RECOVERY--C--PROJECT NUMBER 5090, Dworshak Dam And Reservoir, ID Dworshak Fish Hatchery Final Design to achieve NPDES Compliance

Purpose Under W912EF-07-D-0003, Task Order 0005, the AE conducted and prepared a pre-design study and feasibility study. Based on the outcomes of that task order, the PDT determined that a two-phased approach would be used to accomplish the project goal. The ultimate design includes full flow drum screens. However compliance may be obtained sooner and with less initial costs and less operating costs by phasing in the construction. The first phase would include those items identified in the feasibility design that at a minimum are necessary to bring the facility into compliance. The purpose of this task order is for the AE to prepare the final plans and specifications that will ultimately lead to the Dworshak Fish Hatchery achieving compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The overall purpose of this task order is to bring Dworshak Fish Hatchery into compliance with their NPDES permit while operating the hatchery in all modes. During this phase of the work, the AE shall continue to coordinate with DEQ and EPA to ensure the process, methods, operations, and plans developed under this Contract comply with the applicable State and Federal regulations governing the NPDES requirements. Background The Dworshak Fish Hatchery located near Orofino, Idaho is owned by the Walla Walla District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and co-managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Nez Perce Tribe. The hatchery raises approximately 2.0 million steelhead smolts annually to release in the Clearwater River as part of the COE Dworshak Dam mitigation program. The hatchery also participates in the Lower Snake River Compensation Plan, raising approximately 1.0 million Chinook salmon smolts for the North Fork River each year. Additionally, 280,000 Coho salmon smolts are raised as part of a cooperative program with the Nez Perce Tribe and 15,000 rainbow trout are raised for outreach activities. The Dworshak Fish Hatchery has a total of 84 concrete Burrows Ponds arranged into three different systems. Each system has the infrastructure and equipment for operation under water reuse configuration. The Burrows Ponds in System I were constructed for reuse during the initial hatchery construction and reuse equipment was added in System II and III during the second phase of construction. In system I and II, Burrows pond effluent is collected in one of two concrete effluent drain channels that run perpendicular to the ponds, one channel drains directly to the river and the other transfers pond effluent to the corresponding systems reuse treatment equipment. System III effluent can be directed to either the systems channel pump sump for reuse operation or to the River for discharge. Dworshak Fish Hatchery cannot utilize the reuse system because of water quality issues. When the reuse system is utilized, water quality decreases and fish mortality increases. Dworshak Fish Hatchery has 30 raceways arranged in 2 banks. The majority of effluent exits the hatchery via the fish ladder. Cleaning effluent can be diverted to a sump and then pumped to the settling basin and out to the North Fork Clearwater River. The hatchery has 128 small nursery tanks in the nursery room. Nursery tank effluent is always treated in one of two full-flow clarifying basins that are part of the System I Burrows Pond reuse system. Dworshak Fish Hatchery currently discharges the majority of hatchery effluent directly to either the North Fork of the Clearwater River or the Clearwater River with minimal or no effluent treatment. There are a total of 29 discharge locations from the hatchery although many of them are storm drains or overflows that do not come into contact with fish rearing environments or do not discharge on a continuous basis. Nursery tank effluent is always treated in one of two full-flow clarifying basins. When not operated in reuse, effluent from ponds in Systems I and II is discharged directly to the Clearwater or North Fork Rivers. System I Burrows pond effluent is only treated in the systems clarifying basins during water reuse operation. Fish typically experience poor health during the time the reuse systems are being operated, particularly fish in Systems II and III. System III is no longer operated in reuse configuration due to the extensive decline in fish health during reuse operation. Discharge permits in the state of Idaho are issued through the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Dworshak Fish Hatchery currently operates under discharge Permit #IDG131003 within the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), General Permit #IDG131000 for Cold Water Aquaculture Facilities in Idaho without waste load allocations. In December 2008, the EPA issued a Notice of Violation under the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq to the FWS for violating their General Aquaculture NPDES permit. The two primary violations were the discharge of untreated cleaning wastewater and that the Dworshak Fish Hatchery lacked the means to measure flow. If an aquaculture wastewater treatment facility in Idaho needs to be changed or modified, the director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) must approve the plan prior to construction or modification. The DEQ must also be notified when the project is complete so that a representative from the DEQ can conduct onsite inspection of the completed project to ensure compliance with the approved plans and specifications.