PG&E McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project Relicensing (FERC Project No. 2106)

PG&E McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project Relicensing (FERC Project No. 2106)

The existing McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project is owned and operated by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and is located on the McCloud River, Iron Canyon Creek, and Pit River, in Shasta and Siskiyou Counties, California. The McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project has a generation capacity of up to 368 megawatts and consists of three power-generating developments that include two storage reservoirs (McCloud and Iron Canyon), two regulating reservoirs (Pit 6 and Pit 7), one afterbay (Pit 7), three powerhouses (James B. Black, Pit 6, and Pit 7), five dams (Pit 6, Pit 7, Pit 7 Afterbay, Iron Canyon, and McCloud), two tunnels, associated equipment and transmission facilities, and five associated recreation facilities. The McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project transfers water from the McCloud River basin to the lower Pit River basin. Water moves from McCloud Reservoir on the McCloud River to Iron Canyon Reservoir on Iron Canyon Creek, a tributary to the Pit River, via the McCloud Tunnel. Water from Iron Canyon Reservoir moves via the Iron Canyon Tunnel to the James B. Black Powerhouse, located on the Pit River just upstream of PG&E’s Pit 3, 4, 5 Hydroelectric Project (FERC Project No. 233) Pit 5 Powerhouse, where it moves through the Pit 6 and Pit 7 Powerhouses and enters Shasta Lake. The Project evaluated in the SEIR includes continued operation of the McCloud-Pit Hydroelectric Project with revised minimum instream flows, improvements to existing recreation facilities (Tarantula Gulch Boat Launch and Day Use Area at McCloud Reservoir, Hawkins Landing Campground at Iron Canyon Reservoir, Hawkins Boat Launch at Iron Canyon Reservoir, Deadlun Campground at Iron Canyon Reservoir, and Fenders Flat Day Use Area below Pit 7 Afterbay), construction of new recreation facilities (including river access areas, day use areas, campgrounds, and boat launches), and implementation of 13 new environmental management plans. The Project is undergoing relicensing before the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC). The original FERC license for the Project expired on July 31, 2011. Since then, the Project has operated under annual licenses issued by FERC. The SEIR evaluates potential impacts associated with the Project’s relicensing.

McCloud

Shasta, Siskiyou

Citywide, Countywide, Northern California