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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAPA3268I I --·------ IXI&OO~& o §liD£®©@ Susitna Joint Venture I Document Number 32.~55 I · Please Return To DOCUMENT CONTROL ·----------- I I I I I I I I ·.-;-. I '· I I I I I I I I I . "' . THE SUSITNA HYDRO STUDIES November 1980 ~ • e SUSltna ~ ~o W N t" dJ november 1980 les The state is also funding a related but separate $1 million study to consider alternatives to Susitna hydroelectric power.That study, contracted by the governor's Policy Review Committee,is being conducted by Battelle-Pacific Northwest Laboratories.It will be completed in the spring of 1982,concurrent with the Susitna feasibility studies. Those explorations,never adequately undertaken before,are now 10 months into a 30-month examination period.Acres American, Inc.(Acres)has been retained by the Power Authority to manage the $30 million effort. potential of the upper portion of the Susitna River.Initial funding was providedjn July 1979,and the explorations were initiated in January 1980. A BRIEF HISTORY INDEPENDENT REVIEW BY EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS As a part of the Susitna explorations,the Alaska Power Authority is The purpose of this newsletter,the first of several,is to present appointing an external review board composed of eminent what is going on with the Susitna studies that are now underway.engineers,scientists,and economists to review the feasibility The intent is to present the information objectively so that readers studies performed by Acres.Approximately $1 million has been may make their own conclusions based on facts.budgeted by the Alaska Power Authority for this review,which will include an independent cost estimate of constructing the Susitna project. Information on the energy alternatives study can be anticipated from the Office of the Governor. Fairbanks,Anchorage and Railbelt face major energy d ··ec IS Ion ~i~i~:~~in the "railbelt region"will face a major energy decision At that time,the feasibility studies on the proposed Susitna hydroelectric project and a study of the feasibility of a variety of other energy alternatives will both conclude with their findings. There has been a great deal of interest for many years in the building of a hydroelectric project on the Susitna River. The previous assessments indicated that the Susitna project was economically feasible and that anticipated environmental impacts would not be of such a magnitude as to warrant it undesirable.Con- sequently,in 1976 the Alaska State Legislature created the Alaska Power Authority and asked the new state corporation to begin detailed feasibility studies on the development of the hydroelectric THE SUSITNA HYDRO STUDIES The Susitna investigations fall into 10 general categories.Not all the studies are going on at this time,nor are all described in this It was initially looked at in the 1940's by the U.S.Bureau of newf>1etter.They includE): Reclamation and iat,er studied by the U.S.Army <,'>,)rps Or Engineers.-forecasts of future electrical needs in the railbelt area between the Kenai Peninsula and Fairbanks from 1990 through 2010 -hydrologic analysis of the Susitna River -seismic examination -geotechnical exploration near the dam sites -engineering design development -environmental data collection and impact assessment -transmission line analysis Continued on page 3 2thesusitnahydro studies/november1980Firmbringsextensivecoldregionexperiencetohydrostudies.•:.;.;,;:;;:;::.;:~?.;.:JimGill,ResidentManager,AnchorageofficeofAcresAmerican,Inc.InNovember1979,theAlaskaPowerAuthorityBoardofDirec-torsselectedAcresAmerican,Inc.,aninternationalconsultingengineeringfirm,toconductthefeasibilitystudiesontheSusitnahydroelectricproject.Reasonsfortheselectionin-cludedAcres'pastexperiencewithhydroelectricprojectsinsub-arcticregions.Also importantwasAcres'deci-siontoutilizeAlaskanexpertiseinthefieldwork(whichwouldmaximizetheexpenditureofmonieswithinthestate),anditsproposaltoprovideforanextensiveanddirectpublicparticipationprocess.TheselectionwasmadewithsupportfromboththepublicandtheStateHousePowerAlternativesStudyCommittee,alegislativesubcommitteesetuptooverseethefeasibilitywork.TheAcres organizationisactiveindiversifiedfieldsofplanning,engineering,feasibilitystudies,environmentalassessment,andprojectmanagement.Amongotherenergytechnologies,thecompanyhasmorethanfiftyyearsofexperiencewithlargeandsmallhydroelectricdevelopment.IncludedinthesearetheChurchillFallsprojectinLabradorandtheNelsonRiverprojectinCanada,bothofwhicharelocatedinnorthernclimatesandpresentedproblemssimilartothosetheproposedSusitnaprojectmayencounter.TheSusitnaprojectismanagedbyAcresoutofitsmainofficeinBuffalo,NewYork.ItsresidentofficeisinAnchorageandthefieldcampisintheupperSusitnabasinclosetoDeadmanCreek.~xpertiseappliedtosocioeconomicquestionsTheconstructionandoperationofahydroelectricprojectintheSusitnaRiverbasinmightaffectthelivesofAlaskans,inbothpositiveandadverseways.WhileRailbeltresidentsgenerallymightexperienceenergyindependenceandlowercostsforelectricity(relativetootheralternatives),certaingroupsofpeoplemightex-periencepopulationshifts,changesinservicerequire-ments,taxrateandrevenuechanges,andchangesinthegeneralqualityoflife.FrankOrth&Associates,Inc.,afirmwithexperienceinconductingsocioeconomicanalyses,particularlyinAlaska,ispresentlyconductingthefirstphaseofatwo-phasestudythatwillidentifyandanalyzepoten-tialchangesinsocioeconomicconditions.Betweennowandspringof1981,thefirmisdevelopingsocioeconomicprofilesforlocal,regional,andtosomeex-tent,statewideareas.Theseprofilesaredescriptionsofex-istingconditionssuchaspopulationlevels,availabilityandtypeofhousing,employ-mentandincomelevels,businessactivity,educationenrollmentandcost,transporta-tionfacilities,andlandusepatterns.Later,betweenlatespringandearlyfall1981,thesesamecon-ditionswillthenbedescribedforafuturewithouttheSusitnaproject.Theresultwillbeabaselinefromwhichcom-parisonscanbemade.ApreliminaryassessmentofsocioeconomicimpactsthatcouldresultfromaSusitnadevelopmentwillbemadepriortoastatedecisiononSusitnain1982.Ifthestatedecidestofilealicenseapplicationin1982,adetailedanalysisofwhataffectconstructionandoperationoftheSusitnaprojectmighthaveonsocialandeconomiccondi-tionswillthenbeconducted.FrankOrth&Associateswillidentifyandexaminechangesinsocioeconomicconditionssothatpeoplecanmaketheirownevaluationsofhowsuchchangescouldaffecttheirlifestyles.BackgroundinformationonproposedSusitnaproject------~No20miIIo040km\...r>.r>./',\ALASKA'.r--'-'--)'0'''''~'---JMIMcKInley,,-/../'~-/'SUSITNAALTERNATIVESBetweentheDenaliHighwayupstreamandGoldCreekdownstream,twelvedamsitesandtwoprimarytunnelplansarebeingconsideredaspos-siblebuildingblocksintheformulationofapreferreddevelopmentplan.LANDOWNERSHIPThemajorlandownershipisbyCookInletRegion,Inc.,anditsNativevillagecorporations.Therearealsosomeinholdingswithintheprojectarea,suchasminingclaims,Nativeallot-ments,open-to-entryparcels,andhomesteads.POTENTIALPOWERForayearwithtypicalprecipita-tionandclimaticconditions,theaverageenergypotentialofthebasinisabout7billionKwh.Thisisabouttwicewhattherailbeltgenerationwasin1979.Thereareanumberofdevelop-mentconceptsthatcanbedesignedtousealloraportionofthisenergypotential.PRESENTLANDUSETheprojectareaispresentlyusedbyguidedhuntersoperatingprincipallyoutoftheStephanLakearea,withscat-teredprivatecabinsbeingpre-sentonmostofthelargerlakesintheupperSusitnabasin.Inaddition,miningclaimshavebeenfiledonmanyofthetributarystreamswithinthedrainage.Accesstotheareaispredominentlybyaircraft,althoughthereislimitedaccessbyriverfromtheeast.LOCATIONTheproposedSusitnaRiverhydroelectricprojectislocatedontheupperSusitnaRiver,ap-proximately125airmilesnorthofAnchorage,150airmilessouthofFairbanks,and70milesnortheastofTalkeetna.~~- the susltna hydro studies/november 1980 3 continued from page 1 .cost estimating .preparation of FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commis- sion)licensing documents,if appropriate, .marketing and financing analysis THE SUSITNA WORK THUS FAR Last summer,scientists and engineers went into the field to begin the Susitna work.An ex- planation and first examination of this work is the text that follows on the inside pages of this newsletter.Further infor- mation will follow in subse- quent reports. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON POWER DEVELOPMENT In April 1982 the five-member Alaska Power Authority Board of Directors will formulate its recommendation to the gover- nor and the legislature in regard to power development along the railbelt.At approximately the same time,the governor's Policy Review Committee will be forwarding its independent recommendation. THE DECISION Final determination on the sub- ject rests with the state in 1982. If the decision is made to pro- ceed with the development of Susitna,a license application for construction will be filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington,D.C. Who is the Alaska Power Authority The Alaska Power Authority is a public corporation funded by the state and headed by a five- member board of directors appointed by the governor and approved by the legislature.Its day-to-day business is con- ducted by a sixteen-member staff located in Anchorage. The purpose of the Power Authority is to assist the residents of Alaska in both urban and rural areas in con- structing,acquiring,financing, and operating power production facilities of various types. Those types include fossil fuel, wind power,tidal,geothermal, hydroelectric,solar energy pro- duction,and waste energy con- servation facilities.The Power Authority is currently develop- ing anumber of hydropower and alternative energy projects statewide. Alternative energy study goes to Battelle Recent studies by Battelle have This fall the governor's Policy Review Committee selected Battelle-Pacific Northwest Laboratories to make the alter- natives study.A final report is expected in the spring of 1982. To assure sufficient checks and balances,the 1980 state legislature determined that an independent consulting firm should conduct the Railbelt power alternatives study. ments to the governor and the legislature. WHERE QUESTIONS SHOULDGO Questions regarding the alter- natives study should be directed to Fran Ulmer,Director of the Division of Policy Development and Planning (DPDP),Pouch AD,Juneau, Alaska 99811,phone (907) 465-3577. Questions regarding the Susitna hydroelectric exploration should be sent to Eric Yould, Executive Director of the Alaska Power Authority,333 West 4th Avenue,Sliite 31,Anchorage, Alaska 99501,phone (907) 276-0001. Cost of the 18-month study is $1 million. OBJECTIVE I COST The objective of the alternatives study is to determine if there are more cost effective ways to meet the energy needs of the Anchorage-Fairbanks railbelt area than through the develop- ment of the Susitna River's hydroelectric potential. WHAT ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION? When the Battelle study is com- pleted in April,1982,the Policy Review Committee and the Alaska Power Authority Board of Directors will consider the results in formulating their respective recommendations for Railbelt power develop- Ward Swift of Battelle Northwest explains his firm's proposal to members of the public and the governor's Policy Review Com- mittee this fall.Battelle was selected to conduct the energy alternatives study.Battelle's work is expected to be completed at the same time as the Susitna feasibility studies in spring 1982. In addition to Uirner,members of the Review Committee in- clude Clarissa Quinlan,director of the Division of Energy and Power Development;Ron Lehr, director of the Division of Budget and Management;and Charles Conway,chairman of the Alaska Power Authority Board of Directors. included a national coal utiliza- tion assessment and an assess- ment of the effects of thermal power plant site and design alternatives on the cost of elec- tric power,both for the federal government. While Acres American,Inc. reports to the Alaska Power Authority for the Susitna studies,Battelle will report directly to the Policy Review Committee. "Battelle has a lot of experience doing exactly what this request for proposal calls for,and they ,have a great amount of ex- perience doing projects in Alaska,"said Fran Ulmer,chair- woman of the Policy Review Committee and director of Policy Development and Plan- ning in the governor's office. In the original plan of study presented to the Alaska Power Authority by Acres American, Inc.,Acres was to conduct the alternatives study in parallel with feasibility level studies of the Susitna hydroelectric project. Battelle-Pacific Laboratories,a Richland,Washington,research and development firm,is the ,newest in a number of Battelle offices in the United States and Europe.The company,founded in 1929,has a staff today of 6,000.Research in the North- west office focuses primarily on the technological and environ- mental issues of energy produc- tion and use. Dmf;) ~lDg 11=11 ISER expects more than doubling 'of electricity needs despite slower growth rate tricity consumption growth rate times what it is in the rail belt projections.today. The railbelt region generally in- cludes these areas:Fairbanks, Talkeetna,PalmerlWasilla, Anchorage,the Kenai Penin- ,sula,Glenallen,and Valdez. Initial forecasts from the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)in- dicate that future growth of electric utility sales is expected to be slower than the historical Alaskan growth rate. Because of anticipated high rates of economic growth, Dr.Scott Goldsmith,Institute of however,utility sales will equal Social and Economic Research.or exceed recent national elec- Several forecasts were made to reflect the uncertainty surrounding both future economic activity and relative prices of energy.ISER's "most likely"forecast indicates that The ISER forecasts are con- electrical utility sales in the year siderably lower than previous 2000 are likely to be about 2.4 forecasts that served as a basis of earlier studies of the Susitna hydroelectric project by the Corps of Engineers. Historically,the annual growth rate from 1965 to 1975 was about 14%.During the last five years,it has been 7%.The projected annual growth rate over the next 20 years averages 4112 %. NORTH pacts,safety and reliability. The preferred concept plan is expected in March 1981. preferred concept plan will be based on such things as an- ticipated power needs,costs, environmental and social im- :~ ••••••••••~ICreekSite.••••Dev,SOUtH r •••••••••••• UIVIVel.OPt/OIV . Previous plans indicated a basin The sites and tunnels shown do development preference rang-not imply all would be ing from a four-dam basin developed.Using a multi- development plan to the more disciplinary approach,the recent preference for two dams r--------------------------------------, located at Devil Canyon and NORTH TUNNEL OPTION Watana •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• .•••••••••••e. /\ .........-......DevIl Canyon Site .JA ~ITunnelsarealsobeingcon- sidered in the options for development of power within the upper Susitna.Two concep- tual tunnel plans are shown in the map to the right,along with three of the potential dam sites. Design options include tunnels the susitna hydro studies/november 1980 Microearthquake studies review old data,collect new In addition to reviewing his-Analysis of the records (seis- torical earthquakes,seis-,mag rams)from the seismo- mologists have been monitoring graphs provides information on microearthquake activity in the microearthquakes in the vicinity vicinity of the dam sites.During of the dam sites.This informa- this year 10 very sensitive tion includes the size,location, seismometers were installed in and depth of each microearth- shallow holes within a 25-mile quake. radius of the dam sites. mometer was transmitted from radio to recording seismo- graphs that were installed at the Watana base camp. The microearthquake data and geological data are studied by both geologists and seismol- ogists.This interdisciplinary ap· proach provides scientists with information to evaluate the seismic design criteria for the dam sites.The signal from each seis- Seismic activity in the project area is being studied by Woodward-Clyde Consultants' seismolog ists. The seismometers measure ground motions for earthquakes as small as Richter magnitude zero (magnitude 3 or larger earthquakes usually can be felt). MICROEARTHQUAKE MEASURES 2.0: Portable seismographs like this one have been set up at the Watana base camp to register mlcroearthquake activity.This particular microearthquake,with an epicenter In the southwest cor· ner of Mt.McKinley Park,measured 2.0 on the Richter scale last August 27th.Microearthquakes usually are not felt by human beings.They occur constantly throughout the railbelt. 4 The figure above shows a portion of the area around the Devil Canyon dam site.The location of a mapped fault and several lineaments are shown on a hlgh·altltude aerial photograph taken by a U·2 aircraft.These features along with others in the vicinity of two dam sites are being analyzed by geologists and seismologists from Woodward·Clyde Consultants.In addition,the Alaska Power Authority will retain Independent experts to review the work done by Woodward·Clyde,a conser· vatlve policy much like "getting a second opinion"within the medical profession. How to study earthquake potential Geologic and seismologic studies are conducted to obtain an understanding of the seismic activity within an area.These studies begin with a com- prehensive review of the literature and aerial photography to identify all faults and lineaments.Faults and lineaments that may be potentially important to dam design are then studied in the field. A lineament is a straight line feature observed on aerial photographs,maps or from an aircraft.A lineament may be pro· duced by glacial ice,by faults, or by other earth shaping forces.All lineaments are not necessarily faults. For the Susitna project,all potentially important faults and lineaments within approxi- mately 60 miles of either dam site have been studied.During the past year,these preliminary studies have included aerial reconnaissance with heli- copters and small airplanes, along with investigations on the ground. Features that are considered to be of potential importance are scheduled to be studied in detail next year. The objective of these studies is to determine if the lineaments are faults and to estimate how recently the faults may have moved.Active faults,those that have moved during recent geological time,are important to dam design. The Denali Fault is an example of a fault which has had move- ment during recent geologic time.The fault is 40 miles north of both the Devil Canyon and Watana dam sites.The Denali Fault is more than 800 miles long as it runs in generally an east-west direction through the Alaska Range. Studies by a number of geolo· gists show that movement has occurred along various sections of the Denali fault during large earthquakes that have occurred over several hundred thousand to several million years.The average rate of movement has been approximately one-half inch per year. Woodward-Clyde Consultants are working under contract to Acres American,Inc.,to evaluate potential seismic activity. The first data from Woodward- Clyde Consultants is expected by the end of 1980.It will include information obtained to date and a discussion of lineaments and faults that need to be studied in more detail to understand their potential significance to the design of project facilities. The Alaska Power Authority will schedule meetings in Spring 1981 and information collected and analyzed by the consultants will be presented to the public. Collins also notes that the plant studies will have a lasting value beyond the immediate role they are playing as part of the feasibility studies on the Susitna hydroelectric project. Plant study considers affects on moose habitat William Collins of the University inch in diameter,are excellent of Alaska's Agricultural Experi-forage for moose,since the ment Station in Palmer notes animals cannot break large that plant ecology studies will branches with their mouths. support and assist the studies How will the disruption of river being made on wildlife within flows and flooding affect new the Susitna River basin.For plant growth that moose rely on instance,moose eat the leaves,for adequate food supplies? twigs,and bark of birch,cotton- wood,and willow.When these trees grow by rivers,they are subject to flooding,which exposes new sites for the trees to grow.Young trees,with branches no thicker than one For instance,few descriptions of vegetation have been made for the area.Therefore,the species list of vegetation and the first detailed vegetation maps will be two important pro- ducts of the current Susitna studies. The specific goals of the two- year plant ecology studies are to forecast what effect con- struction of the dams would have on plant life within the area,to identify the wetland areas,and to identify plants that are endangered,rare,or threatened.Collins and his assistants will accomplish this by studying old and new aerial photographs,and by observing the area on foot,noting such findings as the age of vegeta- tion and the effect of seasonal flooding on the establishment and maintenance of plants that are important as forage for moose.Their first vegetation maps will be completed by December of this year. thesusitnahydrostudies/november19805SusitnaStation-Tributaries2%-Tributaries1%ThisisaschematicdiagramoftheSusitnaRiversystem.Animpor·tantaspectofthissystemisthattheupperSusitna(theareaunderconsiderationforhydroelectricdevelopment)contributeslessthan20percentoftheriver'saveragetotalflow.Othertributaries,in·eludingtheYentna,Chulitna,andTalkeetnaRivers,contributetheother80percent.OCTOCTJULto50to"20':~J........I.-".J.......J...'...J.......JOCTJANAPRJULMONTHOfYEAROCTJANAltllJULSEPTMONTH01"YEARMONTHOFYEARGOLDCREEK~~~20Ico~l°La_/:.,.-~PARKSHIGHWAYBRIDGESUSITNASTATION"Changesinflowpatternscanhaveapositiveornegativeimpactonsuchthingsasfisheries,moosehabitat,flooding,andnavigation.Fisheriesdirectlydependonwaterflow.Sincetheeffectsofflowaregreaterontheup-streamportionoftheriver,theinitialemphasisofstudyeffortsismostintensiveupstream.Followingthereviewofthebasicriverhydraulics,Acreswilldeterminetherequiredextentofassessmentofdownstreamresources.Thedevelopmentofanyhydro-electricschemeontheupperSusitnawillresultinseasonalchangesindownstreamflowpatterns.Takingthetwo-damproposalasanexample,thethreegraphsshowthedifferencebetweennaturalseasonalflowpatternsandpro-jectseasonalflowpatternsatthreepointsalongtheSusitnaRiver.Asonegoesdownstream,thedifferencebetweennaturalandprojectflowsbeginstodissipateastheeffectsaredilutedbythenormalflowsfromtheothertributaries.GENERALFlowstudiesareoneofanumberoftypesofhydrologicinvestigations.Alsoincludedareassessmentsofreservoiroperation,sedimentyield,rivermorphology,glacialcontribu-tionandiceformation.StudiesidentifychangeindownstreamwaterflowRadiocollaringusedtostudywildlifeWhateffectwouldtheconstruc-tionofalargehydroelectricpro-jecthaveonthewildlifethatin-habitstheupperSusitnabasinanddownstreamareas?Sincethisisaquestionofseriousconcerntothosestudyingthefeasibilityofbuildingthepro-jectintheSusitnaRiverbasin,anumberofrespectedscientistshavebeenhiredtofindtheanswer.willcontinuethiswinterastheresearchersnoteanimaldistribution,abundance,habitatpreference,andmovementpat-terns.Itiseasiertostudymostanimalsduringthewintermonths,becausetheyaremorevisible~nditiseasiertofollowtheirtracks.ThegroupofscientistsheadedbyGipsonhasbegunatwo-yearstudyofthefurbearinganimalsthatlivewithinthearea.Again,thepurposeistoidentifyandcountthem,observetheirseasonalhabits,anddeterminewhatkindofhabitattheyneedinordertolive.Inviewofexistingfodder,howlargearange,forinstance,doesaredfoxneed?Gipsonandhiscol-leaguesarestudyingtheanimalsbytrackingtheminthesnowandbyradiocollaring.Surveylinesareestablishedinrepresentativetypesofvegeta-tionandtracksoffurbearersareidentifiedineachvegetationtype."Itisimportantthatpeopleknowwearenotpoliticians,thatwearenotheretodecideiftheSusitnaprojectshouldbebuiltinthefirstplace,"saidDr.PhilGipsonoftheUniversityofAlaska,Fairbanks,CooperativeWildlifeResearchUnit."Weareheretostudytheareaandtodeterminetheimpactontheanimallifeifconstructiontakesplace.Thepurposeofallthestudiesistogivethedeci-sionmakersthefactssothattheycanmakethebestdecisionwithfullknowledgeofthepositiveandnegativeconse-quences."hesaid.TherearevastnumbersofanimalsthatlivewithintheSusitnabasin.Bears,wolves,caribou,moose,fox,otter,andminkallliveinabundance.Whydotheylivethere?Andcouldtheylivesomewhereelsejustaswell?AspartofthePowerAuthorityinvestigations,theAlaskaDepartmentofFishandGamebeganmonitoringbiggameanimalslastsummerbyairplanefollowingearliertaggingandradiocollaringefforts.StudiesKarlSchneideroftheAlaskaDepartmentofFishandGameputsaradiocollaronmoosenumber38.Aniridescentorangeeartagmakesthemoosemorevisiblefromtheair.SchneiderheadsateamofresearcherswhohaveidentifiedbiggameanimalswithintheSusitnabasin.Thescientistsbeganmonitoringtheanimalslastsummerbyairplanefollowingearliertaggingandradiocollaringefforts. 6 the susltna hydro studies/november 1980 $3 million budgeted to study~Susitna fish -,..--------.....~.~_.. studies will begin late in 1980 and continues for 15 months.If the project goes to the Federal government for license ap- proval,studies will continue through the post license application period. Tom Trent,one of the study coordinators from the Depart- ment of Fish and Game,em· phasizes that study efforts of those conducting river hydrology and water quality studies must be closely coor· dinated. A major question in the fisheries study is what would happen to the Susitna River fisheries if the dams were built. For example,will important fish habitats for migration,spawn· ing,and rearing be favorably or unfavorably altered?If the im· pacts are negative,can they be minimized or offset in some manner such as by hatchery pro· pagation of fish or through a scheme of regulation of river flows and discharge through the dams? Mr.Trent also noted that,"The Department of Fish and Game conducted very limited assess- ment work during the years 1973 to 1978,but the intensity and design for the next fifteen months and beyond will be aim- ed at collecting information enabling the State to make ob- jective judgements of probable project impacts on the Susitna River fishery resources." TES will be assisted by noted specialists from the University of Washington,Dr.Clinton Atkinson and Dr.Milo Bell.Clint Atkinson has extensive ex· perience with Alaska salmon fisheries,Including those in the Susitna basin,while Milo Bell has 50 years of experience working on related engineering problems throughout North America on hydropower projects. The Department of Fish and Games'responsibility during the field studies will be to deter· mine existing fisheries condi- tions in the Susitna River.This includes identifying the distribution and abundance of salmon and resident fishes in the system as well as the seasonal importance of the river to their migration,spawning, and rearing. (ADF&G).Utilizing data supplied by ADF&G,existing fisheries in· formation,and past experience, the private consulting firm of Terrestrial Environmental Specialists (rES)will assess the positive or negative impacts of development and operation of the proposed hydroelectric pro· ject and suggest measures to avoid,minimize,or compensate for possible adverse affects. Comparisons will be made to similar systems found in other cold regions of the world (for in· stance,Sweden and Russia). Initial field work for these Field data on the fish popula· tions and habitat of the Susitna River will be collected by biologists of the Alaska Depart· ment of Fish and Gar'1e The value of these fisheries to the State of Alaska requires that the potential for hydro impacts on resident and anadromous fish (such as salmon)be assessed. The Alaska Power Authority has budgeted about 3 million dollars for the study of the fisheries of the Susitna River. Resident fish species,such as grayling and rainbow trout,also contribute to recreational fisheries throughout the Susitna system,from its mouth to its headwaters. The fish populations in the Susitna River system are major contributors to commercial and recreational fisheries in the Cook Inlet basin.Susltna salmon,for example,occur in commercial fishery catches from the entrance of Cook Inlet to the mouth of the Susitna River. Some of the salmon for recrea· tlonal fisheries use the Susitna River for migration,spawning and rearing.The Susitna salmon inhabit an area as far south as Deep Creek on the Kenai Penln· sula and as far north as Portage Creek,which is a short distance below the Devil Canyon site. Alaska Department of Fish and Game Wildlife Notebook Series ~..::>..~.~..:(. ,.••. ".f,:......• ..":'... Environmental studies use Alaska experts Terrestial Environmental Specialists (TES),the con- sulting firm retained by Acres American,Inc.,to conduct the environmental studies on the proposed Susitna project,has contracted with the University of Alaska on a number of the studies. They include:furbearers,birds and small mammals,land use and recreation,cultural resources,and plant ecology. "We chose the university because experts there are familiar with environmental conditions in Alaska,"Jeffrey o.Barnes,TES president,said. TES is headquartered in Phoenix,New York. Drilling program completes first year Deep drilling (over 700 feet per hole)into the areas around the proposed dam sites determines the types of rock,the rock struc- ture,its strength,and the stability of the bedrock on which dams would sit or through which a tunnel would pass.Core samples are then retrieved and studied by geologists. R &M Consultants is the sub- contractor conducting the drill· ing program at the Watana and Devil Canyon sites. Keys to upper Susitna prehistory may be found "Before any land-disturbance activities may take place on federal or state lands,an inven· tory of cultural resource sites must be made and recommen- dations developed to lessen or avoid the impact of the project on them,"George Smith,an archaeologist with the Univer- sity of Alaska Museum in Fairbanks,noted last summer. In other words,before the con- struction of a hydroelectric pro- ject in the Susitna River basin may begin,there must be an archaeological survey to locate sites within the area. Last summer archaeologists ex- amined 55 sampling sites,deter· mining that 33 of them were of archaeological importance. Next summer the museum will send several crews into the field to systematically test and analyze a portion of each site in order to evaluate its significance and to then make recommendations to minimize possible adverse effects.Sites that might be adversely im· pacted by project construction will be excavated if the decision to construct the hydroelectric project is made. During the extensive testing scheduled for 1981,each site will be divided into a checker- board of squares one meter in size.Artifacts found in the sampled squares will be catalogued and become a part of the University of Alaska Museum's archeological collec· tion,where they will be available for display and research. Although it may be premature to assess the significance of arti- facts before their analysis is complete,Dixon and Smith are excited about the results of the survey.They have discovered several sites which will help unravel the poorly understood prehistory of this area of the state and which will provide im- portant information about the way people lived in the upper Susitna thousands of years ago. University of Alaska·Falrbanks Photograph Dr.E.James Dixon and Mr.George S.Smith of the University Museum head a team of scientists who will Investigate the area for evidence of human activity which,they say,may extend back 10,000 years.Shown above are Les Baxter and George Smith. They are looking at buried animal bone fragments. , the susitna hydro studies/november 1980 7 University survey seeks public comment on recreation potential ,....•.1;.. If the Susitna project is built, the areas surrounding it may be developed for recreational use. What kind of use is the subject of a questionnaire being sent this fall to residents of Anchorage,Fairbanks,and the smaller communities along the railbelt (Talkeetna,Palmer, Wasilla,Willow).More than 2,000 people,randomly selected in these locations,will be asked by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks,to describe the kind of facilities they would like to see developed.From their answers,Dr.Alan Jubenville and Ms.J.K.Feyhl at the university will determine which of five concept plans presented to the respondents is most acceptable. In May,the Alaska Power Authority tentatively will hold community meetings and recreation will be one of the topics.Comments from both the meetings and from the ques- tionnaire will be analyzed by the University of Alaska and a second survey on the subject will follow.A report will be made to the Alaska Power Authority in 1981,even though at that time the question of whether to develop the project will not have been decided. In brief,people are being asked if they would prefer minimum or maximum recreation develop- ment (or something in between) in the areas of the ty.'o proposed damsites. One concept plan calls for minimal devel.opment and management.It assumes that public access by road into the reservoir areas is restricted or not permitted.Development would be limited to a visitor in- formation center on the Parks Highway.However,access by float plane would be possible on the reservoirs and access by canoe and kayak on the upper rivers would continue as it does at the present. Another plan suggests that ac- cess by road to both reservoirs is possible.As a result, primitive campgrounds and sim- ple boat ramps would be con- structed at the damsites.A tour boat service of the reservoir would be offered at the Devil Canyon site. A third approach calls for exten- sive development at the Watana damsite and only minimal development at the Devil Canyon location.Simple back- country campsites would be provided at selected locations around Watana.Additional ser- vices would include a boat ramp and docking facility,store and service station and float plane tie-downs. In a fourth concept plan, the development would be at reversed locations,with highly- developed facilities provided at the Devil Canyon reservoir and damsite and only minimal facilities at Watana. In the fifth concept plan,both damsites would be extensively developed to include complete visitor facilities with back- country boat-in campsites built at five locations.Facilities,in addition to those suggested as extensive development in the third and fourth plans,would in- clude lodging,such as motels, and restaurants with minimal or full service.• "The surveys we are making are more thorough than any made previously in regard to recrea- tion plans associated with the development of a hydroelectric project,"Jubenville said.He noted there were no good plans at the federal level to assist him. "We are surveying the people who live in the area where the dams are proposed to be built as well as those who live in the urban areas both north and south,and we are surveying more than once." g ~ ~ I I I I ~.- The goal is to identify species that occur,their abundance,and what habitats the birds utilize. Answers will enable the scien- tists to predict the impact that construction of the Susitna hydroelectric project would have on the existing bird life. Kessel began a field study last summer,observing birds by sight and sound,and by using aerial surveys to search for evidence of the larger nesters. Bird habitats will be visited on a regular basis throughout the migration and summer periods over the course of the two·year period. Zip[[[[[] Two year study on birds underway A number of bird species use the upper Susitna River basin during the summer and during migration.They include large birds such as eagles,hawks, and swans,and a number of smaller species. Dr.Brina Kessel of the Universi- ty of Alaska,Fairbanks,is pro- ject leader for a group of scien- tists studying bird life within the Susitna River basin. mammal,its abundance,and habits.Here,McDonald baits a mouse trap in an effort to deter· mine the kinds and numbers of mice present in the different habitats of the study area.Since mice and other small mammals are part of the natural "food chain,"their numbers and con· dition are of crucial importance in determining the health of the project area ecosystem. Stephen O.McDonald,Univer- sity of Alaska biologist,is direc- ting a two-year study of small mammals that live within the project area.Among the small mammals under observation at present are mice,shrews,red squirrels,snowshoe hares,arc- tic ground squirrels,por- cupines,and hoary marmots. The scientists set up sampling lines to aid them in collecting such information as the type of Mice important in food chain ~-------,This public Information document on the Susltna hydropower project was developed by the Alaska Power Authority I Public Participation Office,Nancy Blunck,Director.Comments on the substance of this newsletter and ideas for future publications should be forwarded to the Public Participation Office by way of the following coupon. ,Last First Initial iii iii iii iii iii iii ii'i NameIMailing AddressICity State CD and mail to:Alaska Power Authority I Public Participation Office 333 W.4th·Suite 31 .Anchorage,AK 99501 ~THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST ~--- If you want to get future newsletters 8HowYOUcanbeinvolved...COMMUNITYMEETINGSareheldpriortoimportantstudydecisionsatfourlocationsthroughouttherailbeltarea.Meetingsreviewtheprogressofstudiesandprovidepeoplewithanopportunitytomakecom-mentsandhavequestionsanswered.WORKSHOPSareheldasneededinindividual railbeltcommunities.Workshopsarenarrowerinscopethancom-munitymeetingsandserveasaforumforpresentingin-depthin-formationonalimitednumberofsubjects.NEWSLETIERSarewidelydistributedtothepublicandreportfactualinformationaboutthestudies.Thisnewsletteristhefirstofseveral.Toreceivefuturenewsletters,clipandmailthecoupononpage7.TheACTIONSYSTEMisameansofsuggestingchangestotheplanofstudy.SendcommentstothePublicPar-ticipationOfficeforreviewandcommentbyAcresandPowerAuthoritystaff.thesusitnahydrostudies/november1980Communitymeetings(likethisoneinAnchorageinApril)willbeheldinspring1981.Theyareten-tativelyscheduledforFairbanks,Talkeetna,Kenai/Soldotna,andAnchorage.Anothersetofmeetingswillbeheldinspring1982,justpriortothedecisiononSusitna.Thestudywillbeginin1981,andAsaresultofthiscommentandwillbecoordinatedwithFranksimilarcommentsfromotherOrth'sworkontheidentificationresidentsoftheTalkeetnaarea,andanalysisofsocio-economictheAlasKaPowerAu!hor:it¥con-conditions.PublicconcernsbringchangesinstudyplanForaboutayear,individualsandagencieshavehadanumberofopportunitiestocommentontheadequacyoftheSusitnastudyplan.Theircommentshavesteadilyimprovedthedocument.Forinstance,the1980legislatureappropriatedanadditional$1,365,000toaddmoreresourcesandtakemoretimeinconductingtheenergyalternativesstudy.Anindepen-dentfirmwasalsohiredtoconductthestudy.Anotherexamplebeganwithaconcernexpressedlastspring.OnepersonfromTalkeetnaarticulatedaconcernforan-ticipatedimpactsonlifestylewiththefollowingcomment:"Whenthisplanspeaksofsocialorhumanimpacts,itcon-sistentlylabelsthis'socio-economic.'Whenitspeaksofcu.lturalimpact,itdoessointermsofarchaeologyandhistoricalinvestigation."Ifeelthatitisdesirableandtimelythattheplanrecognizetheexistenceofthatconceptwhichissocio-cultural,inacon-temporarysense.ThePlanofStudyisdeficientinthatitdoesnot."cludedthatanadditionallookshouldbemadeonthesubjecttowhichthecommentspoke:howwouldtheconstructionoftheSusitnaprojectaffectthecurrentlifestyleofthepeoplewholiveintheimmediatedam-sitevicinity?T.hisisthefirstofseveralne,ws/eUerspublishedbytheA/askaPowerAuthorityforcitizensattheraifbett.Thepurp0seistopre-senfbbjectlve1nformatlonon theprogressoftheSlJsitnahydroelectricfeasibilitystudiessothatreadersmaymaketheitownconclus}&'n$,basedonaccurate'Information.EricP~Yould\<:ExecutlveDirectorNancyalunck,DirectorofPublicParticipationAlaskaP'owerAt:lthority333W.4th·Suite3'\1Anchorage,Alaska99501phone(907)276~OO1TheslateofAlaskaIsanequalopportunityemploysr."NTHISISSUE:railbeltfacese.nergydecision,..'..'..page1socialand,~coraomicimpacts..'... . . . . ..........•...,page2susitnavicinitymap. . .'..'....,. . . ...'..'..~,'.. .". . . . . ...' .page2..energyalternatives$.tudy','..'....Co••••••••••••page3energyneedstodouble,. . . . .•.'page,3tunneloption........•............'..•...,<,page3earthquakestudiesexplained'.'•. . . ....page4wildlifeandwatel'flow,..";..page5susitnafishstudies..'. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....page6potentia'recreation,birds,smallmammals. .•....•.......page7howtobe'involved. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...•.•............page8publiccommentbrings,change.........•",page8ALASKAPOWERAUTHORITYPUBLICPARTICIPATIONOFFICE333West4th-Suite31Anchorage,Alaska99501(907)276-0001BULKRATEU.S.POSTAGEPAIDPERMITNO.272ANCH.AK.99502