HomeMy WebLinkAboutHoonah-IPEC Hydro Project Reconnaissance Report of Three Potential Sites - Jun 2002 - REF Grant 7030019ri.
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RECONNAISSANCE OF THREE POTENTIAL HYDROELECTRIC SITES
NEAR HOONAH, ALASKA
L INTRODUCTION
On October 12, 2001, the City of Hoonah (the City) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a
consultant to perform a preliminary feasibility study of three potential hydropower sites near
Hoonah, Alaska. On December 17, 2001, the City selected HydroWest Group LLC
(HydroWest) for the study in response to a proposal dated November S, 2001. HydroWest is a
wholly -owned subsidiary of Alaska Power & Telephone Co. (AP&T), which has developed and
operates several small hydroelectric projects in Southeast Alaska. This report summarizes
HydroWest's findings.
The impetus for considering hydroelectric development is primarily the desire to reduce electric
rates paid by Hoonah residents, which currently are about 37 0/kWh. Many communities in
Southeast Alaska are supplied with power by hydroelectric developments, and enjoy much lower
rates. Hoonah's power is currently supplied by Tlingit-Haida Regional Electric Authority (T-
HREA), which relies on diesel generation. T-HREA's relatively high rate is a result of the cost
of diesel fuel, capital expenses in other parts of the T-HREA system, and high overhead costs
relative to the number of customers.
There can be other advantages to hydropower, in particular a reduction in air and noise pollution
from the diesel generating units.
A site visit was conducted on May 31, 2002 by HydroWest employees Larry Coupe (Senior
Engineer) and Glen Martin (Environmental Specialist). The site visit was scheduled late in the
spring so that one of the three sites identified in the RFP could be visited, since it appeared from
its description that it was at a high elevation and thus snow-covered until the late spring. Based
on helicopter and ground reconnaissance, HydroWest proposed and the City agreed to
substitutions for two sites. The old and new sites are described below:
Table 1
ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTED SITE LOCATIONS
Site Proposed in.the Oct. 12, 2001 RFP
Gartina Creek at a 50-feet high falls in Sec.
I 1 of T44S, R62E
A tributary of Gartina Creek located in the
northwest comer of Sec. 24, T44S, R62E
A tributary of Game Creek located in the
southeast corner of Sec.21, T44S, R61E
Substituted Site
No substitution
A tributary of Gartina Creek Iocated in
Sections 14 and 15 of T44S, R62E (referred
to herein as Water Supply Creek)
A tributary of Gartina Creek located in
Sections 11 and 12 of T44S, R62E (referred
to herein as Elephant Falls)
Hydro West's proposed scope of work includes a site reconnaissance and preliminary evaluations
of each site's hydrology, power output, arrangement, construction cost, cost of power, and
permitting and environmental issues. The scope also includes a teleconference to discuss the
study results with the City. The study results for each of the three sites are presented separately
HydroWest Group LLC
June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
in the following sections, followed by a comparison and Hydro West's conclusions and
recommendations.
II. GARTINA FALLS
A. Site Description
Gartina Creek drains to the north off a ridge of mountains south of Hoonah, and eventually
drains into Port Frederick at Hoonah, as shown in Figure 1. Approximately 3 miles upstream
from tidewater, the stream flows over a waterfall approximately 50 feet high, which is referred to
herein as Gartina Falls (see Photos 1 and 2). At the head of the falls are the remains of a log crib
dam and a viewing platform.. The stream is split by rock ridge into two distinct cascades, as
shown in Photo 3, with the majority of the flow going over the eastern branch. The stream above
and below the falls has a moderate gradient. The stream is entrenched into the broad relatively
flat alluvial plain to depths of about 75 feet below the falls and 25 feet above.
Portions of the Gartina Creek drainage have been or are being logged, however the immediate
area around the falls appears to be old -growth forest. The land that would be occupied by the
project structures is owned by Sealaska Corporation.
Below the falls, Gartina Creek supports runs of pink, chum, and coho salmon, Dolly Varden, and
possibly steelhead and cutthroat trout. There are also resident cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden
above the falls. Brown bear and deer are common in the area, and the falls can be a popular
location for viewing bears that come to the creek to feed on salmon.
The Gartina Falls site has been the subject of previous feasibility studies, but no hydroelectric
development has been seriously pursued. It is our understanding that the old log crib dam at the
head of the falls was used in the past to divert the City's domestic water.
B. General Arrangement
The suggested general arrangement for the Gartina Falls site includes the following principal
features:
A concrete and rockfill diversion dam at the head of the falls that raises the water surface
15 feet. The diversion dam would have a reinforced concrete core wall keyed into
bedrock, and grouted rockfill on both sides of the core wall to provide stability. 4n the
right (east) abutment, the core wall and rockfill would be about 6 feet higher to create a
central overflow spillway. The grouted rockfill would effectively dissipate much of the
excess energy of the spill flows, so no stilling basin would be required.
• A concrete intake structure and sluiceway on the left (west) abutment of the diversion
dam. The sluicegate in the sluiceway would be opened during high flows to pass
accumulated sediment downstream. The flow diverted to the power plant would first
enter the sluiceway, then be drawn through a trashrack into the bellmouth intake. With
this arrangement, when the sluicegate is open, the sluicing flows would flush material
from the face of the trashrack.
• A 54-inch diameter steel pipeline about 200 feet long from the intake structure to the
powerhouse. The initial 150 feet of the pipeline would have a mild slope and be located
on a bench cut into the hillside roughly parallel to the stream. The final 50 feet would
drop steeply down the hillside to the powerhouse.
HydroWest Group LLC 2 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
• A two -level powerhouse approximately 20 feet by 20 feet in plan dimension and 25 feet
high. The powerhouse would be constructed from reinforced concrete with a removable
roof panel for equipment access. The powerhouse would contain one double -cell
Ossberger-type impulse turbine connected to a horizontal -axis synchronous generator
through a speed increaser. The turbine would be rated for a flow of 140 cfs at a net head
of 61 feet. The generator would be rated at 600 kW. Rotational speeds would be 193
rpm for the turbine and 1200 rpm for the generator. The powerhouse would contain all
necessary auxiliary equipment and systems for remote control and unattended operation.
This powerhouse arrangement has been selected to reduce the footprint of the structure as
much as possible and to minimize the cost of the generating unit. A double -regulated
Kaplan turbine would have a higher efficiency than the Ossberger turbine, and therefore
more power output. However, preliminary price quotations frorn turbine manufacturers
indicated a cost premium of almost $1 million for a Kaplan turbine, which cannot be
justified by the higher efficiency.
• A tailrace consisting of a rock weir and a reinforced concrete diffuser structure. The
diffuser structure would prevent fish from entering the powerhouse where they could be
injured by the turbine. The rock weir would be located downstream of the diffuser
structure to provide a pool from the powerhouse to the base of the falls to maintain
important existing fish habitat.
• A small switchyard would be located adjacent to the powerhouse, consisting of a pad -
mounted disconnect switch and transformer.
• A 12.5 kV transmission line about 4 miles long to transmit the power from the switchyard
to an interconnection near the Hoonah airport. The transmission line would have single
wood poles spaced approximately every 300 feet, and would generally follow the
alignment of the City's water line.
+ An access road about 0.3 miles long connecting the intake structure to the existing Forest
Service road 8503. Near the stream, a spur of the road would drop into the canyon to
provide access to the powerhouse. I
C. Hydrology
No stream gage records are available for Gartina Creek or any other creek in the vicinity of
Hoonah. Two methods of estimating the streamflows at the Gartina Falls site have been
considered. The first method is to use the flow record for Falls Creek near Gustavus that was
developed by correlating about three years of flow data at that site with the longer -term record of
the Kadashan River near Tenakee. As noted in Hydro West's proposal, the Falls Creek correlated
record has been reviewed and approved by several government agencies, and is considered to be
the best available for that site. However, a map of average annual precipitation contained in the
USGS Report 93-4179 (Magnitude and Frequency of Floods in Alaska and Conterminus Basins
in Canada) indicates that the Falls Creek drainage basin receives less precipitation than the
Gartina Creek basin (80 inches per year vs. 100 inches per year). Therefore, if the Falls Creek
record were to be used, it would need some adjustment to account for the higher precipitation.
The average annual precipitation map noted above also shows that the Kadashan River basin has
nearly the same precipitation as the Gartina Creek basin. Therefore, the second method of flow
record development is direct transposition of the gaged record for the Kadashan River near
Tenakee. Both basins drain to the north, the drainage area above Gartina Falls is 10.1 mil, nearly
HydroWest Group LLC 3 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
identical to the drainage area at the Kadashan River gage (10.2 mi2), and the average basin
elevations are nearly the same (1250 feet for Gartina Falls, 1000 feet for the Kadashan River).
Because of these similarities, direct transposition of the Kadashan River gage data to the Gartina
Falls site is the recommended method of estimating streamflows, with a minor adjustment for the
small difference in drainage area. Based on this method, the average annual flow at the Gartina
Falls site is estimated to be 66 cfs.
Previous studies of the Gartina Falls site estimated the average annual flow to be 77 cfs. The
cause for the difference is not known at this time; however, variations of this magnitude are not
unexpected considering the Iack of site -specific information. Establishment of a stream gage at
the site will be necessary to confirm the hydrology estimate provided herein.
D. Power Output
The power output of the Gartina Falls site has been estimated by a flow -duration method, which
is suitable for preliminary evaluation of run -of -river projects. With this method, the streamflow
at each 5% increment of the annual flow --duration curve was determined. Then, the divertible
flow, net head, and power for each of these streamflow points were calculated based on assumed
efficiencies for the generating equipment. Finally, the calculated power values were numerically
integrated to determine the average annual energy.
For Gartina Falls, the maximum divertible flow was set at 140 cfs, equal to the flow that is
exceeded 10% of the time. A 10% exceedence value is not uncommon for run -of -river projects,
but could be adjusted in more detailed feasibility or design studies. At the hydraulic capacity of
140 cfs, the net head would be about 61 feet and the maximum output of the generator would be
about 600 kW. The average annual generation would be about 1,880,000 kWh.
The generation values shown above are based on the assumption that no instream flows would be
required to maintain the aesthetics of the falls or preserve fish habitat between the diversion
structure and the powerhouse. The following table demonstrates the impact that imposition of
instream flow requirements would have on the project generation.
Table 2
EFFECT OF INSTREAM FLOWS ON GENERATION
GARTINA FALLS SITE
Instream Flow Average Annual Dectease.in Annual
Requirement (constant cfs) Generation (kWh) Generation. (kWh and %)
0 1,880,000 -
5 1,750,000 130,000 (7%)
10 3f 1,620,000 260,000 (14%)
20 1 1,370,000 510,000 (27%)
Note that these instream flow requirements are assumed to be constant throughout the year.
Fisheries agencies often want the instream flows to vary by month to mimic a natural flow
pattern.
HydroWest Group LLC 4 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
E. Construction Cost and Schedule
The estimated construction cost for the Gartina Falls site is $3,750,000. The cost estimate is
based on Hydro West's experience with similar construction, limited quantity takeoffs from the
preliminary site arrangement, budgetary quotes from equipment manufacturers, and an estimated
on-line date of January 2007. A summary of the construction cost estimate is shown in Table 3.
The estimate includes a contingency allowance of 25%, which is considered to be reasonable for
this early stage of analysis. The contingency allowance is to account for minor items not
explicitly estimated, normal contracting variations in cost, environmental mitigation costs, and
costs for unknown conditions that may occur. The estimate also includes $400,000 for
permitting costs and $375,000 for engineering costs., which are based on HydroWest's
experience and current understanding of the probable permitting process.
Table 3
ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST
GARTINA FALLS SITE
ITEM
AMOUNT
r32.
ACCESS ROADS
$73,000
DIVERSION STRUCTURE
560,000
0,
POWER CONDUIT
167,000
4.
POWERHOUSE
4.1 Structures and Improvements
292,000
4.2 Generating Equipment
.250000
9
4.3 Control System
375,000
5.
TRANSMISSION
290,000
SUBTOTAL
$1,997,000
Contingency (25%)
499,000
Permitting & Design
775 000
CONSTRUCTION COST (2002 bid level)
$3,271,000
Escalation (at 3%)
303,000
CONSTRUCTION COST (2005 bid level)
$3 574 000
, ,
Financing Cost (5%)
176,000
TOTAL CAPITAL COST.
$3,750,000
The January 2007 on-line date noted above is based on the following basic schedule. This
schedule is based upon having funds readily available for the initial consultation and study
planning work. If funds are not readily available, this schedule would start at the time funding is
secured.
HydroWest Group LLC 5 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
Table 4
PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE
GARTINA FALLS SITE
Task/Milestone
Initial consultation and study planning
Studies and permit applications
Permit processing
Construction
On --line
F. Cost of Power
Dates
July, 2002 — December, 2002
January, 2003 — December, 2004
January, 2004 — April, 2005
June, 2005 — December, 2006
January, 2007
The annual cost for a hydroelectric project includes the cost of debt service and various operation
and maintenance costs. Because of the relatively high cost of construction for a hydro project,
the debt service component is generally much higher than the operation and maintenance
component. Therefore, financing conditions have a very great impact on a hydro project's
feasibility. Love interest loans and/or grant funding are frequently available to promote the
development of hydro facilities in rural Alaska communities, and should be pursued. Figure 2
and the following table illustrate the impact of these two factors on the cost of power from the
Gartina Falls site.
Table 5
COST OF POWER FOR VARIOUS FINANCING CONDITIONS (¢/KWH)
GARTINA FALLS SITE
Loan Interest
Percent Funding by Grants
Rate
0%
! 25% 50% 75%
100%
0%
9.3
7.6 i
6.0 4.3 ,
2 ,7
4% .. _ ..__
14.2
11.3 8.4 w 5.5
_
2.7
8%
20.4
# 16.0 11.5 7.1
2.7
The cost of power values shown above are based on annual operating costs of $50,000 and a loan
terra of 30 years. The operating costs are incremental costs, and assume that the same operators
run, the hydro plant and the existing diesel plant_ The operating costs also include a royalty
payment to Seaiaska Corporation for use of their lands.
Note that the cost of power values shown above are the productions costs, and must be compared
to the production costs for the existing T-HREA diesel generators to determine if the hydro
project is feasible. These production cost values should not be compared to the retail power rates
from T-HREA (currently about 37 0/kWh), because that amount is a system -wide rate and
includes T-HREA overhead costs. The production cost for the existing diesel generators varies
HydroWest Group LLC 6 Jane, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
primarily with the cost of diesel fuel. At $1.25 per gallon and a typical efficiency of about 13
kWh/gal, the fuel cost for the existing diesel generators is about 9.6 ¢/kWh. Variable operation
and maintenance costs are typically about 2.0 0/kWh, for an avoided cost of 11.6 0/kWh. This
value is also shown in Figure 2 as a solid horizontal line - - financing grant/interest rate
combinations that result in a cost of power below the diesel line indicate a feasible project. The
hydro generation could also reduce the cost of periodic overhauls of the diesel units, however, no
amount for overhaul deferral has been included in the avoided cost rate because it is not certain
that the hydro generation would decrease the number of hours of operation of the diesels.
Note that the costs for diesel generation provided above are estimated for a typical existing diesel
plant. Hoonah-specific values were requested from T-HREA, but were not obtained in time for
this report.
It should be recognized that costs estimated above are for the initial year of the hydro project
operation. The production cost for the hydro project would be relatively stable, whereas the
production cost for the diesels will likely rise over time as the cost of diesel fuel escalates.
G. Permitting Issues
Development of the Gartina Falls site would require permits from various Federal and state
agencies. In 2001, AP&T obtained on behalf of Sealaska Corporation a determination by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it did not have jurisdiction. FERC
jurisdiction arises if a project is on Federal land, uses water from a government darn, is on a
navigable waterway, or affects interstate commerce. Federal and state fisheries agencies argued
that the project's potential impact to anadromous fisheries would constitute an effect on
interstate commerce, but FERC determined that any impact would be so small that interstate
commerce would not be affected.
The issue of FERC jurisdiction is important because the FERC licensing process is time-
consuming, expensive, and affords certain federal agencies the power to prescribe mandatory
environmental protection and mitigation measures. Note that recent federal legislation provided
for exemption from FERC jurisdiction for small hydroelectric projects in Alaska once the State
of Alaska institutes a permitting process that affords the same degree of environmental
protection. As of yet, the state has not instituted such a process.
Absent FERC jurisdiction, the most common permitting process is through the Coastal Zone
Management program administered by the Division of Governmental Coordination. However,
we understand that only part of the transmission line would be in the coastal zone for Hoonah,
and therefore that process should not be too restrictive.
Hoonah would nevertheless need to obtain a Title 16 permit from the Alaska Department of Fish
and Game and a Water Right from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. ADF&G in
particular can be expected to require environmental studies to support the permit application and
protection and mitigation measures to address the major environmental issues as discussed
below. Other necessary permits would include a water quality certification from the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation and either a Nationwide Permit or an Individual
Permit from the Corps of Engineers; however, these are not expected to be problematic.
H. Environmental Issues
Environmental issues that would need to be addressed during permitting include.
• Potential impacts to anadromous and resident fish
HydroWest Group LLC 7 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
• Potential impacts to brown bears
• Potential impacts to birds
• Potential impacts to other mammals
• Potential aesthetics impacts
• Fish passage enhancement
Potential impacts to anadromous and resident fish arise primarily from the reduction in flow
between the diversion structure and the powerhouse. Although the length of this bypassed reach
of stream is quite short (150-200 feet), it includes deep pools at the base of the falls that are
important habitat, as shown in Photo 4 and 5. The project design includes a low rock weir
downstream of the powerhouse to maintain water in these pools, however, without a constant
flow over the falls the pools could become stagnant and any redds in the bypassed reach might
not be productive_ If this becomes a major issue, some or all of the flow could be returned to the
base of the falls (at a significant increase in construction cost).
Improved access to the falls could also increase fishing pressure on both anadromous and
resident fish.
Another potential impact to fish that would need to be addressed is movement of gravel and
woody debris through the diversion pool. The preliminary design includes measures to maintain
gravel movement, although there would be a reduction for a couple of years until the diversion
pool fills with gravel. Gravel and woody debris movement is necessary to prevent degradation
of the downstream habitat.
As noted earlier, the preliminary design includes a diffuser -type tailrace to minimize the
potential for adult fish entering the powerhouse discharge. Another design feature commonly
requested by ADF&G is a method for continuing discharge through the powerhouse to prevent
dewatering of the bypassed reach during emergency shutdowns. However, at the Gartina Falls
site the duration of dewatering would be very short, and therefore flow continuation measures
have not been included.
During the permitting process, it is likely that ADF&G would request a fish presence/absence
survey to determine exactly what species use the creek, how many use the creek, and where
specifically they spawn. After construction, a survey of the fish populations would likely be
required over a period of 3-5 years to determine if impacts are occurring.
Potential impacts to brown bears could occur from impacts to anadromous fish, the bear's
prey, and from alteration of the streamside habitat. The powerhouse and access road would
modify about 100 feet of streambank, which could disrupt normal bear feeding patterns. Also,
the powerhouse would create some noise that could be disruptive, and the improved access could
result in an increase in visitors or hunters.
During the permitting process, it is likely that ADF&G would request monitoring of bear activity
in the project area to determine the amount of use and when this use occurs. They may also
request construction of a bear viewing station and/or other means to control be
interactions after construction of the project, including ways to screen the project and dampen
any noise from the powerhouse.
Potential impacts to birds relate primarily to the loss of either nesting habitat and/or foraging
habitat. Types of avian species that would likely require study are the eagle, goshawk, olive -
sided flycatcher, marbled murrelet, and any species considered endangered, threatened, or a
species of concern. Because the access road would pass primarily through open muskeg areas,
HydroWest Group LLC 8 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
as shown in Photo 1& 6, little habitat is likely to be disturbed. However, if eagle nests are
located within 600 feet of the project features, this could present an obstacle_ Improved access to
the falls could also increase pressure on avian species that inhabit the creek margin by causing
temporary disturbance from construction and on going disturbance from operation and
maintenance visits.
Potential impacts to other mammals would also likely require an analysis for impacts to
determine if any endangered, threatened, or a species of concern exist in the area. The focus will
primarily be on the riparian zone along the creek where species will normally congregate
because of the food source that exists there. Improved access to the falls could also increase
hunting pressure on wildlife.
Potential aesthetics impacts relate primarily to the loss of the scenic value of the falls. If no
instream flows are provided, then flow over the falls would occur only about 10% of the time. If
instream flows are provided, they would need to be small for the project to be economical, and
thus the scenic quality would be significantly reduced. It is unknown at this time whether the
loss of the falls would be significant to the community. Initial conversations indicate the falls are
not of cultural significance.
Fish passage enhancement is based on a comment by ADF&G as part of the FERC
jurisdictional determination that they would request evaluation of a fish passage structure to
allow anadromous fish to move above and below the falls, because there is high quality habitat
above the falls that could increase the fishery contribution of Gartina Creek. If such a structure
were to be required, it could easily make the Gartina Falls site uneconomic because of the high
initial cost, high operating cost, and loss of generation. A survey of the fish habitat above the
falls would likely be requested as part of the permitting process.
III. WATER SUPPLY CREEK
A. Site Description
Water Supply Creek is the name used herein to refer to a tributary of Gartina Creek that flows
generally parallel and to the west of the main branch of Gartina Creek, and flows into Gartina
Creek a few hundred feet upstream of Gartina Falls, (see Figure 3 and Photos 1 and 7). in the
late 1980s, the City constructed a diversion dam on Water Supply Creek and a pipeline to
provide the City's primary water supply. This diversion is located at about El 350 near the lower
end of the basin, as shown in Photo 8. Although most of the basin is old growth forest, there has
been some logging and there is one logging road, as shown in Photo 9, on the east side of the
valley that ends at about El 750. The land is owned by Sealaska Corporation.
The grade of the stream is about 7-8%, which is very steep. Small falls and rapids are numerous,
and it isn't clear if the stream provides suitable habitat for resident fish.
B. General Arrangement
The project arrangement selected for the Water Supply Creek site is to divert at about El 800 into.
a pipeline located adjacent to the existing logging road, and return the flow through a
powerhouse near the water supply diversion dam. The principal project features are depicted in
Figure 3, and would include:
• A concrete and rockfiil diversion dam at about El 800, as shown in Photo 10, that raises
the water surface about 8 feet; a good location was found during the site visit. The
HydroWest Group LLC 9 rune 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
diversion dam would have a reinforced concrete core wall keyed into bedrock, and
grouted rockfill on both sides of the core wall to provide stability. On the left (west)
abutment, the core wall and rockfill would be about 4 feet higher to create a central
overflow spillway. The grouted rockfill would effectively dissipate much of the excess
energy of the spill flows, so no stilling basin would be required.
• A concrete intake structure and sluiceway on the right (east) abutment of the diversion
dam. The sluicegate in the sluiceway would be opened during high flows to pass
accumulated sediment downstream. The flow diverted to the power plant would first
enter the sluiceway, then be drawn through a trashrack into the bellmouth intake. With
this arrangement, when the sluicegate is open, the sluicing flows would flush material
from the face of the trashrack.
• A pipeline about 5,500 feet Iong from the intake structure to the powerhouse. The initial
4,000 feet of the pipeline would be 24-inch diameter high -density polyethylene (HDPE),
either buried or laid directly on the ground if acceptable to the landowner.. The remaining
1,500 feet of the pipeline would be 20-inch diameter steel pipe, either buried or supported
on concrete saddles.
• A single -level powerhouse approximately 20 feet by 40 feet in plan dimension and 15
feet high, located immediately downstream of the water supply diversion darn, as shown
in Photo I L The powerhouse foundation would be reinforced concrete and the
superstructure would be a pre-engineered metal building. The powerhouse would contain
either a twin -jet Turgo impulse turbine or a double -cell Ossberger turbine direct
connected to a synchronous generator. The turbine would be rated for a flow of 20 cfs at
a head of 400 feet. The generator would be rated at 600 kW. Rotational speed would be
720 rpm. The powerhouse would contain all necessary auxiliary equipment and systems
for remote control and unattended operation.
A single six -jet Pelton turbine would also be suitable for the site, and would be somewhat
more efficient, but at a somewhat higher cost. A more detailed evaluation of the costs
and benefits will be required to make a final selection.
• A short tailrace pipeline to return flows from the powerhouse to the water supply
diversion pond. With this powerhouse location and tailrace arrangement, potential
disruptions to the water supply and quality during construction and operation are nearly
eliminated.
• A small switchyard would be Iocated adjacent to the powerhouse, consisting of a pad
mounted disconnect switch and transformer.
• A 12.5 kV transmission line about 4.1 miles long to transmit the power from the
switchyard to an interconnection near the Hoonah airport. The transmission line would
have single wood poles spaced approximately every 300 feet, and would generally follow
the alignment of the City's water line.
• An access road about 1300 feet long connecting the intake structure to the existing Forest
Service road 85033. Also, the existing road to the water supply dam would need to be
extended a short distance to provide construction and maintenance access to the
powerhouse.
An alternative to locating the powerhouse near the diversion dam would be to put it near Road
8503 as shown in Figure 3, and then purnp from the tailrace directly into the water supply
HydroWest Group LLC 10 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
pipeline. This would allow slightly more generation, make the powerhouse more accessible and
easier to construct, and reduce the length and cost of access roads and transmission line.
C. Hydrology
As with the Gartina Falls site, the flow available for diversion and generation at the Water
Supply Creek site has been estimated by factoring the Kadashan River flows by the respective
drainage areas (1.39 mil for Water Supply Creek, 10.2 rni2 for the Kadashan River. However, an
additional adjustment has been made because of the somewhat higher elevation of the Water
Supply Creek drainage basin (1700 feet for Water Supply Creek, 1020 feet for Kadashan River).
USGS Report 93-4179 indicates the average precipitation at sea Ievel near Hoonah is about 80
inches, but at the crest of the mountains (about El 3000) the average precipitation is about 100
inches. Using these values as guides, the flow available at the Water Supply Creek was
increased by 3.4%.
D. Power Output
The power output potential of the Water Supply Creek site has been determined by same method
as described for Gartina Falls. At the hydraulic capacity of 20 cfs, the net head would be about
400 feet and the maximum output of the generator would be 600 kW. The average annual
generation would be about 1,820,000 kWh.
Because the flow would be returned above the anadromous barrier on Gartina Creek,
anadromous fish would not be affected and therefore it is unlikely that instreann flows would be
required. Note that instream flows are not being required at AP&T's South Fork Project, which
is very similar to the Water Supply Creek site.
E. Construction Cost
The construction cost for the Water Supply Creek site is summarized in Table 6, and is estimated
to be $3,100,000 for an on-line date of January 2006. Quicker development of the Water Supply
Creek site is considered possible (relative to the Gartina Falls site) because there are expected to
be fewer environmental issues to be resolved in the permitting process.
Table 6
ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST
WATER SUPPLY CREEK SITE
ITEM AMOUNT
1
ACCESS ROADS
$61,000
2.
DIVERSION STRUCTURE
130,000
3.
POWER CONDUIT
504,000
4.
POWERHOUSE
4.1 Structures and Improvements
122,000
4.2 Generating Equipment
250,000
4.3 Control System
375,000
5.
TRANSMISSION
287,000
SUBTOTAL
$1,729,000
HydroWest Group LLC 11 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites neat- Hoonah, Alaska
Table 6 (Continued)
Contingency (25%)
432,000
Permitting & Design
625,000
CONSTRUCTION COST (2002 bid level)
$2,786,000
Escalation (at 3 %)
1701000
CONSTRUCTION COST (2004 bid level)
$2,956,000
Financing Cost (5%)
144,000
TOTAL CAPITAL COST
$3,100,000
F. Cost of Power
The effects of the financing interest rate and grant funding on the cost of
power from the Water
Supply Creek site are shown in the following Table 7 and Figure 4. As
with the Gartina Falls
site, the incremental operation and maintenance costs are estimated to be
$50,000 per year.
Table 7
COST OF POWER FOR VARIOUS FINANCING CONDITIONS (¢/KWH)
WATER SUPPLY CREEK SITE
Loan Interest ' Percent Funding by Grams
Rate 0% 25% 5a% 7S%
100%a
F
0% 8.4 7.0 5.6 4.2
2.7
4% 1 12.6 10.I 7.7 5.2
'; 2.7
8% 17.9 14.1 10.3 j 6.5
2.7
G. Permitting Issues
Jurisdiction by the FERC is very unlikely for the Water Supply Creek site, since they have
already ruled that they do not have jurisdiction over the Gartina Falls site, and the Water Supply
Creek site presents even Iess basis for jurisdiction. Nevertheless, obtaining that jurisdictional
determination is likely to be a required step. This jurisdictional determination could take up to a
year to obtain.
As with the Gartina Falls site, coastal zone certification would only be required for a section of
the transmission line, but Hoonah would nevertheless need to obtain a Title 16 permit from the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game and a Water Right from the Alaska Department of Natural
Resources. ADF&G in particular can be expected to require environmental studies to support
the permit application and protection and mitigation measures to address the major
environmental issues as discussed below. Other necessary permits would include a water quality
certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and a Nationwide or
Individual permit from the Corps of Engineers;. however, these are not expected to be
problematic.
HydroWest Group LLC 12 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
H. Environmental Issues
Environmental issues that would need to be addressed during permitting include:
• Potential impacts to resident fish
• Potential impacts to the Hoonah water supply
• Potential impacts to birds
• Potential impacts to mammals
Potential impacts to residential fish in Water Supply Creek would only occur if resident fish
are found. Probably the more important early activity for development of this site will be a
thorough survey of the bypassed reach to determine if resident fish are present. If fish are found,
it can be expected that the agencies will require bypass flows between the impoundment and the
powerhouse, which will have a negative impact on the economics of this project.
Potential impacts to the Hoonah water supply could occur from construction activities
disturbing the water quality and operational events disrupting the flow. Project design will
require methods to ensure the continuation of flows to the Hoonah water supply reservoir during
project shutdowns and maintenance. Erosion and sedimentation control methods will have to be
developed that protect the water quality during construction. All of these measures are standard
practices and should not be of great concern.
Potential impacts to birds relate primarily to the loss of either nesting habitat and/or foraging
habitat. Types of avian species that would likely require study are eagles, goshawk, olive -sided
flycatcher, marbled murrelet, and any species considered endangered, threatened, or a species of
concern. Because only about 0.25 miles of additional access road will be required to reach the
impoundment site, only a small amount of habitat is likely to be lost. Of particular concern will
be nesting habitat. This project is in a good stand of old growth forest that may contain good
habitat for some species. Improving access into this basin could also increase pressure on avian
species that may inhabit this forest by causing disturbance from operation and maintenance.
Potential impacts to mammals would also likely require an analysis for impacts to determine if
any endangered, threatened, or a species of concern exist in the area. Impacts should be minimal
to most mammal species because of the small imprint this project should have. However, as the
surrounding area is further logged, this basin may become more valuable to wildlife because of
the old growth forest that exists within it.
IV. ELEPHANT FALLS
A. Site Description
The location and general features of the Elephant Falls site are shown in Figure 5, Elephant
Mountain rises to the southeast of Gartina Falls, and includes two steep bluffs, with relatively
flat plateaus at the top of each bluff, as shown in Photo 12. A stream drains off of these plateaus
in highly visible waterfalls, as shown in Photos 12 and 13, and then eventually into Gartina
Creek upstream of Gartina Falls. The drainage basin appears to be undeveloped, but logging
activity to the south has brought a road to within about 1/2 mile of the Iower plateau. Only a brief
helicopter reconnaissance of the area was conducted due to inaccessibility. The drainage area is
almost entirely within the Tongass National Forest.
Although the stream is relatively small, the site offers. substantial head, and initially it appeared
to offer the potential for developing some water storage. If storage could be developed
HydroWest Group LLC 13 June, 20Q2
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
economically, the generation would be more reliable and valuable. Unfortunately, a good
location for a reservoir was not found during the helicopter reconnaissance. A more thorough
reconnaissance and/or topographic mapping might reveal a site, however,
B. General Arrangement
The project arrangement selected for the Elephant Falls site is to divert near the edge of the
lower plateau at about El 1100 into a pipeline that would proceed down the lower bluff, across a
sloping alluvial plain, eventually returning flow through a powerhouse on the cast bank of
Gartina Creek. The principal project features are briefly described below. Because only a brief
aerial reconnaissance was conducted, the locations and dimensions for the various structures can
only be approximated.
A concrete and rockfill diversion dam at about El 1100 that raises the water surface about
8 feet. The diversion dam would have a reinforced concrete core wall keyed into
bedrock, and grouted rockfill on both sides of the core wall to provide stability. On the
right (north) abutment, the core wall and rockfill would be about 4 feet higher to create a
central overflow spillway. The grouted rockfill would effectively dissipate much of the
excess energy of the spill flows, so no stilling basin would be required.
A concrete intake structure and sluiceway on the left (south) abutment of the diversion
dam. The sluicegate in the sluiceway would be opened during high flows to pass
accumulated sediment downstream. The flow diverted to the power plant would first
enter the sluiceway, then be drawn through a trashrack into the bellmouth intake. With
this arrangement, when the sluicegate is open, the sluicing flows would flush material
from the face of the trashrack.
A pipeline about 3,900 feet long from the intake structure to the powerhouse. The initial
1000 feet of the pipeline would be 18-inch diameter high -density polyethylene (HDPE),
either buried or laid directly on the ground if acceptable to the Iandowner. The remaining
2,900 feet of the pipeline would be 15-inch diameter steel pipe, either buried or supported
on concrete saddles or steel frames.
A single-Ievel powerhouse approximately 20 feet by 40 feet in plan dimension and 15
feet high, located near the bank of Gartina Creek about 1,500 feet upstream of Gartina
Falls. The powerhouse foundation would be reinforced concrete and the superstructure
would be a pre-engineered metal building. The powerhouse would contain a single twin -
jet Pelton turbine direct connected to a synchronous generator. The turbine would be
rated for a flow of 9.3 cfs at a head of 800 feet. The generator would be rated at 600 kW.
Rotational speed would be 1200 rpm. The powerhouse would contain all necessary
auxiliary equipment and systems for remote control and unattended operation.
A short unlined tailrace channel to return flows from the powerhouse to Gartina Creek.
A small switchyard would be located adjacent to the powerhouse, consisting of a pad -
mounted disconnect switch and transformer.
A 12.5 kV transmission line about 4.1 miles long to transmit the power from the
switchyard to an interconnection gear the Hoonah airport. The transmission line would
have single wood poles spaced approximately every 300 feet, and would generally follow
the alignment of the City's water line.
HydroWest Group LLC 14 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
An access road about 4000 feet -long connecting the intake structure to an existing
logging road that currently terminates on the hillside below and south of the lower
plateau. The route for this road would include one difficult section several hundred feet
long up the very steep hillside to the lower plateau. A second access road estimated to be
about 7500 feet long would also need to be constructed from the existing logging road
system to the powerhouse.
C. Hydrology
The hydrology of the Elephant Falls site has been estimated in the same manner as that described
earlier for the Water Supply Creek site, with appropriate adjustment for the smaller drainage area
(0.66 miz) and higher mean basic elevation (1850 feet)
D. Power Output
The power output potential of the Elephant Falls site has been determined by same method as
described for earlier for the Gartina Falls and Water Supply Creek sites. At the hydraulic
capacity of 9.3 cfs, the net head would be about 800 feet, and the maximum output of the
generator would be about 600 kW. The average annual generation would be about 1,780,000
kWh.
Because the flow would be returned above the anadromous barrier on Gartina Creek,
anadromous fish would not be affected and therefore it is unlikely that instream flows would be
required (unless resident fish are found).
E. Construction Cost
The construction cost for the Elephant Falls site is summarized in Table 8, and is estimated to be
$3,760,000 for an on-line date of January 2008. Note that a contingency factor of 33% has been
used because of the lesser amount of information available with this site. Development of the
Elephant Falls site would be slower (relative to the Gartina Falls and Water Supply Creek sites)
because it would be on Forest Service land and thus a FERC license would be required.
Table 8
ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST
ELEPHANT FALLS SITE
ITEM AMOUNT
1 ACCESS ROADS $313,000
2. DIVERSION STRUCTURE 132,000
3. POWER CONDUIT 350,000
4. POWERHOUSE
4.1 Structures and Improvements 102,000
4.2 Generating Equipment 250,000
4.3 Control System 375,000
5. TRANSMISSION 287,000
SUBTOTAL $1, 809,000
HydroWest Group LLC 15 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
Table 8 (Continued)
Contingency (33 %)
603,000
Permitting & Design
925,000
CONSTRUCTION COST (2002 bid level)
$3,337,000
Escalation (at 3%)
419,000
CONSTRUCTION COST (2006 bid level)
$3,756,000
Financing Cost (5%)
184,000
TOTAL CAPITAL COST
$3,940,000
F. Cost of Power
The effects of the financing interest rate and grant funding on the cost of power from the
Elephant Falls site are shown in the following Table 9 and Figure 6. As with the Gartina Falls
and Water Supply Creek sites, the incremental operation and maintenance costs are estimated to
be $50,000 per year.
Table 9
COST OF POWER FOR VARIOUS FINANCING CONDITIONS (¢/kWh
ELEPHANT FALLS SITE
Percent Funding by Grants
Interest Rate
0%
25% i SOn/o 7S%
100%
0%
10.2
11 8.3 6.5 1 4.6 ;
2.8
407o
15.6
? 12.4 9.2 6.0
2 g
8%
22.4
17.5 12.6 « 7.7
2.8
G. Permitting Issues
Because this project site is within the Tongass National Forest, a FERC license would be
required. The FERC licensing process can take approximately five years, or more if there are
intractable environmental issues. If the City of Sealaska Corporation could obtain the lands
through an exchange with the Forest Service, then the need for a FERC licensed would be
removed.
H. Environmental Issues
Envirc-i ental issues that would need to be addressed during permitting include;
• Potential impacts to resident fish
• Potential impacts to the aesthetics of the falls
• Potential impacts to avian species
• Potential impacts to mammals
HydroWest Group LLC 16 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
Potential impacts to residential fish in the Elephant Mt. tributary of Gartina Creek would occur
only if resident fish are found. Because cutthroat and Dolly Varden are thought to reside in
Gartina Creek, this tributary will also require a survey to determine if it is used and if the
location of the powerhouse would be below some of their habitat. If this creek is used by fish,
some head may be lost if the powerhouse has to discharge above the furthest extent of the fish
habitat. This would have some impact on the projects generation. Bypass flows would otherwise
be required if the powerhouse remains at the confluence with Gartina Creek. If this option is
pursued, determining if there are fish in the tributary and how far up they go should be conducted
as early as possible in the process, because of the importance finding fish could have.
Potential impacts to the aesthetics of the falls would need to be evaluated. A survey of the
community of Hoonah regarding any cultural significance and recreational- importance (even
viewing fiom a distance can be considered recreation) would have to be conducted. Because the
land is a part of the Tongass National Forest, the Forest Service may, or may not, have objections
to reducing the falls flows.
Potential impacts to birds relate primarily to the loss of either nesting habitat and/or foraging
habitat. Types of avian species that would likely require study are eagles, goshawk, olive -sided
flycatcher, marbled murrelet, and any species considered endangered, threatened, or a species of
concern. This site has the potential to have significantly more environmental impacts because of
the amount of road that would need to be constructed to access both the impoundment site and
powerhouse site, unless this area continues to be logged. Of particular concern will be nesting
habitat. There is old growth forest between Gartina Creek and the base of Elephant Mt., although
a portion has been recently logged. This could be good habitat for some species. Improving
access into this basin could also increase pressure on avian species that may inhabit this forest by
causing disturbance from operation and maintenance. Logging pressure in the area could make
this forest more valuable as habitat.
Potential impacts to mammals would also Iikely require an analysis for impacts to determine if
any endangered, threatened, or a species of concern exist in the area. Impacts to habitat will be
more significant for this project site because of the longer roads required for access to the
impoundment and powerhouse. As the surrounding area is further logged, this area may become
more valuable to wildlife because of the old growth forest that exists there.
V. SITE COMPARISON
A. Economic Feasibility
Based on the preliminary analysis conducted for this study, all of the sites are considered to be
feasible when compared to the production cost of the existing diesel generators if suitable
financing can be obtained. If the sites could be developed entirely with grant funds, then the cost
of power from each site would be about 2.7 ¢/kWh, about 9 0/kWh less than the existing diesel
units. If grant funding cannot be obtained, then low -interest loans are necessary. Several energy
projects in Alaska have recently been funded with approximately 50% grant funds and 50% zero -
interest loan. If only conventional financing is possible, then the production cost would be closer
to that of the existing diesel units, and possibly' more.
The situation described above is for the first year of operation. The cost of hydroelectric
generation can be expected to remain relatively stable over time, whereas the cost of diesel
generation can be expected to rise over time as the cost of diesel fuel escalates. Diesel fuel
prices have been very volatile in the last several years, but the general trend has been increasing.
HydroWest Group LLC 17 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
Since a hydroelectric project can have a life of 50 years or more, it is important to recognize that
the benefits to a hydroelectric project may be small at first but become greater as time goes on.
All three sites would have the same capacity (600 kW) and generate approximately the same
amount of energy (1.8 to 1.9 GWh), assuming instream flows are not required for the bypassed
reach at any site. However, there are clear advantages to the. Water Supply Creek site because it
will cost less to construct, there appear to be fewer environmental issues, and it can be developed
more quickly.
None of the sites by itself would provide all of Hoonah's generation requirements except during
high -flow periods (2,000,000 kWh is approximately 1/3 of the current annual generation). If
only one site is developed, then all or nearly all of its potential generation would be usable.
However, if two sites were developed, during high flow periods not all of the potential
generation would be usable absent interconnection to other loads -
The following table summarizes the key technical, economic, environmental, and permitting
characteristics of each site.
Installed capacity
Annual generation
On-line date
Construction cost
Cost of power (1}
Known or likely
environmental issues
Potential
environmental issues
Table 10
HYDROELECTRIC SITE COMPARISON
Cartina Falls
600 kW
1,88.0,000 kWh
,` January, 2007
$3,750,000
6.0 0/kWh
Fish habitat at base of
falls bypassed.
Disturbance to brown
bears from noise and
loss of habitat
Tailrace screening
Fish passage over falls
Aesthetics
Instream flows
Flow continuation
Permit concerns Numerous
environmental issues
Water Supply Creek
600 kW
1,820,000 kWh
January, 2006
1 $3,100,000
5.6 0/kWh
Protection of water
supply quality and
function (flow
continuation)
instream flows (if
resident fish exist)
Flow continuation (if
resident fish exist)
FERC jurisdiction
determination may
be required
Elephant Falls
600 kW
1,780,000 kWh
January, 2008
$3,940,000
6.5 0/kWh
Aesthetics
Instrearn flows (if
resident fish exist)
Flow continuation (if
resident fish exist)
FERC license required.
(without land
exchange)
(1) Based on financing with 50% grant and 50% zero -interest, 30-year loan.
HydroWest Group LLC 18 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A. Conclusions
We conclude the following from our review of the three identified potential hydroelectric sites
near Hoonah:
• All three sites offer approximately the same potential capacity and generation (about 600
.kW and 1,850,000 kWh, respectively), assuming instream flows would not be required.
• The Gartina Falls and Water Supply Creek sites are purely run -of -river sites (i.e., a
storage reservoir would not be economically feasible). The Elephant Falls site has been
evaluated as a run -of -river project, as no obvious storage site was viewed during the
helicopter reconnaissance. However, a more detailed evaluation of the Elephant Falls site
could determine a suitable storage site.
• If one site were developed, all or nearly all of its potential generation would be usable. If
two sites were developed, not all of the potential generation would be usable (assuming
both sites are run -of -river sites).
• All three sites could produce power at a cost comparable to or less than the cost from the
existing diesel generators, depending on the financing arrangements. Grant funding
and/or low -interest financing would be instrumental in reducing the cost of power so that
a substantial reduction in rates could be achieved.
• The Water Supply Creek site is the superior site of the three due to a lower construction
cost and fewer environmental issues. However, this is predicated on the assumption that
resident fish are not found above the City's water supply diversion. The primary issue
with the Water Supply Creek site is protection of the City's water supply, but that can be
readily achieved.
• The Gartina Falls site has a higher construction cost and would probably be somewhat
more difficult and time-consuming to permit because of some significant environmental
issues (principally regarding anadromous fish and brown bears).
• The Elephant Falls site also has a somewhat higher construction cost than the Water
Supply Creek site, and perhaps more environmental issues. It does have one serious
permitting issue in that it affects Federal lands, thus requiring a FERC or equivalent state
license.
• Permitting of either the Gartina Falls or Water Supply Creek sites would be less complex
and less costly if started prior to the State of Alaska completing their program for
reviewing and permitting small hydro projects in place of the FERC, (which is estimated
to be in 2003 or 2004). The South Fork Hydro project on Prince of Wales Island is an
example of how permitting can be accomplished absent FERC's involvement and under
the existing procedures.
HydroWest Groin LLC 19 June, 2002
Reconnaissance of Three Potential Hydroelectric Sites near Hoonah, Alaska
B. Recommendations
I. Evaluate the City's potential for obtaining suitable grant and/or low -interest financing, and if
favorable, proceed with development of the Water Supply Creek site as a hydroelectric
generating resource for the City. Steps that should be taken in the near future are as follows:
• Consult with FERC to determine if another jurisdictional determination is required.
• Consult with Scalaska, ADF&G, ADNR, ADEC, and other parties as appropriate to
determine issues and concerns, if any, regarding development of the stream.
• Conduct a fish presence/absence survey of the stream between the proposed diversion site
and the City's water supply diversion.
• Install a stream gage on Water Supply Creek near the proposed diversion site to begin
collecting stream flow data, which will be invaluable in confirming the capacity and
generation potential of the site. Strearnflow data will also be critical to evaluating
potential impacts on resident fish if found.
• Obtain detailed topographic mapping in the areas of the diversion structure and
powerhouse and along the pipe alignment.
2. Conduct an on -the -ground reconnaissance of the lower plateau of the Elephant Falls site to
determine if the topography is suitable for the economical construction of a storage reservoir
of approximately 2500 acre-feet capacity. If such a site is found, then the Elephant Falls site
may be feasible as a second hydro development, and the City should evaluate the possibility
of a land exchange land with the Federal government to acquire the lands associated with the
Elephant Falls site (principally the southern half of Sec 12 and the western half of Sec 13 of
T44S, R62E).
3. Development of the Gartina Falls site should be pursued only if issues arise regarding the
Water Supply Creek site that make it infeasible, or if the Gartina Falls site's construction can
be funded entirely through grants. Steps that would be taken in the near future are as follows.
• Consult with Scalaska, ADF&G, ADNR, ADEC, and other parties as appropriate to
determine issues and concerns regarding development of the site. This consultation will
determine the environmental studies that would need to be conducted to support the
permit applications.
• Install a stream gage on Gartina Creek near the falls to begin collecting stream flow data,
which will be invaluable in confirming the capacity and generation potential of the site
and for evaluating environmental impacts.
• Obtain detailed topographic mapping in the areas of the diversion structure and
powerhouse and along the pipe alignment.
4. If Hoonah elects to proceed with development of either of the Water Supply Creek or Gartina
Falls sites, then the agency consultation, field studies, and permit application preparation
should be pursued as expeditiously as possible so that the permitting can proceed under the
existing process. The state is currently developing a permit process for small hydroelectric
projects that will likely be more problematic for development than the current process.
HydroWest Group LLC 20 .iune, 2002
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PHOTO 1
' Water Supply Creek
+" ' Elephant Mt. Creek
Route of Gartina Creek
aarna Falls
PHOTO 2
Gartina Fa1Is _�
P
Fish Habitat
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FS Road 8 . 503,/
Hoonah Water
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