LIHI Certificate # 57--- Oakdale Hydroelectric Project (FERC No.10689), MWRA Water Delivery System, Massachusetts
Portland, Maine (July 21, 2010) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that at their monthly meeting the Board voted unanimously to certify the Oakdale Hydroelectric Project ("Project"). The project is located on the MWRA water delivery system, Massachusetts.
In reaching its decision to certify the Oakdale Hydroelectric Project, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s Governing Board reviewed the application for certification, as well as the Application Reviewer’s report and recommendations. LIHI certification for the Oakdale Hydroelectric Project is granted for 5-year term beginning on April 14, 2010 with the following Project Specific Conditions:
Fish Screen Maintenance – By December 31, 2010 provide LIHI with a copy of MWRA maintenance procedures and protocol for project fish screens.
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6-9-10 LIHI received the following comment from the USFWS on the Oakdale Station Project:
Oakdale Station
This conduit project also has been operational for many years. Review of the project file indicates that this station (pre- and post-FERC permit) has had a history of fishery impacts. In a letter from the MA DFW to the MWRA back in November of 1992, the issue of turbine mortality at the plant was discussed in detail. Apparently, lake trout residing in Wachusett Reservoir were attracted to the turbine's discharge and became entrained in the unit. This problem was identified back in the 1970s, and subsequently the Fish and Wildlife Service assisted the State with designing protective fish screens, which were installed in the early 1980s.
At some point those screens were removed, and on November 4, 1992 (two years after the FERC permit was issued) MA DFW staff observed over 100 dead lake trout at the Oakdale outlet. In its November 17, 1992 letter, MA DFW requested that MWRA reinstall the tailrace racks to prevent further fish kills. We have no further correspondence in our file since the date of that letter.
Based on this information, the FWS would only recommend that this project receive LIHI certification if (1) the MWRA commits to installing and maintaining the tailrace screens, or, (2) the MWRA provides evidence that those screens are no longer needed.
Melissa Grader
Fish and Wildlife Biologist
US FWS/New England Field Office
c/o CT River Coordinator's Office
103 East Plumtree Road
Sunderland, MA 01375
413-548-8002, x124
Portland, Maine (April 14, 2010) – The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) announced today that the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority ("Applicant" or "MWRA") has submitted an application for certification of the Oakdale Hydro Project.
Overview and Background: The MWRA supplies wholesale water to local water departments in 50 communities, primarily in the Boston metropolitan area. On average, MWRA supplies approximately 200 million gallons per day to its water system customers. MWRA's water comes from the Quabbin Reservoir, about 65 miles west of Boston, and the Wachusett Reservoir, about 35 miles west of Boston. Both Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs are man-made reservoirs, constructed for water supply purposes. More than 50% of the inflow into the Wachusett Reservoir is transferred from Quabbin Reservoir via the Quabbin Aqueduct/Tunnel. From Wachusett Reservoir, the Cosgrove Aqueduct conveys water to the John J. Carroll Treatment Plant (JJCWTP) in Marlborough. After treatment, water is sent eastward via the MetroWest Tunnel or Hultman Aqueduct (back-up).
Downstream of JJCWTP and close to its centers of demand, MWRA has recently constructed a new network of tanks to protect and store treated drinking water in compliance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The network of new tanks includes the Norumbega and Loring Road Covered Storage Facilities. From the tanks, water is then distributed to member communities.
The MWRA transmission system consists of over 100 miles of tunnels and aqueducts that transports water largely by gravity to points of distribution within the MWRA service area. There are three locations within this water transmission system where hydroelectric facilities are located. These include: Oakdale at the end of the Quabbin Aqueduct; the Cosgrove Intake to the Cosgrove Aqueduct, and at the Loring Road Covered Storage Facility (this facility is under construction and will become operational in fall, 2010)
Oakdale Hydro (FERC No. 10689: The Oakdale hydroelectric facility is located at the outlet of the Quabbin Aqueduct just upstream of Wachusett Reservoir and near the mouth of the Quinepoxet River. Quabbin Aqueduct is a deep rock tunnel. The water enters the aqueduct at Quabbin Aqueduct Intake, Shaft 12 and travels over 24 miles to its terminus to the Oakdale transfer station in West Boylston Massachusetts. It is one of the locations in the MWRA water transmission system where MWRA currently captures energy in falling water as it is conveyed from higher elevations in the western portion of the MWRA system (Quabbin Reservoir) to lower elevations in the distribution area. Generation of hydropower is secondary to MWRA's primary objective of water supply, and is legally subordinate to MWRA's obligation to provide high quality drinking water.
The Oakdale facility is operated and maintained by MWRA. The Oakdale station was constructed in 1929 as an outlet works of Quabbin Tunnel, and was initially operated solely as a water transfer station. In 1949, a hydropower generator was added. The project generated approximately 9,000 mWH in 2009. The hydropower generated is sold to West Boylston Municipal Lighting Plant. Revenues from the sale of power to West Boylston are used to offset the costs of operating the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR) Watershed Protection Division. DCR and MWRA are partners in watershed protection and MWRA rate payers fund the DCR Watershed Protection Division.
PUBLIC COMMENT
We encourage public comments on each of these applications. Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think these Projects meet our LIHI criteria. Review the program and criteria in greater detail and then review the Project or Projects that you have an interest in. Your 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 " Oakdale 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 June 14, 2010 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.