The amount of water covering one acre to a depth of one foot (equivalent to 325,851 gallons).
After the final license application is filed with the FERC, agencies can send in written requests for additional information, or studies. The FERC then compiles all pertinent requests and sends to Idaho Power a document called Schedule A. Schedule A outlines the details of the Additional Information Requests, and the timelines in which Idaho Power must respond and submit them for filing with the FERC.
Anadromous fish, such as salmon and steelhead, migrate or swim from their freshwater place of birth to the saltwater ocean and then return to their freshwater home stream as an adult to breed.
The rate of water flow passing any point equal to a volume of one cubic foot of water every second (equivalent to 7.48 gallons per second, or 448.8 gallons per minute).
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When reservoir water levels are reduced or lowered.
When water is released from the reservoir causing a drop in the reservoir's elevation.
A race of chinook salmon that is generally larger than spring or summer chinook salmon. Fall chinooks are generally main stem river spawners. This means they do not swim up small tributaries to spawn but rather spawn primarily in larger rivers such as the main Snake and Columbia rivers. Snake River fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Adult fall chinook can be found spawning in the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam from October to December. Chinook eggs hatch January through February, and begin to emerge from the gravel between March and May. The juveniles, called smolts, migrate to the ocean generally between May and August. They return to freshwater to spawn after one to three years at sea. All races of adult chinook salmon have irregular-shaped black spots on their backs, dorsal fin and tail. Chinook salmon are also recognized by their black mouth and gum line.
The process of drafting or draining water stored in a reservoir to increase the natural stream flow of water through a dam and into the river system. Flow augmentation is thought by some to aid (speed up) the downstream migration of juvenile salmon and steelhead smolts.
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The process of newly hatched fish or fry moving out of their gravel nest in the stream bottom and into the water column. Emergence occurs when the fry’s yolk sac has been absorbed and it must begin to seek out food items in the water.
Located on the Snake River (about 35 miles north of Pomeroy, Wash., or 23 miles south of Colfax, Wash.), this is the first dam downstream from Hells Canyon Dam and is among eight federal dams built along the Columbia and lower Snake rivers that anadromous fish from Idaho must negotiate on their journey to and from the Pacific Ocean. The distance from Lewiston to Lower Granite Dam is about 30 river miles; the distance from Hells Canyon Dam is about 140 river miles.
In 1945, Congress authorized construction of the four lower Snake River dams in Washington including: Ice Harbor (river mile 9.7), Lower Monumental (river mile 41.6), Little Goose (river mile 70.3) and Lower Granite (river mile 107.5) dams.
Just like the speedometer on your vehicle shows 120 mph, nameplate capacity refers to the dam's power plant and its maximum ability to generate electricity under ideal conditions.
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To adequately protect, mitigate for damage, and enhance fish and wildlife, along with their habitats, each license includes terms and conditions required by the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission). PM&Es are measures taken by utility companies to offset the affects of hydroelectric power generation on these natural resources.
Also known as spawning beds, or nests, redds are areas in the stream bottom dug out by female salmon in preparation for spawning. After fanning out a redd with her tail, a female will deposit her eggs and then cover them with more gravel. Fall chinook redds can be large and cover an area up to 55 square yards.
To increase or decrease natural river water flows by releasing water from a reservoir or storing additional water. See also flow augmentation.
The point in a juvenile salmon's lifecycle when their bodies are changing in preparation for surviving in salt water, enabling them to migrate from freshwater to the sea.
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Water passed through the dam but not used to generate electricity.
The power plant switchyard is a place on or near the powerhouse. It contains the conductors, switches, transformers and other equipment that connects the powerhouse generators with the transmission lines leaving the project.
Its mission is to provide quality, responsive, engineering services to the nation, including planning, designing, building and operating water resources and other civil works projects (like navigation, flood control, environmental protection, disaster response).