Project Description

Upper Salmon Falls (FERC No 2777), Lower Salmon Falls (FERC No. 2061), and Bliss (FERC No. 1975) are collectively known as the Mid-Snake Projects due to their nearness to each other. Between them, they have a nameplate capacity of 169.5 MW.

Application Timeline

Idaho Power applied for new licenses for all three projects on December 23, 1995.

FERC issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in January 2002. FERC issued the final EIS in July 2002. In August 2004, FERC granted Idaho Power new 30-year licenses for the Mid-Snake Projects.

Protection, Mitigation and Enhancement (PM&E) Measures

The licenses include:

• Minimum stream flows
• Spring habitat enhancements
• Recreational facility enhancements
• Protection measures for white sturgeon
• Protection for federally listed threatened and endangered snail species