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CSPA Recommends Decommissioning Centerville Powerhouse

By Chris Shutes, CSPA FERC Projects Director
June 27, 2008- In a filing today with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today, CSPA and a coalition of conservation groups recommended decommissioning Centerville Powerhouse in PG&E's DeSabla - Centerville Hydroelectric Project. The Project is located on Butte Creek and the West Branch Feather River, east of Chico. The run of wild Spring-run Chinook salmon in Butte Creek is the largest remaining run of springers in the Central Valley.

"In 2007, the Spring-run in Butte Creek represented over 5% of all adult salmon that returned to spawn in the Central Valley. It is essential that management of the Project optimize habitat for Spring-run Chinook and for steelhead as the Project's greatest priority. Operation of Centerville Powerhouse diminishes critical habitat in Butte Creek," said Chris Shutes, CSPA's FERC Projects Director.

In 2003, over 11,000 adult Spring-run died before spawning in Butte Creek. "Preventing fish kills is our first priority, but there's more to it," said Shutes. "High water temperatures in Butte Creek upstream of Centerville create sublethal conditions that are really bad for the salmon. Centerville also reduces and degrades rearing habitat for steelhead."

The filing with FERC makes the case that operating the Centerville portion of the DeSabla -Centerville Project is not only bad for fish, it is also economically a bad choice for PG&E.

June 27, 2008-CSPA Comments and Recommendations regarding the relicensing of the  DeSabala-Centerville Project # 803

Watch the video: 9-25-07-Butte Creek Spring-run salmon at Helltown migrating downstream to spawn, video by Allen Harthorn, Friends of Butte Creek.