This set of technical documentation represent the draft Initial Study Report (ISR) for the proposed Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project. The ISR is required for the original licensing of the proposed project. The constituent studies had been set forth in the FERC-approved Revised study plan, parts of which have been modified by FERC's Study plan determination. These documents describe Alaska Energy Authority's status in implementing the initial studies, which are still ongoing and scheduled to be completed during the 2014 and 2015 study years.

This report reviews the factors that affect caribou populations and summarizes population trends for several herds across the arctic. Each of the appendices A through F contains a map showing the various caribou herds in that area, a detailed chronology of population events with a citation for each date entry, and graphs showing populations of regions in that area.

This study is being conducted to develop a fish passage strategy in support of the license application for the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project. The study will explore various alternatives in support of three basic strategies related to fish passage: (1) the proposed Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project without fish passage, (2) integration of upstream and downstream passage features into the current dam design, and (3) the retrofit of upstream and downstream fish passage features to a dam designed without passage.

Identification of all the bald and golden eagle nests that will be lost as a result of the Watana and Devil Canyon impoundments and those that have potentiality for conflict as a result of the Susitna Hydroelectric Project in Alaska.

Information on mitigation measures that could be implemented to reduce the impacts of the Susitna Hydroelectric Project on nesting eagles. Details a method for building and placing of artificial nests and presents a general overview of bald eagle nesting habitat in Alaska.

Five species of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) were radio-tagged and tracked in the mainstem Susitna River in 2012 as part of a multi-objective study to describe salmon migration behavior, identify salmon spawning locations, and evaluate techniques for future studies of salmon in turbid water. The study was conducted to support the licensing process for the proposed Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project. The study design allowed for comparisons to salmon distribution and habitat use in the 1980s, when similar studies were conducted for the Alaska Power Authority Hydroelectric Project. The 2012 study focused on the mainstem Susitna River due to possible effects both above and below the Project dam site where the river was separated into lower (river mile [RM] 0-98), middle (RM 98-184), and upper (upstream of RM-184) river segments.