HomeMy WebLinkAboutSu Hydro - Records Management System - June 1987SUSIT-NA HYDROELE("TRIC PROJECT
RECORDS M-kNAGEMENT SYSTEM
FILE REFERENCE EPORT
Pl,eDared by
HARZA-EBASCO j0ll,,JT VENTURE
June 987
SUSITNA RECORDS HANAGENENT SVST0,
BaCKGROUND iNFORMATION
OVERVIEW OF Seri' A FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Principal File Categories, Contents, and Location
COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEM
System Overview
Database Searches - General
Database Searches - System Commands
Appendix A
System Storage by File
B
Listing of Reports
C
Report Formats
D
Structure of RBase Tables
E
Acronym Listing
F
Contractor/Subcontractor Work kreas
G
Keyword Listing
H
File Code Index
BACKGROUND iNFORMATION
This file reference report is intended to provide insight into the studies
and amplorations that were conducted an the Susitna Hydroelectric Project
and to provide practical details an the records management and retrieval
system that has been established by the Alaska, Power i;utnority. The Susitna
iR.=:_orn's Management System was established to protect and preserve the many
records that were produced as ai result of the State's investment in the
project and to alloy public access to these records. This report will pro-
vide information on how the records can he accessed, and There the records
are store&.
The Records Management System is primarily comprised of reports and data
gathered during the three and one half years the Harza-i;basco joint Venture
workers on the project, but efforts were made to include information in the
system that was generated by state and federal agencies and independent
contractors as early- as i94cQi.. Thus, while the Vast majority of the informa-
tion in the ,system represents data generated since early 1983, the system
also _ncli:S.6Lai' a considerable amount of `easibility work performed by Acres
American Inc. between the years 100 and 1983, the .Sa Army Corps of Enyi-
neers between 1974 and 1980, and the U.Sm Bureau of Reclamation prior to
1974.
The :.ontai.es considerable scientific and engineering data which WE,
significant value to Alaska. . in this regard, not only are 'me ._...,te Ev'u3... lr
b e to the State if it decides to pursue the project r , form n _ `: C t fit _ _ C A lIi __ :, t? a
future, but the project itself significantly advanced the present a knowl-
edge of the biologic, geologic,and hydrometerlogic setting of Scut1..cen..
Alaska.
The Susitna "oject as currently envisioned would consist of _:3o large fame
located an the Susitna River in the uplands above Talkeema. The project
would include an 870 foot high earth M! dam known as Wazana and E 6.
thin -arch dam a: Devil Canyon. in tandem, the dams would be capable of
producing 7.3 billion kilowatt hours of hydropower9 Power would be brougm
to Fairbanks, Anchorage, and south to Seward and Homer by way of a high
voltage transmission system which has already been partially constructed,
This two dam scheme is relatively new concept for developing the Susitna
river potential It was first proposed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
in their report to Congress in 1976. The Alaska Power Authority adopted the
concept after extensive investigations in the early 1980's. investigations
prior to those of the Corps of Engineers suggested other measures for har-
nessing the river's potential. Kaiser Engineers proposed a three dam scheme
and a quasi private -state development in 1975. Even earlier, the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation proposed a four dam scheme to include dams at Devil.
Canyon, Watana, Vee, and Denali. This proposal was actually transmitted to
Congress in 1961, but the Secretary of Interior recommended no further
action pending the Crops of Engineers findings on the massive Rampart hydro-
power proposal which was under active investigation at the time. Even
earlier, studies by the Bureau of Reclamation in the latter 1940's suggested
as many as twelve dams be built throughout the entire Susitna drainage
basin. This latter study was only reconnaissance level, but it lead to the
more detailed studies and eventually, the four dam recommendation.
The level of effort that has been performed on Susitna over the years has
generally been supportive of the present day two dam schemec The Bureau of
Raclamstion proposal for four dams WaF prefeasi hility as a whole, but the
geotechnical investigations associated with the Devil Canyon project were of
feasibility level. This included an eweasive care drilling program at
Devil Canyon, and preliminary field investigations at the Denali damsitec
The Corps of Engineers investigations were at a pr'fear iFill ty level bm
they did conduct confirmaticn drilling at the Uatana dam site as well as
some additional drilling on the right abutment of the Devil Canyon dam site,
The Corps of Engineers investigations were comprehensive in that the Corps
reviewed all of the dam configurations previoush PrOPOsed bY K&Mz, "
Bureau of Reclamation, and others Rnd ultimately concluded th-t the Devil
Canyon/Watana combination, constructed in two stages - Watana first iollow&
by Devil Canyon, was the economically and environmentally superior proiecW
The Kaiser studies must be considered reconnaissance in scope as no new
field work was conducted at their proposed damsites.
The Alaska Power Authority established jurisdictions over the project and
contracted with Acres American Inca in January of 1980 to review the ecopom-
ic and environmental feasibility of the project and to prepare the Federal -
Energy Regulatory Commission license application. I This phase of the project
was accomplished over a three year period and was funded by a $35 million
appropriation from the Alaska Legislature. in order to insure objectivity,
the Governor's Office was given the task of independently conducting an
alternative energy assessment® Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories,
Inc. was hired to perform this assessment and they concluded that the Corps
of Engineers two- dam plan was indeed the superior alternative for
satisfying the long term energy needs of the Railbelt area.
The Board of Directors of the Power Authority voted in the Spring of 1982 to
pursue the FERC licence to Construct the project and hired the joint venture
of Harza Engineering Company and Ebasco Services, Inc. (Harza-Ebasco) in
January 1983 to initiate project 6esign. A change in administration and a
new Board of Directors for the Power Authority curtailed design activities
as the world price of oil began to soften. k drop in oil price would
decrease the State's revenue and hence its ability to finance the prc3ect.
Concurrently,
economic
development in
the State began to slow,
as did the
projected
need- for -power forecasts.
Thus, harza-Ebasco was
relegated thE-
job of coordinating
the
overall licensing
process while the Et
rue convinuM
ta review
its financing
options during
this period of economic
Design was
indefinitely
postpone&
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Since the State's ability co finance the pro"ect as originally proposed vzf�
becoming questicnable, Harza-Ebasco investigated alternatives to reduce zW.
large initial expenditure required for the two -stage, two -dam project. TO
result of this investigation was a recommendation to construct the two -dams
in three -stages rather than two. By constructing the original first stage
Watana Dam is two stages rather than one, the initial investment required
for the project would be less. The remaining stages would be constructed
after the initial stage was operational and producing revenues� The three
stage project would be constructed as follows: stage 1 - Watana at appromi-
mately three-quarters total height, stage 2 - Devil Canyon at full height;
and stage 3 - raising Watana to full height. The three stage concapt was
accepted by the Power Authority and a draft amendment to the FERC License
was prepared and submitted to FERC and state and federal agencies.
The Power Authority had intended that the project construction would he
financed through a combination of Revenue Bonds and State equity. However,
as the price of oil dropped, surplus revenues needed for the State's equity
contribution began to disappear. In February 1936 the Power Authority
issued a finance plan that concluded that use of the earnings from the
Permanent Fund was the only significant amount of money available to fund
the State's portion of the project. By this time the State had e,,pended
approximately $100 million during the projects 11sensing phase on exhaus-
tive biologic, geophysical, hydrological, and economic investigations.
Based on the results of the finance plan, the Power Authority shifted its
focus to the much more inexpensive Devil Canyon project as the Urst stag�
development of the two -dam schemei Devil Canyon was four;6 zo be economical-
ly attractive as a stand-alone project and more environmentally benign th2n,
the larger Watana project. in addition, more than 75 percent of the data
previously collected for the Watana project was directly applicable for use
on the Devil Canyon projem
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Despite the Tact that the project represented the best long raa energ:�-
option for the railbelt, in April 1986 the Board of Diraccors of the Povez-
Authority decided to terminate the project. in doing so, the Power Authori-
ty directed H2rza-Ebasco to prepare the Susitna project records for archives
in such a manner that the State's $135 million investment would be preserve�f,
to the maximum extent possible. To this end Harza-Ebasco developed the
Susitna Records Management System.
With the reutilization of the information available in the system, it is
estimated that it would be possible to secure a FERC license for the con-
struction of the Devil Canyon project within a 30 month time frame. in view
of the current load demand projections, the much larger Watana project would
take longer to license. In any event, the vast majority of the information
collected by the State, in consonance with the work previously performed by
the Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, can be directly
applied to a renewed effort to construct the Susitna hydropower project.
Once constructed, the project will provide a renewable source of energy for
Alaska well into the next century.
OVERVIEW OF SUSITNA FILE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The Susitna Records Management System is composed cf a group of independent
files having a common computerized tracking and retrieval systems The
Records Management System was developed through an extension of the indepen-
dent fiiing./tracking systems utilized during the last three active years of
the Projectr The decision to continue the Use of and erpand the independent
filing systems, rather than develop one integrated subject based file sys-
tem, was based on a combination of budget concerns, the uncertainty in M,
types and numbers of records to be accumulated, the staff familiari:ith
the e0sting systems. and the benefits of utilizing the three years of data
input, in substantially unchanged form. Although the use of separate filing
systems for the various components 0 the Records System makes the idEnti
cation and retrieval of information more cumbeEsome, the substantial cost
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savings associated with the separate tiling systems dicuted their usE,
However, even though speed and convenience have been sacrificed for cost,
the computerized tracking/retrieval system will permit access to all NOME
records, although each set of files will have to be retrieved separately,
The Susitna Records Management System was designed to preserve the data and
reports generated during the Susitna investigations and make them accessible
to the State of Alaska and other interested parties. The Records System is
composed of three distinct parts:
1. Kard copy,
2. Microfiche, and
3. Computer index!
First is the hard copy. These are the reports, raw data, reduced data,
field notes, computer printouts, prints, drawings, photographs, computer
disks and tapes, and other forms of information compiled during the course
of the investigations. Much of this information is one of a kind data that
would be costly to reproduce if lost or discarded. The hard copy includes
virtually all of the data in its original or finalized form that was created
during the course of tha Susitna investigations. Some of these data, in the
form of completed reports, have been distributed to appropriate intereste6
agencies and individuals�
The secoad element of the Records Syntsm is a microfiche backup of much
the original hard copy. Conceivably, it would be possible to microfiche
virtually all of the hard copy in the system and then discard the hardeopy
all together. However, in the event that the state decides to reactivate
the Susitna investiRations or elements of he, it would be enremely Off
cult and expensive for engineers to search the voluminous microficK recorK
and attempt to recreate appropriate sections� As such, the Power Authority
has decided to microfiche as much of tne data as practical and to store th
hardcopy in the University of Alaska, Fairbanks archives for an indefinite
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veriod. The microf iche can be used LO raCreatE ASCAQ elements A sayz w�
needed by the s:ate or independent researchers, or the majority of the syE-
tem could he recreated in the event that the original hardcopy is QU or
discarded in the future. Since the state will discard all but one copy of
the documents and data in the system, the microfiche backup will be the most
appropriate source from which reproductions of individual documents or por-
tions of data can be created for the general public or other interested
parties.
The third element of the record system is the overall index and retrieval
system. This can best be described as a computerized listing of all of the
data and documents in the system. in general, the computerized listing
identifies what is in the system and provides the keys necessary for loca-
tion and retrieval. This is the element that gives order to the entire
volume of information being preserved. Because of the shear magnitude of
data and reports generated during the course of the Susitna project, a com-
puterized index and retrieval system is manditory for efficient system use.
in summary, the system includes the original hardcopy, microfiche backup for
much of the hardcopy, and a computerized system for data tracking and
rstrieval of information
The records conLrol system utilized for the project is based on a computer
softwear program known as !brie 5000. MON allows for input and storage
of uniquely identifiable information not itemized or stored by specific
subject matter. Subject matter, Owever, can be accessed by a 'keroorLl,
Atle, or subject matter search. in fact this is the primary difference
between the Susitna Records Management System and a traditional library-typ-
system. A typical library generally segments records by subject matter cr
author. This procedure facilities the limited search capability of the
library. With the speed of the personal computer however, date which has
been stored randomly can be easily searched thereby simplifying the task of
structurally setting up the system. That is, data can be input without
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regard to sequencE; the computer, then can identify the WE in the systVID,
and provide the necessary location information.
SevEral systems were consiaered before the WON program was selecte& Df
Paramount concern was the fact that there was limited time and bodget 1)
effectively prepare a large quantity of records for archives- Concurrently,
there was a need for a system that could manage massive amounts of records
without a substantial amount of upfront sorting and, along the same line, to
utilize as much of the existing document control system as possiblein
order to develop a conventional system based on sequential listing of author
and title, it would have been necess8ry to insividually cross reference
every single locument that would be going into che system- it would have
required a , antially larger staff than was budgeted. Rb5000 allowed for
the random input of files, thereby saving countless man-hours of sorting and
cataloging and also allowed substantial use of the three plus year of data
input into the Harza-Ebasco document control system. The WON program
allows searches by any number of criteria to create hardcopy inventories of
like subjects. k; such, the main advantage of the system is that it was
economical to implemente The main disadvantaged is that the subiect matter
is scattered throughout the system rather than in distinct locations for
easy perusal and retrieval. On the other hand, there is little need for a
researcher to confine a search to one physical location. The nature of the
SUSAna project is su=h that subject matter is discussed through9ut such a
broad range of documents that it would be difficult to physically locate
inhividual subject matter in distinct locations. Thus the Rb5CDQ system is
ideally suited to the Susitna Records Management Syste= kn attempt WE
bepn u-,sde, however, to segment categories of documents for easy reference.
A listing of the categories and status Of the information in Each is con-
tained in the following section of this report,
The computerized retrieval system Ands itself zo segmenting blocks of
records by individual categories, 1, i, ,,Sible for instance to print OWL
the titles of all documents contained in the system anyzed by either date,
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Luther, �iocument number, or some zomsinavion af zhesc verivbles7he Prim-.
cK could Kea be reviewed manually to incans 6asired !nVrmszIcn A Manua 1
search is cumbersome and does not utilize the obvious advantage of rN-,
available computerized location and retrieval system. W main advanzages
would be for individuals very familiar with the records system and for
transmitting information to inquiring parties interested in a complete or
specific listing of information in the system or system subset. Conversely,
it may be desirable to produce copies of the titlea of documents with very
distinct subject constraints. As an example, the Power Authority may wish
to make available a print out of information that would include all moose
studies conducted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game during 19M
The computer wcild search all document titles and keywords for moose, for
the year in which the studies were conducLed, and by the author. The output
would be a subset of the entire record system, but it would be of specific
interest to certain parties.
The Susitna Records Management System is designed for use on the 1BM PC or
compatible system. The user of Q. system needs only a basic knowledge of
the DOS operating system and how to enter the basic commands to initiate the
Rb5UOO system. The Rb5000 system itself is user friendly and is easy to
use. Step by step instructions are provided an the use of the system in
later sections of this report.
Princival file categories, contents, and location
in order to facilitate the storage and retrieval process, the files con-
tained in the Sees itna Records Management System have been divided Kw3 savell
wegorles. Tha categories are based an physically similar types of docu-
menus. These files canegaries are as fallous
Documents
Correspondence
=-ape .Edix __ contains a summary of the location and disposition of records ..
system as e' v t_
the e� well � c 'c;nit.'c4 _._s,. for the ='eF�Jy_tJ._�'s .��"4c� Cau_W indi-
cates where the hard op is to V,t-d for each of the seven file categories
and where microfiche is located. it also indicates which agencies ,.a_,.._ntain
the ROOM s. fware and copies of the database files.
2; brief description of the contents of the data in the Stven file categories
is as follows:
Documents. This file category contains books, bouni reports, or other
information bou..d it a report format. in some instances a piece of
correspondence may have been cited as ._. re€ere:_,_.._ in a report. in such
cases the correspondence was bound in a hard :over and [>np T`r y`,h.RRf=d +..
other zU_,.;€l _f:rC_,. (>rt C°.u_..,_, the r7_._i:e of C:oa.:C..kjilbl.Qei?£ also
would be ufJ?1�:.rine�. n the correspondence file C.t«.';ory). The materials
contained?hi` Category t . 1. _ . .., �.4 . _ Either project ry M� i., :^ (those developed
directly from Prclect related activities), reports used as reference,,..
in various project repoTts, or general reference matetials,
The MOM rapWILYry of Lhis file is he orignial ricrafich- in the
hard - ., s
LextW have been micr&,Imed.
correspondence. included in zhis category are all leu;e:a, letza--.
repDrts, or other forms of communication in which Harza-Ebaszv was a
party or was copie& This category has been totalily microfilm& an-c
the hardcopy destroyed. Microfiche copies of this information will be
retained at the Power Authority library and the State Records Center in
junesu,
Data/ This file contains all raw date, reduced data, cal-
culations, cost estimates, field log books, subcontractor correspon-
dence, report backup, and all other forms of data. The data medium
consists of magnetic tapes, floppy disks, computer printouts, hand
written notes and logs, and basic engineers calculations. it is one of
a kind information that is on loan from the juneau Archives and is
neing stored at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Most of the
information in this file has been microfilmed (magnetic storage media,
photos, etc. were, of couzse, not possible to film).
EEC Requests/Responses. This file contains all of the FERC requests
for supplemental information and the Power Authority's responses, This
is a very important file in that it cotains the outstanding FERC ques-
tions and draft responses that nwere pending when tnp project was termi-
nated. This file has been totally microfilmed for retention at both
the Power {authority library and the Juneau Records Center,
Photalry2hy.
This file
contains
aerial
photography of
the SusitnL
River
and of the
proposed
tianRmisHon
line routes. The
hardcopy, is
beinE
sto=ed at the
Universiry
of
AlEska,
Fairbanks, on
loan from zhe
juneau
Archives,
while
Lhe negetives.
are being stored
in the alimat-
ically
controlled
vault
of North
Pacific
herial Survey
in knchorzge,
The negatives
generated
for vegetstive
mapping are being
vored by zh---z
U.S.
Geological
Survey
(NICIA
E a n n TWE file COUtainS all of the CrQiWl dMWLnSI LN!
mylars of engineering drawings an& land owntrehip maps, The nriglnEIE
are storK at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, on loan from she
juneau Archives. The original film is in the State Archives in juneau-
The Power Authority maintains the drawings an aperture cards..
Report Originals. This file includes the camera ready copy of project
reports and distribution information. This file was not micrafilmed.
The hardeopy of this file is being retained at the Records Center in
juneau. in addition, the computer tapes and engineering drawing nega—
tives are also retained at the Records Center.
All of the information included in the Records System is subdivided into one
of these seven categories. This includes all of the Harza—Ebasco generated
records as well as that of their subcontractors. To the extent that the
information was readily available, the system also includes various cate-
7,
gories of records from the Acres American, {nc® feasibility studies, and
from previous studies by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamationp
The only Susitna related records that are not in the system are the Power
Authority's correspondence files, and restricted archaeological documents.
The file code index for the correspondence files may be input to the system
at a later date. The archaeological information not in the system consists
mostly of maps, reports on sites of historic significance, and artifacts.
This information is restricted in accordance with Federal Law (Federal
Archaeological Resources Protection Act 1979, Section 9A). Approval W.
access this information must be obtained from the Chief cf the Office o.-;-
History/Archaeology, Department of Nat"ral Resources, Anchorage, AlasW,
Except as noted above, ths Susitna cecards hEve been ailocated to storage ir,
one of three locations, information intended for storage in Anchorage would
;off a-,aC, 4n
h i nt e r e ss IL e d p, a r t es c a n g a n I'l n
at t 'D rr3 t ZI r:�
the dil spos i ion, and loca t I'Lon of Sus na relat e in-1- orm�.,, t or�
", '166 i'-
Q
the Power Authority -1i brary , soil and core samp _Ies �,qil I I be s LCV-_& 2',_n a, r
Authority warehouse to be located in Eal-le River,.
Information stored in Fairbanks is housed in 'lie Rasmuson 7 Ibrary at the
University of A-laska under the Polar Regions Archive section. The primEry
file category stored in the Rasmusor, Library I's the Deta/n;: rm ati r, -I �0_
This -file contains massive volumes Of original date that it is honed ca-n
to the research and educational needs of the Univers.ty System,.
Hard copies of a majority of the project reports were aiso sent to IL -he
University Library.
Records located in Juneau are stored in either the State Archives syste
in the State Records Center as appropriate. Those records contained -211ed in the
State Archives are available to the general public although the information
cannot be removed from the premises. TnforMat4on contained in the Records
Center is not available to the general pub!-c, however, individual requests
C� L
-for access to the data can be made to the Power. Authority for their consi6-
r a t i 0 n Records G t ored in the State Reco rds Cent-er are cz�nta I ned in car
board bo):es E07 a specified shelf -Ii-fe. ?pit t h e e n d o f a s p e c i i e d nu m b e r 0L
years the records will be destroyed unless the Power Aunority reouiests
the ret-�:iti.on er'od be extended,
SYST,
Sys tem Over-,,
!`as diEcd in E prev lio,i_is G;'Ct : on, the
e s Pbase 0 0 T'
s p, r r aaw u n,
I B M I E I,; C 3 Z"o at -Z� e p S o n a I c,,,, aip 1,, a n d re q u i y- e s aT:,, K� G F