November 19, 2020: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) preliminarily approved Low Impact Certification (pending LIHI #177) for the Sherman Island 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 “Sherman Island Project” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute,1167 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington MA 02476. 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 December 19, 2020.

The full application and review report are available below. If no appeal requests are received the certification term will be July 10, 2020 through July 9, 2025.

August 3, 2020: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has received a complete application for Low Impact Certification of the Sherman Island 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 “Sherman Island 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 Sherman Island development is located at river mile 209.4 on the Hudson River in the towns of Moreau, Saratoga County, and Queensbury, Warren County, NY.  Sherman Island is part of the Hudson River Project (FERC No. 2482) which also includes the Spier Falls development.

The project was originally constructed in 1923.  Project works include a 1,533-foot long buttressed and gravity dam with a maximum height of 38 feet at the spillway and 67 feet at the non-overflow section which includes pneumatic flashboards along a portion of the dam. The dam impounds a reservoir of 305 acres with a useable storage volume of 610 acre-feet.  The watershed area at the project is 2,785 square miles.

There is a 4,000-foot long bypassed reach between the dam and tailrace.  Water is conveyed to the main powerhouse through an intake structure and canal with 15 penstocks.  The main powerhouse contains five turbine generators with a combined capacity of 38.3 MW.  A minimum flow powerhouse contains one 1.16 MW turbine generator. Water is conveyed to that powerhouse via a 200-foot long penstock was constructed in 2008 to provide the required base flow of downstream of the Project. Water is discharged into the headpond of the Feeder Dam Project (LIHI #164).

Great Sacandaga Lake (FERC P-12252) controls 1,055 square miles of the drainage area that contributes to the hydroelectric projects on the Hudson River, including Sherman Island. Discharges from the reservoir are regulated by the Hudson River Black River Regulating District which allocates sufficient daily water volume releases from the Great Sacandaga Lake to meet minimum average daily flow requirements on the Hudson River. Typically, the reservoir is lowered in the fall and filled in the spring. Average annual generation is 167,813 MWh and the development operating in a peaking mode with a one foot daily impoundment fluctuation limit during walleye spawning (about March 15) until June 15 of each year. During the remainder of the year, daily impoundment fluctuations are to be limited to two feet. The bypassed reach maintains a minimum flow of 100 cfs in the North Channel and 150 cfs in the South Channel which is increased during walleye spawning season so that the combined flows discharged into both channels is at least 675 cfs.  The minimum flow is provided by the minimum flow unit and discharges over the dam to support aquatic habitat in the bypassed reach.

Files:

Sherman Island Review Report – 2020

Sherman Island LIHI Application – Public