Flows and Recretion: A guide to studies for river professionals

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FERC will "relicense" about 200 hydropower projects over the next decade, and many of these will affect recreation. FERC rules require utilities to assemble existing recreation information, develop study plans, conduct studies, and discuss findings with stakeholders. These efforts provide excellent opprotunities for research and planning that result in `on- the - ground" actions. Above: Release from Faraday Diversion Dam on Oregon's Clackamas River during a controlled flow study. scoping while studies and the license application are being developed. The ILP also creates a formal process for addressing conflicts about studies requested to provide information for potential mandatory conditioning of licenses by federal and state agencies, or Tribes. This formal process includes participation from an "outside" expert for the resource area in question. ILP regulations prescribe rigorous justifications for studies and earlier, binding approval of studies by FERC. The goal is to minimize "additional information requests" (by agencies or stakeholders) and help licensing processes stay on a tighter schedule. Study requests must include: (a) study goals and objectives; (b) resource management goals or public interest considerations; (c) existing information and the need for more information; (d) the connection between project operations, resource effects, and potential license requirements; (e) study methods consistent with generally accepted practice; (f) an assessment of study effort and costs; and (g) reasons whys the applicant's proposed studies would not be sufficient. It is premature to assess how well this new process will work. With all processes, agencies and stakeholders have general responsibilities to help identify recreation issues; determine study needs; assist with study design, conduct, or evaluation; help integrate study results into application proposals; and facilitate settlements between agencies, utilities, and stakeholder groups. The present document is designed to help clarify those roles and responsibilities Flows and Recreation: 7 A Guide for River Professionals