Big Creek Alternative Licensing Process

Client: Southern California Edison Company (SCE)

Location: Fresno County, California

Summary: Cardno ENTRIX assisted Southern California Edison Company (SCE) with the relicensing of the Big Creek No. 4 Hydroelectric Project. The Project diverts water from the San Joaquin River and has a generating capacity of 100.35 MW and a hydraulic capacity of 3,591 cfs. Cardno ENTRIX worked closely with both SCE and resource management agencies during the preparation of the Exhibit E for the Application for New License. Supporting studies completed include: 1) fish population and habitat surveys; 2) wildlife and botanical surveys; 3) habitat, management, and maintenance plan for sensitive biological resources; 4) land use surveys; 5) an aesthetics evaluation; 6) water quality sampling and monitoring; 7) temperature monitoring; and 8) a comprehensive recreation study. Cardno ENTRIX biologists, through collaboration with resource management agencies, were able to designate the project reach as a warm water fisheries system in order to benefit both SCE?s power generation goals and native fish species.

FERC issued the Order for New License for the Big Creek No. 4 Project in December 2003 and Cardno ENTRIX is assisting SCE with the implementation on new license conditions as specified in the license order for the Project. The order for new license utilizes an adaptive management approach to evaluate and set forth project operating conditions that will balance resource interests (fisheries habitat and recreational boating flows) in the project bypass reach. Cardno ENTRIX is assisting SCE in the developments and coordination of a Technical Review Group (TRG) comprised of SCE, agency and stakeholder resource specialists that will develop technical studies to collect data needed to evaluate and adapt project operations using the adaptive management approach.