1. 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

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

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

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

9. 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)

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. Radio Telemetry Study
Stationary Receivers

14. 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

15. Main Dam Spillway

16. Right Bank Location

17. Right Bank Location

18. Right Bank

19. Left Bank Location

20. 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

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

22. 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

23. 2,500 tons of rock removed
July 2009

24. 800-foot work bridge
Up to 28 feet high
September 2009

25. September 2009

26. June 2010

27. June 2010

30. PIT tag Control Center
PIT tag antennas
October 2010

31. Lock lifts fish 17’ 8”
Crowder
November 2010

32. Control Panel
Lift
Anesthetizing Tank
Working Tables
Recovery Tank
February 2010

33. 20 CFS ATTRACTANT FLOW
November 2010

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

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

47. 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

49. 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

50. Percentage by Species, V-notch vs. Orifice Modes

54. 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