Objectives and Performance Measures: Kootenay System Status Summaries

Author: Province British Columbia

The following objectives and performance measures have been developed to support the analyses of potential impacts to stakeholders for several water management alternatives for the Kootenay River system. Summaries of modelled operating alternatives are as follows: Scenario 1 Current Libby operating regime – VarQ flood control regime and discharges for fish based on latest U.S. […]

The following objectives and performance measures have been developed to support the analyses of potential impacts to stakeholders for several water management alternatives for the Kootenay River system. Summaries of modelled operating alternatives are as follows:

Scenario 1 Current Libby operating regime – VarQ flood control regime and discharges for fish based on latest U.S. Endangered Species Act objectives for sturgeon, bull trout, and salmon

Scenario 2 Pre-1993 Libby operating regime Standard flood control regime, discharges optimized for flood control and power in both countries

Scenarios 3(a)&(b) Early refill of Koocanusa Reservoir Current Libby operating regime, adjusted to target refill of Koocanusa by (a) 1 June and (b) 30 June

The purpose of this analysis is to respond to stakeholder requests to better understand the potential consequences of water management changes for the Kootenay system. This preliminary analysis will support discussions surrounding the Columbia Treaty Review. However, it must be emphasized that Kootenay River system water management is affected, to a large extent, by U.S. decisions on Libby operating objectives for flood control and downstream fish.

There are a range of issues that could be affected by operational changes that are not reflected to date in performance measures. These include:

– Fish impacts other than for kokanee
– Lake productivities (phosporous and mysis)
– Impacts for Duncan reservoir and river

Duncan impacts are not discussed here because Duncan operations are largely independent and have been studied at length during the Duncan Water Use Plan process (2001-07). Further measures for other fish and wildlife and productivity issues may follow at a later point.

The following objectives and performance measures have been developed to support the analyses of potential impacts to stakeholders for several water management alternatives for the Kootenay River system. Summaries of modelled operating alternatives are as follows:

Scenario 1 Current Libby operating regime – VarQ flood control regime and discharges for fish based on latest U.S. Endangered Species Act objectives for sturgeon, bull trout, and salmon

Scenario 2 Pre-1993 Libby operating regime Standard flood control regime, discharges optimized for flood control and power in both countries

Scenarios 3(a)&(b) Early refill of Koocanusa Reservoir Current Libby operating regime, adjusted to target refill of Koocanusa by (a) 1 June and (b) 30 June

The purpose of this analysis is to respond to stakeholder requests to better understand the potential consequences of water management changes for the Kootenay system. This preliminary analysis will support discussions surrounding the Columbia Treaty Review. However, it must be emphasized that Kootenay River system water management is affected, to a large extent, by U.S. decisions on Libby operating objectives for flood control and downstream fish.

There are a range of issues that could be affected by operational changes that are not reflected to date in performance measures. These include:

– Fish impacts other than for kokanee
– Lake productivities (phosporous and mysis)
– Impacts for Duncan reservoir and river

Duncan impacts are not discussed here because Duncan operations are largely independent and have been studied at length during the Duncan Water Use Plan process (2001-07). Further measures for other fish and wildlife and productivity issues may follow at a later point.