February 13, 2023
Hello members – a brief update on a few of topics
Pumped Storage on the Little Colorado River, FERC Project #14994
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reported on December 16, 2022 that the permittee, Pumped Hydro Storage LLC, requested that their preliminary permit be terminated. It was terminated January 11, 2023 The permit was issued on May 21, 2020 and would have expired on April 30, 2023.
USBR Activities
Flows for February 2023 are anticipated to fluctuate between 5,800 and 10,000 cfs.
GCPBA is following the efforts by the basin states to reach consensus on a plan for cutbacks. No consensus has been reached to date – California being the single holdout. The USBR will consider imposing water cuts if an approved consensus is not reached. Thus, future releases may be somewhat lower than the February flows. The cutbacks are done to maintain the ability to generate power.
In that regard, the Bureau has initiated an appraisal of alternatives for low-head hydropower modifications to Glen Canyon Dam. For details: https://newgcpba.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GCD-Low-Head-Hydropower-Modifications-alternatives-presentation.pdf Briefly, the following 6 alternatives are being evaluated:
1. New intakes:
a) Low-level power intake with new low head runners
b) Mid-Level power intake with existing runners
2. Outlet works Powerplant
a) New powerplant, 2 units
b) Existing Powerplant connection
3. Abutment Powerplant
a) Left abutment underground powerplant
b) Right abutment in-river powerplant
4. Adjust Colorado River Basin Operations
5. Refine Minimum Power Pool Operating Limit
6. Invest in Solar or Wind Generation
The total maximum power output for the foregoing alternatives ranges between 60 – 210 MW and 170 – 350 MW for minimum and maximum operating levels, respectively. The appraisal study is to be done 2023 -2024. Authority and funding would be required to go beyond the appraisal. These levels of hydro power can be compared to the Navajo’s Kayenta solar program which produces 58 MW and the future solar generation facility at Cameron, slated to go online end of this year, producing a minimum of 200MW. GCPBA commented in the Supplemental EIS that the USBR consider alternative means for power generation, i.e. wind/solar https://newgcpba.org/gcpba-river-news-1-8-2023-comments-on-supplementary-eis/
The Lottery is Now Open
The permit office has made 459 launch dates available. For standard trips:
Season
Available # dates
CRMP allotment
Delta
Winter
121
120
Summer
100
123
-23
Shoulder
161
184
-23
Total
382
427
The delta represents the # of folks on the waitlist who have already scheduled a trip for 2024, these dates are therefore not available in the lottery. 820 remain on the waitlist, which is slated to be cleared in 2028.
For small trips:
Season
# Available dates
CRMP allotment
Winter
0
0
Summer
62
62
Shoulder
15
15
Total
77
77
The total available dates plus the # dates locked in for those on the waitlist is 505, is slightly greater than the CRMP allotment of 503. 517 dates were made available last year.
On a related matter, the Permits Office has submitted the modification of the PATL rule for approval. As such, this change did not become effective during the current lottery. The modification would allow an applicant to submit a lottery application and be an alternate trip leader on another application. The minimum points criteria would still apply. GCPBA will be informed if/when the change becomes effective.
Lastly, rather than call regarding lottery statistics for past years, the Permits Office asks that you visit https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/noncommercial-riv-docs.htm#CP_JUMP_2102045 GCPBA has made the important NPS links available our website at: https://newgcpba.org/trip-connections-info/
Good luck in the lottery!
John Vrymoed, President
Grand Canyon Private Boaters’ Association