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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIdaho Power Gaging Program Idaho Power Gaging Program ________________________________ By Peter J Vidmar, P.E. Mark Kolowith ___________________________ Idaho Power Company Background Idaho Power Company is an independent, investor-owned utility that began operating in 1916. Idaho Power Company provides service to a 20,000 square -mile area encompassing parts of southern Idaho and eastern Oregon. Our company currently has over 1,500 employees, which include hydrologic engineers, communication engineers and electrical technicians. Our staff also includes many other talented individuals such as divers trained in river diving, who are very instrumental in our streamflow gaging program. Our staff is covered by both professional and general liability insurance in excess of $1 million. In addition to the diverse staff at Idaho Power, we also have a diverse fleet of vehicles available to us, which includes several different types of watercraft. Our water management department began a streamflow gaging program in 1996 as a way to reduce costs, and have been successful with this goal. We are currently maintaining over 40 Idaho Power Company stream monitoring stations. In 1997 we began providing stream flow monitoring services for outside interests. Over the years, we have successfully completed contract work for state agencies and other hydro-utilities in Idaho, Oregon and California. Currently, we are maintaining 47 stream monitoring stations for outside agencies. The entire streamflow gaging network that we are maintaining is illustrated in Figure 1. We are familiar with USGS methods and are improving on the efficiency and accuracy of these methods wherever possible. Conformance to USGS standards is very important to the success of our streamflow gaging program. At several Idaho Power Company sites throughout the state we are required by FERC license to measure and record streamflows to USGS standards. In the past, this requirement has been satisfied by contracting with the USGS to do the gaging for us. We currently measure the flows at all of these sites ourselves, and are required to do so within USGS standards. To ensure this conformance to USGS standards, all records and computations at these sites are reviewed and approved by the USGS. Figure 1. Idaho Power Company’s current streamflow gaging network. Idaho Power Company Streamflow Gaging Equipment We have accumulated a variety of different types of streamflow gaging equipment utilizing the latest technology available. This equipment enables us to measure flow accurately and efficiently at a range of flow scenarios. Most commonly, small tributary measurements that would be typical of this project would be made with a FlowTracker (Figure 2). This instrument utilizes Acoustic Doppler technology and has no moving parts. Maintenance for this instrumentation is minimal. However, this device will be checked against similar equipment for accuracy several times per year. At any time the sensor does not produce desired result, it will be returned to the manufacturer for repair. Depending on conditions, it may be necessary to utilize a Price AA velocity sensor attached to a sounding weight (Figure 7). We have a variety of sounding weights ranging from 15 pounds to 150 pounds to accommodate the full range of flow conditions that could be anticipated. A Price AA sensor will require a spin test at the beginning and end of every measurement. At any time it does not pass a spin test, the sensor receives necessary maintenance. At times, it may be more practical to measure flows utilizing Acoustic Doppler Profiling (ADP) equipment. We frequently utilize several different ADP sensors. Each individual sensor frequency is best suited for a particular range of depths and velocities. Sensors that we utilize range in frequency from 3,000 kHz to 600 kHz capable of measuring flows in water depths from 0.9 feet to 240 feet. Four of several different ADP deployment methods are illustrated in figures 3, 4, 5 & 6. Figure 2. Flow Tracker Figure 3. RiverBoat with ADP sensor Figure 4. ADP sensor mounted in an inflatable kayak Figure 5. StreamPro. Figure 6. ADP sensor mounted on a Trimaran Figure 7. Price AA velocity meter suspended With a 100 pound weight Idaho Power Company Gaging Program Personnel Peter J Vidmar, P.E. Engineering Project Leader Education: M.E., Agricultural Engineering, University of Idaho B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota Registration: Professional Civil Engineer, Idaho Experience: Fifteen years with Idaho Power Company. Responsibilities include: overseeing data quality assurance; administering Idaho Power Company stream gaging program; ensuring proper equipment availability and usage for stream gaging program, including the research and testing of any new equipment and software and providing for necessary training of others working within the stream gaging program; administering external stream gaging contracts and coordinating all work associated with them; continuing to grow the Idaho Power Company stream gaging program. Mark Kolowith Engineer II Education: M.S., Environmenal Engineering, University of New Haven B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Washington State University Experience: Three years working as a hydrologist/engineer for I.M. Systems Group (IMSG) at the NOAA Coastal Services Center Two years with Idaho Power Company. Responsibilities include: Negotiating & securing necessary permits & permissions required to develop new stream gaging stations; engineering & design associated with newly developed gaging stations; performing discharge measurements at a wide variety of stream gaging stations across southern Idaho and eastern Oregon; field data collection; post processing; data management; participation in all phases of station development including initial equipment installation and annual record computation. James Hulme Hydrologist I Education: M.S., Environmental Science, University of Idaho B.S., Environmental Science, University of Idaho Experience: Six years with Idaho Power Company. Responsibilities Include: performing discharge measurements at a wide variety of stream gaging stations across southern Idaho and eastern Oregon; field data collection; post processing; data management; participation in all phases of station development including initial equipment installation and annual record computation. Michael D Campbell Water Resource Specialist, Lead Experience: Nineteen years with the USGS. Nine years were spent as a Hydrologic Technician specializing in stream gaging. The last ten years with USGS were spent as the Field Office Chief in Twin Falls, Idaho. Responsibilities as Field Office Chief included: the maintenance and operation of numerous surface water stations; providing comprehensive computations for inclusion in the annual WRD data report for Idaho; training and development of subordinates in the office and throughout the district and providing technical peer review on numerous stations prior to records being published in the annual data report. Eight years with Idaho Power Company. Responsibilities include: equipment maintenance; training and providing guidance for Water Resource Specialists within the group; computation and review for stream gaging records; and data management for approximately 90 stream flow stations. Stan Pierce Water Resource Specialist III Education: B.S., Biology, Boise State University Experience: Eighteen years with Idaho Power Company. Responsibilities Include: performing discharge measurements at a wide variety of stream gaging stations across southern Idaho and eastern Oregon; field data collection; post processing; data management; participation in all phases of station development including initial equipment installation and annual record computation. Carl Rundberg Water Resource Specialist III Education: B.S., Environmental Sciences/ Hydrology, University of Minnesota Experience: Six years as a Hydrologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Resposibilities included: System administrator for the state’s hydrologic database; provided weekly water reports for the state; represented stream flow for state drought task force; project lead on website development making interagency hydrologic data available to the public. One year with Idaho Power Company. Responsibilities for Stream Gaging group include: data collection; data management; working to improve quality assurance and quality control of field equipment and database; certified diver for underwater site scoping; equipment maintenance and installation; maintain field equipment. Rick Thometz Water Resource Specialist I Education: B.B.A., Finance, Boise State University Experience: Four years with Idaho Power Company (temporary employee and full-time employee). Responsibilities Include: performing discharge measurements at a wide variety of stream gaging stations across southern Idaho and eastern Oregon; field data collection; post processing; data management; participation in all phases of station development including initial equipment installation and annual record computation.