Don Pedro and La Grange hydropower projects receives draft environmental impact statement

An environmental impact statement (EIS) draft was prepared by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for relicensing of 168 MW Don Pedro hydropower project and for licensing of the 4.7 MW La Grange hydropower project.

The Turlock (TID) and Modesto Irrigation Districts (MID), on April 28, 2014, filed an application (amended on October 11, 2017) for the 168 MW Don Pedro hydropower project. The plant is located on the Tuolumne River in Tuolumne County, covering 4,802 acres of land by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The TID has 68.46% ownership and MID has 31.54% ownership of the facility.

Also on the same day, the districts filed an application for an original license for the existing 4.7 MW La Grange hydropower project. The plant is located on the Tuolumne River in Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties, immediately downstream of the Don Pedro hydropower project. The plant covers 14 acres of land by BLM.

The primary issues associated with relicensing and licensing the projects includes, but not limited to, the restoration of floodplains in the lower Tuolumne River; spill cessation schedules following high-flow periods to mimic natural conditions and for whitewater boating opportunities; protection of plant and wildlife resources and special-status species; effects on fall-run Chinook salmon; and effects on threatened and endangered species including Central Valley steelhead, North American green sturgeon, California red-legged frog, and valley elderberry longhorn beetle.

EIS is April 12, 2019 is the set deadline to comment on the draft EIS.