Tri-Dam Project presentation from the Tulloch Reservoir Public Community Meeting.

1. Tulloch Reservoir
and
The Drought of 2012-201?
TRI-DAM PROJECT
Ron Berry
Susan Larson
March 7, 2015

2. Why Are You Here?

3.  “Fish win another water fight round” 12/23/14 Manteca Bulletin
 “Drought could spur draining of Tulloch Lake”
2/17/15 Modesto Bee
 “Feds want to drain Tulloch for fish” 2/20/15 Union Democrat
 “Tulloch draining concerns Calaveras” 2/25/15 Union Democrat
 “Fish vs. people frustration rages at Oakdale
Irrigation District meeting” 3/3/15 Modesto Bee
 “Draining Lake Tulloch: A symptom of decades of
failed policy” 3/5/15 Opinion – Union Democrat

4. Why Are We Here?
 Like YOU, We Care
 We Manage The Reservoir
 We Generate Power
 We Live Here
 Drought
 Mandates

5. What is Tri-Dam?
and Why are We Here?
Tri-Dam Project is an agency formed by two Irrigation Districts:
the Oakdale Irrigation District and the South San Joaquin
Irrigation District. Together Tri-Dam developed, operate and
maintain four (4) power generation facilities, with 24 employees in
total:
Donnells Reservoir — 64,325 A/F, 72.0 Mw
Beardsley Reservoir – 97,802 A/F, 11.0 Mw
Sandbar Powerhouse – 16.2 Mw
Tulloch Reservoir — 66,968 A/F, 25.9 Mw
The facilities operated by Tri-Dam includes the dams, tunnels,
penstocks, power houses, communications systems, and general
offices. These facilities are located along the Middle Fork of the
Stanislaus River in Tuolumne County, California. Tri-Dam Project
is governed by a joint board of directors composed of the five
member boards of the two Irrigation Districts. Downstream the
water is used to irrigate approximately 117,500 acres of Central
Valley farm land including but not limited to almonds, walnuts,
and other pasture crops.

6. DONNELLS
RESERVOIR
Donnells Reservoir is located in a
steep rocky canyon on the Middle
Fork of the Stanislaus River. The
reservoir is accessed by a narrow
and winding route where safe
travel speeds average less than 10
mph. No facilities are provided
for boating. The steep rocky
terrain limits foot access to only
small portions of the shoreline.
No developed recreation facilities
exist at the reservoir, however the
area is popular for day use,
dispersed camping and fishing.
The reservoir is open all year, but
road access is subject to winter
closure.

7. BEARDSLEY
RESERVOIR
Beardsley Reservoir is located in a
steep canyon of the Middle Fork
of the Stanislaus River system
approximately 9 miles
downstream from Donnells
Reservoir. Beardsley Reservoir is
accessed by a steep and winding
paved route where safe travel
speeds average 20-30 mph.

8. Tulloch Reservoir
Tulloch Reservoir sits immediately
downstream of New Melones
Reservoir, operated by the Bureau
of Reclamation.
Tulloch reservoir is situated within
two Counties, Calaveras and
Tuolumne. Normal summer
operating level ranges between
506.5 – 509.5 elevation. Maximum
storage is 66,968 af.

9. Total Project Costs in 1955 Dollars
 Donnells and Beardsley $31,200,000
 Tulloch and Goodwin Revision $18,500,000
Total $49,700,000*
 Federal Dollars Invested $0
 State Dollars Invested $0
 Taxpayer Dollars Invested $0
 OID / SSJID Farmers $49,700,000
 OID / SSJID obtained pre-1914 water rights within the
Stanislaus River Basin
*$433,000,000 in 2015 dollars

10. {
Stanislaus River Projects

11. How Are Reservoirs Levels At Tulloch Established?
1. US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) determines Tulloch’s
operating levels
o Winter schedule (normal range 498.6 – 501.6)
o Summer schedule (normal range 506.5 – 509.5)
2. Water Distributions
o BOR river flow requirements
 Environmental Species Act (ESA) Mandates
a) Fisheries
b) Salinity
c) Dissolved oxygen
o District irrigation demands
 Diversions at Goodwin

12. Melones Reservoir
In 1924, planning began as OID and SSJID combined with PG&E and the San
Francisco Electric Company in an agreement to construct the Melones Reservoir
which was completed in 1928. The Melones Reservoir held 112,500 acre feet and
could irrigate 144,000 acres of land in both districts. Years later, the Federal
government took over Melones and greatly increased its capacity. The water
storage facility is now known as New Melones Reservoir and allows OID and
SSJID first rights to a combined 600,000 acre feet of water.

13. Maximum Reservoir Elevation 1088.0 ft
Maximum Reservoir Storage 2.4M af
Maximum Winter Elevation 1049.5 ft
New Melones Reservoir
In 1944, Congress authorized the construction of the New Melones Dam to prevent flood damage
caused by rain and snowmelt to the 35,000 acres of downstream agricultural land and the
communities of Oakdale, Riverbank, and Ripon as well as others further downstream. Congress
modified this authorization in the 1962 Flood Control Act to include irrigation, power, wildlife and
fishery enhancement, recreation, and water quality as reasons for construction.
Approval for and construction of the reservoir was not without public controversy; however, the dam
was completed in 1978 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In this final year, the Corps transferred
the project to Reclamation, which has since managed the reservoir and surrounding landscape. The
reservoir is now a part of the Central Valley Project, created to provide water to arid areas in
California, and to minimize downstream flooding.

14. Regulatory Agencies Along The Basin
 US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
 State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
 US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
 CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)
 US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

15. as of 3/6/15
Current Conditions
 Fourth Dry Year
 Average rainfall for Middle Fork of Stanislaus River 37.5 inches
 Precipitation Year = July 1 to June 30
 2011/2012 = 26.34 inches
 2012/2013 = 27.83 inches
 2013/2014 = 25.75 inches
 2014/2015 = 17.44 inches or 47% of normal rainfall
 Current Snow Survey – March 1st = 13% of normal
 April 1st projection is 12% of normal

16. Sept. 2012 1,510,706 acre feet
Diff = 463,651
Sept. 2013 1,047,055 acre feet
Diff = 527,380
Sept. 2014 519,675 acre feet
Sept. 2015 (projected) ??? acre feet
New Melones End of Month September Storage

18. Normal Annual Runoff into NM = 1,050,000 af
Current Storage in New Melones = 605,550 af
Projected Inflow (90% Exceedance) 240,000 af
Current Inflow - 3/5/2015 188,480 af
Additional Inflow 51,520 af
Current Storage 605,550 af (3/5/2015)
Gross Storage 657,070 af
Dead Pool -80,000 af
Useable Storage for 2015 577,070 af
Status of New Melones

19. Useable Storage for 2015 577,070 af
SSJID/OID Diversions (2014) 420,000 af
Balance for BOR Fish Flows 157,070 af
OCAP Table 2e (Fish Flows) 115,000 af
Storage Buffer EOSSS 21,900 af
Fish Flow Requirements Oct – Dec 65,000 af
Shortfall for EOSS 44,900 af
Potential for ESA action if shortfall cannot be made up
“Estimate” of EOSS Water
(End of Month Storage September)

20. California Population in
1978: 22M
California Population in
2015: 39M
Population increase of 42%
while reservoir storage
increased 3.8% during that
same period.
Reservoir management is a
challenging endeavor.

21. Reservoir schedule finalized
Summer Projections
Fall Projections
What Can We Expect?

22. 2016 and Beyond…
Normal
rainfall
year
Another
dry year
Establish dry year
release policy—
reduced release
mandates
Additional draw downs /
run of the river
Begin to increase
reservoir storage
Continue to store all
available water in
upper reservoirs

23. What's Ahead…
 Immediately following today’s meeting, today’s PowerPoint will be posted on
Tri-Dam’s website, www.tridamproject.com
 Tri-Dam Staff will be making presentations to Calaveras and Tuolumne
Counties Board of Supervisors.
 Tri-Dam Staff will continue to provide direct updates to local agencies.
 Tri-Dam Staff will post weekly updates at www.tridamproject.com
 Tri-Dam Staff will continue discussions with the BOR, NMFS and State Water
Board regarding reductions in mandatory releases.
 Tri-Dam Staff will finalize the Tulloch Reservoir Schedule – mid-April ??
 Tri-Dam Staff will post the Schedule on www.tridamproject.com
 Tri-Dam Staff will provide direct mail notification of any drawdowns to all
reservoir property owners, agencies and others.
 Tri-Dam Staff will establish a Tulloch Informational Group comprised of TDP
Staff, agencies, business owners and local residents.
Questions and Closing Remarks