Overview of South Yuba River Hydrology
Bob Center
Presented to FERC Academy on December 10, 2005
1
2
South Yuba River, Edwards Crossing, May 20, 2005, 14,000 cfs
Introduction
•
•
•
The FERC re-licensing process has as a primary concern some re-allocation of South
Yuba River watershed runoff. At the heart of any new license will be a specification of
how much water is to be returned to the rivers and creeks, water temperature, and
how the water is to be distributed through time.
An understanding of the runoff that is to be the object of this re-allocation will improve
understanding of possibilities and constraints, and can assist in articulating interests
in discussions with other stakeholders
This presentation will provide an overview of runoff in the South Yuba watershed in
basic terms:
–
–
–
•
•
How much runoff there is, where it comes from, and when, and where it goes
The great variability of precipitation and runoff on all time scales
How dams and diversions impact the rivers and creeks in terms of reduction in volume,
continuity and variability
First is an overview of runoff in the watershed as a whole, including the over-all
effects of dams and diversions
Next is a look at the impact that dams and diversions have on:
–
–
–
–
–
Middle Yuba River
Canyon Creek
Fordyce Creek
South Yuba above Spaulding Reservoir
South Yuba below Spaulding Reservoir
3
Major Streams, Reservoirs and Conduits in the South Yuba Watershed
South Yuba Watershed
Milton Res
M. Yuba
Jackson
Meadows Res
Milton Bowman
Canal
Weber
+ Peak
8092
Bowman
L
Bowman Spaulding
Canal
Black
Buttes +
8030
Fordyce L
Castle
Peak +
9103
Fordyce
Washington
S. Yuba
Rock
S. Yuba
Canal
L Spaulding
S. Yuba
Mt Lincoln
8382
Englebright
Res
Drum Canal
4
+
Pre-Development South Yuba
River Basin Hydrology vs Current Hydrology
(Data from USGS 1999 Hydrological Data Report)
Today’s Flow
Additional flow were there no diversions
282
Average Recorded Yearly Flow (‘000s of acre feet)
200
Yearly flow estimate (‘000s of acre feet)
Flow Scale: ¼” = 100,000 acre feet / year
97
96
50
57
96
S Yuba River
200
93
720
343
279
172
97
279
Note that many creeks enter the river below Poorman Creek,
adding about 140,000 af, mostly from rain.
Jones Bar
(Hwy 49)
5
Lake Spaulding Stores and Distributes Upper South Yuba River Water
(Data from USGS 1999 Hydrological Data Report)
Runoff above
Lake Spaulding
530,000 af / yr
(Includes 158,000 af
from BowmanSpaulding canal,
which include 62,000
af from the Middle
Yuba)
Late Spring Spill
85,000 af /yr*
South Yuba River
93,000 af / yr
Release to
River
South Yuba Canal
62,000 af / yr
Lake
Spaulding
Drum Canal
375,000
af / yr
6
Milton-Bowman
Canal (From
M Yuba)
Overview of Present-Day South
Yuba River Hydrology
(Data from USGS 1999 Hydrological Data Report)
62
Major Reservoir
Diverted Runoff
Spill
200
Estimated Yearly Flow (000s of acre feet)
Flow Scale: ¼” = 100,000 acre feet / year
ce
dy 2’
r
Fo 640
el
Bowman-Spaulding
Ca
Average Recorded Yearly Runoff (000s of acre feet)
25
2.5
Ca
ny
on
Cr
ee
k
158
14
Po
orm
an
Cr
ee
k
Release to River from Bowman and Spaulding
nal
n
ma
Bow 558’
el 5
Natural Runoff
50
158
43
97
e
yc
rd
o
F
ek
Cre
200
S Yuba River
99
343
239
Town of
Washington
5
99
5
85
2.5
Note that many creeks enter the river below Lake Spaulding,
adding about 146,000 af, mostly from rain
ng
ldi 1’
u
a 1
Sp l 50
e
62
172
SY
uba
Riv
er
375
nal
Ca
a
b
u
Y
South
Jones Bar
(Hwy 49)
um
Dr
l
na
Ca
7
South Yuba River Runoff and Water Distribution
1,600,000
1,400,000
1,000,000
L Cyn Runoff
Spill
Rel to S Yuba
S Yuba Canal
Drum Canal
800,000
600,000
400,000
Water Year
4
3
2
1
0
99
98
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
84
83
82
81
80
79
78
77
76
75
74
73
0
72
200,000
71
Acre Feet Per Year
1,200,000
8
South Yuba River Runoff and Water Distribution
1600000
1400000
1000000
L Cyn Runoff
Spill
Rel to S Yuba
S Yuba Canal
Drum Canal
800000
600000
400000
Water Year
83
82
85
95
84
97
86
96
98
80
99
93
71
74
73
78
3
75
0
89
72
4
79
2
81
90
91
94
76
1
92
87
0
88
200000
77
Acre Feet Per Year
1200000
9
Middle Yuba River and Milton Bowman Canal
Milton Res
M. Yuba
Jackson
Meadows Res
Milton Bowman
Canal
Weber
+ Peak
8092
Bowman
Res
Bowman Spaulding
Canal
Black
Buttes +
8030
Fordyce L
Castle
Peak +
9103
Fordyce Cr
S. Yuba
L Spaulding
S. Yuba
Hwy 49
(Jones Bar)
Mt Lincoln
8382
+
10
Impact of Jackson Meadows Reservoir, Milton Dam and Milton-Bowman Canal on Flow Volume
on the Middle Yuba River
M Yuba blw Milton Lk Then and Now
450
400
350
300
CFS
250
200
150
100
50
0
O
N
D
J
F
Pre Dev '71-'04
31
43
60
99
88
Pre-Dev '88-'04
4
20
54
96
88-'04
4
4
4
38
M
A
J
A
S
133 250 379 198
32
10
16
79
152 267 419 206
33
3
1
19
11
24
4
4
22
M
74
J
111
Note: “Pre Dev” means that the data represents the flow before the construction of the dams and diversions immediately upstream
(calculated using the equation “Input – Output = Change in Storage”). The date range “71-04” gives the time period covered by the
data used in the continuity calculation. Where a date range appears by itself, such as “’88-’04”, the data represents post-development
gauge readings, in this case below Milton Dam.
11
Impact of Jackson Meadows Reservoir, Milton Dam and Milton-Bowman Diversion
on Flow Volume and Variability in the Middle Yuba River
M Yuiba bl Milton L, Pre Development
MY bl Milton Post Development
900
900
800
800
700
700
600
600
500
CFS
CFS
400
300
200
200
100
100
0
0
1996
1994
1992
1990
1988
J
F
1998
2000
2002
2004
300
O
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
1990
1988
J
A
O
J
400
500
12
Bowman Reservoir, Bowman-Spaulding Canal, and Canyon Creek
Milton Res
M. Yuba
Jackson
Meadows Res
Milton Bowman
Canal
Weber
+ Peak
8092
Bowman
Res
Bowman Spaulding
Canal
Black
Buttes +
8030
Fordyce L
Castle
Peak +
9103
Fordyce Cr
S. Yuba
L Spaulding
S. Yuba
Hwy 49
(Jones Bar)
Mt Lincoln
8382
+
13
Impact of Bowman Reservoir and the BowmanSpaulding Canal on Flow Volume In Canyon Creek
Canyon Creek Then and Now
400
350
300
CFS
250
200
150
100
50
0
O
N
Pre Dev '71-'04 38
73
5
6
71-'04
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
120 143 134 193 250 358 193
13
23
19
37
33
69
72
J
A
S
47
12
13
13
4
4
Monthly Averages '71-74
14
Impact of Bowman Reservoir and Bowman-Spaulding
Canal on Flow Volume and Variability In Canyon Creek
Canyon Creek Post Development '71-'04
Canyon Ck Pre Development
900
900
800
800
700
700
600
600
500
400
300
200
200
100
100
CFS
0
2004
2001
1998
1995
1992
1986
1983
1980
1977
1974
M
1989
O
1971
2001
2004
1998
1995
1992
1989
1986
1983
1980
1977
1974
1971
M
400
300
0
O
500
cfs
15
Fordyce Lake and Fordyce Creek
Milton Res
M. Yuba
Jackson
Meadows Res
Milton Bowman
Canal
Weber
+ Peak
8092
Bowman
Res
Bowman Spaulding
Canal
Black
Buttes +
8030
Fordyce L
Castle
Peak +
9103
Fordyce Cr
S. Yuba
L Spaulding
S. Yuba
Hwy 49
(Jones Bar)
Mt Lincoln
8382
+
16
Impact of Fordyce Lake on Flow Timing
In Fordyce Creek
Fordyce Ck blw Fordyce Lk
500
450
400
350
CFS
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
O
N
Pre Dev
77-'95
118
68
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
46
53
68
99
229
433
332
104
28
32
40
36
51
78
195
324
279
174
S
106
Monthly averages '77-'95
17
Impact of Fordyce Lake on Variability
In Fordyce Creek
Fordyce Ck bl Fordyce Lk Pre Project
Fordyce Ck bl Fordyce Lk Post Project
1000
1,000
900
900
800
800
700
700
600
600
500
400
400
300
300
200
200
100
100
CFS
0
1995
1993
1991
1987
1985
1983
A
1981
M
1989
O
1979
J
A
J
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
-100
1977
0
O
500
CFS
18
South Yuba River above Lake Spaulding
Milton Res
M. Yuba
Jackson
Meadows Res
Milton Bowman
Canal
Weber
+ Peak
8092
Bowman
Res
Bowman Spaulding
Canal
Black
Buttes +
8030
Fordyce L
Castle
Peak +
9103
Fordyce Cr
S. Yuba
L Spaulding
S. Yuba
Hwy 49
(Jones Bar)
Mt Lincoln
8382
+
19
The South Yuba above Lake Spaulding
South Yuba at Cisco Grove
The South Yuba above Cisco is relatively unimpaired
800
1,600
700
1,400
600
1,200
1,000
500
800
400
600
300
400
200
200
A
M
J
J
A
S
39
120
95
115
138
234
424
685
388
71
15
23
1993
1991
1989
1987
A
1985
M
1983
F
1981
J
1979
D
1977
N
1973
O
1975
M
1971
'71-'94
0
O
100
0
CFS
20
Lake Spaulding, the Drum Canal,the
South Yuba Canal and the South Yuba River
Milton Res
M. Yuba
Jackson
Meadows Res
Milton Bowman
Canal
Weber
+ Peak
8092
Bowman
Res
Bowman Spaulding
Canal
Black
Buttes +
8030
Fordyce L
Castle
Peak +
9103
Fordyce Cr
S. Yuba
L Spaulding
S. Yuba
Hwy 49
(Jones Bar)
Mt Lincoln
8382
+
21
Lake Spaulding, the Drum Canal,the
South Yuba Canal and the South Yuba River
Dams and diversions have great imnpact on flow volume and
flow variability in the South Yuba River
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Langs X '77-94
Pre Dev
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
7
67
71
46
113
99
99
282
324
58
6
6
233
295
311
423
668
961 1,415 887
230
12
22
The South Yuba canyon between Fordyce Lake and
Englebright Lake produces a large volume of
unimpaired runoff. Accretion from 44 miles of the South
Yuba, 9 miles of Canyon Creek below Bowman L, 12
miles of Poorman Creek and numerous smaller creeks
creates a “new” river with substantial natural flow and
significant natural variability at all scales.
Lang's Crossing
Jones Bar
5,000
5,000
4,500
4,500
4,000
4,000
3,500
3,500
3,000
3,000
2,500 CFS
2,500 CFS
2,000
2,000
1,500
1,500
1,000
1,000
500
500
0
0
1999
2001
2003
1997
1993
1995
1991
1987
1985
1983
1981
1979
1977
1975
1973
A
1989
O
1971
2003
2001
1999
1997
1995
1993
1991
1987
1985
1983
1981
1979
1977
1975
1973
1971
A
1989
O
23
In this late season rain and rain-on-snow event, dams
on the Yuba attenuate the river’s response when
compared to the North American, a similar river
(View at 200% to see labels)
24
Spring snowmelt causes daily variation in flow. Enough
snowmelt escapes dams to provide some daily variation
on the South Yuba
(View at 200% to see labels)
25