Thursday
April 12, 2007
CALFED-Funded Narrows 2
Bypass Benefits Yuba River’s Wild Salmon and Steelhead
Source: CALFED Bay-Delta Program
Now in operation, the bypass will prevent previously uncontrollable flow reductions into the lower Yuba River, primarily caused by acts of nature such as lightning strikes on the electric transmission line serving the plant. In the event of a power outage, the new system will bypass cold water through the offline hydroelectric plant into the lower Yuba River, eliminating a flow reduction that could be harmful to salmon and steelhead.
The CALFED Bay-Delta Program financed the $12.5 million project through an $8.5 million grant, with local funds making up the balance of project cost.
“The Narrows 2 bypass is an excellent addition of technology and infrastructure to protect habitat for the Yuba River’s wild salmon and steelhead,” said California Department of Fish & Game Director Ryan Broddrick. “This project illustrates the success of collaboration between the state, CALFED and local communities.”
Prior to the installation of the bypass, instream flow releases for salmon and steelhead could be interrupted by acts of nature or plant failure. Because Englebright Dam was designed to hold back mining debris, it has no low-level water outlet. For water to be released past the dam it must flow through a powerplant or over the dam’s top. Without the bypass, an emergency outage could result in a flow reduction or subsequent spill of warmer water over the top of the dam, harming the lower Yuba River’s fisheries.
The new bypass enables the Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) to maintain consistent, cold water releases into the lower Yuba River, even during power outages – providing an additional level of protection for the Yuba’s wild salmon and steelhead. The bypass will further assist YCWA to meet the higher instream flows established by the proposed Lower Yuba River Accord. Supported by 17 local, state and federal interests, including conservation groups and local farmers, the Accord is a long-term, comprehensive program to improve lower Yuba River habitat for salmon and steelhead.
The CALFED Bay-Delta Program provided several grants to YCWA for the construction of the new bypass at the Narrows 2 hydroelectric plant, which is owned and operated by YCWA.
“Upstream ecosystem restoration projects like the Narrows 2 Bypass are good investments for CALFED,” said CALFED Director Joe Grindstaff. “Because of the importance of the Yuba’s wild salmon and steelhead to the Bay-Delta’s ecosystem, CALFED agencies have been investing in the Yuba River for many years.”
As part of the Yuba River Development Project, YCWA constructed the Narrows 2 hydroelectric plant in 1969. This facility is capable of generating up to 50 megawatts of carbon free, renewable hydroelectric power – or enough electricity for 20,000 California homes. The facility is 400 feet downstream of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Englebright Dam. Constructed in 1941 to prevent Gold-rush era mining debris from clogging the Yuba, Feather and Sacramento Rivers, Englebright is 24 miles upstream of the Yuba and Feather River confluence, near Marysville.
Contact:
Keith Coolidge 916-445-0092 or
916-275-6809
Jeanie Esajian 916-445-0464 or 916-275-6802