Contract Description:
This is a one and done agreement. That is, after the work is completed, there will be no contract renewal.
This contract follows where the previous BPA contract design work left off to initiate the actual IPID fish screen construction. Specifically, this contract will help fund the purchase of necessary materials to build the fish screen but its primary purpose will be to fund fabrication and installation of the screen between August and November, 2021. This funding source alone is not enough to purchase all necessary materials or facilitate complete fabrication and installation though it is a very important part of those processes. The screen is projected to be ready for IPID to take water prior to spring startup, 2022. BPA will receive BiOp credit for addressing 1 screen with the implementation of the project. This investment is in BPA's best interest.
By making the previously impassable portion of Icicle Creek passable meant that appropriate screening would be necessary to protect the investment; juvenile fish would be put to lethal risk given IPID's current infrastructure. To that end, BPA funded a design contract that addressed the IPID screen (and the City of Leavenworth intake on the opposite side of the creek) in project 2010-001-00, 74314 REL 13, amended to 74314 REL 79 "EXP IPID & CITY OF LEAVENWORTH FISH SCREEN UPGRADE" which was completed in 2020 in advance of the boulder field project completion.
The fish screen facility that has been utilized by the Icicle Peshastin Irrigation District (IPID) has been posing a risk to fish life for decades due to a variety of issues with infrastructure for a 117 cfs diversion. Perpendicular orientation in the canal (non-compliant approach velocities) was a particular issue as was a potentially lethal fish bypass during lower summer flows. These problems, while known, were largely left unaddressed until the recent investigation into the plausibility of modifying the "boulder field", a stretch of Icicle Creek characterized by steep gradient and massive boulders, that posed a functional block to anadromy leaving over 20 miles of high-quality upstream spawning and rearing habitat unavailable to Chinook, Coho, and steelhead among other species was brought up in 2016.
Other funding sources will take care of the cleaning mechanism materials, fabrication, and install. Working with partners and stakeholders has allowed access to several funding sources which is necessary in a project of this magnitude. This contract works with funds to be provided by the Priest Rapids Coordinating Committee ($1.17M) for construction, in kind and financial support from IPID, and funding through the office of the Columbia River all to achieve construction and installation of a compliant fish screen facility. While there are a lot of resources being provided to this effort, this $100K contract bridges a pivotal gap in funding created by skyrocketing materials costs in the current economic climate. It should be noted that IPID will be responsible for O&M at this facility once constructed, as they have been in the past.
PROJECT PARTNER COLLABORATION
The Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) is co-sponsor to Upper Columbia Programmatic Habitat Project. As such they are a key partner to BPA and within the UC region, a local first point of contact for general Programmatic inquiries and coordination. It is possible from time to time that the UCSRB may seek general project information and updates from WDFW to preform and fulfill their necessary role and obligations under the Northwest Power and Conservation Council approved Programmatic with BPA. WDFW has agreed to coordinate with UCSRB and accommodate any such requests. As examples, UCSRB may request the following:
Participation in periodic BPA-UCSRB-Sponsor check-in calls, if/as needed
Information about partner contributions for reporting cost-share
Copies of presentations about the BPA-UCSRB Programmatic project
The contractor WDFW, its designated agents, and project stakeholders will be available, responsive and will collaboratively address contract related issues during the term of the contract. Contract issues include but are not limited to technical, policy, regulatory, project management and associated elements related to the project. Successful execution of this contract is contingent on alignment of the preceding contract issues with the BFAI or BPI and BPA contracting processes, project management plans, design review protocols (including but not limited to BPA HIP design review, Technical and Design Team guidance, review, input, comments, integration, stakeholder congruence with proposed actions and decisions rendered by 1) the project executive team (BPA, WDFW). Arbitration and dispute resolution will occur relative to the following two tier escalation ladder: 1) conference with the project Executive Team and 2) Direct consultation between program managers.