FPC Documents Web - SORs Responses

Action agency responses to 2005 SORS

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SOR # Response

05-22
05-21
05-20
05-19 This SOR asked to continue outflows of 7 Kcfs at Dworshak through July 10th, 2005, however, after July 7th, 2005 increase outflows at Dworshak to 10 Kcfs if temperatures at Lower Granite exceed 67F (19.4C) on a 24-hr rolling average. On July 11th, 2005 increase outflows to 10 Kcfs until further notice. Continue to target 46-48F outflow water temperatures over the specified time.

The Action Agencies agreed to implement this SOR. Dworshak outflows were 7.2 Kcfs from July 7th until July 11th when flows were increased to full powerhouse outflow of 9.5 Kcfs
05-18 At the July 13th, 2005 TMT Meeting the Salmon managers agreed to modify SOR 2005-18 to ask for releases from Dworshak to be approximately 12 Kcfs with temperatures between 43-45 degrees F. The operators did implement this modified request.
05-17 Dworshak outflows continued near 7 Kcfs from July 6-9 and were increased on 7-10-05 in the morning from 7.1 to 9.1 Kcfs (full powerhouse) as the Lower Granite tailwater temperature was approaching the 67 degree F threshold identified in SOR 2005-17.
05-16 This SOR asked to maintain stable outflows from Libby while drafting to 2439 feet by August 31st, 2005. This issue was raised to IT where members agreed to gradually ramp down Libby outflow through the month of August.

Libby outflows were approximately 19 Kcfs from August 1st to August 17th, outflows were 16.5 Kcfs from August 18th to August 24th. On August 24th, outflows were ramped down to 12 Kcfs. Libby elevation was 2439.54 feet midnight August 31st
05-15
05-14 This SOR asked the Action Agencies to provide at least 120 Kcfs hourly spill at John Day Dam (and higher if possible to achieve the 60% nighttime and 40% daytime spill percentage) for fish passage through spill, and operate at flat flows if necessary to achieve this objective. This request is in response to The Dalles Dam not achieving the required Biological Opinion 40% spill. This operation was intended to extend into June to balance lost spill at The Dalles with extra spill at John Day.

Day time spill stopped at John Day at the end of May 30th.
05-13 Spill was initiated at Lower Monumental Dam as specified in the SOR, however TDG was well below the TDG Limit until May 17th, 2005 when flows were above the powerhouse capacity at Lower Monumental and operators were forced into an involuntary spill situation.
05-12 This SOR asked to:
1. Provide adjustment for the spill that is not occurring at The Dalles Dam due to restricted spill gate operations.
2. The adjustment should be in the form of spill volume equal to what would have been provided if The Dalles Dam were fully operational.
3. Spill is to be implemented as daytime spill at John Day Dam as 40% of instantaneous flow for the next seven days.

Beginning Saturday morning, 5/21, operators attempted to accomplish the objective of the SOR of spill at John Day to 40% daytime, through the weekend. The action agencies did provide additional daytime spill at John Day over the specified period.
05-11 Between May 10-16, 2005 outflows at Dworshak Dam were above 14 Kcfs although TDG was still several percent below the 110% TDG Limit.
05-10 Flows at Priest Rapids dam averaged 133.5 Kcfs from May 4th to May 31st, 2005 and Grand Coulee was not drafted below elevation 1240 feet.
05-09 Outflows at Dworshak were increased to 14 Kcfs + beginning on May 6th, 2005 and held for the week requested in the SOR, however during this period TDG was still several percent below the 110% TDG Limit.
05-08 The Action Agencies did make an attempt to flatten flows the lower Columbia River; increasing river flows assisted this request.
05-07 Flows at priest Rapids averaged 105.2 Kcfs from April 22nd, 2005 though the end of April.
05-06 This SOR requested the following:
1. It is requested that the COE please provide requests for input on operations to all Technical Management Team Salmon Manager members and the tribes, as far in advance as possible in writing, to assure adequate time for coordination and response.
2. To the extent possible piggyback transducer installation at Ice Harbor Dam with the proposed spill outage at Ice Harbor Dam scheduled for Wednesday, April 20, 2005.
3. Compensate for any spill not provided at Ice Harbor during this outage by providing that volume at McNary Dam as spill during daytime hours.

No formal response to this SOR could be found in the 2005 TMT minutes.
05-05 Spill to 50 Kcfs began at Bonneville Dam began on April 15, 2005 at 1900 and was increased to 75 Kcfs daytime spill on April 19th, 2005 at 2100. Spill could have been greater during nighttime hours as the 12-hr TDG has been predominantly below 115% at Camas/Washougal and less than 120% at the Cascade Island location. Some load following has continued.
05-04 Ice Harbor Dam spill began on April 7th, 2005, McNary began on April 10th, 2005, and John Day spill began on April 10th, 2005. Spill at The Dalles Dam began spill on April 11th, 2005, however has been below the BIOP 40% level much of the spill season, especially at total outflows greater than 180 Kcfs.
05-03 All projects have been operated within the requested operating ranges beginning on the dates specified in the SOR. The operating ranged have been MOP+1 to MOP+2 at LGR, IHR, and LGS, MOP to MOP+1 at LMN, and JDA has operated between 263 and 263.6 feet.
05-02 The operators did not agree to a five-day or more operation as outlined in the SOR, instead they agreed to operate the B2 Corner Collector for four days. As it turned out, the B2 Corner collector was operated for approximately two days. Early in the Spring Creek Release Operation, TDG above 105% was recoded near chum redds at Multnomah Falls with little or no depth compensation. Because of this TDG and little depth, the Tailwater at Bonneville was increased to 13.5 feet for the second day of the operation. The operators said they could not maintain the 13.5-foot tailwater that was necessary to run the B2 Corner Collector beyond day two.
05-01 Dworshak did release above its minimum discharge on 1-13-05 and 1-14-05, releasing a total of approximately 22 Kaf above minimum flow.

More about System Operational Requests...

System Operational Requests (SORs) are drafted and presented to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) by the Salmon Managers. The Salmon Managers are state, federal and tribal entities with legally recognized mandates and jurisdictions to manage salmon resources in the Columbia River Basin. SORs are submitted in response to river, or project-specific operations and are intended to provide both juvenile and adult salmon with the most conducive migration conditions and survival opportunities possible.

The Fish Passage Center also posts System Operational Requests from Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Contact CRITFC at 503-238-0667. The SORs are in PDF Format, you will need Acrobat Reader 4.0 or later to read them.

Note: Click the statement or question to open and close.

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SOR #	Response
05-22
05-21
05-20
05-19	This SOR asked to continue outflows of 7 Kcfs at Dworshak through July 10th, 2005, however, after July 7th, 2005 increase outflows at Dworshak to 10 Kcfs if temperatures at Lower Granite exceed 67F (19.4C) on a 24-hr rolling average. On July 11th, 2005 increase outflows to 10 Kcfs until further notice. Continue to target 46-48F outflow water temperatures over the specified time. The Action Agencies agreed to implement this SOR. Dworshak outflows were 7.2 Kcfs from July 7th until July 11th when flows were increased to full powerhouse outflow of 9.5 Kcfs
05-18	At the July 13th, 2005 TMT Meeting the Salmon managers agreed to modify SOR 2005-18 to ask for releases from Dworshak to be approximately 12 Kcfs with temperatures between 43-45 degrees F. The operators did implement this modified request.
05-17	Dworshak outflows continued near 7 Kcfs from July 6-9 and were increased on 7-10-05 in the morning from 7.1 to 9.1 Kcfs (full powerhouse) as the Lower Granite tailwater temperature was approaching the 67 degree F threshold identified in SOR 2005-17.
05-16	This SOR asked to maintain stable outflows from Libby while drafting to 2439 feet by August 31st, 2005. This issue was raised to IT where members agreed to gradually ramp down Libby outflow through the month of August. Libby outflows were approximately 19 Kcfs from August 1st to August 17th, outflows were 16.5 Kcfs from August 18th to August 24th. On August 24th, outflows were ramped down to 12 Kcfs. Libby elevation was 2439.54 feet midnight August 31st
05-15
05-14	This SOR asked the Action Agencies to provide at least 120 Kcfs hourly spill at John Day Dam (and higher if possible to achieve the 60% nighttime and 40% daytime spill percentage) for fish passage through spill, and operate at flat flows if necessary to achieve this objective. This request is in response to The Dalles Dam not achieving the required Biological Opinion 40% spill. This operation was intended to extend into June to balance lost spill at The Dalles with extra spill at John Day. Day time spill stopped at John Day at the end of May 30th.
05-13	Spill was initiated at Lower Monumental Dam as specified in the SOR, however TDG was well below the TDG Limit until May 17th, 2005 when flows were above the powerhouse capacity at Lower Monumental and operators were forced into an involuntary spill situation.
05-12	This SOR asked to: 1. Provide adjustment for the spill that is not occurring at The Dalles Dam due to restricted spill gate operations. 2. The adjustment should be in the form of spill volume equal to what would have been provided if The Dalles Dam were fully operational. 3. Spill is to be implemented as daytime spill at John Day Dam as 40% of instantaneous flow for the next seven days. Beginning Saturday morning, 5/21, operators attempted to accomplish the objective of the SOR of spill at John Day to 40% daytime, through the weekend. The action agencies did provide additional daytime spill at John Day over the specified period.
05-11	Between May 10-16, 2005 outflows at Dworshak Dam were above 14 Kcfs although TDG was still several percent below the 110% TDG Limit.
05-10	Flows at Priest Rapids dam averaged 133.5 Kcfs from May 4th to May 31st, 2005 and Grand Coulee was not drafted below elevation 1240 feet.
05-09	Outflows at Dworshak were increased to 14 Kcfs + beginning on May 6th, 2005 and held for the week requested in the SOR, however during this period TDG was still several percent below the 110% TDG Limit.
05-08	The Action Agencies did make an attempt to flatten flows the lower Columbia River; increasing river flows assisted this request.
05-07	Flows at priest Rapids averaged 105.2 Kcfs from April 22nd, 2005 though the end of April.
05-06	This SOR requested the following: 1. It is requested that the COE please provide requests for input on operations to all Technical Management Team Salmon Manager members and the tribes, as far in advance as possible in writing, to assure adequate time for coordination and response. 2. To the extent possible piggyback transducer installation at Ice Harbor Dam with the proposed spill outage at Ice Harbor Dam scheduled for Wednesday, April 20, 2005. 3. Compensate for any spill not provided at Ice Harbor during this outage by providing that volume at McNary Dam as spill during daytime hours. No formal response to this SOR could be found in the 2005 TMT minutes.
05-05	Spill to 50 Kcfs began at Bonneville Dam began on April 15, 2005 at 1900 and was increased to 75 Kcfs daytime spill on April 19th, 2005 at 2100. Spill could have been greater during nighttime hours as the 12-hr TDG has been predominantly below 115% at Camas/Washougal and less than 120% at the Cascade Island location. Some load following has continued.
05-04	Ice Harbor Dam spill began on April 7th, 2005, McNary began on April 10th, 2005, and John Day spill began on April 10th, 2005. Spill at The Dalles Dam began spill on April 11th, 2005, however has been below the BIOP 40% level much of the spill season, especially at total outflows greater than 180 Kcfs.
05-03	All projects have been operated within the requested operating ranges beginning on the dates specified in the SOR. The operating ranged have been MOP+1 to MOP+2 at LGR, IHR, and LGS, MOP to MOP+1 at LMN, and JDA has operated between 263 and 263.6 feet.
05-02	The operators did not agree to a five-day or more operation as outlined in the SOR, instead they agreed to operate the B2 Corner Collector for four days. As it turned out, the B2 Corner collector was operated for approximately two days. Early in the Spring Creek Release Operation, TDG above 105% was recoded near chum redds at Multnomah Falls with little or no depth compensation. Because of this TDG and little depth, the Tailwater at Bonneville was increased to 13.5 feet for the second day of the operation. The operators said they could not maintain the 13.5-foot tailwater that was necessary to run the B2 Corner Collector beyond day two.
05-01	Dworshak did release above its minimum discharge on 1-13-05 and 1-14-05, releasing a total of approximately 22 Kaf above minimum flow.