California Hydroelectric Background Information by Lon W. House, Ph.D June 5, 2003 California Energy Commission

California Water Overview 75% of rainfall occurs north of Sacramento 80% of use of water occurs south of Sacramento Mediterranean climate: 80% of the precipitation occurs from November to March. Majority of water use is in summer About 71,000,000 acre-ft of water per year is runoff –flows to ocean - 36% –environmental flows - 28% –agriculture - 28% –urban/industrial - 7% –other - 1%

Legal Overview California Constitution - water is owned by the state –Water Codes, Section 102: “All water within the State is the property of the people of the State” Rights to use water granted, subject to availability, provided water is put to highest beneficial use Article X, Section 2: “the water resources of the state be put to beneficial use to the fullest extent of which they are capable … the reasonable and beneficial use thereof in the interest of the people and for the public welfare.” Article X, Section 5: “The use of all waters now appropriated … is declared to be a public use, “ 1914 Water Commission Act - state grants water rights.

Types of Water Rights in California –Pueblo (origin Spanish Law): Est Pueblos have right to entire watershed. –Riparian (origin English law): Est Go with property adjacent to stream. In time of shortage all riparians curtailed proportionally. –Appropriative (origin western United States): Est Necessary if storage of water used. In times of shortage allocation based upon seniority (first in time, first in right). –Federal Reserved Est Federal reserved lands (parks, reservations, etc.) have right to sufficient water. –Public Trust (origin Roman law): Est Public benefits (fish, recreation, etc.) of streams preserved.

Area of Origin Laws in California Area of origin laws refer to legislation designed to protect areas in which the water falls. Areas which water originates have option to keep and put to reasonable use sufficient supply of water to satisfy areas needs now and in the future. Protects areas of origin who might otherwise have junior rights if appropriate system followed. County of Origin - Water Code County of origin protections. Watershed Protection - Water Code ’s. Watershed protection. Delta Protection Act - Water Code Delta Water users. Protected Areas -Water Code Sacramento, Mokelumne, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Mono Lake, Truckee/Walker/Carson, Russian, and Delta area San Joaquin River- Water Code San Joaquin River between Merced River and Delta.

Map of California Hydro Projects

River Characteristics – Generation (in MW) Runoff Dry –River Water AgencyGeneration Utility 1000 Ave. AF % Ave County Min cfs flow –Pit/Fall 768 5,896 42%Shasta 120 –Feather River 738 4,526 21%Butte/Plumas 50 –Feather -South Fork – Oroville-Wyandotte %Butte –YubaYuba CWA %Yuba 5 –Bear River Nevada ID Nevada/Placer 7 –American - North/Middle – Placer CWA Placer – South Fork – El Dorado ID ,674 13%El Dorado –Mokelumne East Bay MUD %Amador –Stanislaus TriDam ,131 14%Tuolumne 38 –MercedMerced ID %Merced –San JoaquinFriant Power ,753 21%Fresno/Madera 23 – 1,014 –Kings Kings River ,647 23%Fresno 4 – 1,200 Helms Pumped Storage Fresno –Kern River %Kern 22 –Tule River %Tulare

California Relicensings by River License expires Name River 7/31/2007 Upper American River American River 12/31/1995 Angels Angels Creek (Stanislaus) 5/8/1996 MurphysAngels Creek (Stanislaus) 2/28/2009 Big Creek No 1 & 2 Big Creek, San Joaquin River 10/11/2009 De Sabla Butte Creek 12/31/1995 Pit No 1 Fall, Pit Rivers 1/31/2007 Feather River Feather River 9/30/2000 Hat Creek No 1 & 2 Hat Creek, Pit River 3/31/2009 Kelly Ridge 1 & 2 Kelly Ridge Canal 2/28/2005 BorelKern River 4/30/2005 Kern Canyon Kern River 4/30/1996 Kern River No 1 Kern River 4/30/1996 Kern River No 3 Kern River 2/28/2006 KlamathKlamath River 11/30/1986 LundyLundy Creek 4/30/1996 Lytle Creek Lytle Creek, Santa Ana River 12/31/2004 Donnells & Beardsley M Fk Stanislaus River 6/14/2000 Lower Tule M Fork Tule River 9/28/2004 Middle and South Forks Sacramento River Project MF and SF Sacramento 4/30/1996 Mill Creek No 2 & 3 Mill Creek, Santa Ana River 4/30/2009 Santa Ana #3Santa Ana River 1/1/1982 Potter ValleyUpper Mainstem Eel River 9/4/2004 Willow Creek Willow Creek

California Relicensings cont. License expires Name River 11/23/1975 Mokelumne Mokelumne, N. Fork & Bear 8/31/2003 Vermillion ValleyMono Creek 10/31/2004 Upper N Fork FeatherN Fk Feather River 9/30/2003 PoeN Fork Feather River 3/31/1985 Kings RiverNF Kings River 4/30/1989 Crane ValleyNF Willow Creek (San Joaquin) 9/30/1982 Rock Creek-QuestaNorth Fork Feather River 5/8/1996 Upper UticaN F Stanislaus, Silver Creek 3/27/2007 Kilarc & Cow Creek Old Cow Creek, Cow Creek 4/30/2004 San FeliciaPiru Creek, Santa Clara River 7/31/2011 McCloud, Pit 6 & 7Pit & McCloud Rivers 10/31/2003 Pit 3,4,5Pit River 3/31/2005 PortalRancheria Creek, Big Creek 7/31/2007 Chili BarS Fk American River 2/23/2002 El DoradoS Fk American River 2/28/2009 Big Creek 2A&8S Fk San Joaquin River 12/31/2004 Stanislaus spring GapS Fk Stanislaus River 4/26/2003 San Gorgonio San Gorgonio Creek 2/28/2009 Big Creek 3San Joaquin River 2/28/1999 Big Creek 4San Joaquin River 11/30/2007 Mammoth PoolSan Joaquin River 4/30/1996 Santa Ana 1&2Santa Ana River 6/26/2004 Lassen LodgeSF Battle Creek 12/31/2004 TullochStanislaus River 9/7/2004 Robley PointWest Branch Feather River

Demands for Water in California Electricity Production Endangered/Threatened Fish Bay Delta/ CalFed Consumptive Uses of Water

Endangered/Threatened Fish In California Endangered –Sacramento Split-tail –Sacramento Winter-run Chinook Proposed Endangered –Central Valley Spring Chinook Threatened –Central Valley Steelhead Proposed Threatened –California Coastal Chinook –Central Valley Fall Chinook –Northern California Steelhead

Necessary Temperatures for Anadromous Fish Chinook Salmon American Life StageFall RunSpring RunSteelheadShad Spawning/ migration Spawning Egg Incubation/ Emergence Fry Rearing Juvenile Rearing Adult Holding<77.0 Presence In The Rivers Chinook Salmon American Life StageFall RunSpring RunSteelheadShad Spawning/ MigrationSept-JanMar-JulAug-MarApr-Jun SpawningOct-JanSept-NovJan-AprMay-Jul Egg Incubation/ EmergenceOct-MarSept-JanJan-JulMay-Jul Fry RearingDec-MayJan-Apryear roundMay-Nov Juvenile RearingApr-JunMar-Junyear roundMay-Nov Adult HoldingMar-Sept

California Water Needs Bulletin Population –1 out of every eight people in the United States lives in California –By 2020 California is expected to add 15 million people, more than the combined population of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah; or the equivalent of the State of Texas; or the equivalent of New York City. Water needs –1995 level of development Urban 8.8 maf Agricultural33.8 maf Environmental36.9 maf Shortage: –1.6 million acre-ft average year –5.1 million acre-ft drought year –2020 water needs Urban12.0 maf Agricultural31.5 maf Environmental37.0 maf Shortage –2.4 million acre-ft average year –6.2 million acre-ft drought year

Summary Water system operation in California is a delicate system of balance There are a host of overlapping water rights on California rivers Climate change will necessitate more surface storage Increased instream flows deplete the cold water reserves from the upper river reaches, making it very difficult to meet temperature requirements below low elevation storage dams Area of origin water rights haven’t been widely exercised, but are starting to get more interest as rural counties develop