LIHI Certificate #2 - Island Park, Henry's Fork of the Snake River, Idaho (FERC #2973)
Island Park Project Earns Renewal of Low Impact Certification
PORTLAND, ME – (August 10, 2006) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that at their August 10, 2006 Board Meeting, the Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative (FRREC)'s Island Park Project earned LIHI's Low Impact Certification. The Island Park Project (FERC No. 2973) is located on the Henry's Fork River in Idaho. The Island Park Project was originally certified by LIHI in 2001 and was the second hydro project to be certified under LIHI's voluntary Low Impact Certification Program (see below). That original certification which had a five-year term expired this month. The new certification, which is also for five years, expires in 2011.
BACKGROUND
On December 19, 2001, The LIHI Governing Board suspended the LIHI Low Impact certificate for the Island Park Project because of the Project's inability to meet required flow releases. The Project is owned and operated by the Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative (FRREC). The Low Impact certification for Island Park requires a flow release as follows:
October-March: 146 cfs
April-September 292 cfs
Because of the severe drought conditions in the Pacific Northwest in 2001, the Island Park Reservoir was drawn very low (The Island Park Dam and Reservoir are operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation). The reservoir must be refilled before April 1 in order to meet irrigation contract and other requirements. As a result, flow releases at the Facility were reduced starting on September 17, 2001 to 150 cfs, and were reduced again to 80 cfs starting on October 23, 2001. FRREC made every effort within its control to meet all conditions of its certification. However, given the drought conditions, and the ultimate decision making authority by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District, the Facility was unable to meet the flow requirements of the certification.
The Low Impact Hydropower Institute Governing Board met on December 19, 2001 to review the Island Park flow situation. The Governing Board concluded that the reduction in flows was a significant violation of the certification standards. Ordinarily, a determination of a "significant' violation would require, among other things, that LIHI revoke the certification, and bar the FRREC from re-applying for 5 years (see Part V, Section IV of the certification program). However, the Board concluded that revocation is not appropriate in this case. Factors considered by the Board were that the flow violation is based in part on natural circumstances and was not willfully taken by Fall River for economic gain; that the resource agencies have not challenged the flow reductions to date, but found them acceptable under the circumstances; and that you have acted in good faith in notifying us and trying to address the problem.
Thus, the Governing Board ordered that the certification of the Island Park Facility, Certificate No. 00002, be suspended effective the date the flow releases first fell below required levels (September 17, 2001), pending resumption of the required flow levels. The Board went on to request that FRREC notify LIHI when they expect the required flow releases to be resumed, so that LIHI staff could convene the Governing Board to make a decision about lifting the suspension.
On March 8, 2005, FRREC's consultant, Brent Smith, notified notified LIHI staff of the resumption of the required flow releases and requested, on FRREC'sbehalf, that the suspension be lifted.
LIHI staff independently confirmed that the required flow release had resumed, and brought the reinstatement request to the LIHI Governing Board who voted unanimously that effective March 11, 2005, the Low Impact Hydropower Certificate, No. 00002, for the Island Park Project was reinstated.
Project Description
Island Park Dam, Reservoir and Hydroelectric Plant are located on the Henry's Fork, a tributary of the Snake River in Idaho, approximately 0.4 miles upstream of the confluence with the Buffalo River. The project is located in eastern Idaho within the Island Park District of the Targhee National Forest; the reservoir covers 7,794 acres within the Forest. The headwaters of the Henry's Fork River begin 31 miles above the dam, at Henry's Lake.
The Island Park Hydroelectric Project was constructed between September 1992 and July 1994 on the existing (USBR) Island Park Dam. The Island Park Dam was constructed in 1939 by the USBR. The Island Park Hydroelectric Project is a FERC-licensed run of the river project using waters diverted from the Island Park Reservoir under the direction of the Fremont-Madison Irrigation District and the USBR. Fall River owns the Island Park Hydroelectric Project.
SUMMARY
Facility location: Henry's Fork of the Snake River, Idaho, approximately 39 miles north of Ashton, Idaho, within the Targhee National Forest, 15 miles west of Yellowstone National Park
Installed capacity: 4.8 megawatts
Applicant: Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative
Applicant contact: Mr. Dee Reynolds, General Manager, Ph. (208) 652-7431
Date originnal certification issued: June 7, 2001 (Certificate No. 00002)
CERTIFICATION SUSPENDED because of flow reductions: December 19, effective September 17, 2001
Date of certificate reinstatement: March 11, 2005
Date initial certification expires: June 7, 2006
Date of re-certification application: April 17, 2006
Date certification expies: April 17, 2011