Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Project No. 1389

Rush Creek Hydroelectric Project

Gem Dam Gem Dam in the Rush Creek Hydroelectric Project
(Image: Southern California Edison Company)

Applicant: Southern California Edison Company
County: Mono
License Expiration Date: January 31, 2027
Water Quality Certification Status: Awaiting Application
Waterbodies: Rush Creek
FERC Licensing Process: Integrated Licensing Process

 

Project Description:

The Rush Creek Hydroelectric Project (Project) is located on Rush Creek in Mono County, California. A portion of the Project occupies federal land in Inyo National Forest and Ansel Adams Wilderness Area administered by the U.S. Forest Service and the rest is privately owned by Southern California Edison Company. The Project has a total installed capacity of 13.01 megawatts (MW) at the Rush Creek Powerhouse. The average annual generation from 1990 to 2011 was 46,018 megawatt-hours. In 2012, due to seismic concerns, the Commission required the project to lower reservoir levels throughout the project, which reduced the project capacity to 11.7 MW with an average annual generation from 2012 to 2020 of 33.826 megawatt-hours. The Project includes Rush Meadows Dam, which impounds Waugh Lake; Gem Dam, which impounds Gem Lake; and Agnew Dam, which impounds Agnew Lake. Waugh Lake, Gem Lake, and Agnew Lake have storage capacities of 5,277 acre-feet, 17,228 acre-feet, and 810 acre-feet of water, respectively. However, under the current lake elevation restrictions these lakes can store a maximum of 1,555 acre-feet, 10,752 acre-feet, and 569 acre-feet, respectively.

Related Documents

SCE’s Project website for the Project contains more information and documents related to the Project relicensing.

Rush Creek Relicensing:

Rush Creek Project FERC License – February 4, 1997