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Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document
ARLIS Uniform Cover Page
Title:
AEA Susitna water quality and sediment transport data gap analysis report
SuWa 119
Author(s) – Personal:
Author(s) – Corporate:
Tetra Tech Inc. ; URS Corporation ; Arctic Hydrologic Consultants
AEA-identified category, if specified:
Data Gap Analyses
AEA-identified series, if specified:
Series (ARLIS-assigned report number):
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project document number 119
Existing numbers on document:
RFP#2011-006
Published by:
[Anchorage, Alaska : Alaska Energy Authority, 2011]
Date published:
July 26, 2011
Published for: Date or date range of report:
Volume and/or Part numbers: Final or Draft status, as indicated:
Document type: Pagination:
ii, 62, 8, 13 p.
Related work(s): Pages added/changed by ARLIS:
Notes:
All reports in the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document series include an ARLIS-
produced cover page and an ARLIS-assigned number for uniformity and citability. All reports
are posted online at http://www.arlis.org/resources/susitna-watana/
AEA Susitna Water Quality and
Sediment Transport Data Gap
Analysis Report
July 26, 2011
Arctic Hydrologic
Consultants
Disclaimer: This document is provided by AEA as part its effort to gather and
share all existing information regarding its proposed Susitna-Watana Project.
Doing so should not be interpreted as an endorsement or acceptance by AEA of
the content of this document at this time.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................1
1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................3
2 Background ................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Site Description ............................................................................................................................. 3
2.2 Project History .............................................................................................................................. 6
3 Methodology for Analyzing Potential Data Gaps ..........................................................................6
4 Water Quality .............................................................................................................................9
4.1 Summary of Data Recovered ...................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Data Quality ................................................................................................................................ 20
4.3 Applicable Water Quality Standards ........................................................................................... 20
4.4 Locations Exceeding Water Quality Standards ........................................................................... 23
4.5 Timing of Pollutant Introduction................................................................................................. 30
4.6 Distribution of Primary Fish Species in the Susitna Drainage ..................................................... 34
4.7 Influence of Pollutants on Fish Species ....................................................................................... 37
4.8 Data Gaps and Need for Additional Information ........................................................................ 40
4.9 Potential Influence of the Project on Water Quality Conditions ................................................ 43
4.10 Long-term Monitoring Concepts ................................................................................................. 44
5 Sediment Transport .................................................................................................................. 45
5.1 Considerations Upstream of Watana Dam ................................................................................. 46
5.1.1 Sedimentation where the Susitna River enters Watana Reservoir .................................... 46
5.1.2 Watana Reservoir Shoreline Erosion .................................................................................. 47
5.1.3 Sedimentation at Tributary Mouths ................................................................................... 47
5.2 Considerations Downstream of Watana Dam ............................................................................ 47
5.2.1 Regulated Hydrology ........................................................................................................... 48
5.2.2 Sediment Continuity ........................................................................................................... 50
5.2.3 Analysis of Sediment Transport Data Gaps ......................................................................... 51
6 References ............................................................................................................................... 53
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 3-1. Segmentation scheme for the Susitna River Basin (APA 1983a). ................................................ 8
Table 3-2. Reach segmentation for the Susitna River Basin data gap analysis. ............................................ 9
Table 4-1. Data Resources Used to Create Water Quality Data Summary Tables (Appendix B). .............. 12
Table 4-2. Additional Documents Reviewed from Reference Library on AEA Sharepoint Site. ................. 15
Table 4-3. Documents of Interest (Possible Water Quality Data Source) But Not Available Electronically
on AEA Sharepoint Site. .............................................................................................................................. 18
Table 4-4. Alaska State Water Quality Standards for the Protection of Aquatic Life and Wildlife (18 AAC
70, May 2011). ............................................................................................................................................ 21
Table 4-5. Alaska State Water Quality Standards for Toxics and Other Deleterious Organic and Inorganic
Substances (December 2008). .................................................................................................................... 22
Table 4-6. 2008 Susitna River Basin Temperatures (Cook Inlet Keepers, via personal communication). .. 25
Table 4-7. 2009 Susitna River Basin Temperatures (Cook Inlet Keepers, via personal communication). . 26
Table 4-8. Location of continuous temperature monitoring data on tributaries of the Susitna River
mainstem (Cook Inlet Keeper, 2008 and 2009). ......................................................................................... 28
Table 4-9. Location of water quality criteria exceedances in the Susitna River drainage. ......................... 29
Table 4-10. Presence of fish species by Susitna River reach and segment. ................................................ 32
Table 4-11. Fish populations and life stage uses in Susitna River reaches. ................................................ 35
Table 4-12. Available toxics threshold concentrations that effect select fish species known to occur in
the Susitna River drainage. ......................................................................................................................... 38
Table 4-13. Location of water quality conditions that present potential bioaccumulation of toxics in fish
species in the Susitna River drainage. ......................................................................................................... 39
Table 4-14. Reach segmentation for the Susitna River Basin data gap analysis. ........................................ 40
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2-1. Susitna River Drainage Basin (MWH 2011). ............................................................................... 5
Figure 4-1. Mat-Su temperature monitoring locations, corresponding watersheds are highlighted. ...... 29
Figure 5-1. Average annual flow distribution for the Susitna River (MWH 2011). .................................... 49
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCE LITERATURE
APPENDIX B: WATER QUALITY DATA SUMMARIES FROM EXISTING SOURCES
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Executive Summary
A review of available data describing water quality conditions and sediment transport in the Susitna
River drainage, and identification of significant data gaps, represents one of the initial steps for
development of the Watana Hydro Project. Technical documents generated over the past 30 years were
reviewed for water quality and sediment transport data on conditions in the drainage, and identified
physical locations and time periods where data was not available. Data were examined to determine
current water quality and sediment transport conditions and how these characteristics currently
influence anadromous fisheries throughout the drainage. Establishment of the Susitna-Watana Project
on the mainstem Susitna River will require an evaluation of current river hydrology and water quality in
support of the FERC license application. Data gaps in the available data were identified to inform the
next phases of the hydro development project.
In general, water quality conditions in the Susitna River and tributaries had elevated metals
concentrations that periodically exceeded toxic thresholds for salmon and rainbow trout. The moderate
water hardness at mainstem and some tributary locations will ameliorate toxic effects of some of the
metals if in contact with aquatic life. Nutrient concentrations (e.g., nitrates and phosphates) were
generally low throughout the drainage, except for select tributary locations during the fall season where
nitrogen increases correspond with increasing presence of salmon carcasses. Most tributaries exceeded
spawning water temperature criteria and the maintstem Susitna exceeded water temperature criteria
for migration.
Although observations for metals in select areas of the Susitna River drainage were acknowledged as
having a high background concentration, the sources for these metals and the potential for release
following establishment of the project could increase the risk of mortality in select fish populations.
Aluminum, copper, and iron concentrations in surface water throughout the areas where data were
available exceeded toxics thresholds that indicate chronic problems in select populations were likely.
Surface water criteria indicated that aluminum concentrations were consistently high throughout the
drainage and that temperature conditions were especially high in tributaries, exceeding criteria for
salmonid spawning and migration. Water quality conditions in this drainage enable fisheries to locate
and reside in refugia suitable for survival of several life stages. A more dense sampling effort would be
required throughout the drainage to describe how pre-project and post-project physicochemical
conditions would influence existing fisheries populations in the Susitna River and tributaries. Most of the
available data was almost 30 years old and did not have the spatial coverage necessary for a more
comprehensive evaluation of water quality conditions. A general comment about existing data is that it
does not generally represent present conditions and more current information will be necessary to
construct reliable predictions about impact to critical habitats of salmon and steelhead populations in
the mainstem Susitna River and at the mouths of tributaries throughout the downstream project area.
The sediment transport analysis of existing data was approached by partitioning the drainage into two
parts; sediment transport would differentially be influenced by reservoir dynamics above the proposed
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hydro project and below this point in a regulated river channel. Sediment transport data examined from
the Susitna River drainage reflected conditions that were almost 30 years old. Review of this data
limited analysis based on age and lack of points for calibration with current investigations. Predictions
for changes to sediment transport in the Susitna River require that a current and comprehensive
baseline of information be developed and this was not possible to complete with existing data in the
lower Susitna River. Once this anchor is established describing current sediment transport conditions,
generation of post-project conditions can be made. Examination of available sediment discharge rating
curves predicts delta formation at the head of the newly formed reservoir as well as mouths of
downstream tributaries. Water level in the regulated portion of the river will determine if important
tributaries become impassable barriers to migrating fish populations. Sediment transport from the
Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers is three times as large as from the mainstem Susitna River; these
tributaries may have a greater influence on habitat formation and maintenance for salmon populations.
Sediment transport dynamics has an integral role in maintaining habitat connectivity for anadromous
fish populations. Stage-discharge relations that are governed by both reach-scale and local aggradation
and degradation as well as the magnitude of the flow are important for maintaining critical side channel
and slough habitats. Project impacts are thus most likely to occur between the mouth of Devil’s Canyon
and the confluences with the Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers and immediately downstream of the
confluences.
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1 Introduction
This report documents existing information on water quality and sediment in the Susitna River basin
with emphasis on the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project (Project) area and downstream reaches.
The purpose of this data gap analysis is to evaluate available information for its relevance and
applicability to the proposed Project for the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA), and help with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) scoping and study planning activities conducted as part of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing process. This document focuses on potential data gaps
identified for the following resources that may be impacted by the proposed Project:
x Water quality
o Conventional and metals parameters
o Anadromous and resident fisheries
o Analysis of toxics
x Sediment transport
o Hydrology
o Sediment supply, transport, and deposition/sedimentation
o Stage-discharge relations in the aquatic habitat reaches
o Formation and adjustment of dynamic aquatic habitats
Information needs resulting, in part, from the data gap analyses, will be refined when an updated
description of Project facilities, operations, and construction activities is developed. The data reviewed
for this analysis are contained in selected documents developed as part of the original Susitna Project
licensing effort in the early 1980s, along with more recent, readily available reports. These documents
are summarized in Section 4 of this report.
2 Background
An overview of the proposed Project site and the history of the Project are provided as context for the
data gap analysis.
2.1 Site Description
The proposed Susinta-Watana Project on the Susitna River is located in the south-central region of
Alaska (Figure 2-1), approximately 118 miles north of Anchorage. This region is bounded by the Alaska
Range to the north and west, the Wrangell Mountains to the east, and the Chugach Mountains and the
Gulf of Alaska to the south. The 19,400 square mile Susitna River basin is bordered by the Alaska Range
to the north, the Chulitna and Talkeetna Mountains to the west and south, and the northern Talkeetna
plateau and Gulkana uplands to the east. Major tributaries to the Susitna River include the McLaren
River, the Chulitna River, the Talkeetna River, and the Yentna River. The Project site is situated at
Susitna River Mile (RM) 184, as measured upstream from the mouth of the Susitna River. In the vicinity
of the proposed impoundment, the river has cut a narrow, steep-walled gorge up to 1,000 feet deep.
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The Susitna River is typical of unregulated northern glacial rivers with high, turbid summer flow and low,
clear winter flow. Due to runoff from snowmelt and rainfall in the spring, approximately 80 percent of
the annual flow occurs between May and September. As weather begins to cool in the fall, freeze up
normally begins in October and continues to progress through early December; breakup generally
begins in late April or early May near the mouth and progresses upstream with breakup at the proposed
Project occurring in mid-May.
Fish resources in the Susitna River comprise a major portion of the Cook Inlet commercial salmon
harvest and provide sport fishing for Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna Borough and other areas of the
State. The Susitna River is a migration corridor, spawning area, and juvenile rearing areas for five
species of salmon (i.e., pink, chum, coho, sockeye, and chinook) mostly distributed from its mouth to the
mouth of Devil’s Canyon, a natural barrier due to water velocity at high flows; however there have been
recent findings of some juvenile salmonids above Devil’s Canyon . In addition to salmon, the Susitna
River watershed also supports grayling, trout, whitefish, burbot, and other species important to sport
fisheries
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Figure 2-1. Susitna River Drainage Basin (MWH 2011).
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2.2 Project History
The Susitna River was identified as a potential large hydropower site in the 1940s by the Bureau of
Reclamation. In a 1976 report to Congress, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) proposed a two-
dam scheme capable of producing 7,300 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of hydropower (Harza Ebasco 1987).
This concept was adopted by the Alaska Power Authority (APA, currently the AEA), which began
managing the project in 1980, and contracted with Acres America to review economic and
environmental feasibility and file a FERC license application. Later Harza-Ebasco was contracted to
update the license application and perform final design. The 1980’s APA Project consisted of two dams:
the first located in Watana Canyon at approximately Susitna River Mile (RM) 184 and a second located
at the mouth of Devil’s Canyon (referred to as the Devil’s Canyon site in most earlier studies) (RM 152).
The 1980s APA Project effort culminated in the development of a license application filed with FERC in
1983, and an amended license application prepared in 1985. The project was cancelled in early 1986 in
the face of declining oil revenues. In support of the 1983 and 1985 FERC license applications, the APA
conducted comprehensive baseline environmental studies throughout the basin, with the most
extensive aquatic efforts focused on the middle stretch of the Susitna upstream of Talkeetna. A library
of more than 3,500 reference documents was cataloged at the conclusion of the project (Harza-Ebasco
1987).
The current Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project being evaluated by the AEA is located approximately
half-way between Anchorage and Fairbanks. The proposed Project would create a single dam on the
Susitna River at RM 184 in the vicinity of Watana Canyon. The approximately 700-foot-high dam would
have an approximate 557-foot difference between the elevations of the tail water and the maximum
pool (AEA 2010). Watana Reservoir would be 39 miles long and a maximum of 2 miles wide. The dam’s
installed capacity would be around 600 megawatts (MW) with the average annual generation estimated
to be 2,600 GWh (AEA 2010). The AEA is currently studying design considerations in order to formulate
decisions regarding the type of dam or powerhouse (underground or surface) that would be used as well
as the actual final maximum reservoir level. At this time the actual operation characteristics of the
Project are not known, but the current concept is that the Project would provide peaking operations
using the reservoir storage to meet daily instream flow and power needs. The current Susitna- Watana
Project is thought to be a licensable project without a fatal flaw (AEA 2010).
3 Methodology for Analyzing Potential Data Gaps
The licensing effort of the 1980’s APA Project generated a substantial body of literature, some of which
might be used to support future licensing. To evaluate potential Project impacts and to protect wildlife
and their habitats, the 1980s study effort sought to describe baseline conditions at a level of reliability
necessary to detect and explain possible future changes caused by the proposed hydroelectric
development as it was configured at that time (ADF&G 1985a). Additional reports related to resources in
the vicinity of the proposed Project have been published since the mid-1980s.
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The URS Team reviewed and synthesized data collected during the 1980s, along with more recent
information from resource agencies. Information was compiled and made available for review through
a URS FTP site and through an AEA SharePoint site. Not all of the older materials have been scanned, so
the information on the SharePoint site was limited and only information posted by early July was
available for review.
Based on the available sources of information, the primary water quality and sediment transport issues
related to the construction and operation of the Susitna-Watana Project are: 1) water quality, with
particular emphasis on the potential impacts to fish resources and changes to physicochemical habitat
resulting from project operations, and 2) sediment transport, focusing on potential impacts to aquatic
habitats and potential downstream flooding and channel stability. These issues were considered during
the review of documents to identify gaps in data that would allow for meaningful comparisons of with
and without project conditions.
The Susitna River was divided into segments to provide a framework for organizing and interpreting
available data. Discrete segments of the river are identifiable based on longitudinal changes reflected in
physical features of the river channel. A river segmentation scheme was developed in earlier technical
studies that evaluated information about the Susitna River drainage through 1983. The Application for
Development of a Major Project prepared by Acres (1983) detailed how river segmentation was
determined and provided a description for the distinct river segments. This segmentation scheme is
presented in Table 3-1.
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Table 3-1. Segmentation scheme for the Susitna River Basin (APA 1983a).
Bounds of Segment
(Susitna River Miles)
Average Bed Slope
(feet/foot)1 Predominant Channel Morphology
313 – 223 n/a Glacial and non-glacial headwaters,
upper basin
223 – 184 n/a
Approximate extent of proposed
reservoir impounded by Watana Dam
at RM 184
184 – 149 0.00337 Steep side canyon and Devil’s Canyon
149 – 144 0.00195 Single channel confined by valley walls,
frequent bedrock control points
144 – 139 0.00260 Split channel morphology confined by
valley walls and terraces
139 – 129.5 0.00210
Well defined split channel morphology,
frequent side channels separated from
main channel by vegetated islands
129.5 – 119 0.00173
Well defined split channel morphology,
confined by valley walls, occasional
bedrock control points
119 – 104 0.00153 Predominantly a single incised channel
with few islands
104 – 95 0.00147
Transition to braided channel
morphology, terraces bound broad
floodplain at confluence of Susitna,
Chulitna, and Talkeetna Rivers
95 – 61 0.00105
Braided channel morphology, multiple
channels, sparsely vegetated
floodplain
61 – 42 0.00073 Multiple channel separated by
vegetated islands
42 – 0 0.00030
Split channel morphology, occasional
braiding, distributary channel
influenced by tidal fluctuations in Cook
Inlet
1 Average bed slopes as presented in Table E.2.1 (APA 1983a)
The segmentation scheme in Table 3-1 was initially considered for use during the data gap analyses;
however, it became apparent that the resolution of the segments was too detailed given the limited
available water quality and sediment transport data. A more appropriate delineation of reaches was
developed specifically for use in the data gap analyses (Table 3-2).
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Table 3-2. Reach segmentation for the Susitna River Basin data gap analysis.
Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles) Reach Number General Description
313 – 184 1
Upper Susitna River, including
headwaters and tributaries above the
proposed Watana dam site
184 – 150 2
Middle Susitna River and tributaries
through Devil’s Canyon and below
the proposed Watana Dam site
150 – 99 3
Middle Susitna River and tributaries
from the mouth of Devil’s Canyon to
the Susitna – Chulitna – Talkeetna
confluence
99 – 0 4
Lower Susitna River from Susitna –
Chulitna – Talkeetna confluence to
mouth at Cook Inlet
Further details of methodologies specific to the hydrology, water quality, and sediment transport gap
analyses are presented in Section 4 and Section 5.
4 Water Quality
The water quality data gap analysis included several components that included review of collected data
reports and finalized data sets that could suggest possible influences on future water quality conditions.
Several steps were identified for this project that satisfied objectives and are summarized as follows:
x Data Collection from Sources
x Data Review for Quality and Summaries
x Data Analysis/Interpretation
x Identify Data Gaps
x Predict Potential Project Impact
Each of the steps addressed in the following sections relates known water quality conditions where
rainbow trout, grayling, and several species of salmon are present. The tolerance of fish species to
environmental contaminants is an important factor for evaluation of water quality conditions as these
thresholds incorporate experimental and field survey results that determine toxic effects and potential
for bioaccumulation.
A standardized segmentation strategy was developed and used to describe locations where water
quality information is found and conditions that may affect resident and anadromous fish populations.
The water quality data gap analysis identified conditions in several reaches of the Susitna River drainage
based on the reach descriptions in Table 3-2.
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4.1 Summary of Data Recovered
The available existing information was collected and evaluated in terms of its potential relevance and
completeness, and whether the methods used produced information that could be applicable to the
anticipated environmental analysis for the proposed Project. Other sources of information used in the
analysis included that derived from contacts with agency project leaders and database searches. If
information was determined to be likely insufficient for satisfying environmental analysis requirements,
a potential data gap was identified.
A review of existing data generated by governmental agencies and organizations was used as
background information to evaluate current and past water quality conditions in the Susitna River
drainage. Natural resource agencies were identified and lead staff contacted for location of relevant
information and web sites searched for general description of drainage conditions as well as for water
quality data that could be further analyzed. The following agencies were initially identified for available
information from the Susitna River drainage and contiguous areas:
x Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
x Alaska Department of Fish and Game
x Alaska Department of Natural Resources
x U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10
x U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
x U.S. Geological Survey
x National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Fisheries
x Alaska Energy Authority/Alaska Power Authority
x American Geophysical Union
Relevant documents were collected in electronic form and stored in an electronic bibliography for use in
data review and summarization (Appendix A). Water quality data discovered in document review was
either included in a spreadsheet and used in further analysis for data gap analysis or was summarized
using numerical expressions including minimum value, average value, and maximum value recorded at a
station in the Susitna River drainage including tributaries. Results from river and tributary stations were
organized according to river mile location and aggregated into river segment categories.
Existing data was organized along a longitudinal gradient (Headwaters to Mouth) so that data gaps in
water quality information could be identified by visually examining the summary water quality tables
(Appendix B). The origin of data entries in these summary water quality data tables were found in
several documents listed in Tables 4-1 and Table 4-2. Table 4-1 lists data resources used to build the
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summary water quality data tables prior to complete access to the extensive reference library on the
AEA SharePoint Site. Table 4-2 lists resources on the AEA SharePoint Site that were reviewed for
additional water quality information. Table 4-3 is a collection of references that may include relevant
water quality information but were not accessible during the review of existing information. Many of
these remaining documents were not available in electronic form on the project SharePoint site, but
were published during the same years as those reviewed. The same available data sets had been cited
and used in multiple documents throughout this time period and did not offer new information for this
data gap analysis. However, these resources could be collected at a later data and examined for relevant
water quality information.
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 12 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Table 4-1. Data Resources Used to Create Water Quality Data Summary Tables (Appendix B). DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 5, Exhibit E, Chapters 1&2 University of Washington Library 1986 Alaska Power Authority Harza-Ebasco Susitna Joint Venture Susitna Hydroelectric Project Water Quality Monitoring 1985 http://sharepoint.aidea.org/railbeltlargehydro/Reference%20Library/Susitna%20Historical%20Documents/Pre%202000%20Documents/3402.pdf (AEA Reference Library) 1990 United States Geological Survey USGS Largest Rivers in the United States http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1987/ofr87-242/ 2008 United States Geological Survey USGS Suspended Sediment Database Daily Values of Suspended Sediment and Ancillary Data http://co.water.usgs.gov/sediment/conc.frame.html 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15291000 SUSITNA R NR DENALI AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15291000&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1975 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15291200 MACLAREN R NR PAXSON AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15291200&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 13 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15291500 SUSITNA R NR CANTWELL AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15291500&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292000 SUSITNA R AT GOLD CREEK AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292000&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292400 CHULITNA R NR TALKEETNA AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292400&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 14 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 2011 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292700 TALKEETNA R NR TALKEETNA AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292700&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292780 SUSITNA R AT SUNSHINE AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292780&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1981 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15294300 SKWENTNA R NR SKWENTNA AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15294300&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15294345 YENTNA R NR SUSITNA STATION AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15294345&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 15 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION form=brief_list 2003 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15294350 SUSITNA R AT SUSITNA STATION AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15294350&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 2010 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292000 SUSITNA R AT GOLD CREEK AK DAILY DISCHARGE, CUBIC FEET PER SECOND http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=15292000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00062,72020 2004 URS Corp. URS Talkeetna Airport, Phase II Hydrologic/Hydraulic Assessment https://sftp101.urscorp.com/human.aspx?OrgID=9164 Table 4-2. Additional Documents Reviewed from Reference Library on AEA SharePoint Site. DOC_ID Author Title Date Review Notes 127 ACRES BEFORE THE FERC, APPLICATION FOR LICENSE FOR MAJOR PROJECT SUSITNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT VOL. 5A, EXHIBIT E, CHAPTERS 1 & 2 02/01/1983 second review- review of electronic version included water quality data that was already captured in summary table (USGS, R&W) 128 ACRES BEFORE THE FERC, APPLICATION FOR LICENSE FOR MAJOR PROJECT SUSITNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT VOL. 5B, EXHIBIT E, CHAPTER 2, (FIGURES) 02/01/1983 reviewed-included water quality figures; data already captured in summary table; did not pull data from figures 129 ACRES BEFORE THE FERC, APPLICATION FOR LICENSE FOR MAJOR PROJECT SUSITNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT VOLUME 6A, 02/01/1983 reviewed-contains general water quality observations; no specific data
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 16 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DOC_ID Author Title Date Review Notes EXHIBIT E, CHAPTER 3 130 ACRES BEFORE THE FERC, APPLICATION FOR LICENSE FOR MAJOR PROJECT SUSITNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT VOL. 6B, EXHIBIT E, CHAPTER 3 (FIGURES) 02/01/1983 could not get document to open from SharePoint Site; assume no data appears that its only figures 192 R&M PRELIMINARY CHANNEL GEOMETRY, VELOCITY AND WATER LEVEL DATA FOR THE SUSITNA RIVER AT DEVIL’S CANYON 04/22/1981 reviewed-no water quality data; contains WSE and velocity 296 TES ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, SUBTASK 7.14, ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE ACCESS PLANS 10/01/1981 reviewed-no water quality data 346 ADF&G FRESHWATER HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS DOLLY VARDEN CHAR 05/01/1981 reviewed-no water quality data 347 ADF&G FRESHWATER HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS ARCTIC GRAYLING 04/01/1981 reviewed-no water quality data 349 ADF&G FRESHWATER HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS ROUND WHITEFISH 04/01/1981 reviewed-no water quality data 350 ADF&G FRESHWATER HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS THREESPINE STICKLEBACK 04/01/1981 reviewed-no water quality data 385 ACRES FISH AND WILDLIFE MITIGATION POLICY NOVEMBER 1981, REVISED MARCH 1982, REVISED APRIL 1982 04/01/1982 reviewed-no water quality data 471 ACRES WATER RESOURCES ANALYSIS REVIEW OF EXISTING WATER RIGHTS IN THE SUSITNA RIVER BASIN 12/01/1981 reviewed-no water quality data; water rights issue summary 585 ADF&G SUSITNA HYDRO AQUATIC STUDIES PHASE II BASIC DATA REPORT VOL. 4 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW STUDIES 1982 PARTS 1 & 2 01/01/1983 reviewed-appears that contains water quality data in appendix, however appendix not included in scanned document; includes data from sloughs and tributaries 885 ADF&G ADF&G SU HYDRO AQUATIC STUDIES MAY 1983 - JUNE 1984 PROCEDURES MANUAL FINAL DRAFT 02/02/1984 reviewed-contains methods and site selection for WQ data during FY 1984; need to see if data report is available
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 17 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DOC_ID Author Title Date Review Notes 887 NEWBURY THE DESTRUCTION OF MANITOBA'S LAST GREAT RIVER 01/01/1983 reviewed-no water quality data 938 ADF&G AQUATIC STUDIES PROCEDURES MANUAL PHASE II-FINAL DRAFT 1982-83 (FY 83) 08/31/1983 reviewed-is companion document to DOC_585 and explains methods for collected WQ data and site selection 1247 ACRES HYDROLOGY HYPOTHETICAL DAM BREAK ANALYSIS 03/01/1982 reviewed-no water quality data 1308 ADF&G SUBTASK 7.10 PHASE I FINAL DRAFT VOL. 2 PART 1 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW PROJECT 01/01/1981 reviewed- includes water quality data from 1981, would like to summarize along with data from 5 year study; WQ data associated with fisheries evaluation sites includes sloughs and tributaries; basic WQ parameters (temp, DO, pH, Conductivity, turbidity); Because of the age of the data, it is not essential that it is summarized without the subsequent years. Data would be extremely outdated compared to conventional data from other resources. 1450 ADF&G 1984 SUSITNA HYDRO AQUATIC STUDIES, REPORT #1 - ADULT ANADROMOUS FISH INVESTIGATION: MAY - OCTOBER 1983 01/01/1984 reviewed-no water quality data in this report but included in Report No. 3 from this series (need to obtain); activities of ADF&G during 1983 open water season 1613 ADF&G PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF HYDROELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE SUSITNA RIVER 03/01/1978 reviewed-contains water quality data from 1977 (most of it unreadable), some USGS data that already is included in summary table; Temp, DO, pH, Conductivity, turbidity data for slough and tributaries; most likely same locations as in early 80s. Data would be extremely outdated and not included in summary tables. 1770 APA ALASKA POWER AUTHORITY COMMENTS ON THE FERC DEIS OF MAY 1984 VOL. 1 INTRODUCTION 08/01/1984 reviewed-no water quality data 1772 APA ALASKA POWER AUTHORITY COMMENTS ON THE FERC DEIS OF MAY 1984 VOL. 2B TECHNICAL COMMENTS - AQUATIC RESOURCES 08/01/1984 reviewed-no water quality data 1776 APA ALASKA POWER AUTHORITY COMMENTS ON 08/01/1984 reviewed-no water quality data
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 18 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DOC_ID Author Title Date Review Notes THE FERC DEIS OF MAY 1984 VOLUME 5 APPENDIX III - THERMAL ALTERNATIVES TO SUSITNA 1778 APA APA COMMENTS ON THE FERC DEIS MAY 1984 VOL. 7 APPENDIX V - TEMPERATURE SIMULATIONS, SUSITNA RIVER, WATANA DAM TO SUNSHINE GAGING STATION, OPEN WATER 08/01/1984 reviewed-no water quality data; simulated river temperatures 1931 ADF&G REPORT NO. 3 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW INVESTIGATIONS (MAY-OCTOBER 1983) CHAPTER 2: CHANNEL GEOMETRY INVESTIGATIONS 09/01/1984 reviewed-contains no water quality data (only chapter 2) Need Chapters 3 and 4 to get WQ data (not scanned); companion to other ADF&G reports on 5 year study 1954 GRIMAS ON THE FOOD CHAIN IN SOME NORTH SWEDISH RIVER RESERVOIRS 01/01/1965 reviewed-no water quality data; literature concerning impacts to fish from hydro power projects in Sweden 2049 ADF&G REPORT NO. 4 ACCESS AND TRANSMISSION CORRIDOR AQUATIC INVESTIGATIONS (JULY - OCTOBER 1983) 01/01/1984 reviewed-no Susitna River WQ data; need Report No. 3 (not scanned) Table 4-3. Documents of Interest (Possible Water Quality Data Source) But Not Available Electronically on AEA SharePoint Site. DOC_ID Author Title Date Notes 220 ACRES TASK 6 - DEVELOPMENT SELECTION, SUBTASK 6.05, DEVELOPMENT SELECTION REPORT, FINAL 12/01/1981 Could not locate on SharePoint Site 221 ACRES TASK 6 - DEVELOPMENT SELECTION SUBTASK 6.05, DEVELOPMENT SELECTION REPORT, APPENDICES A-J 12/01/1981 Could not locate on SharePoint Site 586 ADF&G SUSITNA HYDRO AQUATIC STUDIES PHASE II BASIC DATA REPORT VOL. 4 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW STUDIES 1982 APPENDIX A THRU C 01/01/1983 Report contains WQ data from 5 year fisheries evaluation study conducted by ADF&G 587 ADF&G SUSITNA HYDRO AQUATIC STUDIES PHASE II BASIC DATA REPORT VOL. 4 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW STUDIES 1982 APPENDIX D THRU J 01/01/1983 Report contains WQ data from 5 year fisheries evaluation study conducted by ADF&G 746 D&M UNDERGROUND CABLE SYSTEMS: POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS DRAFT REPORT 08/31/1981 Could not locate on SharePoint Site
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 19 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | 1932 ADF&G REPORT NO. 3 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW INVESTIGATIONS (MAY-OCTOBER, 1983) CHAPTER 3: CONTINUOUS WATER TEMPERATURE INVESTIGATION 09/01/1984 Report contains WQ data from 5 year fisheries evaluation study conducted by ADF&G 1933 ADF&G REPORT NO. 3 AQUATIC HABITAT AND INSTREAM FLOW INVESTIGATIONS (MAY-OCTOBER 1983) CHAPTER 4: WATER QUALITY INVESTIGATIONS 09/01/1984 Report contains WQ data from 5 year fisheries evaluation study conducted by ADF&G 2867 ADF&G TASK 29 AND 37 SUPPORT TECHNICAL REPORT CONTINUOUS WATER TEMPERATURE INVESTIGATIONS 06/01/1985 Could not locate on SharePoint Site; could contain valuable summary info on continuous temperature monitoring
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4.2 Data Quality
Data quality was evaluated, wherever possible, using companion information available from source
documents. Quality objectives for existing data sets including: laboratory and field precision
measurements, laboratory analysis accuracy, analytical bias, and matrix spikes are evaluated to
determine comparability between data sets used in the data gaps evaluation. The consequence for using
data that varies in comparability in this data gap analysis would bias conclusions by interpreting data
with thresholds that were prescribed for use with lower method detection limits and reporting limits.
Data that meet expectations for laboratory analysis performance or for measurement quality objectives
in the field increases the sensitivity for detecting change and for correctly concluding water quality
conditions. Combining multiple data sets that had differing data quality characteristics may result in
improperly declaring a condition when using older data with higher reporting limits and matched with
current criteria or thresholds.
Generally, most of the data discovered and used for this data gap analysis is more than 20 years old.
Many of the documents did not report data quality expressions and so an evaluation for comparability
of data sets was not possible. The exception was the United States Geological Survey (USGS) data where
long-term monitoring at select stations was completed in the drainage. The comparability of data among
USGS stations was not in question, but the lack of DQOs from older data did not enable a comparison
between USGS and other existing data sets. Any interpretations of data close to pollutant concentration
criteria were interpreted as exceeding the standard. This conservative approach was taken in order to
preserve the intent of water quality criteria and to suggest additional studies that should be conducted
in order to advance definitive decisions.
4.3 Applicable Water Quality Standards
Evaluation of water quality conditions began with determination of individual parameter exceedances
and by identifying the location in the drainage where the exceedance occurred. The purpose for this
analysis was to identify locations that presented potentially degraded conditions to important fish
populations in the drainage and the conditions under which these occurred. The Alaska State Water
Quality Standards were used for these comparisons against existing data as reported in Table 4-4.
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Table 4-4. Alaska State Water Quality Standards for the Protection of
Aquatic Life and Wildlife (18 AAC 70, May 2011).
Parameter Criteria
Color
(platinum-
cobalt scale)
Color or apparent color may not reduce the depth of the compensation point for
photosynthetic activity by more than 10% from the seasonally established norm for
aquatic life. For all waters without a seasonally established norm for aquatic life, color
or apparent color may not exceed 50 color units or the natural condition, whichever is
greater.
Fecal Coliform
Bacteria
Not applicable.
Dissolved
Oxygen
D.O. must be greater than 7 mg/l in waters used by anadromous or resident fish. In no
case may D.O. be less than 5 mg/l to a depth of 20 cm in the interstitial waters of
gravel used by anadromous or resident fish for spawning (see note 2). For waters not
used by anadromous or resident fish, D.O. must be greater than or equal to 5 mg/l. In
no case may D.O. be greater than 17 mg/l. The concentration of total dissolved gas
may not exceed 110% of saturation at any point of sample collection.
Total Dissolved
Solids
TDS may not exceed 1,000 mg/l. A concentration of TDS may not be present in water if
that concentration causes or reasonably could be expected to cause an adverse effect
to aquatic life.
pH May not be less than 6.5 or greater than 8.5. May not vary more than 0.5 pH unit from
natural conditions.
Temperature May not exceed 20°C at any time. The following maximum temperatures may not be
exceeded, where applicable:
Migration routes 15°C
Spawning areas 13°C
Rearing areas 15°C
Egg & fry incubation 13°C
For all other waters, the weekly average temperature may not exceed site-specific
requirements needed to preserve normal species diversity or to prevent appearance of
nuisance organisms.
Turbidity May not exceed 25 NTU above natural conditions. For all lake waters, may not exceed
5 NTU above natural conditions.
Additional data describing metals concentrations had been identified and aggregated into a summary
table. The Alaska State Water Quality Standards for metals and other xenobiotics are reported in Table
4-5. Results from data comparisons for metals will inform on any elevated concentration in the
drainage. Most metals water quality criteria are based on hardness concentrations measured at the
same time. Due to the nature of the water quality summary and review, determining specific metals
criteria for individual sample collections was not achievable. Therefore metal exceedances of state
criteria were not determined. In Section 4.7 of this report, metal concentrations found in the Susitna
River and tributaries were compared to known toxic thresholds providing valuable information on the
impact of metals on fish populations.
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Table 4-5. Alaska State Water Quality Standards for Toxics and Other
Deleterious Organic and Inorganic Substances (December 2008).
Parameter Acute Criteria (CMC) Chronic Criteria (CCC)
Aluminum,
Total recoverable
750 μg/L
(1-hr avg)
87 μg/L
(4-day avg)
Ammonia,
(total ammonia
nitrogen in
mg N/l)
1.77 to 28.1
Criteria are pH dependent1
(1-hr avg)
Criteria are pH and temperature
dependent2
(30-day avg)
Arsenic,
dissolved
340 μg/L
(1-hr avg)
150 μg/L
(4-day avg)
Barium No Criteria No Criteria
Cadmium,
dissolved
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(1-hr avg)
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(4-day avg)
Chloride,
dissolved
860,000 μg/L
(1-hr avg)
Applies to dissolved chloride when
associated with sodium.
230,000 μg/L
(4-day avg)
Applies to dissolved chloride when
associated with sodium.
Copper,
dissolved
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(1-hr avg)
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(4-day avg)
Iron No Criteria 1,000 μg/L
Lead,
dissolved
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(1-hr avg)
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(4-day avg)
Manganese No Criteria No Criteria
Mercury,
dissolved
1.4 μg/L
(1-hr avg)
0.77 μg/L
(4-day avg)
Mercury,
Total 1.694 μg/L 0.9081 μg/L
Nickel,
dissolved
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(1-hr avg)
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(4-day avg)
Selenium,
Total recoverable
See Note4
(1-hr avg)
5.0 μg/L
(4-day avg)
Zinc,
dissolved
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(1-hr avg)
Criteria Hardness Dependent3
(4-day avg)
1pH values in the Susitna River range from 6.8 to 8.6. Using Appendix C in the Alaska Water Quality Criteria Manual for Toxic
and Other Deleterious Organic and Inorganic Substances the criteria for Total Ammonia Nitrogen as N would range from 1.77 to
28.1 mgN/L.
2Chronic criteria for Ammonia should be calculated based on pH and temperature when early life stages of fish are present as
shown in Appendix D of the Alaska Water Quality Criteria Manual for Toxic and Other Deleterious Organic and Inorganic
Substances.
3To calculate dissolved metals criteria please refer to the table in Appendix A of the Alaska Water Quality Criteria Manual for
Toxic and Other Deleterious Organic and Inorganic Substances.
4 The CMC = 1/[(f1/CMC1) + (f2/CMC2)] where f1 and f2 are the fractions of total selenium that are treated as selenite and
selenate, respectively, and CMC1 and CMC2 are 185.9 g/l and 12.82 g/l, respectively.
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Turbidity measurements were summarized from existing data sets, but not evaluated against criteria
and not interpreted further. The turbidity criterion is based on comparison against a natural background
measurement and requires several observations from the same location within a specified period of
time. Unless turbidity exceedances were identified at a location and within a reviewed report it was not
possible to appropriately determine a turbidity exceedance from existing data. In addition, the Susitna
River and several of the tributaries are glacially fed and already very turbid.
4.4 Locations Exceeding Water Quality Standards
Identification of locations and timing of water quality exceedance was compared against fish population
presence in each of the four reaches. High concentrations of conventional parameters and/or metals
concentrations were initially screened and identification of location and time of year when water quality
exceedances may have occurred. The next step in evaluation of existing data was the comparison
between fish population presence and exceedance of toxics threshold concentrations. Both evaluations
measure effects of water quality conditions on aquatic life, both direct and indirect assessments of
impairments. Some of the high concentrations for metals appear to exceed toxics criteria, but the
geologic setting of this river drainage is a major influence on water chemistry.
Earlier studies indicated naturally elevated metals background concentrations from select sampling sites
throughout the drainage (Harza-Ebasco 1986). The following was an excerpt taken from this document
explaining which of the metals had elevated concentrations and the potential activities that may have
been related to these toxics:
The original License Application (APA 1983a, b) reviews the concentrations of metals in Susitna River
water and evaluates them using published criteria and guidelines (Alaska Administrative Code (ACC)
1984; EPA 1976; McNeely et al. 1979; Sittig 1981). Many natural metal concentration exceeded these
criteria and guidelines. As stated in the original License Application, the measured levels of heavy
metals in the Susitna River represent natural conditions. With the exception of some placer mining
operations, the watershed supports no significant industry, agriculture, or urbanization. It was
concluded, consequently, that the exceedance of water quality criteria by certain metal concentrations
is representative of a naturally affected aquatic ecosystem. Nevertheless, the high levels of certain
heavy metals warrant further investigation. Metals which exceeded applicable criteria included both
dissolved and total recoverable aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), mercury
(Hg), and zinc (Zn). In addition, the dissolved fraction of bismuth (Bi) and the total recoverable
quantities of iron (Fe), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni) also exceeded the criteria.
Temperature data collection has been the most abundant type of water quality evaluation conducted in
the Susitna River drainage. Recently, tributaries have been the focus of many water temperature studies
as this water quality parameter may represent the greatest threat of impairments to the mainstem
condition (Table 4-6 through Table 4-8 and Figure 4-1). Highlighted numerical values in Table 4-6 and
Table 4-7 represent temperature violations at a tributary location during a particular month. The
summer months (May through September) represent the most stressful period of the year for impaired
water quality conditions. According to state water quality standards, the maximum temperature that
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must not be exceeded in waters where spawning activity occurs is 13°C. This was the criterion used to
evaluate tributary temperatures within the Susitna River Basin since it is known that fish populations use
the tributaries and sloughs as spawning areas.
A limited number of conventional water quality parameters have been collected at locations throughout
the drainage. Most of this information had been collected for projects 30-40 years ago (1970’s – 1980’s)
and does not represent a complete characterization of conventional water quality conditions. Water
quality indicators that have been measured periodically at mainstem Susitna River and tributary stations
are nutrients. Mainstem nutrient concentrations were low in almost all cases and the age of this data is
reflected in poor detection limits reported in original literature (e.g., ortho-phosphate ≤0.1 mg/L ).
Examination for temporal or spatial patterns in both nitrate and phosphate concentrations indicated a
potential relationship with salmon carcass presence. The temporary increase in nitrate concentrations
(e.g., Talkeetna River, Appendix B-1) occurs during the fall season and coincides with presence of the
salmon spawning season. Influence of the fisheries on surface water quality is measurable in some
locations of the drainage.
Almost all tributaries exceeded the spawning temperature criteria during the summer months in 2008
and 2009 (Table 4-6 and Table 4-7). The highest summer water temperatures were seen in Alexander
Creek and Kroto Creek. Alexander Creek is located in Reach 4 at the lower end of the watershed while
Kroto Creek is located in Reach 2 and below major river tributaries (e.g. Chulitna River and Talkeetna
River). Due to the locations of these tributaries within the basin, temperature modifications to the
mainstem are unlikely to occur. The coldest water temperatures recorded during the summer months
were in the East Fork of the Chulitna River. This tributary is located at the northern edge of the basin.
Smaller tributaries to the Susitna River serve primarily as coldwater refugia to salmon and steelhead
populations, especially during the summer months.
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 25 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Table 4-6. 2008 Susitna River Basin Temperatures (Cook Inlet Keepers, via personal communication). Month Temperature (°C) Station Name Alexander Creek Byers Creek Cache Creek Chijuk Creek Deception Creek East Fork Chulitna River Kroto (Deshka) Creek Little Willow Creek Montana Creek Moose Creek (Talkeetna) Trapper Creek Troublesome Creek Willow Creek June Max 16.0 17.1 11.8 14.3 13.9 10.2 19.3 12.3 13.3 17.2 17.2 13.5 -- Min 11.0 5.1 3.2 11.0 5.6 2.6 13.2 5.9 5.2 8.9 10.0 4.5 -- Mean 13.9 10.6 6.7 12.9 9.4 5.9 16.0 8.9 8.9 12.3 13.3 8.5 -- July Max 22.0 19.6 15.3 20.8 15.7 11.6 20.4 15.6 16.5 19.8 19.2 17.0 14.8 Min 11.1 9.8 4.5 10.1 7.9 4.6 10.9 7.7 8.4 10.2 11.9 7.6 7.6 Mean 14.3 13.6 8.8 13.8 10.7 7.3 14.5 10.4 10.9 13.1 14.2 11.0 10.2 August Max 18.3 16.5 13.7 16.1 13.9 10.5 20.3 13.8 14.5 15.0 16.0 13.2 13.4 Min 12.6 10.7 5.4 10.0 8.1 4.5 10.6 8.3 8.0 9.5 11.1 7.9 8.1 Mean 15.1 13.1 9.7 13.3 10.6 7.2 14.5 10.5 10.7 12.3 13.4 10.7 10.5 September Max -- 15.2 11.6 13.5 11.4 9.2 17.2 11.2 11.9 12.9 12.5 12.1 11.2 Min -- 5.2 0.2 2.0 1.9 -0.1 4.9 1.7 2.0 3.8 3.4 1.6 2.3 Mean -- 10.4 6.6 9.0 7.7 5.2 10.1 7.6 8.1 9.1 9.5 7.8 7.7 Note: Temperatures may not exceed 20°C at any time. Applicable temperature criteria for protection of the salmon life cycle are as follows: migration routes 15°C, spawning areas 13°C, rearing areas 15°C, egg & fry incubation 13°C.
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 26 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Table 4-7. 2009 Susitna River Basin Temperatures (Cook Inlet Keepers, via personal communication). Month Temperature (°C) Station Name Alexander Creek Byers Creek Cache Creek Chijuk Creek Deception Creek East Fork Chulitna River Kroto (Deshka) Creek Little Willow Creek Montana Creek Moose Creek (Talkeetna) Trapper Creek Troublesome Creek Willow Creek May Max -- 7.0 6.4 17.2 12.8 6.5 18.1 8.1 10.5 -- 16.3 6.0 -- Min -- 5.5 3.2 5.3 2.0 3.1 9.5 5.8 0.1 -- 2.8 4.3 -- Mean -- 6.2 4.7 10.0 7.2 4.6 12.6 6.9 4.8 -- 9.5 5.2 -- June Max 22.1 18.9 14.9 19.6 15.2 11.5 20.7 14.4 15.1 -- 18.8 16.0 13.9 Min 10.9 6.2 3.6 6.7 5.6 3.3 9.6 6.3 5.2 -- 9.2 4.2 7.1 Mean 14.9 11.9 8.3 14.0 11.0 6.8 15.6 10.7 10.2 -- 13.8 10.1 10.2 July Max 22.6 22.8 20.7 24.3 18.8 15.5 24.5 19.5 18.8 18.1 22.2 19.9 18.8 Min 13.1 11.9 7.8 13.9 10.3 6.2 14.1 11.0 10.0 12.4 13.6 10.3 10.6 Mean 18.1 17.1 13.9 17.8 14.1 10.5 18.7 14.6 14.2 14.7 17.3 14.8 14.3 August Max 18.1 19.1 17.3 17.3 15.1 13.7 17.8 15.8 16.4 16.9 17.7 16.5 16.3 Min 9.5 10.7 5.8 9.3 8.8 3.8 11.6 8.7 9.2 9.5 11.1 8.0 8.9 Mean 14.6 13.9 10.4 13.1 11.4 8.1 13.7 11.7 11.8 12.6 13.7 11.4 11.8 September Max 17.3 14.3 11.5 13.1 11.2 9.3 12.6 12.1 13.1 17.5 13.2 11.2 12.6 Min 2.9 5.2 0.8 7.7 6.9 1.0 4.8 2.8 2.9 7.1 4.2 2.3 3.5 Mean 10.1 10.2 6.7 10.4 9.6 5.5 9.5 7.9 8.4 10.5 9.4 7.8 8.2
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 27 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Month Temperature (°C) Station Name Alexander Creek Byers Creek Cache Creek Chijuk Creek Deception Creek East Fork Chulitna River Kroto (Deshka) Creek Little Willow Creek Montana Creek Moose Creek (Talkeetna) Trapper Creek Troublesome Creek Willow Creek October Max -- 7.7 4.7 -- -- 4.8 6.4 6.5 -- -- -- 6.7 -- Min -- 4.7 0.9 -- -- 0.0 2.4 1.7 -- -- -- 1.9 -- Mean -- 6.3 3.0 -- -- 2.7 5.0 4.2 -- -- -- 4.1 -- Note: Temperatures may not exceed 20°C at any time. Applicable temperature criteria for protection of the salmon life cycle are as follows: migration routes 15°C, spawning areas 13°C, rearing areas 15°C, egg & fry incubation 13°C.
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Table 4-8. Location of continuous temperature monitoring data on tributaries of the Susitna River
mainstem (Cook Inlet Keeper, 2008 and 2009).
Stream Name Description Latitude Longitude
Alexander Creek Approx. 2 miles upstream from Susitna River 61.44000 -150.59600
Byers Creek Upstream from Park's Highway 62.71158 -150.20407
Cache Creek 1/2 mile downstream from landing strip 62.38900 -151.08100
Chijuk Creek At Oilwell Road Crossing 62.07963 -150.58314
Deception Creek Upstream from Willow-Fishhook Road 61.76200 -150.03400
East Fork Chulitna River Downstream from Park's Highway 63.14500 -149.42100
Kroto (Deshka) Creek 1 mile upstream from Susitna River 61.74000 -150.32000
Little Willow Creek 0.25 miles downstream from Parks Highway 61.81000 -150.09900
Montana Creek End of Access Road South of Helena 62.12800 -150.01900
Moose Creek (Talkeetna) At Oilwell Road Crossing 62.22900 -150.44100
Trapper Creek At Bradley Road Crossing 62.26600 -150.18400
Troublesome Creek Downstream from Park's Highway 62.62700 -150.22700
Willow Creek 0.25 miles upstream from Susitna River 61.78000 -150.16100
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Figure 4-1. Mat-Su temperature monitoring locations, corresponding watersheds
are highlighted.
Water quality summary data tables (Appendix B) were reviewed for concentrations of parameters that
exceeded water quality criteria. Summer temperature measurements primarily at tributary stations
exceeded criteria in the lower three reaches (reaches 2-4) in some cases for spawning and others,
migration. High aluminum concentrations occurred at the upper three reaches (reaches 1-3) and forms
of mercury had exceeded criteria only at lower mainstem stations. High background concentrations of
metals have been noted from past studies and may have an effect on the fisheries should these
elements become bioavailable. In areas like reach 4 where metals criteria had been exceeded, factors
that promote elemental forms that become bioavailable are present like low dissolved oxygen
concentrations and pH (Table 4-9).
Table 4-9. Location of water quality criteria exceedances in the Susitna River drainage.
Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles)
Reach
Number General Description
Water Quality Criteria
Exceedance
313 – 184 1
Upper Susitna River,
including headwaters and
tributaries above the
proposed Watana dam
Aluminum
Iron
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Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles)
Reach
Number General Description
Water Quality Criteria
Exceedance
site
184 - 150 2
Middle Susitna River and
tributaries through Devil’s
Canyon and below the
proposed Watana Dam
site
Total Dissolved Gas
Temperature (for Migration)
Aluminum
150 – 99 3
Middle Susitna River and
tributaries from the
mouth of Devil’s Canyon
to the Susitna – Chulitna
– Talkeetna confluence
Temperature for Migration
Aluminum
Iron
Total Mercury (Mainstem at Gold
Creek)
99 – 0 4
Lower Susitna River from
Susitna – Chulitna –
Talkeetna confluence to
mouth at Cook Inlet
Temperature for Spawning
(Talkeetna River)
Dissolved Oxygen
pH
Iron
Mercury
The State of Alaska periodically prepares a list of impaired water bodies (303d list) that reports the type
and magnitude of pollution problems. The impairments are presented on the ADEC web site and can be
found at the following address:
http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/wqsar/Docs/2010impairedwaters.pdf
The Susitna River and associated tributaries are not listed by the State of Alaska as impaired.
4.5 Timing of Pollutant Introduction
Evaluation of several groups of water quality parameters were previously compared against state
criteria and are compared against biological toxics thresholds for salmon species using the no observed
effects concentrations (NOECs) and lowest observed effects concentrations (LOECs). In addition,
longitudinal station comparisons described how water quality conditions changed as the Susitna River
flows downstream through distinct physical settings and influenced by tributary conditions.
Pollutant introduction can enter the Susitna River mainstem during many of the months of the year and
remain sequestered until water quality conditions that favor mobilization occurs. Timing for pollutant
mobilization can vary based on location in the drainage such as in the mainstem and tributaries to the
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Susitna River. The physical settings of each reach will have a major influence on how water quality
conditions could materialize and become factors of pollutant mobilization. The descriptions of these
settings for the length of the Susitna River and the fisheries that could be affected by water quality
impairments are combined in Table 4-10.
Mainstem
Distinct settings were identified using physical channel characteristics and surrounding topography of
the mainstem Susitna River. A previous strategy for naming distinct reaches was suggested by Acres
(1983) in the FERC Application for License (Table 4-10).
Tributaries
Tributaries to the Susitna River potentially represent sources of pollution that would be identified as
data is analyzed from mainstem stations. The tributary rivers and streams tend to be influenced by
human development in the watershed and so are important focal points for further evaluation. The
connectivity between the mainstem Susitna River and the tributaries are further examined for value as
fish population refugia and limitations to this type of access by the fisheries from pollution barriers, if
present.
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 32 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Table 4-10. Presence of fish species by Susitna River reach and segment. River Mile (RM) Reach Average Bed Slope Segment Description Fish Species Present 313 Reach 1 Headwaters 313-233 Upper Drainage Basin Grayling, Rainbow Trout, Longnose Sucker 184-223 Area of Probable Inundation Grayling, Burbot, Longnose Sucker, Round and Humpback Whitefish, Slimy Sculpin, Dolly Varden, Lake Trout, Chinook Salmon 184 Reach 2 Watana Dam Site Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Longnose Sucker 152 Devil’s Canyon Proposed Site Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Longnose Sucker 149-144 Reach 3 0.00195 Single channel confined by valley walls. Frequent bedrock control points. Chum, Coho, Chinook, and Pink Salmon, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 144-139 0.00260 Split channel confined by valley wall and terraces. Chum, Coho, Chinook, and Pink Salmon, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 139-129.5 0.00210 Split channel confined occasionally by terraces and valley walls. Main channels, side channels and sloughs occupy valley bottom. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 129.5-119 0.00173 Split channel with occasional tendency to braid. Main channel frequently flows against west valley wall. Subchannels and sloughs occupy east floodplain. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 33 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | River Mile (RM) Reach Average Bed Slope Segment Description Fish Species Present 119-104 Reach 3 0.00153 Single channel frequently incised and occasional islands. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 104-95 0.00147 Transition from split channel to braided. Occasionally bounded by terraces. Braided through the confluence with Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Arctic Lamprey, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 95-61 Reach 4 0.00105 Braided with occasional confinement by terraces. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Arctic Lamprey, Dolly Varden, Humpback Whitefish, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 61-42 0.00073 Combined patterns; western floodplain braided, eastern floodplain split channel. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Arctic Lamprey, Dolly Varden, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker 42-0 0.00030 Split channel with occasional tendency to braid. Deltaic distributary channels begin forming at about RM 20. Chum, Coho, Chinook, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon, Arctic Lamprey, Dolly Varden, Eulachon, Rainbow Trout, Burbot, Longnose Sucker
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Information gathered from tributary locations was arranged in a master table reporting existing data.
These data were gathered from several sources (Section 4.1) and summarized for review of data gaps so
that conclusions could be derived about potential impacts in each of the four reaches. Temperature data
indicated that exceedances occurred during summer months and so were not affected by other factors
during the remainder of the year. Metal concentrations were highest during the summer period in
tributaries to the Susitna River. However, some metals concentrations were also periodically high
outside of the summer period and this was important for evaluating effects to salmon and steelhead
populations that were present at the same time.
4.6 Distribution of Primary Fish Species in the Susitna Drainage
Several species of fish are located in the Susitna River drainage that are ecologically and economically
important to the region. The appearance of species in the Susitna River drainage is ordered by migration
preferences. The presence of sensitive life stages at specific times during the year, and particularly
during periods when water quality conditions are poor, provides some insight as to the influence
impaired water quality conditions has on aquatic life and location of sources for impairment. A
comparison of water quality conditions with fish presence identified convergence of biologically
stressful periods during the year with the potential for toxics effects to fish species. The following
excerpt from a 1983 ACRES EXHIBIT E report provides a general insight into fish species distribution.
“BEFORE THE FERC, APPLICATION FOR LICENSE FOR MAJOR PROJECT SUSITNA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
VOL. 5A, EXHIBIT E, CHAPTERS 1 & 2” Prepared by ACRES February 1983, Alaska Power Authority.
Fishery resources in the Susitna River comprise a major portion of the Cook Inlet commercial salmon
harvest and provide sport fishing for Anchorage and the surrounding areas. Anadromous fish in the
Susitna basin include all five species of Pacific salmon: pink (humpback); chum (dog); coho (silver);
sockeye (red); and chinook (king) salmon. The Susitna River is a migrational corridor, spawning area, and
juvenile rearing area for the five species of salmon from its point of discharge into Cook Inlet to Devil’s
Canyon, where salmon appear to be prevented from moving upstream by the water velocity at high flow.
Spawning occurs primarily in the tributaries, sloughs, and side channels; limited spawning occurs in the
mainstem. Preliminary data indicate that the majority of the 1981 Susitna River escapement of sockeye,
pink, chum, and coho salmon spawned above the Yentna River confluence and below Curry Station. Data
also show that sloughs between Devil’s Canyon and Talkeetna provide spawning habitat for pink,
sockeye, and chum salmon. Field data show that juvenile chinook and coho salmon occur throughout the
lower river, concentrating at slough and mainstem habitat during winter and at tributary mouths during
summer.
Grayling abound in the clear-water tributaries of the upper basin; these populations are relatively
unexploited. Grayling as well as lake trout also inhabit many lakes. The mainstem Susitna has
populations of burbot and round whitefish, often associated with the mouths of clear-water tributaries.
Dolly Varden, humpback whitefish, sculpin, sticklebacks, and long-nosed suckers have also been found in
the drainage. Rainbow trout, like the anadromous species, have not been found above Devil’s Canyon.
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Fish presence is outlined in the following table (Table 4-11) and contains specific activities along with
what functions the reaches serve in completing the life cycle.
The basis for evaluation of direct impairments to fisheries from elevated concentrations of metals and
other toxics was aligned with presence of individual fish species, location, and life stage presence. The
beginning of this analysis used information reported in Table 4-12. Each of the fish species have limited
distribution in the drainage and represent focus for post-project evaluation by determining how water
quality conditions may change in select settings with multiple project operational scenarios.
Table 4-11. Fish populations and life stage uses in Susitna River reaches.
Bounds of
Reach
(Susitna River
Miles)
Reach
Number
Life Stage and
Salmon Species
Life Stage/Activity
Adult Smolt/
Juvenile
Rearing Spawning
313 – 184 1
Chinook Salmon
Limited
(Historical)
Tributaries
(Jay Creek and
Oshetna River)
Coho Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Pink Salmon
Chum Salmon
Steelhead
Grayling Abundant
(Tributaries) Abundant
(Tributaries)
Abundant
(Tributaries)
184 – 150 2
Chinook Salmon
Coho Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Pink Salmon
Chum Salmon
Steelhead
Grayling
150 – 99 3 Chinook Salmon
Present Mainstem &
Sloughs
(Summer-
tributaries)
Limited
Mainstem
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Bounds of
Reach
(Susitna River
Miles)
Reach
Number
Life Stage and
Salmon Species
Life Stage/Activity
Adult Smolt/
Juvenile
Rearing Spawning
Coho Salmon
Present Mainstem &
Sloughs
(Summer-
tributaries)
Limited
Mainstem
Sockeye Salmon
Present Limited
Mainstem
&
Sloughs
Pink Salmon
Present Limited
Mainstem
&
Sloughs
Chum Salmon
Present Limited
Mainstem
&
Sloughs
Rainbow Trout Present Limited
Mainstem
Grayling
99 - 0 4
Chinook Salmon
Present Mainstem &
Sloughs
(Summer-
tributaries)
Limited
Mainstem
Coho Salmon
Present Mainstem &
Sloughs
(Summer-
tributaries)
Limited
Mainstem
Sockeye Salmon Present Limited
Mainstem
Pink Salmon Present Limited
Mainstem
Chum Salmon Present Limited
Mainstem
Rainbow Trout Present Limited
Mainstem
Grayling
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The summary of salmon and steelhead population presence indicates that the mainstem river is used
primarily as a migration corridor. There is limited spawning occurring in reach 3 and reach 4 (the lower
mainstem), with earlier life stages relying on coldwater refugia from some of the tributaries. Important
habitat includes sloughs for rearing and migration of juveniles and smolts and tributary confluences.
4.7 Influence of Pollutants on Fish Species
Existing water conditions were compared against toxics concentration thresholds known to affect fish
species (Table 4-12 and Table 4-13). Thresholds are expressed in a variety of ways (e.g., LC50, LOEL,
NOEL, etc.) and were used to compare known conditions within each of the river reach segments. This
evaluation was the basis for determining pre-project conditions and then re-evaluating to project
potential water quality conditions that might affect fish species once the project is constructed.
Comparison of existing metals data results are made with the toxics threshold criteria in Table 4-13 in
order to determine if concentrations are likely to adversely affect fish populations. Not all fish species of
interest in the Water Quality Data Gap Analysis had available toxics information for comparison.
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Table 4-12. Available toxics threshold concentrations that effect select fish species
known to occur in the Susitna River drainage.
Conclusions from this toxics threshold comparison mostly indicated that some metals concentrations did
exceed the NOELs (No observed Effects Levels) and that this was consistent in multiple reaches for the
same metals (Table 4-13). At least one of the several salmon/rainbow trout species may show chronic
effects from the metals concentrations indicated from existing data, but much of this information does
not reflect current conditions and may no longer be a factor in determining suitability of the chemical
habitat for the fisheries. The sources of the metals that do reside in some of the physical habitat are of
concern if mobilization occurs with changes in the hydrology of the river from project operations and if
inundation of tributaries that supply the metals-laden sediment is a condition of these changes.
Mean dose Mean dose Mean dose
LC50(μg/L)LOEL (μg/L) NOEL(μg/L)
Steelhead Aluminum 7,761 1,496
Steelhead Antimony 19,749 5,193
Chinook Arsenic 96hr 66,216 17,411
Steelhead Bery llium 28day 380
Sockeye Cadmium (dissolved) 96hr 18
Chinook Cadmium (dissolved) 96hr 13 4
Steelhead Cadmium (dissolved) 96hr 12 2
Chinook Chromium (hexavalent) 96hr 124,152 10
Steelhead Chromium (hexavalent) 96hr 69,000 49
Steelhead Chromium (trivalent) 96hr 23,250
Steelhead Cobalt 28day 490
Chinook Copper 96hr 59 24
Sockeye Copper 96hr 283 100
Steelhead Copper 96hr 74 12
Steelhead Iron 5,000
Steelhead Lead 96hr 24,565 131
Steelhead Magnesium 96hr 367,000 660,500
Steelhead Manganese 28day 2,910
Steelhead Nickel 96hr 13,841 162
Chinook Nitrate-Nitrogen 96hr 1,310,000
Chinook Nitrate-Nitrogen 7day 1,080,000
Steelhead Nitrate-Nitrogen 96hr 1,360,000
Steelhead Nitrate-Nitrogen 7day 1,060,000
Steelhead Nitrite-Nitrogen 96hr 190 - 390
Chinook Selenium (IV) 96hr 19,111 102
Chinook Selenium (VI) 96hr 112,918 6,944
Steelhead Selenium (IV) 96hr 10,490 47
Steelhead Selenium (VI) 96hr 24,000 2,891
Steelhead Silver 96hr 65 0
Coho Sulfate (Copper Sulfate) 24hr 23 - 100
Coho Sulfate (Copper Sulfate) 96hr 19.3 - 31.9
Coho Sulfate (Copper Sulfate) 30 day 500
Sockeye Sulfate (Copper Sulfate) 96hr 100 - 240
Chinook Sulfate (Copper Sulfate) 24hr 78 - 145
Chinook Sulfate (Copper Sulfate) 96hr 54 - 60
Steelhead Thallium 28day 170
Coho Total Suspended Solids 96hr 1,300,000 1,300,000
Chinook/Steelhead Total Suspended Solids 20,000 - 650,000 100,000 - 1,300,000
Steelhead Vanadium 28day 160
Steelhead Zinc 96hr 915 187
Chinook Zinc 96hr 969 861
Sockeye Zinc 96hr 2,041 595
CHEMICALSPECIES STUDY TIME
Note: Values taken from Biological Evaluation for Central Puget Sound Stormwater National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permits, January 2009.
LC01(μg/L)LC10(μg/L)
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Table 4-13. Location of water quality conditions that present potential bioaccumulation
of toxics in fish species in the Susitna River drainage.
Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River
Miles)
Reach
Number General Description
Toxics Threshold
Exceedance
313 – 184 1
Upper Susitna River,
including headwaters and
tributaries above the
proposed Watana dam
site
Aluminum LC50 and NOEL; (MacLaren River,
Summer)
Copper NOEL; (MacLaren River, Summer)
Iron NOEL; (MacLaren River, Summer and
Mainstem at Vee Canyon, Summer)
184 - 150 2
Middle Susitna River and
tributaries through
Devil’s Canyon and below
the proposed Watana
Dam site
NO DATA
150 – 99 3
Middle Susitna River and
tributaries from the
mouth of Devil’s Canyon
to the Susitna – Chulitna
– Talkeetna confluence
Cadmium LC50 and NOEL; (Mainstem at Gold
Creek, Summer)
Aluminum LC50 and NOEL; (Mainstem at
Gold Creek, Spring & Summer)
Copper LC50; (Mainstem at Gold Creek,
Summer)
Copper NOEL; (Mainstem at Gold Creek,
Spring & Summer)
Iron NOEL; (Mainstem at Gold Creek, Spring &
Summer)
99 - 0 4
Lower Susitna River from
Susitna – Chulitna –
Talkeetna confluence to
mouth at Cook Inlet
Aluminum LC50; (Mainstem at Sunshine,
Spring & Summer)
Aluminum NOEL; (Mainstem at Sunshine,
Spring, Summer& Fall and Talke etna River,
Summer)
Copper LC50; (Mainstem at Sunshine, Spring
and Mainstem at Susitna, Winter, Spring &
Summer and Talkeetna River, Summer)
Copper NOEL; (Mainstem at Sunshine, all
year and Mainstem at Susitna, all year and
Talkeetna River, Spring & Summer)
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Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River
Miles)
Reach
Number General Description
Toxics Threshold
Exceedance
Iron NOEL; (Mainstem at Sunshine, Spring &
Summer and Mainstem at Susitna, Spring,
Summer, Fall and Talkeetna River, Summer)
Lead NOEL; (Mainstem at Sunshine, Spring &
Fall and Mainstem at Susitna, all year and
Talkeetna River, Summer & Fall)
Zinc NOEL; (Mainstem at Sunshine, Summer
and Talkeetna River, Spring)
4.8 Data Gaps and Need for Additional Information
Surface water data collected from existing sources was limited and primarily focused on conditions 30
years past (1980s). A greater volume of data describing conventional parameters was available at both
mainstem and tributary sites, but was discontinuous over the length of the Susitna River corridor.
Metals data was also discontinuous and this presents a challenge for evaluating potential for
contamination of important refugia used by important salmon and rainbow trout populations in this
drainage. A greater amount of monitoring for metals that represents the upper and lower boundaries of
each reach (1 through 4) and at the mouth of major tributaries and other important fisheries tributaries
would be beneficial in determining impact of project operations.
Table 4-14 below summarizes some of the data gaps that were identified in this analysis. Identified
data gaps will need to be refined, modified, and developed as the licensing study planning process
evolves. Information gaps that are ultimately determined to be worthy of future study will be
determined based on analysis of project issues and the needs of the regulatory process. The critical
points for water quality monitoring are important mainstem and tributary habitats used by fisheries
during different phases of life cycles. The need to know how these important habitats will respond to
changes in hydrologic regime and sediment load is important background information that will enable
stronger predictions to be made about effects from project operations. A general comment about
existing data is that it does not generally represent present conditions and more current information will
be necessary to construct reliable predictions about impact to critical habitats of salmon and rainbow
trout populations in the mainstem Susitna River and at the mouths of tributaries throughout the
downstream project area.
Table 4-14. Reach segmentation for the Susitna River Basin data gap analysis.
Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles)
Reach
Number General Description Water Quality Data Gaps
313 – 184 1 Upper Susitna River, 1. Surface water and
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Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles)
Reach
Number General Description Water Quality Data Gaps
including headwaters and
tributaries above the
proposed Watana dam
site
sediment analysis for
metals not available for
mainstem, only for one
tributary.
2. Information on
concentrations of metals
in media and current
water quality conditions
is needed to predict if
toxics can be released in
a reservoir environment.
3. Continuous temperature
data is not available for
mainstem, tributary, and
sloughs potentially used
for spawning and
rearing.
184 - 150 2
Middle Susitna River and
tributaries through Devil’s
Canyon and below the
proposed Watana Dam
site
1. Temperature data is not
available above and
below most tributaries
on the mainstem Susitna
River.
2. Overall, very limited
surface water data
available for this reach.
3. Metals monitoring data
does not exist or is
limited.
4. Analysis of sediments for
metals immediately
below the proposed
Project ; sediments may
become transportable
once the Project begins
operation.
5. Monitoring of mainstem
and sloughs (ambient
conditions and metals)
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Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles)
Reach
Number General Description Water Quality Data Gaps
needed for determining
bioaccumulation
potential of juvenile
Chinook and Coho
salmon.
150 – 99 3
Middle Susitna River and
tributaries from the
mouth of Devil’s Canyon
to the Susitna – Chulitna
– Talkeetna confluence
1. Sources for metals
detected at high
concentrations in
mainstem (1 location).
Improvements to
sampling would include
consideration for
increasing spatial
coverage of sampling
points to provide
adequate representation
of conditions.
2. Current data reflects
large spatial data gaps
between upper reach 1
and the mid- to lower
reach 3 and 4.
3. Monitoring of mainstem
and sloughs for juvenile
Chinook and Coho
survival.
4. Continuous temperature
data is not available for
mainstem, tributary, and
sloughs potentially used
for spawning and
rearing.
99 - 0 4
Lower Susitna River from
Susitna – Chulitna –
Talkeetna confluence to
mouth at Cook Inlet
1. Although has the most
data available, most data
is old and most likely
does not represent
current conditions.
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Bounds of Reach
(Susitna River Miles)
Reach
Number General Description Water Quality Data Gaps
2. Metals data not available
for mouth of Chulitna
River. Influence of major
tributaries (Chulitna and
Talkeetna Rivers) on
water quality conditions
is unknown. There are no
monitoring stations in
receiving water at these
mainstem locations.
3. Metals data not available
for the Skwentna River
or the Yentna River.
4. Continuous temperature
data is not available for
the mainstem and
sloughs potentially used
spawning and rearing
habitat.
4.9 Potential Influence of the Project on Water Quality Conditions
The evaluation of potential toxics effects from metals on several salmon populations in this drainage
necessitates the comprehensive collection of metals and conventional water quality data for a more
thorough evaluation for how project operations will affect potential for exposure. Several of the
evaluations involving comparison of salmon/rainbow trout presence at reach locations resulted in
exceedance of either NOELs or LC50s. In cases where just NOELs were exceeded there is likely no adverse
impact to a life stage or adult of the species, but the potential sensitivity to minor increases in toxics
concentrations is likely to occur.
Potential for bioaccumulation of metals in salmon/rainbow trout populations in the lower reaches of
this drainage is present and changes to the hydrology of the mainstem river system will influence
characteristics of exposure to toxics. There are four ways in which the potential for bioaccumulation of
toxics may be increased by project operations:
x Change in hydrology magnifies delivery of metals from tributary sources at select locations on
the mainstem and in sloughs (reduce dilution effects by reducing mainstem flow)
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x Create slower moving water that will enhance conditions that promote mobilization of toxics
(e.g., low dissolved oxygen concentrations, low pH, low redox potential)
x Inundate/expose mouths of tributaries that are important for survival of juvenile/smolt life
stages and that may expose aquatic life to mobilized toxics
x Promote establishment of temperature barriers at the mouths of inundated tributaries so that
loss of thermal refugia occurs for juveniles and smolts
Changes to the hydrologic characteristic of the river from project operations could enhance fisheries
habitat for both chemical and physical conditions. Those improvements in water quality conditions
might be result from the following:
x Temperature conditions could be improved in tributary confluence habitat should the mainstem
temperatures remain lower (cooling effect of tributary water temperature that is high during
the summer)
x Reduction in sediment load from the upper river (reach 1) that may be carrying metals
associated with fine sediment (silt) and that is additive to the burden contributed by large
tributary rivers like the Chulitna River
x Dissolved oxygen concentrations and thermal refugia could remain more constant and spatially
contiguous so as not to present migrational barriers to fisheries currently known to inhabit the
Susitna River drainage.
Currently, there is no way to know the characteristics of important chemical and physical refugia that
are used by the salmon/rainbow trout populations. Predictions for how the project might influence
conditions require the characterization of refugia known to be important to life stages for the
anadromous and resident fish species. A map of the refugia compared to hydrology and area of
inundation for both the mainstem and tributaries offers a more reliable base of information from which
to make these predictions.
4.10 Long-term Monitoring Concepts
Predictions made for influence of project operations on water quality could be evaluated through a
long-term monitoring program. Several issues are important to keep in mind when developing this
monitoring program and specific items could be included as components:
1. Implement temperature monitoring upstream and downstream of major tributaries on the
mainstem Susitna River and those known to sustain important spawning areas. Additional
temperature monitoring in sloughs should be included as these are important rearing areas for
Chinook and Coho salmon. Summer coldwater refugia are important for survival of smolt and
juvenile Chinook and Coho salmon and locations along the river should be characterized if the
potential for habitat loss is possible by proposed operational scenarios.
2. Metals monitoring is currently sparse and needs to cover a greater spatial area in the drainage
so that potential exposure to toxics from inundation of tributary mouths can be predicted.
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Changes to flow and the immediate physiochemcial conditions at tributary mouths could be
lethal to juveniles and smolts that use these areas as refugia during rearing in summer months.
3. Update monitoring data with a new monitoring program that generates both conventional and
metals data using up-to-date analytical methods. Older data have higher reporting limits and
instrument detection limits that are not compatible with much of the current water quality
criteria adopted by the State of Alaska.
Any monitoring program should be evaluated periodically to determine where data are no longer
needed or needed only on a less frequent basis. Key monitoring locations should be established as
response locations to project operations that serve as an early warning of potential water quality
problems that would affect salmon/rainbow trout populations..
5 Sediment Transport
Consideration of the impacts of the proposed Watana Project on sediment transport can be separated
into two groups based on whether they occur upstream (i.e., Reach 1) or downstream of the proposed
Project (i.e., Reach 2 through Reach 4). Upstream issues primarily relate to sedimentation where the
Susitna River enters the reservoir, erosion along the reservoir shoreline, or sedimentation at the mouth
of tributaries flowing into the reservoir. Downstream sediment transport issues primarily relate to the
following influences on channel morphology, aquatic habitats, channel erosion and flooding: 1)
regulated flows released from the proposed Project, 2) the discontinuity in sediment supply and
transport through the proposed reservoir and 3) sediment transport capacity below the major tributary
confluences (Reaches 3 and 4).
The following sources of information were reviewed and found to have pertinent data to sediment
transport issues associated with the proposed Watana Project:
Acres. 1983a. Before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Application for License for Major
Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project. Volume 5A, Exhibit E, Chapters 1 & 2. Prepared for Alaska Power
Authority.
Acres. 1983b. Before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Application for License for Major
Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project. Volume 5B, Exhibit E, Chapter 2 Figures. Prepared for Alaska
Power Authority.
AEA. 2010. Railbelt Large Hydro Evaluation Preliminary Decision Document. Prepared by the Alaska
Energy Authority (AEA).
APA. 1984. Susitna Hydroelectric Project Economic and Financial Update. Draft Report dated February
27, 1984. Prepared by the Alaska Power Authority (APA).
Knott, J.M. and S.W. Lipscomb. 1985. Sediment Discharge Data for Selected Sites in the Susitna River
Basin, Alaska, October 1982 to February 1984. USGS Open File Report 85-157. Prepared in cooperation
with the Alaska Power Authority. Anchorage, Alaska.
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Knott, J.M. Lipscomb, S.W., and T.W Lewis. 1986. Sediment Transport Characteristics of Selected
Streams in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska, October 1983 to September 1984. USGS Open File Report 86-
424W. Prepared in cooperation with the Alaska Power Authority. Anchorage, Alaska.
Knott, J.M. Lipscomb, S.W., and T.W Lewis. 1987. Sediment Transport Characteristics of Selected
Streams in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska: Data for Water Year 1985 and Trends in Bedload Discharge,
1981-85. USGS Open File Report 87-229. Prepared in cooperation with the Alaska Power Authority.
Anchorage, Alaska.
Quane, T., Morrow, P., and I. Quaral. Undated. Task 14 Support Technical Report, Hydrological
Investigations at Selected Lower Susitna River Study Sites. Prepared by Alaska Department of Fish and
Game, Aquatic Habitat and Instream Flow Project. Susitna Hydro Aquatic Studies Report Series.
Prepared for Alaska Power Authority. Anchorage, Alaska.
R&M Consultants. 1985. Lower Susitna River Aggradation Study: Field Data. Final Report. Prepared
under contract to Harza – Ebasco Susitna Joint Venture. Prepared for Alaska Power Authority.
Document No. 2719.
Seagren, D.R., and R.G. Wilkey. 1985. Summary of Water Temperature and Substrate Data from
Selected Salmon Spawning and Groundwater Upwelling Sites in the Middle Susitna River. Technical Data
Report No. 12. Prepared by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Anchorage, Alaska.
An overarching issue that affects the identification of data gaps relative to sediment transport and its
potential impacts is the near absence of sediment transport data collected more recently than the
1980s. To establish whether the conditions represented by the data collected in the 1980s are still
representative of current conditions, at the least a baseline comparison of current and 1980’s era
morphological characteristics in each of the identified subreaches is required. Without a basis for
assessing the suitability of the historical data, identification of specific data gaps is difficult. Thus, a
primary data gap is a baseline of existing hydraulic, geomorphic, and sediment conditions within the
reaches potentially affected by the proposed Project. The following paragraphs describe the results of
the review of relevant available documents and the identification of apparent data gaps; however, until
a current conditions baseline is established, there is no basis for interpreting in a meaningful way some
of the historically collected data.
5.1 Considerations Upstream of Watana Dam
Sediment transport considerations upstream of Watana Dam are grouped into one of three categories:
1) sedimentation where the Susitna River enters the reservoir, 2) erosion along the reservoir shoreline,
and 3) sedimentation at the mouth of tributaries flowing into the reservoir.
5.1.1 Sedimentation where the Susitna River enters Watana Reservoir
The construction and operation of the proposed Susitna-Watana Project will impound a reservoir for
approximately 39 miles upstream from the dam. The reservoir will create a backwater that will change
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the hydraulics of the Susitna River such that the capacity to transport coarse sediment through the
impoundment will effectively cease and fine sediment transport capacity within the reservoir will
decrease significantly. The bed material sediment that enters the reservoir will form a delta where the
river enters the reservoir. The hydrologic dataset of flows into the reservoir (MWH 2011) can be
coupled with sediment discharge rating curves developed during the 1980s to estimate the load
delivered to the delta; however, the sediment discharge rating curves are not available in the vicinity of
the proposed dam site. Given the potential for much of the coarse sediment from headwater glaciers
and tributaries to settle out in the broad valleys above the proposed dam site (Acres 1983a), the lack of
existing rating curves for the reach where the Susitna River enters the Watana Reservoir is a data gap.
Accurate characterization of the annual sediment loading to the reservoir will serve two main purposes:
1) it provides a basis for evaluating loss of storage due to sedimentation, and 2) the amount of sediment
trapped in the reservoir is the deficit of sediment supplied to downstream reaches.
5.1.2 Watana Reservoir Shoreline Erosion
The impoundment of the Watana Reservoir will seasonally inundate hillslopes around the perimeter of
the reservoir. No information was identified to estimate the contribution and gradation of sediment
eroded from the reservoir perimeter. The erosion may occur in response to seasonal variations in pool
level, local changes in groundwater elevations, freezing and thawing, landslides, ice floes, wind driven
waves, and waves from recreational boaters, should access for recreational boating be provided. Thus,
within-reservoir perimeter erosion and sediment delivery is a data gap.
5.1.3 Sedimentation at Tributary Mouths
Similar to the situation that is expected to occur where the Susitna River enters Watana Reservoir,
sedimentation is expected to occur where tributaries enter the reservoir. The amount and distribution
of sedimentation may impact the connectivity between the reservoir and the tributary channels. The
formation of a delta may lead to flows conditions that do not permit upstream fish passage. The
reviewed information does not contain data describing the annual loads and the gradations of the
sediment that could be transported to and deposited at the mouth of tributaries that enter the
reservoir, and therefore this is a data gap.
5.2 Considerations Downstream of Watana Dam
Sediment transport issues downstream of Watana Dam are expected to stem from the influences of the
regulated outflows and the deficit of sediment because of trapping in the reservoir. These issues are
particularly important because fish resources have the greatest potential to be impacted by the Project,
and most of the potential impacts would occur downstream of the Project (AEA 2010). The effect of
altered flows on anadromous and resident fish habitats and their associated populations was the major
focus of studies conducted in the 1980s (APA 1984). The major fish habitats are located in the Susitna
River, side channels, side sloughs, upland sloughs, and tributary mouths (APA 1984). Elimination of the
bed material sediment load from the upstream basin could lead to clear-water scour in the reach
between the dam and the head of Devil’s Canyon and possibly coarsening of the bed material which
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could have adverse effects on any existing salmonid habitat in the reach. Additionally, reduced flows
could change sediment transport capacity immediately downstream of the confluences with the
Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers in Reach 3, which in turn could lead to some form of local aggradation and
aggradation-induced flooding and lateral channel erosion. Conversely, reduced flows could enhance the
existing stability of the reach between the mouth of Devil’s Canyon and the Chulitna/Talkeetna Rivers
confluence. Depending on the balance between the reduced flows and the sediment introduced by
tributaries downstream of the dam, it is possible that there could be coarse sediment deposition within
the Reach 2 that might increase the available habitat for various life stages of salmonid species
downstream of the mouth of the Canyon.
5.2.1 Regulated Hydrology
The hydrology of the Susitna River Basin is critical in determining how the proposed Watana Project can
be operated, and how the reservoir regulation and associated releases from the Project affect the
downstream hydrologic and sediment transport regimes. A water balance reflecting proposed
operations, conducted at an increment short enough to characterize operations scenarios (e.g., an
hourly increment), depends on natural flows to the proposed reservoir, and the natural flows are a
function of the basin hydrology. The following sources were reviewed for hydrologic data:
Acres. 1983a. Before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Application for License for Major
Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project. Volume 5A, Exhibit E, Chapters 1 & 2. Prepared for Alaska Power
Authority.
Acres. 1983b. Before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Application for License for Major
Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project. Volume 5B, Exhibit E, Chapter 2 Figures. Prepared for Alaska
Power Authority.
MWH. 2011. Watana Hydroelectric Project Susitna Watershed Historical Hydrology. NTP 2 Technical
Memorandum No. 3. AEA11-022. Prepared for Alaska Energy Authority. Bellevue, WA.
The Watana Hydroelectric Project Susitna Watershed Historical Hydrology Technical Memorandum
(MWH 2011) summarizes available hydrologic data and presents statistics for estimating flow at the
Watana Dam site. The data presented in this memorandum appear to be an expansion of the data
presented in the Acres 1983 reports. A daily flow dataset was modeled over a 57 year period using
measurements from USGS gages upstream (near Cantwell) and downstream (near Gold Creek) of the
proposed Project. Monthly and annual flood frequency and flow-duration relationships were developed
from daily flow measurements collected by the USGS for the Susitna River at Cantwell and Gold Creek, in
the Chulitna River near Talkeetna, and in the Susitna River at Sunshine and Susitna Station. The
Technical Memorandum also includes a monthly and average annual flow distribution for the Susitna
River watershed. As shown in Figure 5-1, it was calculated that on an average annual basis, flows at the
Watana dam site accounts only for 17 percent of the flow measured at the Susitna Station USGS gage.
Figure 5-1 also shows that the Chulitna River provides nearly the same contribution as the flows at the
Watana dam site to the annual flow measured at the Susitna Station USGS gage.
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Figure 5-1. Average annual flow distribution for the Susitna River (MWH 2011).
While the Historical Hydrology Technical Memorandum (MWH 2011) includes a long-term dataset of
flows into the proposed reservoir, some gaps in the available dataset are evident. For example, the
dataset lumps all inflows together, but analyses of access to tributaries, thermal refugia in the
tributaries, and loading of sediment from the tributaries to the reservoir will require flow datasets for
each tributary of interest. Another gap is the absence of a regulated flow dataset released from the
proposed Watana Project for the proposed Project configuration and proposed operations. Evaluations
of aquatic habitat, fisheries resources, water quality, and downstream erosion and flooding impacts will
require comparisons of with- and without-Project hydrology. It is expected that seasonal storage and
release operations would have the general effect of reducing summer high flows and increasing winter
low flows. The regulated hydrology may affect access to aquatic habitats as well as sediment transport
rates and timing that ultimately govern formation and maintenance of dynamic aquatic habitats.
Studies may also require flow datasets from tributaries, particularly where the delivery of flow and
sediment to the main channel may have the potential to mitigate impacts of the Project (i.e., tributaries
between the Project and the confluences of the Susitna, Chulitna, and Talkeetna Rivers).
In addition to gaps in surface hydrology, as reported in the Application for License for Major Project
Susitna Hydroelectric Project (Acres 1983a), datasets are not available to describe groundwater flows
(both from the mainstem Susitna to side channel and sloughs and from the valley slopes to the valley
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bottom) and the exchange of flow between the surface, hyporheic zone, and groundwater. It is believed
that groundwater flow and hyporheic flow are key during incubation of salmonid eggs and rearing of
juvenile salmon. Temperature data in Table 4-6 indicate that periodic exceedance of criteria for
protection of egg and fry development occurs in tributaries throughout the drainage. Detailed
temperature data for sloughs and portions of the mainstem is not available and represents a data gap
for identifying location and extent of groundwater influence in slough and mainstem areas important for
egg growth and rearing.
5.2.2 Sediment Continuity
USGS studies from the 1980s found that the Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers, despite a combined smaller
drainage area than the upper Susitna River, transport three times as much total sediment as the upper
Susitna River (Knott and Lipscomb 1985; Knott et al. 1986; Knott et al. 1987). The Lower Susitna River
Aggradation Study: Field Data (R&M Consultants 1985) reports that approximately 80 percent of the
total sediment load in the Susitna River below Talkeetna originates in the Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers.
Based on this information, the trapping of sediment in the proposed Watana Reservoir may only
substantially influence the sediment dynamics between the dam site and the Susitna – Chulitna –
Talkeetna confluence (primarily Reach 2 since Devil’s Canyon is bedrock controlled and currently has a
very low sediment storage potential). The magnitude of the influence will depend largely on the natural
sediment loading from the upper watershed and ability of the sediment loading from the tributaries
between the dam site and the Susitna – Chulitna – Talkeetna confluence to mitigate sediment impacts
of the Watana Project. None of the available documents contain data describing the amount and
gradation of sediment delivered by these tributaries to the Susitna River.
On an annual average basis, the flow contributions from the Susitna River and the Chulitna River to the
flow at Susitna Station USGS gage are similar; however, the morphology of these two systems is
markedly different. The relatively stable channel morphology of the Susitna River indicates that much of
the sediment generated in the headwaters is stored in the upper basin such that the sediment supply
delivered downstream of the Watana dam site more closely matches the transport capacity of the flows,
or that the channel in Reach 2 downstream of Devil’s Canyon is coarser and the bed and banks have
become armored over time. Alternately, the braided morphology of the Chulitna River indicates an
excessive sediment supply relative to transport capacity. Further quantification of the sediment supply
and transport capacity would help identify the sensitivity of the channel morphology (and associated
aquatic habitats) to the effects of the proposed Watana Project. The relative stability of the Susitna
River morphology upstream of the Susitna – Chulitna confluence in Reach 2 could possibly even be
enhanced depending on the regulated outflows from the Project. Information on sediment continuity
could provide a basis for evaluating whether the Susitna River below the Chulitna confluence would be
at risk of aggradation, and if so, whether the magnitude would alter aquatic habitats and hydraulic
connectivity to these habitats. Side channels and sloughs are of particular importance to fisheries, so
changes to the relationships between flow and stage at which the habitats are accessible could impact
the fisheries. Other impacts could affect the cleaning of spawning gravels, hyporheic flows through
redds, groundwater inflows, and hydraulic connectivity for out migration to the main channel. Since
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Project operations would have some effect, the focus may be on the rate of change as opposed to the
magnitude of change.
Numerical modeling of the sediment transport dynamics would provide a basis for comparing the
changes in channel morphology and aquatic habitat associated with the proposed Project and the
proposed operations. One-dimensional HEC-2 hydraulic models were developed in the 1980s to support
the calculation of water-surface profiles and channel hydraulics (Acres 1983a). The models represented
the reach between Devil’s Canyon (Susitna RM 186.8) and Talkeetna (RM 99), excluding Devil’s Canyon
(Susitna RM 162.1 to RM 150.2). The HEC-2 hydraulic model covers nearly the entire reach of interest
for sediment modeling. Even if the geometric data are deemed to no longer be representative of
existing conditions due to changes in channel morphology, the data provide points of reference for
comparing changes in channel morphology over time. Review of historical and current aerial
photography, and comparison of new surveys at selected locations would provide a basis for evaluating
whether the historical survey data are appropriate, or whether new data are required. Bed material
sediment data are another requirement for sediment transport modeling. The focus of the samples
collected in the 1985 Aggradation Study (R&M Consultants 1985) focused on the 12.5 miles downstream
from the confluence of the Susitna River with the Chulitna and Talkeetna Rivers. Other sources
characterize bed material sediment (Seagren and Wilkey 1985), but the characterizations are primarily
visual classifications for use in comparing selected salmon spawning areas and groundwater upwelling
areas, so the data are not appropriate as primary data for sediment transport modeling. The available
sources of information do not document bed material samples collected within the reach between the
proposed Project and the Susitna – Chulitna – Talkeetna confluence, so the lack of this information is a
data gap.
As part of the 1980s studies, a study was conducted to evaluate the response of stage and flow at
selected aquatic habitat locations along the lower Susitna River (Quane et al. undated). The selected
study sites were located between Susitna RM 91.6 and RM 35.2 (approximately between the Susitna –
Talkeetna confluence and the Susitna – Yentna confluence). While this study identified the hydraulic
conditions necessary for flows to access the habitats, none of the findings are specific to the reach
between the proposed Project and the confluence of the Susitna – Chulitna – Talkeetna Rivers. The lack
of this type of hydraulic data related to habitat accessibility in this reach is a data gap. Appropriate
hydraulic information could include stage – discharge relationships at the head and mouth of
representative major habitat types and stage – duration relationships, either on an annual, season or life
stage-specific basis.
5.2.3 Analysis of Sediment Transport Data Gaps
The identified sediment data gaps are summarized as follows:
1. The lack of existing sediment rating curves for the reach where the Susitna River
enters the Watana Reservoir.
2. The lack of within-reservoir perimeter erosion and sediment delivery data.
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3. The lack of data describing the annual loads and the gradations of the sediment that
could be transported to and deposited at the mouth of tributaries that enter the
reservoir.
4. The lack of information on the volume and gradations of bed material stored in the
channel between the Susitna-Watana dam site and the head of Devil’s Canyon.
5. The absence of a regulated flow dataset released from the proposed Watana Project
for the proposed Project configuration and proposed operations. Evaluations of
aquatic habitat, fisheries resources, water quality, and downstream erosion and
flooding impacts will require comparisons of with- and without-Project hydrology.1
6. The lack of flow datasets from tributaries, particularly where the delivery of flow
and sediment to the main channel may have the potential to mitigate impacts of the
Project (i.e., tributaries between the Project and the confluences of the Susitna,
Chulitna, and Talkeetna Rivers).2
7. The lack of data describing the amount and gradation of sediment delivered by
these tributaries to the Susitna River.
8. The lack of data to quantify sediment supply and transport capacity (sediment
continuity) to identify the sensitivity of the channel morphology (and associated
aquatic habitats) to the effects of the proposed Watana Project.
9. The lack of historical and current aerial photography, and comparison of new
topographic surveys at selected locations that would provide a basis for evaluating
whether the historical survey data and hydraulic model output are still appropriate,
or whether new data are required.
10. The lack of quantitative bed material data collected within the reach between the
proposed Project and the Susitna – Chulitna – Talkeetna confluence.
11. The absence of information on hydraulic conditions necessary for flows to access
habitats between the proposed Project and the confluence of the Susitna – Chulitna
– Talkeetna Rivers. Appropriate hydraulic information could include stage –
discharge relationships at the head and mouth of representative major habitat types
and stage – duration relationships, either on an annual, season or life stage-specific
basis.
The available sediment data are focused around the confluence of the Susitna – Chulitna – Talkeetna
Rivers. Since the available data was primarily collected in the early to mid 1980s, the data are
insufficient for evaluating temporal and spatial changes in major habitat types; however, if additional
information is collected, the existing information could provide a reference for evaluating temporal and
spatial changes within the various reaches of the Susitna River.
The available information, and particularly the focus of the numerous studies conducted in the 1980s,
indicate that the geomorphology of the Susitna River and its associated aquatic habitats, channel
1 To be provided by MWH
2 To be provided by MWH
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
53 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
stability and flooding potential may be sensitive to changes in the hydrologic and sediment transport
regime caused by the construction and operation of the proposed Watana Project. Simulations of with-
and without project conditions using mathematical computer models may be required to better
understand the effects of the Project. However, development and application of appropriate models is
frequently data intensive, and the current lack of available hydrologic and sediment data prevent such
modeling from being conducted in all potentially impacted areas.
6 References
Note – this section focuses on references used to describe toxic thresholds and aquatic resources. Other
material reviewed as part of the Water Quality and Sediment Gap Analysis is presented in Appendix A,
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Westin, D. T. 1974. Nitrate and nitrite toxicity to salmonid fishes. The Progresssive Fish-Culturist. 36:86.
Willford, W.A. 1966. Toxicity of 22 therapeutic compounds to six fishes. Investigative Fish Control No.18,
Resource Publication No.35. U.S. Department of the Interior. Fish Wildlife Service. Bureau of Sport
Fisheries and Wildlife. Washington, D.C.
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
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Withler, I. 1966. Variability in life history characteristics of steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) along the
Pacific Coast of North America. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada. 23: 365-393.
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APPENDIX A:
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCE LITERATURE
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-2 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Dam Reports DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 2009 Alaska Energy Authority HDR Alaska; Northern Economics Project Evaluation, Interim Memorandum, Final http://www.aidea.org/aea/SusitnaFiles/031609EvaluationWOappen.pdf 2009 Alaska Energy Authority R&M Consultants; Acres; Jack Linnard Consulting Susitna Project Watana and High Devil’s Canyon RCC Dam Cost Evaluation Final http://www.aidea.org/aea/SusitnaFiles/111609_SusitnaProject-RCCDamConceptReport.pdf 2010 Alaska Energy Authority AEA Railbelt Large Hydro Evaluation Preliminary Decision Document ftp://ftp.aidea.org/RailbeltLargeHydro/112310FinalWLetter.pdf 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 2, Exhibit B University of Washington Library 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 4, Exhibit G University of Washington Library 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 5, Exhibit E, Chapters 1&2 University of Washington Library 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 6B, Exhibit E, Chapter 3 University of Washington Library 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 7, Exhibit E, Chapters 4-6 University of Washington Library 1983 Alaska Power Authority Acres FERC Application for License for Major Project Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Vol. 9 Exhibit E, Chapter 10 University of Washington Library
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-3 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 1984 University of Alaska – Anchorage Alaska Power Authority Susitna Hydroelectric Project Economic and Financial Update http://www.aidea.org/aea/SusitnaFiles/022784EconomFinUpdate.pdf
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-4 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Environmental Reports DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 2011 Alaska Department of Fish and Game ADF&G Catalog of Waters Important for Spawning, Rearing, or Migration of Anadromous Fishes – Southcentral Region, Effective June 1, 2011 http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/SARR/AWC/index.cfm?ADFG=data.AWCdata 2011 Alaska Energy Authority MWH Watana Hydroelectric Project Susitna Watershed Historical Hydrology AEA11-022 2006 Aquatic Restoration and Research Institute Jeffery C. Davis; Gay A. Davis Montana Creek Ecological and Water Quality Assessment http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/acwa/pdfs/fy06_montana_creekfinal.pdf 2008 Aquatic Restoration and Research Institute Jeffery C. Davis; Gay A. Davis Water Quality Evaluation of the Lower Little Susitna River http://www.dec.state.ak.us/water/wqsar/pdfs/LittleSusitnaRiverWaterQualityDECFY08FinalReportv2.0.pdf 2007 Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association CIAA Susitna River Watershed Project Smolts Volume 25, Issue 1. 1964 United States Department of the Interior V. K. Berwick, J. M. Childers, M. A. Kuenrzel Magnitude and Frequency of Floods in Alaska, South of the Yukon River http://www.dggs.dnr.state.ak.us/webpubs/usgs/c/text/c-0493.PDF 2006 United States Environmental Protection Agency EPA 2006 Waterbody Report for Susitna River http://iaspub.epa.gov/tmdl_waters10/attains_waterbody.control?p_au_id=AK-20505-007_00&p_cycle=2006&p_state=AK&p_ report_type=#sources 1984 United States Geological Survey Elisabeth Snyder Activities of the Alaska District, Water Resources Division http://www.dggs.dnr.state.ak.us/webpubs/usgs/of/text/of84-0246.PDF 1985 USGS James M. Knott; Stephen W. Lipscomb Sediment Discharge Data for Selected Sites in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska, Oct. 1982- Feb 1984 USGS Open File Report 85-157 1986 United States Geological Survey James M. Knott; Stephen W. Lipscomb; Terry W. Sediment Transport Characteristics of Selected Streams in the Susitna River Basin, USGS Open File Report 86-424W
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-5 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION Lewis Alaska 1987 United States Geological Survey James M. Knott; Stephen W. Lipscomb; Terry W. Lewis Sediment Transport Characteristics of Selected Streams in the Susitna River Basin, Alaska http://www.dggs.alaska.gov/webpubs/usgs/of/text/of87-0229.PDF 1986 United States Geological Survey John R. Williams; John P. Galloway Radiocarbon dating in Western Copper River Basin and adjacent uplands and in the uppermost Matanuska River Valley http://www.dggs.dnr.state.ak.us/webpubs/usgs/of/text/of86-0390.PDF
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-6 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | Direct Data Sources DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 2005 American Geophysical Union John A. Harrison; Nina Caraco; Sybil P. Seitzinger Global patterns and sources of dissolved organic matter export to the coastal zone: Results from a spatially explicit, global model https://sftp101.urscorp.com/human.aspx?OrgID=9164 1986 Alaska Power Authority Harza-Ebasco Susitna Joint Venture Susitna Hydroelectric Project Water Quality Monitoring 1985 http://sharepoint.aidea.org/railbeltlargehydro/Reference%20Library/Susitna%20Historical%20Documents/Pre%202000%20Documents/3402.pdf (AEA Reference Library) 1977 United States Environmental Protection Agency National Park Service STORET Station Details, DENA_NURE_1396-A42875 http://iaspub.epa.gov/waters10/attains_get_services.storet_station?p_org=11NPSWRD&p_station=DENA_NURE_1396 1977 United States Environmental Protection Agency National Park Service STORET Station Details, DENA_NURE_1766-A43469 http://iaspub.epa.gov/waters10/attains_get_services.storet_station?p_org=11NPSWRD&p_station=DENA_NURE_1766 1990 United States Geological Survey USGS Largest Rivers in the United States http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1987/ofr87-242/ 2008 United States Geological Survey USGS Suspended Sediment Database Daily Values of Suspended Sediment and Ancillary Data http://co.water.usgs.gov/sediment/conc.frame.html 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15291000 SUSITNA R NR DENALI AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15291000&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1975 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15291200 MACLAREN R NR PAXSON AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15291200&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15291500 SUSITNA R NR CANTWELL AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15291500&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-7 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION 0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292000 SUSITNA R AT GOLD CREEK AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292000&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292400 CHULITNA R NR TALKEETNA AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292400&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 2011 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292700 TALKEETNA R NR TALKEETNA AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292700&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292780 SUSITNA R AT SUNSHINE AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15292780&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1981 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15294300 SKWENTNA R NR SKWENTNA AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15294300&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 1986 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15294345 YENTNA R NR SUSITNA STATION AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15294345&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&forma
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011 A-8 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology | DATE SOURCE AUTHOR TITLE LOCATION t=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 2003 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15294350 SUSITNA R AT SUSITNA STATION AK http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/qwdata?site_no=15294350&agency_cd=USGS&inventory_output=0&rdb_inventory_output=file&TZoutput=0&pm_cd_compare=Greaterthan&radio_parm_cds=all_parm_cds&format=html_table&qw_attributes=0&qw_sample_wide=wide&rdb_qw_attributes=0&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&submitted_ form=brief_list 2010 United States Geological Survey USGS USGS 15292000 SUSITNA R AT GOLD CREEK AK DAILY DISCHARGE, CUBIC FEET PER SECOND http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=15292000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,00062,72020 2004 URS Corp. URS Talkeetna Airport, Phase II Hydrologic/Hydraulic Assessment https://sftp101.urscorp.com/human.aspx?OrgID=9164
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APPENDIX B:
WATER QUALITY DATA SUMMARIES FROM EXISTING SOURCES
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Appendix B-1. Existing Water Quality Data (Conventional Parameters) for the Susitna River and Tributaries, Table 1 of 2.
Station Name
Station
Susitna
River Mile*
Original
Data Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent
Sample Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge
(cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Conventional
Temp
(°C)
DO
(mg/L)
Orthophosphates
(mg/L)
Nitrate
Nitrogen
(mg/L)
Bedload Discharge
(ton/day)
Suspended Sediment
Discharge (ton/day)
Turbidity
(NTU)w
TSS
(mg/L)
Suspended
Sediment Load
(tons/yr)
TDS
(mg/L)
Conductivity
(umhos/cm)
Denali
290.8 USGS 15291000 7/25/1986 29 Winter 209 ≈0 ≤ 0.1 0.05 17 2,965,500 ≈351
Spring 2860 0-8 ≤ 0.1 0-0.07 up to 75,000 ≈20 121-467
Summer 7507 2-
10.6 ≤ 0.1 0-0.09 up to 186,000 45-350 123-205
Fall 2381 0-5.2 ≤ 0.1 up to 12100 ≈226
Paxson (MacLaren
R.)
259.8 USGS 15291200 7/25/1975 17 Winter ≤ 0.1
Spring 2344 0-
11.0 ≤ 0.1 ≈0.09 up to 10,400 100-182
Summer 2396 0.5-
10 ≤ 0.1 0-0.34 up to 16,000 90-190 84-170
Fall 680 0.5-
3.5 ≤ 0.1 ≈0.07 up to 192 ≈144
Vee Canyonu
223.1 USGS 15291500 7/30/1986 24 Winter 1000 ≈0 ≤ 0.1 ≈19 2,965,500
Spring 13000 0-10 ≤ 0.1 0.02-0.16 up to 175,000 91-250
Summer 14437 4.0-
13
11.5-
12.0 ≤ 0.1 0-0.25 up to 196,000 125-187
Fall 4872 1-5.5 ≤ 0.1 ≈0.88 up to 2,070 ≈174
Vee Canyon 223.1 R&M Winter ≈0 ≤ 0.1 0 6,898,000
Summer ≤ 0.1 320-720
Mainstem Susitna
at Watana Dam Site
184.2 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring 3.7-
9.0
Summer 1.9-
14.4
9.9-
11.6
Fall 0-4.0 11.5
Watana Damsite 183 R&M Winter ≈0 ≤ 0.1 0
Summer ≤ 0.1
Mainstem Susitna
D/S of Devil's
Canyon
150.1 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring 5.5-
8.6
Summer 2.6-
15.1
Fall 0.5-
4.3
Mainstem Susitna
U/S of Portage
Creek
149.4 APA and ADF&G 10/9/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 10.9-
14.8 45-200 52-482
Fall 12.3-
13.8 4.2-8.2 7.5-12
Mainstem Susitna
at LRX 53
140.1 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring 5.5-
8.5
Summer 2.8-
15.0
Fall 0-6.7
Gold Creek 136.6 USGS 15292000 9/23/1986 37 Winter 1884 0 10.9-
16.2 0.03-0.09 0.15-0.16 2.9-18 0.1-0.7 260-279
Spring 19931 0-11.6-≤ 0.031 0.05-0.69 up to 197,000 .01-50 70-286
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Station Name
Station
Susitna
River Mile*
Original
Data Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent
Sample Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge
(cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Conventional
Temp
(°C)
DO
(mg/L)
Orthophosphates
(mg/L)
Nitrate
Nitrogen
(mg/L)
Bedload Discharge
(ton/day)
Suspended Sediment
Discharge (ton/day)
Turbidity
(NTU)w
TSS
(mg/L)
Suspended
Sediment Load
(tons/yr)
TDS
(mg/L)
Conductivity
(umhos/cm)
13.0 14.7
Summer 54810 4.5-
14.1
8.5-
12.7 0-0.184 0.02-0.25 350-1970 up to 250,000 23-290 87-227
Fall 6160 0-6.5 11.1-
13.3 0-0.061 ≈1.3 up to 15,000 5.3-10 107-300
Gold Creek 136.6 R&M 9/30/1981 Winter ≈0 ≤ 0.1 0 7,731,000 100-
188 84-300
Summer ≤ 0.1 up to 2180 up to 157,000v 728 55-140 75-227
Mainstem Susitna
D/S of Gold Creek
Bridge
135.8 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 2.8-
14.9
10.3-
13.7 22-220 53-592
Fall 0-4.8 12.3-
12.5 3.6-7.9 3.7-10
Mainstem Susitna
at Curry Station
120.7 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring 5.9-
8.4
Summer 2.7-
15.3
10.1-
13.9 20-396 39-512
Fall 0-4.9 12-
12.2 3.2-7 6.8-9
Mainstem Susitna
at Talkeetna Station 103
APA and ADF&G 10/12/1985 1 Winter
Spring 4.6-
9.2 30-210 37-476
Summer 2.9-
16.4
9.8-
12.0 16-480 5.5-8.0
Fall 1.3-
5.3
12-
12.5 4-16
Talkeetnau
(Chulitna R.)
98.0 USGS 15292400 7/22/1986 28 Winter 1269 ≈0 ≤ 0.1 ≈0 ≤ 100 ≈115
Spring 11217 0-9.1 ≤ 0.1 0.18-.025 up to 18300 up to 100,000 108-190
Summer 21950 3.8-
9.5 ≤ 0.1 0.16-0.36 up to 13800 up to 262,000 101-144
Fall 5533 1.6-
8.0 ≤ 0.1 up to 5,000 194-360 123-152
Talkeetna
(Talkeetna R.)
97.0 USGS 15292700 5/18/2011 57 Winter 609 ≈0 7.1-4.6 0-0.061 0.02-0.46 0.4-2.6 143-230
Spring 6650 0-12 10.4-
13.8 0-0.4 0.35-0.40 0.4-69 49-255
Summer 10630 3.5-
13.5
9.9-
12.5 ≤ 0.031 0.1-0.21 up to 1940 (R&M) 2-340 62-157
Fall 3160 0.5-
9.0
12.3-
15.3 ≤ 0.06 0.14-1.22 0.8-1.4 84-176
Mainstem Susitna
above Parks
Highway Bridge
86.2 APA and ADF&G 10/15/1985 1 Winter
Spring 4.1-
8.9
Summer 3.6-
12.8
10.5-
12.3 80-400 178-751
Fall 0.8-
5.6
11.7-
12.4 19-36 60-93
Sunshine 83.9 USGS 15292780 6/25/1986 15 Winter 4036 ≈0 12.8-
14.4 0.031-0.12 81 0.5-2.7 159-240
Spring 37207 0-11 9.8-0.031-0.12 up to 13600 up to 500,000 0.16-0.2 50-242
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Station Name
Station
Susitna
River Mile*
Original
Data Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent
Sample Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge
(cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Conventional
Temp
(°C)
DO
(mg/L)
Orthophosphates
(mg/L)
Nitrate
Nitrogen
(mg/L)
Bedload Discharge
(ton/day)
Suspended Sediment
Discharge (ton/day)
Turbidity
(NTU)w
TSS
(mg/L)
Suspended
Sediment Load
(tons/yr)
TDS
(mg/L)
Conductivity
(umhos/cm)
13.8
Summer 63740 5-14 9-13.4 0.031-0.061 up to 10000 up to 1,620,000 43-500 80-170
Fall 25217 2.0-
5.0
12.8-
14.6 ≤ 0.031 up to 1500 up to 25,000 ≈23 112-138
Sunshine
83.9 R&M Winter ≈0 ≤ 0.1 0
Summer ≤ 0.1 up to 4520 up to
1056
Skwentna
(Skwentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294300 9/11/1981 22 Winter 996 ≈0 ≤ 0.1 ≈52 177-333
Spring 8572 0-5 ≤ 0.1 up to 40,300 ≈206
Summer 13182 5.5-
12 ≤ 0.1 up to 88,100 30-220 111-136
Fall 9275 1.5-6 ≤ 0.1 up to 10,500 ≈177
Susitna (Yentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294345 5/21/1986 5 Winter 2693 ≈0 10.9-
11.1 ≤ 0.1 3.4-124 ≈31 189-216
Spring 26429 0-12 10.6-
13.4 ≤ 0.1 up to 157,000 up to 11,300 82-115
Summer 47895 3.9-
11.6
10.4-
12.1 ≤ 0.1 up to 13,300 up to 542,000 93-142
Fall 16650 2.0-
7.0 ≤ 0.1 up to 8,220 up to 19,600
Susitna
25.8 USGS 15294350 10/25/2003 48 Winter ≈0 9.9-
12.7 ≤ 0.1 0.16-0.23 ≈15 29-171 1-3 180-225
Spring 0-
11.4
10.0-
13.9 ≤ 0.1 ≈0.34 up to 15,000 up to 476,000 0.7-590 59-238
Summer 2.5-
14.8 9-12.3 ≤ 0.1 0-0.23 up to 21,000 up to 1,330,000 up to 790 96-154
Fall 0-5 10.5-
13 ≤ 0.1 0.16-0.28 up to 2000 up to 80,800 1.2-75 108-230
*for tributaries, River Mile is at confluence with Susitna and shaded in green u nearly all Data is older than 1970 w Denali and Paxson Station Data only available in JTU
t some values may be older v figure is from 1952
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Appendix B-2. Existing Water Quality Data (Conventional Parameters) for the Susitna River and Tributaries, Table 2 of 2.
Station Name
Station
Susitna
River
Mile*
Original
Data
Source
USGS
Station
Code
Most Recent
Sample Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Conventionals
Significant Ions (mg/L) Total
Hardness
(mg/L)
pH
Total
Alkalinity
(mg/L)
Free
CO2
(mg/L)
TOC
(mg/L) COD
True
Color
(Pt-Co
units)
Chlorophyll-
a (ug/L)
Total
Dissolved
Gas (% Sat)
Total Coliform
Bacteria
(colonies/100mL) HCO3
- Cl- SO4
2- Ca
(diss.)
Mg
(diss.)
Na
(diss.)
K
(diss.)
Denali
290.8 USGS 15291000 7/25/1986 29 Winter 209 ≈137 ≈21 ≈36 ≈41 ≈8 ≈18 ≈6.3 ≈140 ≈7.6 ≈5.5 ≈0
Spring 2860 52-
196
3-
30
9.2-
39 17-51 1.9-
16
2.1-
23
2.3-
6.6 50-180 7.1-
7.5 5.2-25 5-30
Summer 7507 51-83 1.5-
9.0
13-
31 18-24 1.7-
6.4
2.2-
7.5
1.3-
36 52-84 7.4-
7.9 1.5-4.5 0-10
Fall 2381 ≈92 ≈11 ≈20 ≈29 ≈3.6 ≈10 ≈2.1 ≈87 7.8 ≈2.3 ≈5
Paxson
(MacLaren R.)
259.8 USGS 15291200 7/25/1975 17 Winter
Spring 2344 ≈78 ≈4.3 ≈20 ≈27 ≈3.9 ≈2.8 ≈2.5 ≈84 ≈7.6 ≈3.1 0
Summer 2396 34-54 0.4-
3.5
13-
22 11-20 2.2-
4.3
0.8-
2.1
1.4-
2.6 36-62 6.8-
7.8 1.1-9.6 0-20
Fall 680 ≈59 ≈4 ≈22 ≈18 ≈5.4 ≈3.5 ≈1.6 ≈67 ≈7.6 ≈2.4 ≈5
Vee Canyonu
223.1 USGS 15291500 7/30/1986 24 Winter 1000
Spring 13000 48-54 3.5-
7.4
7.5-
12 14-17 1.8-
2.4
2.2-
48
2.8-
7.3 42-54 7.4-
7.6 2.2-3.1 30-40
Summer 14437 59-72 2.1-
9.2
10-
18 18-25 2.2-
4.4
2.1-
6.3
1.4-
5.2 58-76 7.5-
8.1 0.7-3.6 8-39 5-10
Fall 4872 ≈67 ≈8.5 ≈16 ≈27 ≈1.1 ≈5 ≈0.3 ≈70 ≈7.2 ≈6.8 ≈10
Vee Canyon
223.1 R&M Winter 57-
161
16-
30
11-
39 25-51 3.8-
16.0
6.3-
23.0
2.0-
9.0
Summer 39-81 1.5-
11 2-31 13-29 1.1-
6.4
2.1-
10.0
1.3-
7.3
Mainstem Susitna
at Watana Dam
Site
184.2 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 8-
8.2 97.07-
100.97
Fall 8.4 96.71-98.84
Watana Damsite 183 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna
D/S of Devil's
Canyon
150.1 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring 112.21-
114.52
Summer 108.83-
118.32
Fall 106.16-109
Mainstem Susitna
U/S of Portage
Creek
149.4 APA and ADF&G 10/9/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 6.8-
8.2
Fall 7.2-
8.3
Mainstem Susitna
at LRX 53
140.1 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gold Creek 136.6 USGS 15292000 9/23/1986 37 Winter 1884 92-98 24-
35
12-
18 31-39 4.5-
5.8 11-17 2.1-
2.4 99-120 7.6-
8.0 46-88 1.6-33 1.1-1.2 2-16 ≈5
Spring 19931 28-97 1.8-4.7-9.9-0.3-2.4-1.0-30-110 7.0- 1.3-24 1.8-10 5-50
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-6 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Station Name
Station
Susitna
River
Mile*
Original
Data
Source
USGS
Station
Code
Most Recent
Sample Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Conventionals
Significant Ions (mg/L) Total
Hardness
(mg/L)
pH
Total
Alkalinity
(mg/L)
Free
CO2
(mg/L)
TOC
(mg/L) COD
True
Color
(Pt-Co
units)
Chlorophyll-
a (ug/L)
Total
Dissolved
Gas (% Sat)
Total Coliform
Bacteria
(colonies/100mL) HCO3
- Cl- SO4
2- Ca
(diss.)
Mg
(diss.)
Na
(diss.)
K
(diss.)
33 27 33 7.4 17 3.8 8.0
Summer 54810 35-
106
1.4-
12 1-27 11-37 1.3-
5.7
2.6-
5.4
1.0-
4.4 35-110 7.5-
8.3 23-87 0.5-16 1.4-3.8 1.3-
24 0-30
Fall 6160 45-
107
5-
20
12-
38 16-37 2.2-
8.3 4-13 1.1-5 49-120 7.2-
8.3 1.2-10 ≈4.2 0-12
Gold Creek
136.6 R&M 9/30/1981 Winter 46-88 5.7-
37
10-
38 18-39 3.2-
10
4.9-
21.1 1.2-5
Summer 23-87 1.2-
15 1-31 10-37 1.2-
7.8
1.8-
10
0.9-
4.4
Mainstem Susitna
D/S of Gold Creek
Bridge
135.8 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 6.8-
8.0 102.04-
107.49
Fall 8.1-
8.3 101.56-
106.59
Mainstem Susitna
at Curry Station
120.7 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 6.8-
8.0 93.27-96.92
Fall 7.7-
8.2 91.76-
101.62
Mainstem Susitna
at Talkeetna
Station
103 APA and ADF&G 10/12/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 7.4-
8.0
Fall 7.8-
8.3
Talkeetnau
(Chulitna R.)
98.0 USGS 15292400 7/22/1986 28 Winter 1269 ≈52 ≈1 ≈11 ≈19 ≈1.9 ≈0.5 ≈0.4 ≈56 ≈7.1 ≈6.6 ≈0
Spring 11217 73-78 1.4-
2.0
20-
22 24-26 4.4-
4.6
2.3-
2.7
1.3-
1.8 77-84 7.4-
8.0 1.2-5.0 5-15
Summer 21950 46-59 0-
2.5
10-
14 14-18 2.5-
4.1
1.2-
1.7
0.7-
2.2 46-59 7.2-
8.1 0.6-5.5 5-10
Fall 5533
Talkeetna
(Talkeetna R.)
97.0 USGS 15292700 5/18/2011 57 Winter 609 46-70 11-
27
10-
24 17-26 1.9-
5.6
7.7-
15
1.0-
1.9 20-78 7.3-
8.2 0.8-41 0.7-1.8 0-25 ≈21
Spring 6650 25-64 2.4-
34
2.4-
21 7-26 1-3.4 2.4-
15
0.5-
2.4 22-79 7.1-
8.2 0.6-40 ≈1.6 0-10 ≈130
Summer 10630 25-50 1.4-
9.5 1-18 6.8-
17
0.4-
3.9
2.7-
9.7
0.5-
2.9 22-50.8 7.3-
8.6 0.6-30 0.4-2.6 0-80 33-190
Fall 3160 36-55 3.6-
12 6-20 9.8-
19
0.8-
2.8
3.6-
8.4
0.5-
1.2 29.9-57.5 7.2-
8.0 0.6-12.0 ≈2.1 0-10 ≈92
Mainstem Susitna
above Parks
Highway Bridge
86.2 APA and ADF&G 10/15/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer 7.4-
8.5
Fall 7.8-
8
Sunshine 83.9 USGS 15292780 6/25/1986 15 Winter 4036 6.8-
16
16-
19 20-33 2.9-
4.2
5.5-
11 1.4-2 55-99.4 7.8-
8.2 ≈1.2 ≈2
Spring 37207 31-86 2.5-5.7-11-31 1.4-1.9-1-2.1 33-96 7.2- 3.9-91 0.4-7.4 0-100
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-7 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Station Name
Station
Susitna
River
Mile*
Original
Data
Source
USGS
Station
Code
Most Recent
Sample Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Conventionals
Significant Ions (mg/L) Total
Hardness
(mg/L)
pH
Total
Alkalinity
(mg/L)
Free
CO2
(mg/L)
TOC
(mg/L) COD
True
Color
(Pt-Co
units)
Chlorophyll-
a (ug/L)
Total
Dissolved
Gas (% Sat)
Total Coliform
Bacteria
(colonies/100mL) HCO3
- Cl- SO4
2- Ca
(diss.)
Mg
(diss.)
Na
(diss.)
K
(diss.)
21 18 4.5 11 8.3
Summer 63740 ≈52 2.2-
5.8 3-16 14-23 2-3.5 2.3-
4.4
1.1-
2.8 43.6-72 7.1-
8.3 1.1-2.1 1.7-3.2 ≈25
Fall 25217 ≈52 5.1-
6
12-
15 17-18 2.7-3 4.1-
4.4 ≈1.2 37.8-45.7 7.4-
8.3 ≈3.3 ≈2.7 ≈8
Sunshine
83.9 R&M Winter 46-88 5.7-
37
10-
38 18-39 3.2-
10
4.9-
21.1 1.2-5
Summer 23-87 1.2-
15 1-31 10-37 1.2-
7.8
1.8-
10
0.9-
4.4
Skwentna
(Skwentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294300 9/11/1981 22 Winter 996 ≈77 ≈12 ≈24 ≈28 ≈4.3 ≈7.7 ≈1.7 ≈88 ≈7.1 ≈9.8 ≈10
Spring 8572 ≈78 ≈10 ≈19 ≈27 ≈3.6 ≈7.9 ≈1.8 ≈82 ≈7.7 ≈2.5 ≈15
Summer 13182 ≈52 ≈6 ≈20 ≈17 ≈5 ≈4.4 ≈0.9 ≈63 ≈7.4 ≈3.3 ≈20
Fall 9275 ≈64 ≈6 ≈27 ≈21 ≈3.9 ≈5 ≈1.1 ≈74 ≈7.7 ≈2 ≈5
Susitna (Yentna
R.)
28.0 USGS 15294345 5/21/1986 5 Winter 2693 7.1-
7.9
Spring 26429 7.0-
8.0
Summer 47895 7.4-
8.3
Fall 16650
Susitna
25.8 USGS 15294350 10/25/2003 48 Winter 70-98 9.6-
15
15-
20 24-31 3.6-
5.0
6.2-
9.0
1.5-
2.5 75-95 7.5-
7.6 60-75 1.8-17 0.4-4 0-5 ND-1.2 ≤ 20
Spring 37-88 1.4-
15
3.7-
18 11-30 1.6-
4.9
1.8-
8.3
0.8-
1.8 36-93.7 7.1-
8.1 1.1-19
Summer 45-69 1.2-
12 1-22 15-22 2-3.3 1-1.8 0.9-
4.4 44-66 7.5-
8.5 36-57 0.4-8.0 2.7-11 0-10
Fall 55-92 3.1-
18
13-
20 16-31 2.6-
4.6
2.8-
8.6
1.1-
2.0 51.6-96 7.6-
8.0 1.4-15 ≈10
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-8 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Appendix B-3. Existing Water Quality Data (Metals) for the Susitna River and Tributaries, Table 1 of 3.
Station Name Station Susitna
River Mile*
Original Data
Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent Sample
Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Metals in Water, unfiltered (ug/L)
Al Ba Cd Se Cu Fe Pb Mn Hg As Ni Zn
Denali
290.8 USGS 15291000 7/25/1986 29 Winter 209 ≈60 ≈10
Spring 2860 0-4000 ≈20
Summer 7507 up to 3200 ≈10
Fall 2381 ≈610 ≈60
Paxson (MacLaren R.)
259.8 USGS 15291200 7/25/1975 17 Winter
Spring 2344 ≈370
Summer 2396 ≈10000 ≤ 100 ≤ 20 ≈1 ≈40 ≈20000 ≤ 200 0-10 ≈18 ≤ 50 ≈90
Fall 680
Vee Canyonu
223.1 USGS 15291500 7/30/1986 24 Winter 1000
Spring 13000 660-5000
Summer 14437 up to 12000 up to 230
Fall 4872 up to 900
Vee Canyon 223.1 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna at
Watana Dam Site
184.2 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Watana Damsite 183 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna D/S of
Devil's Canyon
150.1 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna U/S of
Portage Creek
149.4 APA and ADF&G 10/9/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at LRX 53
140.1 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gold Creek
136.6 USGS 15292000 9/23/1986 37 Winter 1884 ≤ 100 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 ≈120 ≤ 1 ≤ 20 ≤ 0.1 1 ≤ 1 ≈10
Spring 19931 ≈14000 ≤ 100 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 14-50 40-20000 ≈5 10-370 ≤ 0.1 2-5 ≈2 10-80
Summer 54810 ≈13000 100-500 0-30 ≤ 1 15-190 430-24000 ≤ 200 10-390 2-13 2-12 ≤ 50 20-120
Fall 6160 ≈500 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 ≈800 ≤ 200 ≈20 ≈0.2 ≤ 1 ≤ 50 ≈30
Gold Creek 136.6 R&M 9/30/1981 Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna D/S of
Gold Creek Bridge
135.8 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at Curry
Station
120.7 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at
Talkeetna Station
103 APA and ADF&G 10/12/1985 1 Winter
Spring
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-9 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Station Name Station Susitna
River Mile*
Original Data
Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent Sample
Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Metals in Water, unfiltered (ug/L)
Al Ba Cd Se Cu Fe Pb Mn Hg As Ni Zn
Summer
Fall
Talkeetnau (Chulitna R.)
98.0 USGS 15292400 7/22/1986 28 Winter 1269 ≈0 ≈10
Spring 11217 0-810 10-30
Summer 21950 up to 4300 20-280
Fall 5533
Talkeetna (Talkeetna R.)
97.0 USGS 15292700 5/18/2011 57 Winter 609 0-22 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 1-10 ≈80 ≤ 10 3-10 ≤ 1 ≤ 20
Spring 6650 0-100 ≤ 1 0-1 20-40 60-2800 ≤ 30 10-70 ≤ 10 10-230
Summer 10630 ≈4600 0-200 1-5 ≤ 1 20-100 70-17000 ≤ 200 10-520 1-2 ≤ 10 20-90
Fall 3160 0-200 ≤ 20 1-2 ≤ 20 150-180 ≤ 200 0-30 1-2 ≤ 20
Mainstem Susitna above
Parks Highway Bridge
86.2 APA and ADF&G 10/15/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sunshine
83.9 USGS 15292780 6/25/1986 15 Winter 4036 100 0-1 1 5-20 110-1100 ≤ 1 2-10 0.1 1-2 ≈20 10-30
Spring 37207 up to 22000 0-2000 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 5-200 160-37000 0-300 10-730 0.1-0.9 ≤ 1 ≤ 200 20-150
Summer 63740 up to 15000 100-500 0-35 0-1 0-35 7600-32000 2-13 170-670 0.1-0.6 1-3 18-30 40-200
Fall 25217 up to 2200 200 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 20 ≈3700 ≤ 200 100 ≤ 0.1 3 ≤ 50 30
Sunshine 83.9 R&M Winter
Summer
Skwentna (Skwentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294300 9/11/1981 22 Winter 996 ≈0
Spring 8572 ≈550
Summer 13182 ≈0
Fall 9275
Susitna (Yentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294345 5/21/1986 5 Winter 2693
Spring 26429
Summer 47895
Fall 16650
Susitna
25.8 USGS 15294350 10/25/2003 48 Winter 100 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 up to 140 240-720 ≤ 200 30-40 ≤ 0.5 1-3 0-4 20-30
Spring 100-200 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 20-60 230-16000 ≤ 200 20-410 ≤ 0.5 0-3 0-5 10-60
Summer up to
400 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 30-90 7900-42000 ≤ 200 320-870 ≤ 1 7-40 1-2 80-180
Fall ≤ 100 ≤ 20 ≤ 1 20-30 260-5400 ≤ 200 20-130 ≤ 0.5 1-4 20-30
*for tributaries, River Mile is at confluence with Susitna and shaded in green u nearly all Data is older than 1970
w Denali and Paxson Station Data only available
in JTU
t some values may be older v figure is from 1952
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-10 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Appendix B-4. Existing Water Quality Data (Metals) for the Susitna River and Tributaries, Table 2 of 3.
Station Name
Station
Susitna River
Mile*
Original Data
Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent Sample
Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Metals in Water, filtered (ug/L)
Al Ba Cd Se Cu Fe Pb Mn Hg As Ni Zn
Denali
290.8 USGS 15291000 7/25/1986 29 Winter 209
Spring 2860
Summer 7507
Fall 2381
Paxson (MacLaren R.)
259.8 USGS 15291200 7/25/1975 17 Winter
Spring 2344
Summer 2396
Fall 680
Vee Canyonu
223.1 USGS 15291500 7/30/1986 24 Winter 1000
Spring 13000
Summer 14437
Fall 4872
Vee Canyon 223.1 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna at
Watana Dam Site
184.2 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Watana Damsite 183 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna D/S
of Devil's Canyon
150.1 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna U/S
of Portage Creek
149.4 APA and ADF&G 10/9/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at
LRX 53
140.1 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gold Creek
136.6 USGS 15292000 9/23/1986 37 Winter 1884 ≤ 100 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 ≈10 ≤ 1 1 ≤ 1 ≤ 10
Spring 19931 ≈60 ≤ 3 ≤ 1 ≈5 20-100 0-1 0-40 ≤ 0.1 2 ≈3 ≤ 40
Summer 54810 0-44 0-20 ≤ 1 2-5 50-320 0-5 2-180 ≤ 0.2 1-2 0-3 6-20
Fall 6160 ≈40 ≤ 10
Gold Creek 136.6 R&M 9/30/1981 Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna D/S
of Gold Creek Bridge
135.8 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at
Curry Station
120.7 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at
Talkeetna Station
103 APA and ADF&G 10/12/1985 1 Winter
Spring
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-11 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Station Name
Station
Susitna River
Mile*
Original Data
Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent Sample
Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Metals in Water, filtered (ug/L)
Al Ba Cd Se Cu Fe Pb Mn Hg As Ni Zn
Summer
Fall
Talkeetnau (Chulitna R.)
98.0 USGS 15292400 7/22/1986 28 Winter 1269
Spring 11217
Summer 21950
Fall 5533
Talkeetna (Talkeetna R.)
97.0 USGS 15292700 5/18/2011 57 Winter 609 10-160 ≤ 100 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 ≤ 10 8-40 ≤ 10 3-10 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 3-13
Spring 6650 10-380 0-20 ≤ 3 0-2 ≤ 30 12-100 ≤ 30 3-20 0-8 0-2 5-90
Summer 10630 20-290 7-23 0-5 ≤ 2 ≤ 10 13-410 ≤ 10 3-20 0-2 0-5 6-30
Fall 3160 20-100 7-32 ≤ 1 0-2 ≤ 10 0-61 ≤ 10 1-30 0 ≤ 1 ≈10
Mainstem Susitna above
Parks Highway Bridge
86.2 APA and ADF&G 10/15/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sunshine
83.9 USGS 15292780 6/25/1986 15 Winter 4036 25-100 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 1-10 17-40 ≈3 2-10 ≤ 1 1 ≤ 1 10-30
Spring 37207 19-41 ≤ 1 0-1 ≤ 1 12-180 ≤ 1 3-20 ≤ 0.1 1 ≤ 1 20-31
Summer 63740 0-70 0-24 0-1 2-10 10-330 ≤ 1 7-12 ≤ 0.1 1-3 0-2 14-65
Fall 25217 ≈60 ≤ 10
Sunshine 83.9 R&M Winter
Summer
Skwentna (Skwentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294300 9/11/1981 22 Winter 996
Spring 8572
Summer 13182
Fall 9275
Susitna (Yentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294345 5/21/1986 5 Winter 2693
Spring 26429
Summer 47895
Fall 16650
Susitna
25.8 USGS 15294350 10/25/2003 48 Winter ≈40 ≤ 2 ≈1 ≤ 2 60-150 ≤ 2 10-30 0-0.1 0-3 ≈0 ≤ 20
Spring 10-50 20-80 ≤ 3 ≤ 1 ≤ 20 20-370 2-11 10-20 0-0.3 0-3 0-5 12-33
Summer 40-350 20-200 ≤ 2 ≤ 1 ≤ 3 10-460 ≤ 5 6-20 ≤ 0.5 1-3 0-2 8-160
Fall 40-150 25-38 ≤ 1 ≤ 1 ≈3 40-230 ≤ 5 10-21 0.1-3 1-4 ≈1 6-18
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-12 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Appendix B-5. Existing Water Quality Data (Metals) for the Susitna River and Tributaries, Table 3 of 3.
Station Name
Station
Susitna River
Mile*
Original Data
Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent Sample
Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Metals in Suspended Sediment (ug/L)
Al Ba Cd Se Cu Fe Pb Mn Hg As Ni Zn
Denali
290.8 USGS 15291000 7/25/1986 29 Winter 209
Spring 2860
Summer 7507
Fall 2381
Paxson (MacLaren R.)
259.8 USGS 15291200 7/25/1975 17 Winter
Spring 2344
Summer 2396
Fall 680
Vee Canyonu
223.1 USGS 15291500 7/30/1986 24 Winter 1000
Spring 13000
Summer 14437
Fall 4872
Vee Canyon 223.1 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna at
Watana Dam Site
184.2 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Watana Damsite 183 R&M Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna D/S of
Devil's Canyon
150.1 APA and ADF&G 10/16/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna U/S
of Portage Creek
149.4 APA and ADF&G 10/9/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at LRX
53
140.1 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gold Creek
136.6 USGS 15292000 9/23/1986 37 Winter 1884 0 ≤ 10 ≈110 0-4 7-10 0 0 10
Spring 19931 ≈40 1-9 30-120 0-4 7-8 0 0-1 ≈10
Summer 54810 70-400 0-10 ≤ 1 15-190 4600-24000 0-47 70-390 0.1-0.4 3-6 8-29 20-110
Fall 6160 ≤ 1
Gold Creek 136.6 R&M 9/30/1981 Winter
Summer
Mainstem Susitna D/S of
Gold Creek Bridge
135.8 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at
Curry Station
120.7 APA and ADF&G 10/17/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mainstem Susitna at
Talkeetna Station
103 APA and ADF&G 10/12/1985 1 Winter
Spring
WATANA HYDRO PROJECT: WATER QUALITY AND SEDIMENT DATA GAP ANALYSIS July 26, 2011
B-13 RFP#2011-006 | URS | Tetra Tech, Inc. | Arctic Hydrology |
Station Name
Station
Susitna River
Mile*
Original Data
Source
USGS Station
Code
Most Recent Sample
Datet
Years of
Record Season
Mean
Instantaneous
Discharge (cfs)
Water Quality Parameters
Metals in Suspended Sediment (ug/L)
Al Ba Cd Se Cu Fe Pb Mn Hg As Ni Zn
Summer
Fall
Talkeetnau (Chulitna R.)
98.0 USGS 15292400 7/22/1986 28 Winter 1269
Spring 11217
Summer 21950
Fall 5533
Talkeetna (Talkeetna R.)
97.0 USGS 15292700 5/18/2011 57 Winter 609
Spring 6650 0-80 0 40-690 0-3 0-6 ≤ 1 0-10
Summer 10630 0-90 0 0 3100-6800 90-190 ≤ 1 20-70
Fall 3160 ≈2
Mainstem Susitna above
Parks Highway Bridge
86.2 APA and ADF&G 10/15/1985 1 Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sunshine
83.9 USGS 15292780 6/25/1986 15 Winter 4036 0-80 0 0-1 ≤ 20 120-1100 10-30 0 ≈2 ≈2 ≈10
Spring 37207 0-60 ≤ 1 1 120-160 0 6-20 0 0-1 16 20-31
Summer 63740 80-300 1-11 0 16-63 7400-32000 0-38 160-660 0.1-0.6 4-15 16-51 0-190
Fall 25217
Sunshine 83.9 R&M Winter
Summer
Skwentna (Skwentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294300 9/11/1981 22 Winter 996
Spring 8572
Summer 13182
Fall 9275
Susitna (Yentna R.)
28.0 USGS 15294345 5/21/1986 5 Winter 2693
Spring 26429
Summer 47895
Fall 16650
Susitna
25.8 USGS 15294350 10/25/2003 48 Winter 0-100 ≤ 10 ≤ 1 140 300-400 ≤ 99 0-30 ≈1 0-0.1 1-4 0-30
Spring 60-200 ≤ 10 ≤ 1 1-54 230-16000 0-400 ≤ 0.1 0-6 4-21 0-50
Summer 70-400 ≤ 10 ≤ 1 29-89 7800-38000 14-94 320-850 ≤ 1 0.3-0.6 32-52 80-180
Fall ≤ 100 ≤ 10 ≤ 1 20-54 ≈300 9-97 0-130 0 1-4 6-18