Water, Power and FERC
DWR Seeks New License for Oroville Facilities
By Ted Thomas

As DWR worked around the clock through much of 2001 to help California respond to an unprecedented electricity shortage, it also kept pace with a demanding, multiyear schedule to relicense by January 31, 2007 elements of the State Water Project’s Oroville Facilities.

The Oroville Facilities in southern Butte County includes Oroville Dam and associated hydroelectric facilities (Edward Hyatt Powerplant, Thermalito Pumping-Generating Plant, and Thermalito Diversion Dam Powerplant), the Feather River Fish Hatchery, Thermalito Diversion Dam, Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay, the Oroville Wildlife Area, and recreational lands and facilities.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has jurisdiction under the Federal Power Act over the operation of the Oroville Facilities because the power generated is transmitted over an interstate transmission system and because the facilities impact a navigable waterway. The federal government issued an initial 50-year license in 1957 for the facilities known as Project 2100.

DWR must file its application for a new Project 2100 license with FERC by January 31, 2005. Meeting this deadline will necessitate hundreds of stakeholder meetings, myriad studies, and analyses of all aspects and impacts of project operations.

“We chose a collaborative relicensing process that seeks consensus with stakeholders on project operating conditions,” said Principal Engineer Rick Ramirez, DWR’s Oroville Facilities Relicensing Manager. The Department is regularly meeting with representatives of Indian tribes, local governments, anglers, boaters, other recreationists, environmental organizations, State and federal resource agencies and others to help shape its license application.

“This is imperative,” said Ramirez, “because Oroville is a multipurpose project that much of the State depends on for affordable water and environmental protection.”
“The California public and Legislature voted to build Oroville Dam and the rest of the SWP to help meet the water supply needs of cities, agriculture and industry as well as to enhance fish and wildlife, provide recreational opportunities, repel salinity in the Delta, and help control floods,” Ramirez said.

During the big storms since 1955, Oroville Dam has literally been a lifesaver. Even before it was completed, the dam saved Oroville and downstream areas from catastrophic flooding in 1964. Most recently, the dam helped to control flooding during the monster storms of 1997.
DWR is confident that the most intensive analysis would conclude that the Oroville Facilities serve the public interest.

Licensing costs, however, can be significant.
Federal law requires that, in approving an application, FERC give equal consideration to power and nonpower uses of projects. The Oroville Facilities’ operational impacts upon instream flows, water temperatures, recreation, fish hatchery operations, aesthetic values, and tribal lands and culture will be examined.

Expensive studies can stack up quickly.
“Some of the costs can be mitigated by using data collected from past and ongoing discussions and consultations with other government agencies, contractors and many others with an interest in Project 2100,” said Ramirez.

“DWR has always worked with the public, environmental organizations, and State and federal fish and wildlife agencies,” said Ramirez. “This is paying off in a collaborative relicensing process that will address the concerns of all parties.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:
DWR’s Internet home page at
http://wwwdwr.water.ca.gov
features links to the Department’s Oroville Facilities licensing page at
http://orovillerelicensing.water.ca.gov/ and the Department’s Lake Oroville recreation Web site at http://wwwdwr.water.ca.gov/LakeOroville/
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For more information about California Department of Water Resources water activities write or phone the DWR Office of Water Education
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