19900827Comments.pdf

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BUORE THE IDARO PUBC UTILIES COMMSSION /&55&
HECEI\' 00t!l.EO 0
CAE NO. IPC-..tf~9UG 27 lll 1 59
COMMNTS 01 IDA
CONSUX AJi AI ,I!lCi.üW P U!3 Ll CUT¡LITj~)~
Di THI MAm: OF THE APPLICATION OJ IDA POWER)
COMPA. ioa Ai CERTIFICATE OJ PUBiC CONVENIENCE)
AN NEC.SITY fOR THE JWEBUING Cl THEMlm)
l:OILECTC PROJECT, OR IN THE ALTERTIVE A. )
DETmMNATION OJ EXEMSTATUS FOR THE MIER ~
HIOILECTRIC PROJECT.
COME NOW, Iclab Consumer affairs, Inc. (IeA) by an through its intervenor
representative, Kr. llolcl C; Miles, 316 ruteenth A:-te. South, .llampa, Iclaho 836.5
submits the followng comments for the Commssion's consicleration relative to
Case No. DC-&;90-8 in compance with the IPUC's notice of Jul 31st 1990.
IeA supports this Miner hyoelectric project since we' believe hyo elec-
tric generation is a very beneficial use of Iclaho's water. It is a renewable
resource, ancl as this project is a run of the river project it wi, for al prac-
tical purposes be a non-consumtive use of water. In aclcltion, it will be less
expensive to operate, ancl basecl over the lie of the project, it well constructecl,
will be less expensive for the ratepayers, per kwh, than a coal plant, which both
this commssion ancl IPC have statecl will be the alternative to Iclaho's future
neecl for power, both entities which seem to elscount conservation as a viable
al ternati ve.
W\1 enclorse the statement in rmc's rinal Impact Statement, (rmc #2899), for
-- the Milner Project of Jul 1990 at page 4-96 quote, 'Stabilization of byss
reach flows woulcl improve fish habitat in the bypass reach. Dug' the SUDr ir-
rigation season, cluring the clownsicle of spring flos, an in the fal after the
end of the irrigation season, the rane of flow fluctuation in the bypass reach
woulcl be reclucecl from 200-1,100 cfs to 200-300 ets. The resulting more stable
flows of 200-3'0 ets in the bypss reach (we clon't know why the variance of 50
ets here) woulcl likely increase fish foocl procluction, since unstable flow recluce
aquatic inertebrate procluctivity (Warcl, 1976, Bàer " Glaude, 1980,. CUhm,
1985)', encquote.
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A ..Wè incorporate this quotation from the fmC iis of Jul 1990, page 4-98 into
our comments by reference.
The Idaho State Water Plan, adopted by the Idaho Water Resource Board (I')
on December 12, 1986, and subsequently by the Idaho Legislature, in Policy St.
at pag\1 28 states in par quote, lIt is the policy of Idaho that the ground
water and surface water of the Basin be maaged to meet or cieed a mi av-
erage daily flow of bro measured at the Milner gauging station," encquote. (wee,
incorporate this statement into our comments by reference.) Therefore, it irri-
gators ownng the canals in the Magic Valley and Milner Dam are' not agreeablé to
this sumer mimu flow recommended by rERC~ then it is incument upon Idah
Power to purchase at least 200 cfs to mantain this sumer mi t'low below
Milner Da.
We feel the IPUC staff is better qualified to review the construction con-
tracts that will be lei for a well constructed project than we. consequently we
leave these matters to their good juclment.
Respectfuly submitted,
Commttee
Dated at i Nampa, Idaho
Auust 27, 1990
Ths is to certify that on AUgust 27, 1990 we han delivered seven copiesand the original of this dooument to the secretar of the DUC an two copies
of this dooument to Idaho Power Co. Also, we maled a copy of this document,
first class postage paid to all the parties of record per the list furnished
us by the eoretar of the IPUC.
Dated at i Nampa, Idaho
AUgust 27, 1990
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