FERC Licensing
For the first time since Don Pedro Dam received its original license in 1966, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is requiring a new license, making this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve dam operations, including instream flow requirements. Furthermore, La Grange Dam, two miles downstream, is required to obtain a license for the first time.
Don Pedro is owned and operated by the Turlock and Modesto Irrigation Districts, and forms the sixth largest reservoir in California. The 50-year license for the facility has expired, and the Districts are working to renew it for another 50 years. Originally, the new license was scheduled to be issued in 2016, but with FERC’s decision to require a license for La Grange, and to cover both projects in one Environmental Impact Statement, the process has taken longer. As a participant in the licensing process, TRT is primarily focused on revising the rules and schedule for the release of water downstream.
In July 2020, FERC issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the licensing of the Dams.