LIHI Certificate #139 – Gambo Project, Maine

Gambo Project, LIHI #139
Gambo Project, LIHI #139
Gambo Project, LIHI #139
Nombre del proyecto Gambo
Certificado LIHI No. 139
Plazo del certificado LIHI 5 de septiembre de 2017 – 4 de septiembre de 2027
Dueño Presumpscot Hydro LLC, una subsidiaria de Relevate Power LLC
Estado Maine
Ubicación Windham y Gorham, condados de Cumberland
River mile 18.6
Río Presumpscot
Capacidad instalada 1.9 MW
Generación media anual 7,000 MWH
Tipo de instalación de pasada
Comisión Federal de Comercio No. P-2931 issued in 2003, expires 09/30/2053

The Gambo Project is located on the Presumpscot River in Cumberland County, Maine. The project has been used almost continuously for hydroelectric generation since its original construction (c. 1850). The site was originally developed as a sawmill in the 18th century by Jonathan Lovett and was later part of the Oriental Gun Powder Mill until c. 1904. The current presa was built in 1912 by E.I. duPont de Nemours Company, which used the site to manufacture wood flour for dynamite until 1950. Between 1950 and 1960, the site was owned by the Town of Windham, U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Commercial Chemical Corp, but was not known to have been used. In 1960, Mr. Lawrence Keddy began to use the site to provide power to his Little Falls steel mill. He also sold some of the power to Central Maine Power Company. S.D. Warren (later renamed Sappi North America, Inc.) purchased the Gambo Project from the Commercial Chemical Corporation on October 18, 1974 and the John Phinney property on the Gorham side of the River in 1978. The project was subsequently resold. On the Presumpscot River there are six hydroelectric facilities between Sebago Lake and the Atlantic Ocean in Portland, Maine. The Gambo project is the fourth hydroelectric project downstream of the Sebago Lake outlet. Upstream projects include Presa de anguilas (LIHI #137), Gorham del Norte (LIHI #129), y Dundee (LIHI-#138). Downstream projects include Pequeñas Cataratas (LIHI #140) y Cataratas Mallison (#141).

The project includes the dam, aliviadero, canal intake, central eléctrica, two turbines, bypass reach, and upstream passage facilities. The dam is a 300-foot-long, 24-foot-high reinforced concrete structure, consisting of a 250-foot-long overflow section. One-foot-four-inch-high wooden tableros de flash exist on the spillway section of the dam. The canal intake structure is 50 feet long leading to a sluice gate structure and a 737-foot-long, 15-foot-deep concrete-lined intake canal. The powerhouse is a concrete and brick structure containing two vertical Turbinas Francis direct connected to generators with a total installed capacity of 1.9 MW. The project bypass reach is 300-foot-long and free-flowing between the dam and powerhouse tailwaters. An 8-mile-long, 11-kV transmission line connects the project to the electrical grid.

The project operates in run-of-river mode and impounds a 151-acre reservoir. The project provides a minimum flow of 66 cfs. 100 cfs is required when the water temperature exceeds 22°C before 8:00am at the Gambo impoundment in order to meet and maintain Class B dissolved oxygen criteria. Embargo fluctuations are limited to 1-foot from the crest of the dam and are monitored by pressure sensors. The flow regime was developed in accordance with Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MEDEP) and Maine Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) standards for fishery protection and riverine habitat suitability.

Waters within the project reach are designated Class B and have been historically impaired for low dissolved oxygen levels. Monitoring conducted by MEDEP has confirmed that increased minimum flows provided by the project have resulted in full attainment of the dissolved oxygen standard.

Las represas aguas abajo evitan pez anádromo Pasaje en el proyecto. Con la enmienda de la licencia de la FERC de 2019 que incorpora una certificación de calidad del agua modificada y términos revisados del USFWS, anádromos paso de peces is no longer required during the current FERC license term.  Eel passage facilities were installed in 2007 and have been updated to provide more effective access for American eel passage. From September 1 through October 31, the project shuts down operations for 8 hours starting at sunset. This facilitates downstream migration of American eel. Shutdowns are coordinated with MDMR and US Fish and Wildlife Service to determine the most effective timing. Flows pass over the spillway and ensure safe migration into the bypass reach.

The project property consists of 25 acres not including the impoundment. A shoreline management plan was developed to maintain a buffer zone for the protection of sensitive plant species, aesthetic resources, and recreational access. The SMP was developed in consultation with the National Park Service, Maine State Planning Office, MDIFW, and the Casco Bay Estuary Project. The buffer zone pertains to all project lands within 200 feet of the normal high-water elevation.

Las especies amenazadas y en peligro de extinción que podrían estar en las inmediaciones del proyecto incluyen: murciélago orejudo del norte, murciélago de patas pequeñas del este, murciélago café pequeño, tortuga de arroyo, avetoro común, zarapito real, tortuga de caja del este y tortuga moteada. Las actividades que podrían afectar a las especies incluidas en la lista incluyen: eliminación de árboles grandes que puedan proporcionar hábitat de descanso para los murciélagos; exposición/deshidratación del mejillón de arroyo durante vaciados significativos y prolongados del embalse, pérdida o fragmentación del hábitat debido al desarrollo del avetoro común, el zarapito real y la tortuga moteada, captura directa de tortugas de caja para mascotas. El propietario del proyecto expresó que ninguna de estas actividades está prevista en el proyecto.

Los recursos culturales en las inmediaciones del proyecto incluyen Cumberland y Oxford Canal, the Oriental Powder Mill Complex, and the Gambo Pony Truss Bridge. The project owner submits annual reports to the State Historic Preservation Office and the Penobscot Indian Nation detailing activities conducted under its historic properties management plan.

Recreational resources at the project include a canoe portage trail, a walk-in angler access point, and a car-top boat launch.

Estado de cumplimiento

El Certificado incluye las siguientes condiciones específicas de la instalación:

Condition partially satisfied in 2022 with completion of modifications. Condición 1: The Owner shall notify LIHI when the modifications to the Project to improve upstream eel passage are completed and submit copies of MDMR and USFWS comments related to whether these modifications are sufficient, and/or if additional effectiveness testing is required to confirm that eels are safely passing upstream at the Project. If additional testing is required, the schedule and final results along with agency comments on the report, agency recommendations for modifications, and plans and schedule for any needed modifications to shall also be provided to LIHI.

Condición 2. El Propietario deberá actualizar a LIHI sobre las siguientes actividades en la declaración anual de cumplimiento de LIHI:

a) El estado de la condición 1 anterior.

b) Satisfecho en 2019 con la enmienda de la FERC. El estado de las actividades de paso de peces anádromos aguas arriba y aguas abajo en el Proyecto y en el Proyecto Saccarappa. Las actualizaciones deben incluir resúmenes de las consultas con las agencias y las partes interesadas, así como las recomendaciones realizadas, cualquier cambio en los planes de paso de peces con respecto a los descritos en la solicitud de LIHI, y cualquier cambio en los requisitos de paso o en el calendario de implementación en ambos Proyectos. LIHI se reserva el derecho de suspender su certificación si las agencias no determinan que se está proporcionando un paso seguro en el Proyecto y que no se han eximido dichas necesidades.

do) Un resumen de cualquier consulta con MIF&W y/o USFWS relacionada con especies incluidas en la lista estatal o federal identificadas como posiblemente presentes en el sitio y que podrían verse afectadas por actividades de construcción u operaciones no rutinarias o actividades de mantenimiento. Esto también incluiría las reducciones de los niveles de los embalses que expondrían una parte importante del fondo del río, entre otras actividades no rutinarias. También se proporcionará un resumen de las actividades desencadenantes relevantes y las medidas implementadas durante el año para proteger dichas especies.

2024: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1 and 2a, the project submitted the 2023 upstream eel passage report to FERC including agency comments and responses. For Condition 2c, the project reported no activity.

2023: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1 and 2a, the project reported completion of eel passage effectiveness testing in 2023. For Condition 2c, the project reported no activity.

2022: No material changes or compliance issues were identified. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1 and 2a, the project reported completion of eel passage modifications and agency consultation on additional testing will be completed in 2022. For Condition 2c, the project reported no activity.

2021: There were no reported changes or compliance issues. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1 and 2a, the project reported upstream eel passage modifications were underway and agency approval to conduct effectiveness testing in 2023.  For Condition 2c, the project reported no activity.

2020: There were no reported changes or compliance issues. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1 and 2a, the project reported no change in status, anticipating completion of modifications in 2021. For Condition 2c, the project reported no activity.

2019: There were no reported changes or compliance issues. The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1 and 2a, the project reported no change in status due to high flows. For Condition 2b, the project reported that removal of the Saccarappa dam had begun and the FERC license amendment incorporating an amended water quality certification and revised USFWS terms, anadromous fish passage is no longer required during the current FERC license term. For Condition 2c, the project reported no activity.

2018: There were no reported changes or compliance issues.  The project remains in compliance based on the annual review. For Condition 1, the project reported no change in status. For Condition 2b, the project reported filing with FERC of the Saccarapa project license surrender application. For Condition 2c, the project reported no change in status.

Historial de certificaciones

1 de enero de 2022: El plazo del Certificado LIHI se ha extendido de acuerdo con la Revisión 2.05 del Manual de Certificación LIHI 2.ª Edición emitido el 1 de enero de 2022. Consulte la tabla de instalaciones anterior para conocer el nuevo plazo.

5 de marzo de 2018 – The 30-day appeal window closed for the preliminary certification decision of the Gambo Hydroelectric Project closed on March 1, 2018 with no appeals to the decision received. The decision is therefore final and Dundee is LIHI Certificate #138. The Certificate term will be September 5, 2017 – September 4, 2022.

30 de enero de 2018 – On January 24, 2018, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) preliminarily approved Low Impact Certification for the Gambo project. This decision is preliminary pending the 30-day appeal window. Only those who commented in the initial application 60-day comment period are eligible to file an appeal. Such appeal needs to include an explanation as to how the project does not meet the LIHI criteria. Appeal requests can be submitted to comentarios@lowimpacthydro.org. Las solicitudes deben recibirse antes de las 5:00 p. m., hora del Este, el 1 de marzo de 2018.

7 de septiembre de 2017 – On September 7, 2017, the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) received a complete application from S.D. Warren Company d/b/a Sappi North America for the Low Impact Certification of the Gambo Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. P-2931, located on the Presumpscot River in Maine.

LIHI is seeking comment on the Gambo application for certification. 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 comentarios@lowimpacthydro.org with “Gambo Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 2, Lexington, MA 02420.  Los comentarios deben recibirse en el Instituto antes de las 5:00 p. m., hora del Este, el 7 de noviembre de 2017. Se considerarán todos los comentarios. Se publicarán en el sitio web y el solicitante tendrá la oportunidad de responder. También se publicarán todas las respuestas.

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