The Talcville Project is located on the Oswegatchie River in the Town of Edwards, St. Lawrence County, New York.

The project dam site and structures were constructed around 1880 as an electrical and mechanical power source for mining operations by the Gouvernor Talc Company. In 1972, the dam was partially breached by its owners, and non-functional. In the mid-1980s, the project was redeveloped at the breached Talcville Dam, including renovation of an existing 100-KW generator and replacement of a second generator with new unit rated at 824 KW. The project dam is an integrated concrete gravity structure which is 14 feet long and 13 feet high, having an 80- foot-long spillway section.

The project operates in run-of-river mode with a minimum flow requirement of 100 cfs immediately downstream of the dam. The project provides 85 cfs to the approximate 250-foot-long bypass reach via the minimum flow turbine with additional discharge through the sluice gate or over the spillway to preserve habitat and maintain water quality within the bypass reach.

The waters in the project reach are designated Class C by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. These waters are suitable for fish, shellfish and wildlife propagation and survival. Class C waters are also suitable for primary and secondary contact recreation.

The project area is mostly forested with some rural development on the northern shoreline of the impoundment. Consultation with the New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP) on January 27, 2025 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)’s New York Ecological Services Field Office on January 24, 2025, concluded that there is no critical habitat for protected species in the Project area. Run-of-river operations minimize impacts to the shoreline.

Threatened and endangered species potentially present in the project area include Northern long-eared bats, and the proposed-for-listing Monarch butterfly and Suckley’s Cuckoo bumblebee. There are several migratory bird species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act previously observed in the project vicinity including osprey, belted kingfisher, mallard, wood duck, and common loons.

A review of the New York State Cultural Resource Information System detailed that no historic or cultural resources are currently present in the project vicinity.

Recreational access is relatively limited at the project due to the small project footprint. Public access is permitted free of charge along shorelines within the project lands. However, public access is restricted around the dam, intake, and powerhouse due to public safety considerations.

Certification History

July 17, 2025: The Low Impact Hydropower Institute has received a complete application for Low Impact Certification of the Talcville 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 in effect at the time of initial application.  Please review the program and criteria in LIHI’s Handbook Revision 2.05, and then review the Project’s application materials 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 “Talcville Project Comments” in the subject line, or by mail addressed to the Low Impact Hydropower Institute, 68 Harrison Ave Ste 605, PMB 113938 Boston, Massachusetts 02111-1929.  Comments must be received on or before 5 pm Eastern time on September 15, 2025 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.

Certification Files

2025 Application

• Talcville Certification Application 2025

Key Documents

• 1983 FERC Exemption
• 1983 Water Quality Certification 
• 1995 FERC Exemption Amendment