41 Brown Trout 28 42 90 Mountain Whitefish 17 24 1 Total 241 304 315