Mechanicsville Hydro, French River at Thompson Connecticut (FERC No. 9611)
Portland, Maine (April 3, 2012) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that Saywatt Hydroelectric, LLC. (“Applicant”) has submitted an application for material changes to the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project (“Project”). The Project, which is located on the French River in the Town of Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut, was certified by LIHI on July 28, 2011. In its Order Amending Exemption (March 29, 2012), FERC describes the material changes to the Project as follows:
The Exemptee is proposing to add an additional turbine-generator unit rated at 96 kW to the already existing turbine-generator unit rated at 225 kW, in order to closely match the authorized capacity of 325 kW. In addition, the exemptee proposes to amend the flashboard operation by having flashboards in year round, modifying the height during specific times (i.e. using 2-feet high flashboards from October 1 through June 30 and 1-foot high flashboards from July 1 through September 30). Lastly, the exemptee proposes to lower the minimum start flow from 86 cfs to 60 cfs, which is a result of the lower hydraulic capacity of the second proposed turbine (38 cfs) and the existing bypass flow requirement (22 cfs).
Public Comments
We encourage public comments on this application. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think this Project will continue to meet our LIHI criteria with the proposed changes. Review the program and criteria in greater detail and then review the Project’s 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 at info@lowimpacthydro.org; or by mail addressed to LIHI, 34 Providence Street, Portland, ME, 04103. Comments must be received at the Institute on or before April 18, 2012 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.
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Portland, Maine (July 28, 2011)–At their July 28, 2011 meeting the Institute’s Governing Board determined that the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project meets the LIHI Certification Criteria. In reaching its decision to certify the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s Governing Board reviewed the application for certification, as well as the Application Reviewer’s report.
The Board’s vote to certify the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project was unanimous and the Board approves certification for the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project for five-years with the following project specific conditions:
Issue 1. Whereas the terms and conditions for the exemption require full removal of the flashboards during the critical summer period to protect water quality, the practice has been to remove only the top one foot. The agencies need to review this practice, determine whether it is acceptable, and, if so, amend the terms and conditions. The Applicant has stated that he will follow any agency decision.
Condition. Saywatt shall consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (“agencies”) to determine whether the existing practice of removing only one foot of flashboards during the period July through September is acceptable to the agencies. No later than July 1, 2012, Saywatt shall notify LIHI of the agencies’ decisions and file supporting documentation from the agencies, such documentation to include modification of the exemption terms and conditions, if the decision is to continue with the current practice, to bring the Facility into compliance. Should the agencies determine that full removal of the flashboards is necessary to assure compliance with water quality standards, the existing practice shall be suspended by July 1, 2012.
Issue 2. The low-level orifices have the potential to result in excessive drawdowns during summer low-flow periods. This may damage wetlands associated with the impoundment and cause excessive turbidity downstream. The Applicant has expressed a willingness to block the orifices as necessary to maintain the impoundment level.
Condition. To avoid inadvertent drawdowns below the top of the flashboards and protect water quality and upstream wetlands, Saywatt shall develop and implement a protocol in consultation with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection that provides for blocking the dam sluices as necessary to maintain the impoundment level at or above the top of the flashboards. The protocol shall be filed with LIHI within one year of date of issuance of the LIHI certification along with a letter of concurrence from the Department.
Issue 3. The Facility does not provide effective eel passage.
Condition. Within one year of the date of issuance of the LIHI certification, Saywatt shall enter into, and provide LIHI with a copy of, an agreement reached between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and Saywatt for providing safe, timely, and effective upstream and downstream passage for American eel, including terms governing any operational modifications, such as increased spillage during outmigration; the final design of facilities, their construction, operations, and maintenance; and the implementation schedule for design, installation, and operations. LIHI may extend this deadline by up to six months if Saywatt provides letters of concurrence from the agencies.
The effective certification date for the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project is January 27, 2011 and will expire on January 27, 2016. Any Commenter may submit within 30 days of the posting of the Certification Decision on the Institute’s Web page a letter to the Certification Administrator requesting an appeal. An appeal request must include specific reasons why the hydropower facility should have failed one or more criteria. If an individual or organization did not comment on the initial Application Package, they may not file an appeal.
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Portland, Maine (February 2, 2011) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that Saywatt Hydroelectric, LLC. (“Applicant”) has submitted an application for certification of the Mechanicsville Hydroelectric Project (“Project”). The Project is located on the French River in the Town of Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut. The Project is 1000 feet upstream from the confluence of the French River into the Quinebaug River. The French River joins the Quinebaug River, which eventually joins with the Shetucket and forms the Thames River. The Thames River flows into Long Island Sound in New London, Connecticut. The Mechanicsville dam was originally constructed in the mid 1800’s. It was upgraded by the Putnam Light and Power Company in 1922 when the hydroelectric powerhouse and civil works were originally constructed. Initially, the Project diverted flows from the Quinebaug River into the Mechanicsville Dam impoundment on the French River. This tripled the flow of water in the Project area used to produce power. The original Project included three hydroelectric turbines, with a combined capacity of approximately 750 kW.
Following a devastating hurricane in 1936, the powerhouse was flooded and the Project was abandoned. Following two more hurricanes in 1938 and 1955, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) constructed a flood control dam and reservoir on the Quinebaug River and terminated the Quinebaug’s flow from entering the Project area. Two more flood control dams were built upstream of the Project. One USACE flood control dam is located at Buffumville on the Little River, a tributary to the French, in Oxford, Massachusetts and one at Hodges Village on the French River in the same town. Approximately 50% of the Project flows are regulated by these USACE dams so future threats of flooding have been virtually eliminated.