October 20, 2020: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) preliminarily approved Low Impact Certification (pending LIHI #172) for the Glens Falls Hydroelectric Project located on the Hudson River in New York.

This decision is preliminary pending the 30-day appeal window. Only those who commented on the initial application during the 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 by email to comments@lowimpacthydro.org with “Glens Falls Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 6, Lexington, MA 02420. All requests will be posted to the website. The applicant will have an opportunity to respond and any response will also be posted. Requests must be received by 5 pm Eastern time on November 19, 2020. 

The full application and review report are available below. If no appeal requests are received the certification term will be July 30, 2020 through July 29, 2025.

August 3, 2020: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has received a complete application for Low Impact Certification of the Glens Falls Hydroelectric Project.  LIHI is seeking public comment on this application.  Specifically, we are interested in knowing whether you think the Project meets the LIHI Low Impact Certification Criteria, as revised in the 2nd Edition Handbook.  The Project’s application materials can be found below.

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 comments@lowimpacthydro.org with “Glens Falls Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 329 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 6, Lexington, MA 02420.  Comments must be received on or before 5 pm Eastern time on October 2, 2020 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.

Project Description:

The Glens Falls Project (FERC No. 2385) is located at river mile 200.7 on the Hudson River in the towns of Moreau, Saratoga County, and Glens Falls, Warren County, NY. 

The project was originally constructed in 1906.  Project works include a portion of seven, 7.5-foot tall by 57-foot long hydraulically operated steel crest gates anchored on a 5-foot high concrete base. The dam impounds a reservoir of 167 acres with a useable storage volume of 560 acre-feet.  The watershed area at the project is 2,817 square miles.

Water is conveyed to the powerhouse and to a paper mill via a 550-foot long power canal.  The powerhouse contains five horizonal Francis turbine generators with a combined capacity of 12.7 MW.   A separate small dam and powerhouse located on the south side of the river is part of the unaffiliated South Glens Falls Project (No. 5461).  Generally, both FERC licensees have agreed to equally share inflow to the reservoir (50 percent split) when flows are less than 8,400 cfs.

The Glens Falls Project operates in a run-of-river mode with average annual generation of 56,150 MWh.  Impoundment fluctuations are limited to 6 inches.  A minimum flow of 5 cfs is provided in the 600-foot long bypassed reach to maintain water quality by preventing water stagnation and provide sufficient flow to adequately protect the limited aquatic habitat in the bypassed reach.

Files:

Glens Falls Review Report

Glens Falls LIHI Application