LIHI Certificate # 45 --- Farmers Irrigation District Hydro Project (FERC Nos. 7532 & 6801) tributaries to the Hood River, Oregon
Portland, Maine (November 20, 2009) – At their November Governing Board meeting, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) certified the Farmers Irrigation District, Oregon The Board's decision to certify the FID project was unanimous, and included the addition of non-standard conditions to the Farmers Irrigation District Projects. The Board also recognizes that the Project has avoided or reduced its environmental impacts pursuant to the LIHI criteria.
Farmers Irrigation District Hydroelectric Projects - are located on tributaries and the main stem of the Hood River near the Columbia River Gorge about 60 miles west of Portland, Oregon. The Projects including penstocks and powerhouses, were constructed in the mid-1980s to produce renewable energy for the Bonneville Power grid and provide revenue to the District to be used for water conservation, stream restoration, and fish screen projects. The project consists of two powerhouses. The upper powerhouse contains a 1.8 MW generator with a horizontal axis Pelton turbine; the lower powerhouse contains two generators – 1.0 MW and 2.0 MW – driven by horizontal axis Francis turbines. Each plant has its own switchgear, and electricity flows from both plants to a single substation, which is connected directly to the Bonneville grid.
The projects are run-of-river, and no dams are associated with the project's six water diversion systems. Water flows to the upper powerhouse forebay through the 10-mile long Lowline canal and pipe system; water to the lower plant forebay flows through the 5-mile long Farmers canal and pipe system. The project has no reservoir storage other than the forebay, canal, and pipe systems. A 5-mile long, 36-inch diameter penstock provides water to the upper turbine, and a 2-mile long, 48-inch diameter penstock conveys water to the lower turbines. Water from the upper plant also flows through the lower plant. Farmers Irrigation District owns the project facilities and holds easements for the canals, pipes, forebays, penstocks, and transmission lines.
The District diverts its project water through self-cleaning, horizontal fish screens, a technology developed by the District that allows fish to pass through the diversion systems without harm. The District maintains year-round minimum flows in Green Point Creek, a premier anadromous fish-bearing stream that is one of the sources of water for the upper plant. The upper plant is operated at reduced capacity if Green Point Creek flow drops below the minimum, and the plant typically does not run at all during the summer months. In the 1990s, the Hood River was listed for Threatened salmon and steelhead, and the Hood River was also placed on the 303d list for water temperature. In the response to these listings, in a concerted effort to ensure that the District's power plants are low impact, the District is presently working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to alter plant operation to enhance Hood River mainstem in-stream flow during the summer months and ensure that the District's project does not increase water temperature.
The LIHI Governing Board's decision to certify the project was unanimous and included non-standard conditions requiring the FID to monitor and report the success of measures aimed at mitigating/enhancing water temperatures in the Hood River and to formalize recreational access to a project reservoir.
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Farmers Irrigation District files Low Impact certification application with LIHI
Portland, Maine (March 25, 2009) - The Farmers Irrigation District (District) has submitted an application to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) for certification of its small-scale hydroelectric project. The project is located on tributaries and the mainstem of the Hood River near the Columbia River Gorge about 60 miles west of Portland, Oregon.
Background - The Farmers Irrigation hydroelectric power plants, including penstocks and powerhouses, were constructed in the mid-1980s to produce renewable energy for the Bonneville Power grid and provide revenue to the District to be used for water conservation, stream restoration, and fish screen projects. The project consists of two powerhouses. The upper powerhouse contains a 1.8 MW generator with a horizontal axis Pelton turbine; the lower powerhouse contains two generators – 1.0 MW and 2.0 MW – driven by horizontal axis Francis turbines. Each plant has its own switchgear, and electricity flows from both plants to a single substation, which is connected directly to the Bonneville grid.
Project Description - The projects are run-of-river, and no dams are associated with the project's six water diversion systems. Water flows to the upper powerhouse forebay through the 10-mile long Lowline canal and pipe system; water to the lower plant forebay flows through the 5-mile long Farmers canal and pipe system. The project has no reservoir storage other than the forebay, canal, and pipe systems. A 5-mile long, 36-inch diameter penstock provides water to the upper turbine, and a 2-mile long, 48-inch diameter penstock conveys water to the lower turbines. Water from the upper plant also flows through the lower plant. Farmers Irrigation District owns the project facilities and holds easements for the canals, pipes, forebays, penstocks, and transmission lines.
Project Operation - The District diverts its project water through self-cleaning, horizontal fish screens, a technology developed by the District that allows fish to pass through the diversion systems without harm. The District maintains year-round minimum flows in Green Point Creek, a premier anadromous fish-bearing stream that is one of the sources of water for the upper plant. The upper plant is operated at reduced capacity if Green Point Creek flow drops below the minimum, and the plant typically does not run at all during the summer months. In the 1990s, the Hood River was listed for Threatened salmon and steelhead, and the Hood River was also placed on the 303d list for water temperature. In the response to these listings, in a concerted effort to ensure that the District's power plants are low impact, the District is presently working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to alter plant operation to enhance Hood River mainstem in-stream flow during the summer months and ensure that the District's project does not increase water temperature.
SUMMARY
Facility location: The project is located on tributaries and the mainstem of the Hood River near the Columbia River Gorge about 60 miles west of Portland, Oregon. Installed capacity: 4.8 MW Applicant: Farmers Irrigation District
Applicant contact: Mike Kleinsmith, Manager
Farmers Irrigation District
1985 Country Club Road
Hood River, Oregon 97031
mike@fidhr.org
541-806-0354
PUBLIC COMMENT
A sixty-day Public Comment period will run from March 25, 2009 to May 25, 2009. \We encourage public comments on this application. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the Farmers Irrigation District Hydropower Project meets our LIHI criteria. Review the program and criteria in greater detail and then review the Farmers Irrigation District Hydropower Project application. Comments that are directly tied to specific LIHI criteria (flows, water quality, fish passage, etc) will be most helpful, but all comments will be considered.
Comments may be submitted to the Institute by e-mail (preferred) at info@lowimpacthydro.org with " Farmers Irrigation District Hydro Project comments" in the subject line; by fax at (206) – 984-3086; or by mail addressed to LIHI, 34 Providence Street, Portland, ME, 04103. Comments must be received at the Institute on or before 5 pm Eastern time on May 25, 2009 to be considered. All comments will be posted to the web site and the applicant will have an opportunity to respond. Any response will also be posted.